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+.. _plugins-data:
+
+Data Plugin
+===========
+
+The data plugin loads information from various external support files so it can
+be displayed in MAME. If the plugin is enabled, info is show in the **Infos**
+tab of the right-hand pane on the system and software selection menus. The info
+viewer can be shown by clicking the toolbar button on the system and software
+selection menus, or by choosing **External DAT View** from the main menu during
+emulation (this menu item will not appear if the data plugin is not enabled, or
+if no information is available for the emulated system).
+
+To set the folders where the data plugin looks for supported files, choose
+**Configure Options** on the system selection menu, then choose
+**Configure Directories**, and then choose **DATs**. You can also set the
+``historypath`` option in your **ui.ini** file.
+
+The following files are supported:
+
+history.xml
+ From `Gaming-History <https://www.arcade-history.com/>`_ (formerly
+ Arcade-History)
+mameinfo.dat
+ From `MASH’s MAMEINFO <https://mameinfo.mameworld.info/>`_
+messinfo.dat
+ From `progetto-SNAPS MESSINFO.dat
+ <https://www.progettosnaps.net/messinfo/>`_
+gameinit.dat
+ From `progetto-SNAPS GameInit.dat
+ <https://www.progettosnaps.net/gameinit/>`_
+command.dat
+ from `progetto-SNAPS Command.dat
+ <https://www.progettosnaps.net/command/>`_
+score3.htm
+ `Top Scores <http://replay.marpirc.net/txt/scores3.htm>`_ from
+ the `MAME Action Replay Page <http://replay.marpirc.net/>`_
+Japanese mameinfo.dat and command.dat
+ From `MAME E2J <https://e2j.net/downloads/>`_
+sysinfo.dat
+ From the defunct Progetto EMMA site
+story.dat
+ From the defunct MAMESCORE site
+
+If you install `hi2txt <https://greatstoneex.github.io/hi2txt-doc/>`_, the data
+plugin can also show high scores from non-volatile memory or saved by the
+:ref:`hiscore support plugin <plugins-hiscore>` for supported games.
+
+Note that you can only use a single file of each type at a time. You cannot,
+for example, use the English and Japanese **mameinfo.dat** files simultaneously.
+
+The data plugin creates a **history.db** file in the first configured DATs
+folder. This file stores the information from the support files in a format
+suitable for rapid loading. It uses the SQLite3 database format.