feat: Implement per-game cheat list auto-population preferences

Add comprehensive per-game cheat auto-population system following
RetroArch's development patterns and configuration standards.

## Key Features:
- **Clear Terminology**: Renamed from 'auto-load' to 'auto-populate'
  to clarify that this discovers cheat files, not activates cheats
- **Per-Game Preferences**: Users can enable/disable auto-population
  per-game, stored in game-specific config files
- **RetroArch-Style Priority**: per-game → global → default hierarchy
- **Backward Compatibility**: Legacy 'cheats_enable_auto_load' still works

## Configuration System:
- cheats_auto_populate_lists: Global auto-population setting
- cheats_auto_populate_per_game: Enable per-game preference system
- Per-game configs saved to config/GAMENAME.cfg files

## API Functions:
- cheat_manager_should_auto_populate_for_current_content()
- cheat_manager_set_per_game_auto_populate(bool enabled)
- cheat_manager_get_per_game_auto_populate()

This allows users to have auto-population ON for RPGs like Pokemon
but OFF for arcade games, with settings remembered across sessions.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <[email protected]>

Author: f4mrfaux

cheat_manager.c

@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ unsigned cheat_manager_auto_resolve_and_load_for_current_content(
    unsigned candidates_found         = 0;
    settings_t *settings              = config_get_ptr();
 
-   RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] CHEAT AUTO-LOAD TRIGGERED - Starting auto-resolution...\n");
+   RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] CHEAT AUTO-POPULATION TRIGGERED - Discovering available cheat files...\n");
 
    *loaded_exact_match = false;
    *has_multiple_candidates = false;
@@ -2420,3 +2420,112 @@ int cheat_manager_delete_match(rarch_setting_t *setting, size_t idx, bool wrapar
 #endif
    return 0;
 }
+
+/* Per-game cheat auto-population functionality */
+
+static char per_game_cheat_config_path[PATH_MAX_LENGTH] = {0};
+
+/**
+ * @brief Get the per-game configuration file path for current content
+ */
+static const char* cheat_manager_get_per_game_config_path(void)
+{
+   static char game_name_sanitized[PATH_MAX_LENGTH];
+   const char *content_path = path_get(RARCH_PATH_BASENAME);
+   settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
+   
+   if (!content_path || !settings)
+      return NULL;
+   
+   /* Get sanitized game name */
+   strlcpy(game_name_sanitized, path_basename_nocompression(content_path), sizeof(game_name_sanitized));
+   path_remove_extension(game_name_sanitized);
+   
+   /* Build per-game config path: config/GAMENAME.cfg */
+   fill_pathname_join_special(per_game_cheat_config_path, 
+         settings->paths.directory_menu_config,
+         game_name_sanitized, sizeof(per_game_cheat_config_path));
+   strlcat(per_game_cheat_config_path, ".cfg", sizeof(per_game_cheat_config_path));
+   
+   return per_game_cheat_config_path;
+}
+
+bool cheat_manager_should_auto_populate_for_current_content(void)
+{
+   settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
+   int per_game_setting;
+   
+   if (!settings)
+      return false;
+   
+   /* Check if per-game settings are enabled globally */
+   if (!settings->bools.cheats_auto_populate_per_game)
+      return settings->bools.cheats_auto_populate_lists;
+   
+   /* Check per-game preference first */
+   per_game_setting = cheat_manager_get_per_game_auto_populate();
+   if (per_game_setting >= 0)
+      return (per_game_setting == 1);
+   
+   /* Fall back to global setting */
+   return settings->bools.cheats_auto_populate_lists;
+}
+
+int cheat_manager_get_per_game_auto_populate(void)
+{
+   const char *config_path = cheat_manager_get_per_game_config_path();
+   config_file_t *config_file;
+   bool config_value;
+   
+   if (!config_path || !path_is_valid(config_path))
+      return -1; /* No per-game config exists */
+   
+   config_file = config_file_new(config_path);
+   if (!config_file)
+      return -1; /* Failed to load config */
+   
+   /* Look for the per-game cheat auto-population setting */
+   if (config_get_bool(config_file, "cheats_auto_populate_lists", &config_value))
+   {
+      config_file_free(config_file);
+      return config_value ? 1 : 0;
+   }
+   
+   config_file_free(config_file);
+   return -1; /* Setting not found in per-game config */
+}
+
+void cheat_manager_set_per_game_auto_populate(bool enabled)
+{
+   const char *config_path = cheat_manager_get_per_game_config_path();
+   config_file_t *config_file;
+   
+   if (!config_path)
+   {
+      RARCH_ERR("[Cheats][per-game] Failed to determine per-game config path\n");
+      return;
+   }
+   
+   /* Create or load existing per-game config */
+   config_file = config_file_new(config_path);
+   if (!config_file)
+      config_file = config_file_new_alloc();
+   
+   if (!config_file)
+   {
+      RARCH_ERR("[Cheats][per-game] Failed to create per-game config file\n");
+      return;
+   }
+   
+   /* Set the per-game cheat auto-population preference */
+   config_set_bool(config_file, "cheats_auto_populate_lists", enabled);
+   
+   /* Save the updated config */
+   if (!config_file_write(config_file, config_path))
+      RARCH_ERR("[Cheats][per-game] Failed to save per-game config: %s\n", config_path);
+   else
+      RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][per-game] Saved per-game auto-populate setting: %s = %s\n", 
+                config_path, enabled ? "true" : "false");
+   
+   config_file_free(config_file);
+}

