libretro / libretro/RetroArch

[Feature Request]: Support `Load archive`/`Browse archive` for archives without end-of-central-directory signature

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feature request
Dominant language
C
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

In GNU/Linux distros, RetroArch fails to "Load Archive" or "Browse Archive" for ZIP files lacking a proper End of Central Directory (EOCD) signature, even when the internal ROM data remains fully intact.

This issue renders countless ZIP files useless for direct loading or browsing in RetroArch, as missing EOCD signatures are extremely common in ROM archives from various online sources and older collections.

Users must manually extract the archives using external tools, then load the contents directly into RetroArch, which disrupts seamless emulation workflows.

Workaround

  • Edit: 7z from the p7zip-full package, which ships with Ubuntu MATE (20.04, 22.04, 24.04 tested both in live mode and installed), extracts contents successfully despite a missing end-of-central-directory signature in the archive—example: 7z x file.zip.
  • Tools like zip (zip -FF "file.zip" --out "file_fixed.zip") recover files

Feature request

  • Fallback if EOCD fails:
    • Edit: Use 7z .
    • Recover files, and then extract them.
  • Add "Enable incomplete ZIPs" toggle.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by tracing the Load Archive and Browse Archive entry points and the handling of ZIP End of Central Directory validation. Compare the current behavior with the reported 7z and zip recovery workflows; done should include a defined fallback or toggle for incomplete ZIPs and verification that intact ROM data can be loaded or browsed.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c
Domain
desktop
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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