Spectrum Computing

[NOTE: I started a new ZXDB thread because some links have changed!]


ZXDB is an "open" database model that catalogues Spectrum (and other Sinclair-related) material including software, hardware, books, magazines, etc.

It contains the entire information content from both Martijn's original WoS archive and Grimwood's SPOT/SPEX, plus thousands of new titles, plus dozens of thousands of corrections, fixes, additional details and improvements. It's also closely integrated with ZXSR, RZX Archive, ZX81 Stuff, CASA, MobyGames, Speccy Screenshot Maps, and ZX-Art. Both Spectrum Computing and ZXInfo currently use ZXDB directly, also ZX-Art imports ZXDB content periodically.

From now on, all ZXDB updates will be announced in this thread. Stay tuned!

ZXDB has an official site now! The latest version will be always available from here:

https://github.com/zxdb/ZXDB

To download the latest version, click on the green button called "Clone or download", then choose "Download ZIP". Notice that ZXDB documentation can be read directly from the homepage.

From now on, everything will be available from the official site, except for the "incremental" files (useful basically for auditing only) that will be kept separated here (to avoid making the official site look too confusing).

BTW this new update contains new titles (thanks R-Tape!), about 200 new screenshots (thanks Thomas!), about 200 new links to The Spectrum Show (thanks Paul!), and a few other details that R-Tape will properly describe later. Enjoy!

Great to hear, thanks!

Thank you!

A few technical notes, for sites directly using ZXDB content:

* The following ENTRY_IDs were removed from ZXDB, because they were identified as duplicates of already existing entries: 28628, 28663, 28676, 28733, 28734, 28749, 28789.

* The following new group types were created:

--> "Multiplayer Mode" (groups Cooperative, Teamplay, and Versus). It contains the same information previously stored in field ENTRIES.MULTIPLAYTYPE_ID and table MULTIPLAYTYPES.

-> "Turn Mode" (groups Alternating, Simultaneous, Turn based). It contains the same information previously stored in field ENTRIES.TURNTYPE_ID and table TURNTYPES.

--> "Control Option" (groups Cursor, Kempston, etc). It contains the same information previously stored in tables CONTROLS and CONTROLTYPES.

Therefore, exactly the same information previously stored in specific tables, is now stored using a more generic structure, as members of groups. In current ZXDB release, this information is duplicated but, in the next update, the old fields and tables I mentioned above will be removed. Thus please update your system accordingly! I believe this change will benefit everybody:

--> In SC (and perhaps ZXInfo), storing everything as groups mean that users will be able to click on "Cooperative", for instance, and see all games that support playing in cooperative mode, without requiring extra development in the website.

--> In ZX-Art, this new structure should simplify importing, since a group in ZXDB corresponds directly to a tag in ZX-Art.

--> For everybody else, this change simplifies the database model, thus making it easier for others to understand and use it.

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Apr 16, 2018 6:59 pm --> In ZX-Art, this new structure should simplify importing, since a group in ZXDB corresponds directly to a tag in ZX-Art.

Thanks! In fact, it makes importing a bit more complicated really I'm going to ignore some of tags during import and store them in some specified properties instead. This would allow me to build some filters easier later.
But anyway, thanks for letting know, I will adjust the import procedure appropriately. Is there any separated list of all groups (tags) related to supported hardware?

A new ZXDB update is available here:

https://github.com/zxdb/ZXDB

As usual, every incremental SQL update is available here, for those interested in auditing my work

A new ZXDB update is available!

As usual, it can be downloaded from here:

https://github.com/zxdb/ZXDB

As usual, the "incremental" files (for auditing purposes) are kept separated here.

A new ZXDB update is (finally) available!

This update contains almost a thousand new screenshots and cassette inlays, besides the usual recent new titles.

For sites using ZXDB content, please notice that certain file paths were changed, to improve compatibility with Archive.org. However filenames
were not changed, and previous file paths were preserved in column "old_file_link" of tables DOWNLOADS, EXTRAS, and LABELFILES, If you have any problem with this change, let me know!

BTW my apologies for the longer delay, I have been busier than usual.

A new ZXDB update is now available! This is a partial update containing mostly new content submitted recently. Later this week there will be another update with changes and corrections, most of them reported in this forum.

My sincere apologies for the long delay. I have been working overtime recently, in a place that takes me almost 2 hours more per day on commute, so I didn't have much free time recently. Normally I would cope with it anyway, but I hurt my pulse wrist this month playing soccer, had to keep an arm immobilized until last night, so it was much harder to use the keyboard to edit ZXDB. Now everything should be back to normal, and I plan to release next updates regularly again.

Thanks for your effort Einar! And get well quickly!

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "hurting pulse"? Is it something heart related?

Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 2:21 pmThanks for your effort Einar! And get well quickly!

I'm much better already! Thank you!

Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 2:21 pmOut of curiosity, what do you mean by "hurting pulse"? Is it something heart related?

Sorry, I meant I hurt my wrist.

In Portuguese, the same word means either wrist or pulse, depending on context. I forgot that the same doesn't apply to English.

Sorry to read that Einar, I hope you will get well soon.

Get well soon [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention]. Thanks, as always for all your efforts.

Get well soon, mate!

Now you have more time to watch footy on TV instead of playing it!

Phew! You scared the sh*t out of me Einar!

You aren't allowed any physical exertion from now on, hanky panky included.

(glad you're fixed )

I just wanted to post my apologies for the lack of updates.

I still wasn't able to get back to regular updates as I planned. However my daily routine will get back to normal before the end of this month, then I promise to get ZXDB back on track. Thanks everyone for your patience!

Welcome back Einar, it's nice to see you again here...

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 2:15 pm Normally I would cope with it anyway, but I hurt my pulse wrist this month playing soccer, had to keep an arm immobilized until last night, so it was much harder to use the keyboard to edit ZXDB.

Proof indeed that Brazilian football is truly on the decline...

("Too sooooon...?" - Ed)

Welcome back Einar..!

A new ZXDB update is available!

Things are back on track now, except for latest RZX Archive videos that I still need another day to sort out (sorry Daren!!!)

Great! Waiting to see it on Spectrum Computing!

A new ZXDB update is available!

This is a huge update containing lots of new content, including the latest RZX Archive videos. Have fun!

Thanks Einar. I will update the site this evening.

YEAAAAHHHHH!!

Great !

I have been recently less active with sending updates for ZXDB but promise to improve
Actually there is still a lot of content to be added so we don't need to worry in any near futre that the new stuff will dry up.

And another ZXDB update is available!

This time featuring a few fixes, and hundreds of tape inlays provided by Pavero