zxinfo-file-browser

[kolbeck]

zxinfo-file-browser is here, a brand new cross-platform (mac, windows & linux) app that can help you identify your emulator files spread all over your HDD. It scans folders, creates nice screenshot from sna, z80 and tap presented in a simple overview. The app also integrates with ZXDB using ZXInfo API, in case the files can be identified with a match - linking directly to the detail page. Currently it works with the following file formats: SNA 48 & 128K, Z80 version 1, 2 & 3, TAP - even within ZIP archives.
You can find the first public release with build for Mac, Windows and Linux here: https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... r/releases

Why not give it a try?

[kolbeck]

Please update with new version found in link above, a severe bug has been fixed - so it should be working on Windows again.

/T

[flatduckrecords]

Thanks @kolbeck, I'm trying the Mac version. Looks good!

I think it might encourage me to curate my collection a bit more, at the moment I have lots of duplicates becuase it's easier to just search for what I want on Spectrum Computing and download it again!

It's fun to browse the collection visually, that's a nice way to find a game if you're not sure what to play. And just really satisfying to scroll through it admiringly, I suppose!

Have you got plans for more features? The ability to launch each file in an emulator would be great and/or reveal the file in Finder/File Explorer so we can launch them manually. Are you looking for contributions and pull requests?

Oh and I was just curious, how are you matching the files to database entries? Does the app compare file names, or hashes or something else?

Anyway thanks for your work on this, it's a neat idea.

[PeterJ]

Nice app @kolbeck,

I'm trying the Windows version.

Like @flatduckrecords, I'm intrigued as to what it's using to find a match.

Couple of suggestions:

Is a portable version possible?
If it has to be install only, please give the option to choose where to install.
It would be good if you could configure an emulator and launch any title (Duplicate of Robert's suggestion)
Can there be an option for the folder chosen to be 'sticky' as in when you open the app again it remembers the last folder chosen?

Some files (like Three Weeks in Paradise tap file) it doesn't seem to provide a preview image:



Thanks

[kolbeck]

@PeterJ , @flatduckrecords Thanks for the words - what triggered me into this app, was my finding of the old "Emulator CDs" from back in time - such as Speccy98, Spectrum Classics 3000 etc. It's really hard these days to get an overview - but hope it helps with this app.

• Have you got plans for more features?
  Yes, lot of them - some of them are mentioned in [] on the intro screen

• The ability to launch each file in an emulator would be great and/or reveal the file in Finder/File Explorer so we can launch them manually
  Since this is a cross platform app, I think the best solution would be able to find it in Finder/File Explorer - will look into this.

• Are you looking for contributions and pull requests?
  Its on GitHub and I'm always open for contributions

• I'm intrigued as to what it's using to find a match
  ZXInfo API - has a filecheck function, where a lot of files are indexed using MD5 or sha512 hash. ZXInfo knows about files from old WoS, TOSEC and ZXDB.

• Can there be an option for the folder chosen to be 'sticky' as in when you open the app again it remembers the last folder chosen?
  
  Good suggestion! I will have a look.

• If it has to be install only, please give the option to choose where to install.
  
  Noted.. will investigate

• Is a portable version possible?
  As in mobile or?

• Preview for TAPs
  The preview for TAP are guess work, basically it looks for the first block starting at 16384 or block with length 6912- in this case, I might have a closer look, do you have a link to SC with the file?

[PeterJ]

Thanks @kolbeck,

Portable as in run without needing to install.

Link to game here:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/pub/sin ... 48.tap.zip

[kolbeck]

Hi @PeterJ , this version consists of the Basic Loader - and then a big headerless datablock, that's why it's not detecting the screen. Not sure if there is a nice way to handle this - as headerless are missing the info such as startadress and code length.

[kolbeck]

If - no normal datablock is found, looking at the headerless blocks and taking the first with size bigger than 32767, produces this:



Think that would be OK, @PeterJ ?

/Thomas

[PeterJ]

Perfect @kolbeck

[kolbeck]

Suggestions, errors and orher stuff will be tracked as issues in the repo: https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... ser/issues

[kolbeck]

New version v1.0.1 - https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... r/releases

ChangeLog:
* Better at guessing preview SCR for TAP with headerless data
* Added function to locate a file in Finder / File Explorer, resolves #1
* When Cancel open folder dialog, no longer resets to empty list, resolves #10
* Removes ZIP archive from view, if no known files are found in archive
* Saves folder opened for next time app is used, resolves #2



@flatduckrecords , @PeterJ - some of your input/suggestions are ready in this release

/Thomas

[flatduckrecords]

Thank you!

[PeterJ]

Thanks Thomas

[kolbeck]

updated to v1.0.2, which now includes handling of TZX files

https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... r/releases

@PeterJ - can you try the Windows version, which is now a standaloe .exe ?

[Luzie]

updated to v1.0.2, which now includes handling of TZX files

https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... r/releases

@PeterJ - can you try the Windows version, which is now a standaloe .exe ?

@kolbeck zxinfo-file-browser.1.0.2.exe standalone works good for me. Thank you!

