# Install advancescan with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts Rom manager for AdvanceMAME/MESS. Version 1.18 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-02. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:advancescan ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install advancescan ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install advancescan ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: archivers/advancescan/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add advancescan ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: advancescan from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:advancescan - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.18 - **Source summary:** Rom manager for AdvanceMAME/MESS - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-02T11:12:14-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - advdiff (cli) - advscan (cli) - advdiff (alias) - advscan (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.18 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-02 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/amadvance/advancescan - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage AdvanceSCAN is a command-line ROM manager for AdvanceMAME, AdvanceMESS, and other MAME derivatives. It maintains zipped ROM and sample archives using emulator metadata, with particular attention to differential merging, safe cleanup, and ROM-set reporting. ### Project history The official history traces the tool back to MAMESCAN in 1998, when a new `listinfo` command was posted to the MAME list. The project became AdvanceSCAN in the 0.6 beta in May 2002, after a major revision, cleanup, C++ update, and addition of AdvanceDIFF and AdvanceZIP. AdvanceSCAN 1.0 was released in May 2002. Early releases added Windows support, PNG and MNG compression helpers, garbage detection for zipped ROMs, XML input support, filters for working/preliminary/parent/clone ROM sets, CHD support, and safer handling of damaged ZIP/CHD files. In 2003, recompression utilities were removed from AdvanceSCAN and moved into AdvanceCOMP, clarifying the split between ROM-set management and general-purpose recompression. Later releases focused on MAME metadata compatibility, CHD versions, XML handling, 64-bit support, and build modernization. ### Adoption history The provided package facts show AdvanceSCAN in Homebrew, Alpine, and MacPorts. That narrower distribution footprint matches its niche: it is not a general archive manager, but a specialist tool for emulator users maintaining ROM and sample collections. Its official documentation is written for users with existing MAME-family workflows: generate an XML information file with `mame -listxml`, configure ROM directories in `advscan.rc`, then run `advscan` to fix or report on the collection. ### How it is used A typical workflow starts by creating `advscan.rc` in the current directory or passing another file with `--cfg`. The config names ROM, new ROM, unknown ROM, import, sample, and disk paths. The tool then reads emulator metadata from standard input, commonly from `mame -listxml`, and applies operations such as `advscan -R < info.xml` or report generation. AdvanceSCAN is intentionally conservative about data loss. The docs say removed or overwritten ZIP contents are saved under unknown directories, damaged archives are renamed, and dry-run/report modes exist for checking actions before modifying a set. ### Why package nerds care AdvanceSCAN matters to package nerds because it represents an older, very Unixy style of emulator collection maintenance: one command, one text config file, metadata on stdin, and archive mutation controlled by explicit flags. It is also historically interesting because it is the parent context for AdvanceCOMP. What began as ROM-set scanning and compression helpers later split into separate packages: AdvanceSCAN for correctness of ROM collections, AdvanceCOMP for byte-level recompression. ### Timeline - 1998: MAMESCAN 0.0 posted a new MAME listinfo command. - 1999: MAMESCAN 0.1 marked the first version. - 2002: AdvanceSCAN 0.6 beta renamed the project and added AdvanceDIFF and AdvanceZIP. - 2002: AdvanceSCAN 1.0 became the first public release. - 2003: AdvanceSCAN 1.5 removed recompression utilities into the AdvanceCOMP package. - 2004: AdvanceSCAN added XML, filtering, CHD, and safer damaged archive handling. - 2013: AdvanceSCAN 1.17 moved into a git repository. - 2015: AdvanceSCAN 1.18 updated to a new autoconf/git format. ### Related projects - AdvanceMAME and AdvanceMESS are the emulator projects AdvanceSCAN was built to support. - AdvanceCOMP split out of AdvanceSCAN to handle recompression utilities separately. - MAME metadata output, especially `-listxml`, is central to how AdvanceSCAN identifies and repairs ROM sets. ### Sources - - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Configuration files - Unix: ./advscan.rc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** advancescan - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - apk - advancescan - 1.18-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: advancescan from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Command line rom manager for AdvanceMAME and AdvanceMESS | http://www.advancemame.it - apk - advancescan-doc - 1.18-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: advancescan-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Command line rom manager for AdvanceMAME and AdvanceMESS (documentation) | http://www.advancemame.it - MacPorts - advancescan: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: archivers/advancescan/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Game and emulation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/game-emulation-tools/) - Matched game or emulation metadata. - [Web development packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/web-dev-tools/) - Matched web development metadata. - [rom-tools](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rom-tools/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games, mame. - [scummvm](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/scummvm/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [blastem](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/blastem/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [dosbox-staging](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dosbox-staging/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [dosbox-x](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dosbox-x/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [fceux](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fceux/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [huexpress](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/huexpress/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [joyce](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/joyce/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulation, games. - [mame](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mame/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, emulation, games, mame. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/advancescan.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/advancescan.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph