Spectrum Computing

Yet another ZXDB release is available!

Special thanks to [mention]R-Tape[/mention], [mention]druellan[/mention], [mention]pavero[/mention], and [mention]PeterJ[/mention]!

Another ZXDB version is already out!

This release contains mostly little fixes. Lots of them

Thanks [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention]. Update applied.

And another ZXDB release is out!

With special thanks to [mention]druellan[/mention], [mention]pavero[/mention], [mention]kolbeck[/mention], and [mention]PeterJ[/mention] this time!

Assuming that the database model has not changed but only the contents - maybe split this into two. A topic with content updates and a topic with database model updates?

Stefan wrote: ↑Mon Jun 29, 2020 9:17 amAssuming that the database model has not changed but only the contents - maybe split this into two. A topic with content updates and a topic with database model updates?

Every ZXDB update has content updates, even when it also includes database model changes. For this reason, I don't think it would help to announce it in 2 different topics.

BTW there was a database change this time...

There's now a new table called "files". It combines all content from 3 other tables: "labelfiles", "magfiles", and "toolfiles".

These 3 tables are very similar, so it makes sense to unify them. Somewhat similar to the way table "magrefs" combine magazine references for entries, labels, and topics.

For now, all data stored in "files" continues to be duplicated separately into tables "labelfiles", "magfiles", and "toolfiles". In a future update, I'm planning to drop these 3 tables, and just keep "files". This should be a relatively simple change, I will give enough time for websites to adapt, and provide a warning in advance before removing these 3 tables.

The goal of this change is to simplify the ZXDB model, making it easier to understand. Any objections to this change?

One more ZXDB release is already available!

Many thanks to [mention]R-Tape[/mention], [mention]PeterJ[/mention], and [mention]pavero[/mention]!


PS: Don't worry, I didn't make any changes yet to those tables that I mentioned in my last post...

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 11:04 pm BTW there was a database change this time...

There's now a new table called "files". It combines all content from 3 other tables: "labelfiles", "magfiles", and "toolfiles".

Would it makes sense to add a md5 field to the files table? So it would be possible to cross check when new/old files arrives.

/Thomas

kolbeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:41 pm Would it makes sense to add a md5 field to the files table? So it would be possible to cross check when new/old files arrives.

Good point. Now that I'm already collecting file sizes because of this, collecting md5 also shouldn't be a problem.

I will implement it ASAP!

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 5:42 pm

kolbeck wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:41 pm Would it makes sense to add a md5 field to the files table? So it would be possible to cross check when new/old files arrives.

Good point. Now that I'm already collecting file sizes because of this, collecting md5 also shouldn't be a problem.

I will implement it ASAP!

Great - i Will start using it

A new ZXDB version is now available!

Many thanks to [mention]kolbeck[/mention], [mention]druellan[/mention] and [mention]pavero[/mention] for their contributions as usual... also a very special "thank you" to Steven Brown from TZXVault, that's now helping the ZXDB team to add countless rare tapes and solved M.I.A.s to ZXDB. I'm sure a lot of people will recognize his name, he has been preserving Spectrum software a lot longer than any of us, so it's a privilege to work together with him. We have just added 300 rare tapes to ZXDB that he provided, there's certainly a lot more to come

On a more technical note, ZXDB now contains MD5 data for ZXDB files, so it's easier to keep track of updated files. Another change is, tables "labelfiles", "magfiles", and "toolfiles" don't exist anymore. As I mentioned before, all their content went into a single table "files". Don't forget to check if you have already made this change to your website before updating ZXDB this time.

My apologies for all other new contributions that were not included in this release yet, but we have been very busy. They will be included next time!

Thanks [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention],

I will get the site updated tonight. Great news about the link with TZXVault

The 'signing' of the TZX Vault is a very, very great news for Spectrum Computing.

Congrats!

Great to see joining the forces with Steve and TzxVault !

