Spectrum Computing

Ralf wrote: ↑Sun May 06, 2018 1:45 pm Great!

Would you consider doing a search results view which would show just titles with screenshots, with 3, 4 or 5 titles or screenshots in a row?

Hi [mention]Ralf[/mention]. I agree it was a great feature on WoS. It's certainly something I would like to see, and is on the list. Can't give a timescale but it will happen at some point.

That looks great! Will it be possible to have the search parameters be encoded in the query string of the URL? Currently it doesn't seem like you can save the result of a search for e.g. posting on the forums. Also, I can't find an easy way to get to the magazines section without first having to find an entry with a magazine reference.

djnzx48 wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:42 amWill it be possible to have the search parameters be encoded in the query string of the URL? Currently it doesn't seem like you can save the result of a search for e.g. posting on the forums.

I would like it too!

djnzx48 wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:42 amAlso, I can't find an easy way to get to the magazines section without first having to find an entry with a magazine reference.

If you search for "crash" for instance, at the bottom of results page you will have a section called "MAGAZINES MATCHING CRASH".

Ah, I see now. I didn't realise that the 'ZXDB Powered Software Search' and the 'Advanced Search' would bring up different results. Thanks for the tip!

Hello [mention]djnzx48[/mention]

There is now a way of adding parameters to a search string to get a list of titles. I will post about it this evening.

Peter

[mention]djnzx48[/mention] [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention]

This is basis of the new advanced search. You will be able to bookmark these searches for future use.

Here are a few examples. Please ask if you have any questions. Note because the forum software shows an abbreviated version of the URL, it is best to click on the link then examine the formation of the URL.

We are most grateful for the development work which went into this. It opens up all sorts of possibilities, and it was this that allowed the new A-Z listing on the home page.

Enjoy!

You can use "advanced search" for any arbitrary string in title, publisher or author:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... text=snake

Or you can search for entry titles containing this string specifically in title only:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... itle=snake

Or specifically in publisher name only:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... pubr=snake

Or specifically in author name only:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... thor=snake

By default, results also include crap titles (usually from CSSCGC). If you only want non-crap titles:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... ake&crap=0

Or if you only want to see crap titles:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... ake&crap=1

By default, results are displayed with screenshots. If you want a more compact list of results:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... p=0&list=1

By default, results include both mod and non-mod titles. If you only want mods:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... tack&mod=1

And if you only want full titles (not mods):

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... tack&mod=0

You can also restrict searches to specific genres. For instance, only games:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... genre=Game

This last query will return both individual games (identified as "Game: ...") and game compilations (identified as "Compilation: Games"). If you only want individual games, the trick is searching for genre "Game:" like this:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... genre=Game:

Instead of searching for an arbitrary string anywhere in game title, you can search for titles beginning with a certain prefix:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... efix=adven

Obviously all these options can be combined freely. For instance, if you want a compact list of all non-crap individual games beginning with letter J:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... :&prefix=j

PeterJ wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:27 pmYou can use "advanced search" for any arbitrary string in title, publisher or author:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... text=snake

Or you can search for entry titles containing this string specifically in title only:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... itle=snake

Or specifically in publisher name only:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... pubr=snake

Or specifically in author name only:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... thor=snake

OK, these options are already available in your "Advanced Search" form at SC homepage.

PeterJ wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:27 pmBy default, results also include crap titles (usually from CSSCGC). If you only want non-crap titles:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... ake&crap=0

Or if you only want to see crap titles:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... ake&crap=1

By default, results are displayed with screenshots. If you want a more compact list of results:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... p=0&list=1

By default, results include both mod and non-mod titles. If you only want mods:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... tack&mod=1

And if you only want full titles (not mods):

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... tack&mod=0

These options definitely need to be added to your "Advanced Search" form!

PeterJ wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:27 pmYou can also restrict searches to specific genres. For instance, only games:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... genre=Game

This last query will return both individual games (identified as "Game: ...") and game compilations (identified as "Compilation: Games"). If you only want individual games, the trick is searching for genre "Game:" like this:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... genre=Game:

Perhaps currently available choices for genre could be expanded to accomodate the most interesting special cases too?

