User profile - Signature

[deus-ex]

Hi Sylvain,

I was just about to modify my signature but unfortunately I found this to be an impossible task. Entering the "Forum Profile Information" section of my profile I get to see just the first character of my current signature, i.e. "B" from "Best regards....".
Right below the signature input filed a message line says: Max 1; characters remaining: 0.

I hope this is just a bad aftereffect from the recent board restoration that can be fixed.

[Asle]

uh ? well, let me check this. The update should not have had any impact, but ...

-- EDIT
OK, should be fixed. for unknown reason, it was maxed at 1 indeed.

[deus-ex]

Excellent, you fixed it.

So I updated my signature right now with an FTP link to the new MODLAND home. This mirror provides all updates I uploaded since November 2012. The maintenance scripts aren't running yet which means no change-logs are created, also the upload folder currently is disabled until further notification.

[Asle]

All right. that's good news.
Looking forward to seeing modland running back to normal

[Axxy]

Nice to hear Modland is still going.  Are you running Modland now and is Daniel still involved?

[deus-ex]

Ziphoid is the new host of MODLAND as you can derive from the FTP address. There are a couple guys involved including Coma with admin rights to MODLAND, however currently it appears I'm the only one uploading new stuff and updating/correcting stuff. I don't know when the situation is going to improve, time will tell. Thankfully the new host is publicly available at _ftp://modland.ziphoid.com so anyone can participate from my work.

Currently I'm thinking about noting my actions (minus updates to the module files) to the file <readme_updates.txt> located in the root folder, so anyone interested is aware of what updates/changes I made. What's your opinion?

[Axxy]

I've been using the Ziphoid mirror for sometime, haven't used Modland.com for ages.  I check from time to time if any changes have been made. I still use the directory list text file to search for stuff, but its quite unwieldly being over 25mb in size with all the non tracker formats in there to.

It would be nice if changes/updates are noted. I always used to enjoy seeing all the updates/changes, but I suppose it depends on how much time you have to put in to keep track of all the changes.  First thing I usually check is if the modlist has been updated or the changelog folder has been used.

[deus-ex]

I updated my previous post stating that I won't keep track of any module updates because that is way to much work to keep track off. This would soon first get boring, then bugging, then... ahhh,  I really don't want to think of what the next stage would be.

If you use a file manager (e.g. Total Commander) to log-in to MODLAND you can sort the listing of files and directories by date, thus easily revealing were changes took place recently. For example recently I uploaded a file into the folder \Protracker\Lord Pegasus. The time stamp of the folder \Protracker and \Protracker\Lord Pegasus reflects that. Though this does not provide any information on deletions, moves, renames.

Daniel wrote scripts which among other tasks keep track of any changes to the file base. If changes took place a file was created on a daily basis, saved to \pub\changelogs\changelog_yyyy-mm-dd.txt. No changes means no log-file to create. I don't know if and when these scripts will be running again, I have no influence on that. So right now I started to keep track of updates to the software and the artist_list.xls, stored to readme_updates.txt in the root folder.

I do use the directory list file my self regularly although this file doesn't get updated too due to non-execution of the maintenance scripts. I guess with 'non-tracker' stuff you mean all those Console related modules (Dreamcast, Gameboy, Spectrum and what not). These were included on decision of Daniel. His idea was to broaden the view beyond the usual Amiga and PC tracker format collections. Maybe he hadn't anticipated the file base would grow this huge as it is now due to inclusion of those console formats and this might be one of the reasons which lead him to exhaustion of maintaining this project. Certainly Daniel was glad being able to hand over the torch to Ziphoid.

Btw, another issue is that you cannot know what updates have been made to the artist_list.xls unless you have an older copy of that list and know of a way to compare them. I do know how to, though.

[Axxy]

I have used TotalCommander for many years now, and I use the folder sort in it as default.  I can also generate an "new additions" list mainly from within TC, a text editor and an addon now before adding new entries to the spreadsheet, enabling 100s of new mods to be added quite quickly.  It also has a great multi-rename tool, find duplicates easily and Synchronise folders which is great for backups.

I'm using Office2010, and when I open the artist_list.xls it throws up an 'file error: data may be lost' message, but shows the data ok i think, but I don't really use it that much apart from trying to track down artists/names etc.

[Asle]

never looked in this XLS file. I'm with Axxy regarding tracking the updates that happen (and the ftp running back ).

[deus-ex]

AFAIK you cannot track updates of a non-local database like MODLAND with Total Commander. This requires a routine to crawl through each and every subfolder. If you know of a solution though I'm all ears.

Asle, this is what you have been missing...

[Axxy]

I usually look at the datestamps of folders like deus-ex says in TC. As Modland is a massive archive, edits/updates must be a nightmare to keep up-to-date and I wouldn't envy anyone having to do that.  I've not really checked out the Synchronize Folders options apart from its standard functions or the Search\Find Files window, but I was just wondering if there was some way to maybe output -> textfile any changes etc. or possibly a plugin or addon for TC with extended functions for this type of operation.

The artist/group spreadsheet is a great resource and really appreciate whoever has kept it up to date all this time.

[deus-ex]

I've not really checked out the Synchronize Folders options apart from its standard functions or the Search\Find Files window, but I was just wondering if there was some way to maybe output -> textfile any changes etc. or possibly a plugin or addon for TC with extended functions for this type of operation.

Even if there is a way using TC's Synchronize Folders function, it still requires the logic to check through all folders. This is probably quite a time (and bandwidth?) consuming task and therefore not a feasible solution, given the fact you would want to do this on a more regularly basis.   Still, if you happen to manage any promising attempts I certainly like to hear about it.

The artist/group spreadsheet is a great resource and really appreciate whoever has kept it up to date all this time.

Take a wild guess. You have three attempts.

[Axxy]

Even if there is a way using TC's Synchronize Folders function, it still requires the logic to check through all folders. This is probably quite a time (and bandwidth?) consuming task and therefore not a feasible solution, given the fact you would want to do this on a more regularly basis.   Still, if you happen to manage any promising attempts I certainly like to hear about it.

Actually, with over 76,000 files and 50gb+, it's very quick on mine, maybe the initial read of all the files takes a minute or so, but literally takes seconds refreshing after this. Even the compare content option is quite rapid.  It does show differences between both my backups and my working folders, even if the datestamp has changed but i'm not sure if the results could be output to a file or not. Maybe i'll have a look through the forums and addons/plugins to see if there is something that could achieve those results. I usually just tend to use the bog standard options and never really need to look for more functionality than what I use TC for at present.  Porbably all mute if you can't run this locally on the system but rather run it remotely.

[swirlythingy]

Good to see Modland's back.  Any chance of getting my vanity project uploaded?