Magazines in ZXDB
Moderator: druellan
- Neil Parsons
- Manic Miner
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Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Excellent news! Thank you so much Einar.
You may add INPUT Sinclair link to archive.org, as I recently submitted there all issues in PDF.
Also, all 12 issues of Microhobby Cassette (paper) is in PDF too in the same place, here.
You may add INPUT Sinclair link to archive.org, as I recently submitted there all issues in PDF.
Also, all 12 issues of Microhobby Cassette (paper) is in PDF too in the same place, here.
- Einar Saukas
- Bugaboo
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- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:48 pm
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Done. Thanks!Neil Parsons wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 8:22 pm Excellent news! Thank you so much Einar.
You may add INPUT Sinclair link to archive.org, as I recently submitted there all issues in PDF.
Also, all 12 issues of Microhobby Cassette (paper) is in PDF too in the same place, here.
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Morning,
This is now fixed.
Peter
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
The magazine viewer does not like how Format (INDUG) has been archived. This is an A5 magazine, the pages have been scanned per pair. So page 1 is the back cover and the front cover, page 2 = not found, page 3 is page 2 and page 3 etc.
The result is that every second 'Next page' shows a broken image icon.
The viewer also seems to have no idea what the last page is and will happily attempt to keep serving next pages.
The result is that every second 'Next page' shows a broken image icon.
The viewer also seems to have no idea what the last page is and will happily attempt to keep serving next pages.
- Einar Saukas
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Re: Magazines in ZXDB
ZXDB doesn't even store information about individual magazine pages. And even if it did, I don't think it should store stuff like "this specific page exists in the magazine but it's missing from that scan"...Stefan wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 2:48 pmThe magazine viewer does not like how Format (INDUG) has been archived. This is an A5 magazine, the pages have been scanned per pair. So page 1 is the back cover and the front cover, page 2 = not found, page 3 is page 2 and page 3 etc.
The result is that every second 'Next page' shows a broken image icon.
IMHO the proper way to solve this problem is fixing the scan, not the database.
If Format scans were consistent, it would be possible to incorporate this knowledge directly in the magazine viewer. But they are not. For instance, Format v1 #1 was scanned with page numbers 1,3,5 but not 2,4. Format v4 #2 was scanned with page numbers 1,2,4 but not 3,5. Despite the fact all page numbers exist in the actual magazine. Good luck trying to deal with this!
There are 2 ways for the magazine viewer to know when a magazine issue has finished:
- ZXDB could store the last page number of each magazine issue. I will happily add this field to the database, if we can get volunteers willing to provide this information for about 6000 magazine issues.
- Or each site could detect automatically if a link to the next page is valid, before displaying it (as mentioned here).
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
I'm happy to make a start with Sinclair User [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention] if option one turns out to be the preferred solution.
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
So, being pragamatic, this will solve all problems, if instead of looking ahead one page a second page ahead is also attempted before giving up and considering the magazine complete.Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:29 pm
- Or each site could detect automatically if a link to the next page is valid, before displaying it (as mentioned here).
- Einar Saukas
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Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Thanks a lot for the offer! However I prefer to avoid doing it now, concentrating our efforts on much more important tasks instead.
For instance, processing the remaining CSSCGC entries, and taking screenshots of other games that are still missing them.
- Einar Saukas
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Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Right!Stefan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:50 pmSo, being pragamatic, this will solve all problems, if instead of looking ahead one page a second page ahead is also attempted before giving up and considering the magazine complete.Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:29 pm
- Or each site could detect automatically if a link to the next page is valid, before displaying it (as mentioned here).
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Thanks Einar,Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 12:04 amThanks a lot for the offer! However I prefer to avoid doing it now, concentrating our efforts on much more important tasks instead.
For instance, processing the remaining CSSCGC entries, and taking screenshots of other games that are still missing them.
For obvious reasons I have more free time currently! I will continue with the Crap Games entries.
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
For a magazine like Sinclair User, which always had an advert on the back cover, then the last page can be found by looking up the highest numbered magazine reference for that issue. There's no need to do it manually.
Re: Magazines in ZXDB
Thanks [mention]StooB[/mention],
Good point.
I could write an SQL script for that. Similar for Crash, and I'm sure the majority of mainstream titles.
I was also thinking of the old WoS magazine viewer which I believe had the data in. I would need to check that though.
Good point.
I could write an SQL script for that. Similar for Crash, and I'm sure the majority of mainstream titles.
I was also thinking of the old WoS magazine viewer which I believe had the data in. I would need to check that though.