New GB version coming... feature requests, anyone?

[Flarp]

I've been using Win7 for awhile and you have to run GBRegRun as an administrator but otherwise everything seems to work fine on all the gamebases. I'm running the latest beta version 305a. I'm looking forward to the Dos gamebase eventually.. I also love the old Sierra and ScummVM type games. I also use Gamebase for other things like my MST3K gamebase. It works well for many different projects so thanks for all of the hard work.

[eletricu]

Hello:
I happy to Understand me
I have charged a sample video, it is he looks.
the first part: push the mouse's left-hand button less to the N of players
In second part push on the button straight of the mouse
In the third part push the left-hand button in N of players
The error got out
After the data base does not charge that error appears and I have to change his name

I am translating the program into Spanish, no this finished, for the moment I am at it

Jimbo I believe than those two ideas that they are written ace very good

I cannot put addresses Web send you pm

The video this in youtube and the name is gamaebase error

thanks

[chrismcd]

Jimbo

Only had to run the GBRegrun the first time and have not had to run it since.

[Flarp]

I just tried it and can confirm that I only actually needed to run the GBRegRun file the first time on Win7 and the regular Gamebase file works fine now.

[Jimbo]

Thanks to those who tested on Windows 7. I think I can go ahead and make an installer now.

Thanks also to eletricu for pointing out that bug. It was because of the switch from HKLM to HKCU in the registry settings. The upshot is that I have removed the "fallback to HKLM if no value exists in HKCU" because it caused consistency problems and invalid values/defaults to be loaded in certain cases.

This means that for those new to the beta (and the public when they get release version of v1.3) their registry settings will be reset when they upgrade from v1.2. Its usually stuff like window sizes etc, but some more important stuff is in the registry like the last "quick filter" view (when you click a link in the details tab).

The best way to bypass this issue is to (recursively) copy the HKLM/Software/GB64 registry key to HKCU as part of the v1.3 install/upgrade. I'll have a look at Nullsoft's installer to see if it can do this, but if not, does anyone know of a simple command line tool I can run from an installer that can recursively copy entire registry keys from one location to another?

Thanks

[K.C.]

I'm not sure if you would want this.
Every user account has its own HKCU.
In other words, the registry keys will only apply to the current user.
If another user logs on and starts GB for the first time, his/her HKCU GB64 key has to be created, because it was created when another user was logged on.
Also, when user B changes something to the registry (like the last quick filter applied), this will not be applied for user A.

[Jimbo]

Hi K.C.

I'm aware of this. Moving to HKCU was an attempt to get GB to run on Windows 7, after you helped with the following advice:

All registry settings are stored in HKLM\SOFTWARE\GB64.
Settings that can be set by the user (for example show splash screen) or change dynamically (window sizes) could be stored in the same key under HKCU. HKCU is writable for standard users, HKLM can only be read.
Also when stored in HKCU, every user can customize GameBase how he likes it.

There aren't many non-ui related settings stored in the registry, the main one that might cause issue is the quick filter, but my thinking is that this is really a "temporary" custom view so won't matter too much if it changes between users.

[K.C.]

Hi Jimbo,

I know, but I doubt if it makes sense trying to copy the HKLM keys to HKCU with the installer.
Most (if not all) information stored in the registry may be different for each user.
If the installer would copy the GB64 key and its subkeys to HKCU, the settings will only be migrated for the currently logged on user.
All other users will start from scratch when they start GB64 for the first time.
That's the reason I think it isn't very important to put a lot of energy in trying to copy the registry keys by the Windows installer.

[Jimbo]

Ah ok, I misinterpreted your last message. Yes I see what you mean. I could try and enumerate all users in HKCU I suppose. I believe Nullsoft installer can do that (just reading up on it, seems pretty good).

I guess in most cases though, a single user on a PC will be using GB.

[Jimbo]

Progress update: -

• I've written a new setup script for "full install" and "update from all previous versions". The full install setup now also installs the VB6 runtimes if they are not present on the system. At the moment the "update" installer doesn't copy HKLM registry keys to each HKCU, so I'm hoping to find a free commandline utility that I can run from the installer to do it (I'm using Innosetup).
• I'm also waiting on getting Vista and Windows7 installed on Virtualbox so that I can test GB (and the installer) on both those OS's. The cool thing about VirtualBox is I can save the state of the clean (no GB installed) OS, and revert back to that at any time.
• While I'm waiting, I'm also working on a new-look bu22.com, that will make all the DB authors the stars, showing a searchable/filterable list of GB databases currently available. DB authors will be able to login and manage their DBs, adding links, description, icon, gfx, num games, status, version, last updated, etc.

So you guys have a little more time to report any more bugs in v1.3!

James

[hrmes]

If it's not too late can you please also allow Startup_64x32.gif graphics in addition to Startup_32x32.gif ?
The reason I ask for this is that many brand logos are more rectangular and look too small in 32x32 pixels, like for example the Amstrad, Oric, Vic20 and MSX logos.
I don't think that this would cause any problems in the layout of the gamebase selection window.

[Jimbo]

I think the component I use to show the icons only allows 16x16 or 32x32 icons. Finding/implementing a (free) component that allows arbitrary-sized icons will take longer so may be a candidate for v1.4 instead. Feel free to add the request to that thread.

[hrmes]

OK, fair enough. I have a bug now: I am trying to use the Run_Emulator_Send_Keys function to auto run some games and it seems that it doesn't work because the '~' character no longer acts as pressing enter.
For example I use this in blueMSX:
Run_Emulator_Send_Keys([12]cload~run~||80)

and this in WinAPE:

Run_Emulator_Send_Keys([2]%autotype_value%~||80)
( autotype_value=run+2disc )

in the first case I get cloadrun on screen and in the second I get run£2disc` in both cases without enter.

In the second case it seems that '+2' is also not parsed correctly when using a key value as it should give a quote character. '+2' however is parsed correctly however when given directly without using key values.

[K.C.]

OK, fair enough. I have a bug now: I am trying to use the Run_Emulator_Send_Keys function to auto run some games and it seems that it doesn't work because the '~' character no longer acts as pressing enter.

- removed option to use "~" char to mean ENTER in Run_Emulator_Send_Keys()

So this doesn't seem to be a bug.

[hrmes]

OK, but there still seems to be a problem when parsing key values...