Two suggestions/wishes:
1) Is there a way to add something like "Right click / open with..." (Emulator)?
2) Can you please add preview of .TRD-Files as File-Listing? E.g. using this (Win32) commandline-Tool "Trdetz the TRD-image rummager" from: https://sourceforge.net/projects/trdetz/
which shows CAT of TRD-File BOOTTEST.TRD with commandline: trdetz.exe BOOTTEST.TRD cat
or don´t you like this, as zxinfo-file-browser should be MultiOS-compatible (Windows/Unix)?

btw. Please add EXE-Version-Info like v1.0.2 to Help-Menu or Programs Caption. This yould help to easily see if we are on the right/newest version. Thank you!

[kolbeck]

Two suggestions/wishes:
1) Is there a way to add something like "Right click / open with..." (Emulator)?
2) Can you please add preview of .TRD-Files as File-Listing? E.g. using this (Win32) commandline-Tool "Trdetz the TRD-image rummager" from: https://sourceforge.net/projects/trdetz/
which shows CAT of TRD-File BOOTTEST.TRD with commandline: trdetz.exe BOOTTEST.TRD cat
or don´t you like this, as zxinfo-file-browser should be MultiOS-compatible (Windows/Unix)?

For 1) The best option for now, is the link in the card header (locate file icon) - clicking this opens the containing folder selecting the file. Not sure the best way to config an emulator, the app being cross platform.

2) I plan to do something similar, when adding "detail" info - so for dsk, trd and mdr the idea is to get some details about the files. For tap and tzx detailed info about the structure will be shown as well

Displaying the current version somewhere is a great idea, i will put it on the todo list

/Thomas

[PeterJ]

@PeterJ - can you try the Windows version, which is now a standaloe .exe ?

Perfect Thomas. Thank you.

[kolbeck]

zxinfo-file-browser updated to v1.0.3

Most important changes in this release, is the support for DSK, TRD and SCL disk files. For preview a directory listning is shown in "Spectrum" style.

Download here: https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... r/releases

[kolbeck]

zxinfo-file-browser updated to v1.0.4.

New features in this version:

• Support for MDR files

• Support for ZX81 P & TZX files

• Maintain your own list of favorites

• BASIC list as SCR preview for ZX81

• Get SCR preview from ZXInfo - instead of generated

• App version in title bar

Download for Mac, Windows & Linux from here: https://github.com/thomasheckmann/zxinf ... r/releases

What is zxinfo-file-browser? Its a cross platform app, that can scan your folders for snapshot, tape and disk files used by various ZX Spectrum emulators - it generates a nice preview, making it easier to figure out what you have around on your disk - a little like Picasa for ZX Spectrum emulator files

[kolbeck]

New version ready here on GItHub

Updates/Features:

• Detail page with details from ZXInfo for known entries

• Added complete BASIC list to ZX81 detail page

• Added detail page for TAP/TZX displaying tape structure and details

• Added detail page for DSK, TRD, SCL & MDR displaying content of media

• Added detail page for Z80 & SNA displaying snapshot details

• Better DSK handling for disk in Extended format

• Detecting popular +3 protection on DSK

• Badge on favorite icon/button

• Fixed an error when adding first entry to favorite list

• Fixed an issue when start-folder does not exist

Lots of tweaks and bug fixes

[kolbeck]

New version v1.1.5 out now here on GitHub

Skipped a few minor updates, so compared to the last announced here are the big changes:

* Integration of JSSpeccy3 emulator, now you can play the games right away - if supported by JSSpeccy3. If the file is found in ZXDB - JSSpeccy is configured according to available info (such as machine type, load in USR0 mode).
* Added command line parameter [--dir=<folder>] to specify start folder
* Added a new compact grid view
* Added filtering (buttons in app bar) and sorting by filename (in settings)
* Added some more info to detail page, such as SCR found in ZXDB and other info



As always, the pre-generated builds are unsigned - so if you don't trust that, you need to build the app yourself from the source. If on macOS please read the FAQ - as it contains some common challenges with unsigned apps.

What is zxinfo-file-browser? Its a cross platform app, that can scan your folders for snapshot, tape and disk files used by various ZX Spectrum emulators - it generates a nice preview, making it easier to figure out what you have around on your disk - a little like Picasa for ZX Spectrum emulator files. If a file (even within a ZIP archive) is known by ZXDB some more details will be available.

[Luzie]

Thank you very much!

I wonder what this error "index: 36" means?!:

Details for TAP - (file size: 30825)
0: header
Program: loader - LINE 10, length: 9, varstart: 9

1: data
Data length: 9

2: header
Code: FRED - start: 16384, length: 30766

index: 36 - CODE param 2 should be 32768, found 32786
3: data
Data length: 30766

[kolbeck]

index: 36 - CODE param 2 should be 32768, found 32786

index: 36 is not the error code, it's the position within the file where this block is found.

The actual warning refers to

If it's a Code file, parameter 1 holds the start of the code block when saved, and parameter 2 holds 32768.

- as descibed here.

I have seen this "warning" in a lot of files, not sure how important it is anyway?

[kolbeck]

short update on newest release v1.2.2 for zxinfo-file-browser

* Added support for ZX80 .O files, including showing content in form of Basic List with character set from ZX80 rom
* Added support for Lambda 8300 .P files, identified by the first byte - 4009 1 versn (versn, and other temporary flags) (00h=ZX81, FFh=Lambda), as described here. Also shows content in form of Basic List, supporting the special game characters on these clones.

As always, the pre-generated builds are unsigned - so if you don't trust that, you need to build the app yourself from the source. If on macOS please read the FAQ - as it contains some common challenges with unsigned apps.