There´s "Next ZXDB-dl search" / zxdb-dl tool from @emookhttps://github.com/em00k/next-zxdb-downloader
where we can query ZXDB and list, download and run programs on SpecNext with WiFi-connection.
Is there a way to query ZXDB for "native Spectrum Next only" games? What´s the file-formats listet and supportet for downloading and running? Spectrum Next has additional File-Format like .NEX for running programs. Maybe .NEX-Files can be downloaded by an LOADER.BAS-File.
You can search for Next titles via the advanced search on our homepage. Just select Machine Type 'ZX Spectrum Next'. The majority of titles, don't have download files though as most are on Itch.io.
Would it help somehow to agree upon a "Standard Next"-Loader-Format?
Next has it´s own formats like .SNA, .NEX, .SNX https://wiki.specnext.dev/File_Formats
together with "Standard-Spectrum-Formats" like .TAP, .Z80, .SNA etc.
Maybe every program can have a LOADER.BAS-program (first 128 bytes of the file form standard +3DOS header).
which itself loads the SpecNext-specific program like .NEX etc. ?!
Luzie wrote: ↑Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:25 pm
Would it help somehow to agree upon a "Standard Next"-Loader-Format?
Right now, ZXDB contains information about roughly a hundred Spectrum Next titles. However ZXDB doesn't even have playable files for any of them yet.
Almost all of them are sold commercially (usually at Itch.io).
If you want Spectrum Next programs to adopt a certain standard, I'm afraid you will have to convince their authors directly. There's a section in this forum called "ZX Spectrum Next", perhaps you could post your suggestions there?
Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:42 pm
If you want Spectrum Next programs to adopt a certain standard, I'm afraid you will have to convince their authors directly. There's a section in this forum called "ZX Spectrum Next", perhaps you could post your suggestions there?
Thank you. I´ll first ask in SpecNext Facebook-Group what people think about this "Standard Next-Loader".
As mentioned on FB there are no Next titles available to download from ZXDB, so at the moment such a feature would not be useful - unless you have an example if I have got this wrong.
We are planning to have additional functionality in zxdb-dl that will allow us to add in custom software - a bit like a walled-FTP service that would download a package that could contain a script to set the software up, as with Next software they are not always distributed as single files.
Dears, could ZXDB function as kind of standart FTP server with ZX software as well? I am working on ZX FTP client and such a FTP ZX soft database would be very handy. Thanks. Hood.