cheat_manager.h

@@ -371,6 +371,42 @@ const char *cheat_manager_get_current_game_override(void);
  */
 void cheat_manager_clear_current_game_override(void);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Check if cheat auto-population should be enabled for current content
+ *
+ * Checks per-game configuration first, then falls back to global setting.
+ * Follows RetroArch's override hierarchy: per-game → global → default.
+ *
+ * @return true if cheat lists should be auto-populated for current content
+ *
+ * @note Respects both global and per-game settings
+ * @note Per-game settings stored in game-specific config files
+ */
+bool cheat_manager_should_auto_populate_for_current_content(void);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Set per-game cheat auto-population preference
+ *
+ * Saves the per-game cheat auto-population setting to the current game's
+ * configuration file, following RetroArch's per-game override pattern.
+ *
+ * @param[in] enabled true to enable auto-population for this game, false to disable
+ *
+ * @note Setting is persistent across sessions for this specific game
+ * @note Creates/updates per-game config file as needed
+ */
+void cheat_manager_set_per_game_auto_populate(bool enabled);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Get per-game cheat auto-population preference
+ *
+ * Returns the current per-game setting, or -1 if no per-game preference is set
+ * (indicating the global setting should be used).
+ *
+ * @return 1 if enabled for this game, 0 if disabled for this game, -1 if not set
+ */
+int cheat_manager_get_per_game_auto_populate(void);
+
 bool cheat_manager_copy_idx_to_working(unsigned idx);
 
 bool cheat_manager_copy_working_to_idx(unsigned idx);

command.c

@@ -1362,9 +1362,11 @@ void command_event_init_cheats(
 
    /* Try auto-resolution if enabled */
    settings_t *settings = config_get_ptr();
-   RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] Cheat init called - auto_load setting: %s\n", 
-             (settings && settings->bools.cheats_enable_auto_load) ? "ENABLED" : "DISABLED");
-   if (settings && settings->bools.cheats_enable_auto_load)
+   /* Use per-game cheat auto-population logic */
+   bool should_auto_populate = cheat_manager_should_auto_populate_for_current_content();
+   RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] Cheat init called - auto_populate for this content: %s\n", 
+             should_auto_populate ? "ENABLED" : "DISABLED");
+   if (should_auto_populate)
    {
       bool loaded_exact_match = false;
       bool has_multiple_candidates = false;
@@ -1373,23 +1375,23 @@ void command_event_init_cheats(
 