PeterJ wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:27 pmInstead of searching for an arbitrary string anywhere in game title, you can search for titles beginning with a certain prefix:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... efix=adven

Obviously all these options can be combined freely. For instance, if you want a compact list of all non-crap individual games beginning with letter J:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... :&prefix=j

Searching for prefix is a little too specific for "Advanced Search" form, I think. The currently available links for each letter at SC homepage is probably enough.

PeterJ wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 6:27 pm Or if you only want to see crap titles:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... ake&crap=1

Yes! <3

In a nutshell, I suggest adding these options to the "Advanced Search" form:

CRAP OPTION:
* all titles
* crap only
* non-crap only (default)

MOD OPTION:
* all titles (default)
* mod only
* non-mod only

RESULTS LAYOUT:
* full (default)
* compact
* load screens
* run screens

The last 2 layouts were suggested by Ralf, that still need to be implemented AFAIK.

All good ideas [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention] . I will see if the developer of the advanced search can add these to their long list.

It would be nice if the search function could recognise wildcard symbols like ?*^$.

Hi [mention]Rorthron[/mention], it may not be exactly what you want but if you type part of a title, author, or publisher into the main quick search box it will find all the titles with that phrase. For example Izzy finds Dizzy.

Rorthron wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 8:38 pm It would be nice if the search function could recognise wildcard symbols like ?*^$.

Did you ever try searching for "b*kool"?

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 9:03 pmDid you ever try searching for "b*kool"?

I tried all the others, but not *, as it wasn't relevant to my searches. I incorrectly assumed it was missing like the others. It would be nice if the search function could recognise wildcard symbols like ?^$.

PeterJ wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 8:53 pm Hi @Rorthron, it may not be exactly what you want but if you type part of a title, author, or publisher into the main quick search box it will find all the titles with that phrase. For example Izzy finds Dizzy.

Thanks for trying to help, but I was trying to put together a crossword, so it was important able to search for specific character combinations.

When I was putting together a crossword generator, Einar helpfully gave me a dump of all games in the database.
If he approves I can upload that somewhere for you.

Kweepa wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 11:35 pm When I was putting together a crossword generator, Einar helpfully gave me a dump of all games in the database.
If he approves I can upload that somewhere for you.

Of course!

Would it be handy to have a field for programming languages and open source programs?
For example to search only amongst Sinclair Basic games.

hikoki wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 8:40 am Would it be handy to have a field for programming languages and open source programs?
For example to search only amongst Sinclair Basic games.

Hi [mention]hikoki[/mention] it would be useful but would need someone to identify the programming language of all titles (rather like they used to show in the early editions of Crash).

Hi Peter. Intesting.. I thought there would be a database somewhere, at least with a register of Basic games? I have this information for games after 2013 as well as which ones provide source code. I believe ZXDB contains this info.

hikoki wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 8:40 am Would it be handy to have a field for programming languages and open source programs?
For example to search only amongst Sinclair Basic games.

Unfortunately, we can only distinguish between Sinclair BASIC and . . . not Sinclair BASIC, as there’s no easy way of knowing what was used to produce the machine code in any given program. It could be programming directly in assembly, or compiling from any number of higher-level programming languages. Even Sinclair BASIC programs often use portions of machine code in them.

[mention]hikoki[/mention], the ones which contain source code are flagged in ZXDB, and can be pulled out. The programming language as far as I know ( and, I'm very happy to be corrected on this), is not (apart from things like AGD). As [mention]Ast A. Moore[/mention] says, it is not easy to find out for some titles. If you like to make a start, I'm sure Einar would add a field in ZXDB.

Rorthron wrote: ↑Mon May 07, 2018 10:55 pm Thanks for trying to help, but I was trying to put together a crossword, so it was important able to search for specific character combinations.

PM sent.

hikoki wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 11:02 amI thought there would be a database somewhere, at least with a register of Basic games?

There's this page specifically about Boriel ZX BASIC, that I started myself years ago:

http://www.boriel.com/wiki/en/index.php ... d_Programs

If you find out anything else, please let me know.

hikoki wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 11:02 amI have this information for games after 2013

Awesome! Can you please send me this information?

hikoki wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 11:02 amas well as which ones provide source code. I believe ZXDB contains this info.

Information about source code is already available in ZXDB.

There's no organized information about programming languages yet, but I agree it's a good idea to index this information. Thanks for the suggestion!

Next ZXDB update will contain whatever information I can obtain myself. Afterwards we can discuss how others could contribute to expand this information...

Just found a broken image here:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... id=0029254