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New GB version coming... feature requests, anyone?

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Jimbo
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New GB version coming... feature requests, anyone?

Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:04 am

OMG!!!!!! After quite a few years away from GameBase I've decided to update it (mainly so I can get GB databases running on my arcade cab - see my other thread).

There will be a new beta version soon, so I'm asking here if anyone has any "not too big" feature requests or bug-fixes that they want to see in the next version.

I stress my time is limited on this, I won't be able to incorporate big new features or changes, but I'll certainly consider any requests that are made.

Post any requests here and I'll see what I can do.

Cheers

James
hardmanm
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:44 am

Great news, i for one would like the ability to add Genre's and to have more added to the default gamebase mdb file. Also the ability to have more information columns instead of only having upto 2. Also the ability to send commands to emulators to load games as alot of emulators dont auto load game images, and need you to manually type command within the emulator itself.

It would be nice if the frontend was as nice as the gamebase player looks, with the ability to have skins etc.

As a gamebase developer, i would be very interested in an update to test with my own creations.
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Magnate
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:45 am

It hangs if you add the 20th filter to a custom view. It would be nice to see the field for graphics credits, too.
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.mad.
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:16 pm

Excellent news Jimbo.

i will hold myself back from making the list too long. :wink:

Fix the menu GFX tabs
example
GameTab5_16x16.gif = MusicTab_16x16.gif

if you create
GameTab4_16x16.gif
the gamebase crashes
---------
if the Disk has a "Completly Blank" D64 volume name.
(created in star commander)
the boot load file can't be edited from menu.
file already exists error?
-----------
T64 Game won't auto run in WinVICE...
PRG file has...
Underscore
Starts with a SPACE

also problems loading files from a D64 ,T64
that contain /start with
up arrow
pi
some commodore key GFX


Can't wait for the Update! :D
Belgarath
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:55 pm

More fields definitely..
More than 2 columns displayed at once would be nice as well.
Screenshot window not fixed at 320x200 (amiga shots look silly)

I read on eab you were going to write an export function that would also rename screenshots, I don't know what format those frontends you listed use but I'd like more control over the screenshot names.

I really need them to be numbered _001 _002 etc rather than _1 _2
it will also help where the game name ends in a number.


oh and hardmanm there's nothing to stop you adding genres to the mdb file. I did it myself for GB Amiga.
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K.C.
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:01 pm

Belgarath wrote:oh and hardmanm there's nothing to stop you adding genres to the mdb file. I did it myself for GB Amiga.
True, but it would be a lot easier if you could do that in the frontend, not in Access.

For my feature requests look at the Lemon64 forums.
CRP
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:54 pm

Please please please get rid of the mdb format and release Gamebases in some open format (sqlite would be best)
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Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:08 pm

the ability to add Genre's and to have more added to the default gamebase mdb file
This'll be low priority as its already possible in Access and will probably take more time than I currently have.
more information columns instead of only having upto 2
This could be done I think. It'll be easiest for me to add a fixed amount. I'll have to re-familiarise myself with that part of the code, but shouldn't be too hard.
the ability to send commands to emulators to load games as alot of emulators dont auto load game images
I tried this tonight and got it working with *some* windows apps (i.e. sending keystrokes to notepad). Some emulators didn't work though (WinVICE for one) so I think my send-keys code might be a bit hit-and-miss (it's VB6 after all, which as we all know is from the middle ages).

I did stumble across this though: http://www.autohotkey.com/ and wondered if anyone has had any success using it with GEMUS?
the ability to have skins
I can't see that happening any time soon, sorry!
It hangs if you add the 20th filter to a custom view
Fixed!
Fix the menu GFX tabs
example
GameTab5_16x16.gif = MusicTab_16x16.gif

if you create
GameTab4_16x16.gif
the gamebase crashes
Fixed!
if the Disk has a "Completly Blank" D64 volume name.
(created in star commander)
the boot load file can't be edited from menu.
file already exists error?
-----------
T64 Game won't auto run in WinVICE...
PRG file has...
Underscore
Starts with a SPACE

also problems loading files from a D64 ,T64
that contain /start with
up arrow
pi
some commodore key GFX
Can you send me some example files so I can test them please? Feel free to PM me.
More fields definitely
Belgarath, can you elaborate? I can't say I'm keen to do this as its really boring, but one or two more might be doable, Graphics artist, for example.
Screenshot window not fixed at 320x200 (amiga shots look silly)
If I can get that working nicely with the window resizing I'll give it a shot.
...I'd like more control over the screenshot names.

I really need them to be numbered _001 _002 etc rather than _1 _2
it will also help where the game name ends in a number.
I may change GB to accept both types, i.e. look for _001 first, then _1 if it doesn't exist - would that do the trick? Out of interest, why do you need this functionality?
Please please please get rid of the mdb format and release Gamebases in some open format (sqlite would be best)
Not likely to happen, sorry - I don't have enough free time, and that's a LOT of work.
Optional use of relative paths instead of absolute paths. It works now by manually edit the .ini files, but it would be nice to do this from the GUI (checkbox?)
Low priority as its possible via ini editing for those that want to do it.
There are some tricks to make the frontend portable. It would be nice to do an 'official' portable installation
If you can let me know the "tricks" I'll see what I can do (no promises)

Edit non-editable fields. For example, Genres, Control and the GEMUS Setup Wizard text can only be edited with Access. Maybe support for this in the GBToolbox?
Hmm... Genres I've already mentioned (low priority), Controls I think you can change in the ini file... unless I'm not remembering correctly, or that's not what you meant.

