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update mechanism

  • Thread starter Thread starter emperor799 at earthlink.n
  • Start date Start date
E

emperor799 at earthlink.n

Guest
Hello, I have some suggestions about the update mechanism within cardvault.

Firstly, some of the titles and descriptions of the files are so long, you can't read it all due to the small colums of the update window. I see no reason the update window couldn't be full-screen, and this would allow us to see longer titles and descriptions.

Secondly, I have an issue with the way the red flags are handled to show you when new files are available. They seem only appear next to things added/updated since the last time you used the update mechanism. I'm not sure how complicated it would be, but it seems more sensible for red flags to show up next to NEW datafiles (i.e. those that have never been available before) and next to new version of datafiles you have already downloaded. That way, it's easier to find the new stuff, and if you ever need to exit cardvault before you've updated everything you need to, it's easier to find what you stiull need to update.

This brings me to another point, in the future, datafiles should be listed alphabetically. Listing them by date last updated seemed sensible at first, but as more and more game systems are added, it becoms hectic. Imagine once more of the 130+ CCGs have datafiles available, plus the collectible disk games, collectible dice games, the ever increasing library of collectible miniatures games, etc. Now imagine trying to find the datafiles for a new game you just got into, and plowing through dozens upoin dozens of datafiles to look for it. It could get bad quick.

This brings me to decks. Again, once upwars of a hundred datafiles are added, it would be near impossible to try to find specific deck sets amongst the datafiles. It would seem more logical to have a seperate window, perhaps accessible via a button in the main (datafile) update window. And the deck update window would contain deck sets, perhaps sorted alphabetically, by resouce (magazine, website, etc.) or in the case of precons, by game system and/or set

i.e.
Magic - Precons
Magic - Decks from Special Sets
Magic - World Championship Decks

or
Magic - Scourge Precons
Magic - Tempest Precons
Magic - Urza's Destiny Precons
etc.

I still see great problems with listing the decks as you do now. Once more Scrye and possibly other gaming magazine decks sets are added, plus partner site decks, precons, etc., Even an update window for only decks would be clogged with hundreds of deck sets for dozens upon dozens of games. Sorting them by Game would seem the most logical way to keep this from happening, and the sooner you implement such a protocol, the better. Rob said before that downloading giant Magic deck sets when only a few new decks are added would be bad on the user, but what if you made a way for them to be grouped together by game, but still downloadably by small deck sets. i.e., you would go to the deck updater window (see above) and there would be selection for all game systems with decks available ( with red flags next to the ones with new updates), then you would click on which game system you wanted decks for, and it would take you to a list of deck sets available. Here's an example with Magic: The Gathering:

Magic - Precons - Scourge
Magic - Precons - Tempest
Magic - Precons - Urza's Destiny
Magic - Precons - Urza's Legacy
Magic - Precons - Urza's Saga
Magic - Scrye - Issue #66
Magic - Scrye - Issue #67
Magic - Scrye - Issue #68
Magic - Scrye - Issue #69
Magic - Special - Anthologies Green/White
Magic - Special - Anthologies Black/Red

Now, the Scrye sets here would only contain Magic decks from that issue of Scrye, and other game systems would also have Scrye deck sets with the Scryedecks for that game listed. That way things would be simpler on the user, decks would be better organized, and the deck sets would still be small.


Now I've given several exapmles of how to do things differently, and I'm certainly willing to hear counter-arguments. I'm sure a lot of work would be involved in changing these things, but the current setup will just be infeasible once more and more datafiles and decks are added.



--Kyle Turner
emperor799@earthlink.net


"You're out of your mind!"
"That's between me and my mind" -- Firefly




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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At 07:53 PM 5/22/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello, I have some suggestions about the update mechanism within cardvault.
>
>Firstly, some of the titles and descriptions of the files are so long, you
>can't read it all due to the small colums of the update window. I see no
>reason the update window couldn't be full-screen, and this would allow us
>to see longer titles and descriptions.

The authors control what informatoin is displayed. It's up to the authors
to keep the description appropriate to the space provided. The form is
fixed width in an effort to ensure authors with wide screens keep the
information sized appropriately for users with ALL display sizes. This is
intentional.

>Secondly, I have an issue with the way the red flags are handled to show
>you when new files are available. They seem only appear next to things
>added/updated since the last time you used the update mechanism. I'm not
>sure how complicated it would be, but it seems more sensible for red flags
>to show up next to NEW datafiles (i.e. those that have never been
>available before) and next to new version of datafiles you have already
>downloaded. That way, it's easier to find the new stuff, and if you ever
>need to exit cardvault before you've updated everything you need to, it's
>easier to find what you stiull need to update.