He and other guys did an incredible job of preserving missing software and uploading it to WOS when it was still ran by Martijn.
We all know what happened later but now it seems that the dark days are over and we are going to enjoy their great work again.

And another ZXDB update is already available!

This time we have lots of new Spectrum titles (thanks [mention]R-Tape[/mention]!), about 60 Sinclair QL titles (thanks [mention]4thRock[/mention]!), about 400 links to BBC Micro versions of Spectrum games (thanks [mention]Stu[/mention]!), over 100 links to Spectrum games at The Cutting Room Floor (thanks again [mention]Stu[/mention]!), about 100 music references (thanks [mention]Rorthron[/mention] and everyone else that contributed with information!)

Our archive is growing faster than ever

Another ZXDB update is available!

It contains lots of ZX81 titles (thanks [mention]kolbeck[/mention]!), new hires inlays (thanks [mention]pavero[/mention]!), newly indexed Load'n'Run covertapes (thanks [mention]wallyweek[/mention]!), about 1400 new links to Spectrum versions on other platforms (thanks [mention]Stu[/mention]!), and many other minor improvements.

Thanks everyone! I will update the site this evening at sometime between 18:00 and 21:00 BST. The main site will produce errors during the update.

Just to add that it doesn't contain the new entries I've been working on. Anyone expecting anything - nearly done, wait till the next update!

Just wow!!!

34,699 rows in the entries table now!

Another ZXDB update is already available!

It mostly contains recently released titles. Thanks [mention]R-Tape[/mention]!

A very large ZXDB update is now available!

ZXDB is now merged with ZXSR!!! It means that, along with the full content of Martijn's original WoS and Jim Grimwood's SPOT/SPEX, now ZXDB also includes the full content of Chris Bourne's ZX Spectrum Reviews. The ZXDB description at the official site was updated to credit ZXSR properly. Many thanks to Chris for working with us on this integration! From now on, ZXSR will continue to get updated and all changes incorporated into ZXDB. Likewise, all ZXDB updates will be reflected back into ZXSR.

Besides ZXSR, this update also includes new titles (thanks [mention]R-Tape[/mention]!), new hires inlays (thanks [mention]pavero[/mention]!), newly indexed Load'n'Run covertapes (thanks [mention]wallyweek[/mention]!), new game credits (thanks [mention]druellan[/mention]!), and many other updates. Also thanks everyone else that's always contributing with additional information for the database!

Thanks [mention]Einar Saukas[/mention],

There will be a short delay to applying the update as I need to adjust php.ini for the significantly larger file size.

Fantastic news and can I also take this opportunity to thank Einar for all of his help and great ideas in tidying up ZXSR's data. He's been such an inspiration how dedicated he is to making ZXDB as good as it could possibly be that I couldn't not do the same with ZXSR.

Secondly, it's a huge relief off my mind that the data is now in the public domain in such a seasoned database. I've worried, as I've got older, that should the worst happen that all the work over the last 20 years would disappear. I'll still be adding reviews to it, currently in the process of adding ZX Computing, and there's still more to come - it's a long way from being complete!

Vampyre wrote: ↑Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:29 pm Fantastic news and can I also take this opportunity to thank Einar for all of his help and great ideas in tidying up ZXSR's data. He's been such an inspiration how dedicated he is to making ZXDB as good as it could possibly be that I couldn't not do the same with ZXSR.

Secondly, it's a huge relief off my mind that the data is now in the public domain in such a seasoned database. I've worried, as I've got older, that should the worst happen that all the work over the last 20 years would disappear. I'll still be adding reviews to it, currently in the process of adding ZX Computing, and there's still more to come - it's a long way from being complete!

Thank you for all your years of effort on putting ZXSR together, you have been doing it much longer than us!

Also many thanks for your approval and hard work on this integration! This kind of collaboration and joint effort benefits everyone, it's nice to have the Spectrum community working together like this!