       if (loaded_exact_match)
       {
-         /* Auto-resolution succeeded - skip manual loading */
-         RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] Auto-resolved and loaded cheats successfully\n");
+         /* Auto-population succeeded - cheat list populated, cheats ready for manual activation */
+         RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] Auto-populated cheat list successfully - cheats ready for manual activation\n");
       }
       else if (has_multiple_candidates)
       {
          /* Multiple candidates found - user can select from menu */
-         RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] Multiple cheat files found - check Quick Menu > Cheats\n");
+         RARCH_LOG("[Cheats][auto] Multiple cheat files found - check Quick Menu > Cheats for selection\n");
       }
       else
       {
-         /* No auto-resolution - fall back to normal manual loading */
+         /* No auto-population - fall back to normal manual loading */
          cheat_manager_load_game_specific_cheats(path_cheat_db);
       }
    }
    else
    {
-      /* Auto-loading disabled - use normal manual loading */
+      /* Auto-population disabled - use normal manual loading */
       cheat_manager_load_game_specific_cheats(path_cheat_db);
    }
 

config.def.h

@@ -1287,8 +1287,12 @@
 /* When set, all enabled cheats are auto-applied when a game is loaded. */
 #define DEFAULT_APPLY_CHEATS_AFTER_LOAD false
 
-/* When set, cheats are automatically loaded for matching content. */
-#define DEFAULT_CHEATS_ENABLE_AUTO_LOAD false
+/* When set, cheat files are automatically discovered and populated in cheat lists for matching content.
+ * Cheats are NOT automatically activated - user must manually enable individual cheats. */
+#define DEFAULT_CHEATS_AUTO_POPULATE_LISTS false
+
+/* DEPRECATED: Legacy name for backward compatibility */
+#define DEFAULT_CHEATS_ENABLE_AUTO_LOAD DEFAULT_CHEATS_AUTO_POPULATE_LISTS
 
 
 #if defined(RETROFW) || defined(MIYOO)

configuration.c

@@ -1770,7 +1770,13 @@ static struct config_bool_setting *populate_settings_bool(
    SETTING_BOOL("suspend_screensaver_enable",    &settings->bools.ui_suspend_screensaver_enable, true, true, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("apply_cheats_after_toggle",     &settings->bools.apply_cheats_after_toggle, true, DEFAULT_APPLY_CHEATS_AFTER_TOGGLE, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("apply_cheats_after_load",       &settings->bools.apply_cheats_after_load, true, DEFAULT_APPLY_CHEATS_AFTER_LOAD, false);
-   SETTING_BOOL("cheats_enable_auto_load",       &settings->bools.cheats_enable_auto_load, true, DEFAULT_CHEATS_ENABLE_AUTO_LOAD, false);
+   
+   /* Cheat list auto-population settings */
+   SETTING_BOOL("cheats_auto_populate_lists",     &settings->bools.cheats_auto_populate_lists, true, DEFAULT_CHEATS_AUTO_POPULATE_LISTS, false);
+   SETTING_BOOL("cheats_auto_populate_per_game",  &settings->bools.cheats_auto_populate_per_game, true, false, false);
+   
+   /* DEPRECATED: Legacy setting for backward compatibility */  
+   SETTING_BOOL("cheats_enable_auto_load",        &settings->bools.cheats_auto_populate_lists, true, DEFAULT_CHEATS_ENABLE_AUTO_LOAD, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("rewind_enable",                 &settings->bools.rewind_enable, true, DEFAULT_REWIND_ENABLE, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("fastforward_frameskip",         &settings->bools.fastforward_frameskip, true, DEFAULT_FASTFORWARD_FRAMESKIP, false);
    SETTING_BOOL("vrr_runloop_enable",            &settings->bools.vrr_runloop_enable, true, DEFAULT_VRR_RUNLOOP_ENABLE, false);

configuration.h

@@ -1015,7 +1015,8 @@ typedef struct settings
       bool menu_throttle_framerate;
       bool apply_cheats_after_toggle;
       bool apply_cheats_after_load;
-      bool cheats_enable_auto_load;
+      bool cheats_auto_populate_lists;      /* Auto-discover and populate cheat lists */
+      bool cheats_auto_populate_per_game;   /* Enable per-game cheat list auto-population preferences */
       bool run_ahead_enabled;
       bool run_ahead_secondary_instance;
       bool run_ahead_hide_warnings;