CV's method flags all updates that you haven't seen before. You can then
choose at that time whether to download them or not. If you choose not to
download a new update, CV resolves that you've been notified and have made
a decision on the matter, so it doesn't bother you about the update again.

CV does NOT track which version of each game system you have installed on
your system. This would be required in order to do as you suggest. Doing so
would become completely reliant upon the accuracy of the authors in data
entry, which experience has proven to be subject to human error. That's
something I'm hesitant to do, since new data files would show up as old if
the author made a mistake. Then no one would know about the new update. And
this is something the author would find very difficult to test, since he'd
already HAVE the new version installed and the update would always appear
as old for him.

>This brings me to another point, in the future, datafiles should be listed
>alphabetically. Listing them by date last updated seemed sensible at
>first, but as more and more game systems are added, it becoms hectic.
>Imagine once more of the 130+ CCGs have datafiles available, plus the
>collectible disk games, collectible dice games, the ever increasing
>library of collectible miniatures games, etc. Now imagine trying to find
>the datafiles for a new game you just got into, and plowing through dozens
>upoin dozens of datafiles to look for it. It could get bad quick.

Try clicking at the top of the "Name" column, just like you can click on a
column header within the rest of CV. The list is sorted alphabetically for
you so you can easily find the game you want by name. Click back on the
Date column and CV sorts by date.

Files are sorted by date by default because most users will be periodically
checking the updates and will want to see the handful of new files without
wading through all the files that haven't changed.

>This brings me to decks. Again, once upwars of a hundred datafiles are
>added, it would be near impossible to try to find specific deck sets
>amongst the datafiles. It would seem more logical to have a seperate
>window, perhaps accessible via a button in the main (datafile) update
>window. And the deck update window would contain deck sets, perhaps sorted
>alphabetically, by resouce (magazine, website, etc.) or in the case of
>precons, by game system and/or set
>
>i.e.
>Magic - Precons
>Magic - Decks from Special Sets
>Magic - World Championship Decks
>
> or
>Magic - Scourge Precons
>Magic - Tempest Precons
>Magic - Urza's Destiny Precons
>etc.

Note the drop list in the top right corner of the Updates form. You can
filter the list of updates to only shows deck collections if you wish (or
just import files).

Naming of deck collections will become important as the number of deck
collections grows. Scrye collections always start with "Scrye". As new
collections are added, appropriate conventions can be established.

>I still see great problems with listing the decks as you do now. Once more
>Scrye and possibly other gaming magazine decks sets are added, plus
>partner site decks, precons, etc., Even an update window for only decks
>would be clogged with hundreds of deck sets for dozens upon dozens of
>games. Sorting them by Game would seem the most logical way to keep this
>from happening, and the sooner you implement such a protocol, the better.
>Rob said before that downloading giant Magic deck sets when only a few new
>decks are added would be bad on the user, but what if you made a way for
>them to be grouped together by game, but still downloadably by small deck
>sets. i.e., you would go to the deck updater window (see above) and there
>would be selection for all game systems with decks available ( with red
>flags next to the ones with new updates), then you would click on which
>game system you wanted decks for, and it would take you to a list of deck
>sets available. Here's an example with Magic: The Gathering:
>
>Magic - Precons - Scourge
>Magic - Precons - Tempest
>Magic - Precons - Urza's Destiny
>Magic - Precons - Urza's Legacy
>Magic - Precons - Urza's Saga
>Magic - Scrye - Issue #66
>Magic - Scrye - Issue #67
>Magic - Scrye - Issue #68
>Magic - Scrye - Issue #69
>Magic - Special - Anthologies Green/White
>Magic - Special - Anthologies Black/Red
>
>Now, the Scrye sets here would only contain Magic decks from that issue of
>Scrye, and other game systems would also have Scrye deck sets with the
>Scryedecks for that game listed. That way things would be simpler on the
>user, decks would be better organized, and the deck sets would still be small.

This type of stuff is exactly what I envisioned partner sites to
facilitate. Specifically, searching for decks meeting various criteria and
allowing you to download them. That's what a database backend enables, and
a partner site would typically have a database to facilitate searches like
you describe (plus many others).

>Now I've given several exapmles of how to do things differently, and I'm
>certainly willing to hear counter-arguments. I'm sure a lot of work would
>be involved in changing these things, but the current setup will just be
>infeasible once more and more datafiles and decks are added.

You're correct that a lot of work would be involved in changing many of
these things. And I *think* that an appropriate solution is already in
place and/or planned for. If not, then changes WILL be necessary.
Hopefully, my explanations help to clear things up for the moment. :-)

Thanks, Rob

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Rob Bowes (rob@wolflair.com) (559) 658-6995
Lone Wolf Development www.wolflair.com


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