Definitely a needed project!!
Been out of touch for a while when my XP distro shat itself, and took Linux down with it.... Almost back....
yogiholzer said:
The actual available VPLauncher.dat is a little outdated. Since Roland Scholz, author of the VPLauncher frontend and the VPLauncher.dat file, doesn't seem to be present and interested anymore, it's time to think about if and how to update the VPLauncher.dat, i. e. for further use in frontends as VPLauncher, VP-Man, ... .
So we need some information how to.
I think we can use a standard file editor as Microsoft Editor.
What are the different table entries seperated by \ ?
I. e.:
Addams Family - Addams Family Gold\v7.1\$838571CB\PacDude / Boris\1992\Midway Mfg. Co., a subsidiary of WMS Industries, Inc.\VPinMame\Addams Family Addams Family Gold7.1.jpg/the_addams_family-1992-f-1.jpg/the_addams_family-1992-f-2.jpg\TAF_Rules\y\\
Does that mean:
Table name\version number\?\author\realese year\company\table category?\screenshot file name?\flyer file name?\flyer2 file name?\rules file name?\?\?\
Anyone interested and willing to help to update?
Let's see and then I decide for myself if and how much I'm disposed to engage in that.
I'm in!
While working on the gamelist updater tool, I realised that the database really needs to be brought up to date, but I also realised why it hasn't - A LOT of work needs to be done, tables and versions collected, names standardised, and if 'table info' is missing, then version authors must be contacted, version descriptors found, Manufacturer, year of release researched......ARRGGGHHH!
VPL uses CRC32 checksums to match VPTs with a DB entry. If an unknown CRC32 is found, all VPL can do is use the name that the author has used in the 'table Info' fields in VP. There is no convention and caused me no end of headaches.
Yogi the structure you have outlined is correct (first ? is $32 bit cyclical redundancy check or CRC32, last ? is 'favourite', others front end images), but we'll go insane very quickly if we try to use a text editor. I think a (small and targeted) special purpose tool would be extremely useful - perhaps a web app to allow many people to contribute, and a client app for contributors to run and then submit results to central.
phoenixx said:
This grabbing of other peoples property must be contagious.
Makes you wonder what happened to the times when people still used to ask the person who owns something for fixes and updates instead of just taking it and doing with it whatever they think needs to be done,...
I think that's a bit presumptuous, Phoenixx!
Yogi is speculating on the viability of a project for updating a vital piece of Front-End infrastructure, and looking for encouragement and support. He certainly didn't rule out contacting the original author, as is customary with other artifacts like tables. I certainly didn't contact Roland for permission to use the existing database at the heart of my 3DArcade tool, but I did give credit to VPL for providing it, along with instructions on how to obtain it.
Don't jump the gun man!!!
jonpurplehaze said:
Used to run VPLauncher for VP Tables years ago and I'm certain Roland would love to have the dat file and pack files updated, if you can't reach him.
I spent a few months updating the dat file, screenshots, rules and flyers packs back in 2004 and he was very helpful.
yogiholzer said:
I still didn't try to reach Roland because I wanted to check common interests in the VPLauncher.dat and possible willingness of others to help to update it first. If there was no, there's no need to ask him at all. I remember Roland as a very nice and helpful guy.
Good Point Yogi - Phoenixx I think your judgment in this matter may have been a little hasty....
Anyway - Yogi if you're still keen on doing this, I'm ready to join you. If you can contact Roland, I'm happy to write some software to facilitate a multi-user contributory environment.
Requirements gathering starts now.