What text would you like to be able to change in the GEMUS Setup Wizard?
Free adding and deleting/disabling fields per collection. For example, the field True Drive Emulation is not needed for most systems, so an option to disable it would be nice. But some systems require an extra field, for example the use of sound.
I could certainly add a "hide/show" option for each field shown in the details tabs under the main game list. How does that sound?
Optional keeping the folder structure while unpacking zip files. If a zip file has subfolders, all files are extracted into one folder. This gives problems with some collections I'm working on.
Not sure if this is possible with the 3rd party unzip/zip library's used by GameBase. If its not, I can't see this happening very soon, as changing libraries is probably more work than I have time for.

James
Belgarath
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Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:36 am

Although obviously I love GB as a frontend for playing games, I also really like using it as an offline database of info, but there just isn't enough fields to store all that's needed.

graphics artist is an absolute must, but i'd also want a seperate field for sound effects artists as well and designers and so on and so on. I also never liked the fact that it's just 1 field for programmers etc. I'd like each artist as a seperate entry, and not have to make yet another entry just because 3 artists already in the db all worked together on the same game.

As for the _001 screenshots er, basically I'm working on something else, and atm i'm having to rename all the screenshots, but ignoring that it still makes sense because for example gb would rename Speedball as Speedball.png Speedball_1.png Speedball_2.png

but then ofc it's gonna want to show Speedball_2.png as the first screenshot for Speedball 2...
Jimbo wrote:
More fields definitely
Belgarath, can you elaborate? I can't say I'm keen to do this as its really boring, but one or two more might be doable, Graphics artist, for example.
...I'd like more control over the screenshot names.

I really need them to be numbered _001 _002 etc rather than _1 _2
it will also help where the game name ends in a number.
I may change GB to accept both types, i.e. look for _001 first, then _1 if it doesn't exist - would that do the trick? Out of interest, why do you need this functionality?
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K.C.
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Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:33 am

Jimbo wrote:
There are some tricks to make the frontend portable. It would be nice to do an 'official' portable installation
If you can let me know the "tricks" I'll see what I can do (no promises)
There were some discussions about it here and here.
Jimbo wrote:
Edit non-editable fields. For example, Genres, Control and the GEMUS Setup Wizard text can only be edited with Access. Maybe support for this in the GBToolbox?
Hmm... Genres I've already mentioned (low priority), Controls I think you can change in the ini file... unless I'm not remembering correctly, or that's not what you meant.
Yes, you're right. Controls are stored in text.ini. But you can't change the number of choices of disable some of them.
Jimbo wrote:What text would you like to be able to change in the GEMUS Setup Wizard?
In the Table Config there are the fields "FirstLoadMessage" and "FirstLoadGemusAsk" You can't control the values of these fields from the frontend or the toolbox.
Jimbo wrote:
Free adding and deleting/disabling fields per collection. For example, the field True Drive Emulation is not needed for most systems, so an option to disable it would be nice. But some systems require an extra field, for example the use of sound.
I could certainly add a "hide/show" option for each field shown in the details tabs under the main game list. How does that sound?
That sounds great!
Jimbo wrote:
Optional keeping the folder structure while unpacking zip files. If a zip file has subfolders, all files are extracted into one folder. This gives problems with some collections I'm working on.
Not sure if this is possible with the 3rd party unzip/zip library's used by GameBase. If its not, I can't see this happening very soon, as changing libraries is probably more work than I have time for.
Ok, clear.
hardmanm
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Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:34 am

when you add a screen shoot in Gamebase it always takes you to the root of the screenshots folder instead of remebering the last sub folder used, unlike adding gamefiles which does remember.

Most gamebases i create are huge and i like to store games in alphabetical directories i.e a, b, c, i also do the same for screenshots. having to navagate back to the last screenshot folder is a pain and waistes time.
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Jimbo
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Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:18 pm

Some progress tonight...
how about a sound sample to play with splash screen.
Done. Put wavs in the /Splash folder and a random one will be played when the splash screen shows.
when you add a screen shoot in Gamebase it always takes you to the root of the screenshots folder instead of remebering the last sub folder used, unlike adding gamefiles which does remember.
Fixed. Now remembers last browsed screenshot path.
Screenshot window not fixed at 320x200 (amiga shots look silly)
Fixed. Default sizes can now be overwritten by adding the following to the [UI] section of Settings.ini:

FullSizePictureWidthPixels=320
FullSizePictureHeightPixels=256
SmallPictureWidthPixels=160
SmallPictureHeightPixels=128
ZoomedPictureWidthPixels=640
ZoomedPictureHeightPixels=512
the ability to send commands to emulators to load games as alot of emulators dont auto load game images
I've added a GEMUS function:
Run_Emulator_Send_Keys(3||run{ENTER})
(sends keys "run<enter>" 3 seconds after the emulator was launched)

This only seems to work on some emulators at present, so it might remain undocumented until it works 100%.

James

edit: Also got rid of the "File Not Found or not PSID" message on the music tab.
hardmanm
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Sun Nov 22, 2009 3:51 pm

How about adding a search options of finding games files, screenshots and extras like the one for music files.
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Magnate
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Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:15 pm

Thanks for all the improvements. There is one more necessary feature (except for the graphic credits field): the possibility to link more than one sid file to a game in a similar manner that extras are added. Numerous games use 2 or more sid files.
Jimbo
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Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:23 pm

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Here's a beta. Check the History.txt for what's been done so far.

Docs also updated.

http://www.leesti.com/gbv13b20091122.zip

Feedback appreciated!

James

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