• user7
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-14
  • Posts: 2,621

Imagine a future where - instead of inputting the data manually into the submission template - most of it was done for you? Don't believe it? Well the future can be NOW!

Recently DICUI implemented a "!SubmissionInfo.txt" output file when dumping, this file aggregates all data that needs to be submitted:

Title: (REQUIRED)
Disc Number / Letter: (OPTIONAL)
Disc Title: (OPTIONAL)
System: IBM PC Compatible
Media Type: CD-ROM
Category: Games
Region: World (CHANGE THIS)
Languages: Klingon (CHANGE THIS)
Disc Serial: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
Ringcode Information:
    Mastering Ring: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
    Mastering SID Code: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
    Mould SID Code: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
    Additional Mould: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
    Toolstamp or Mastering Code: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
Barcode: (OPTIONAL)
ISBN: (OPTIONAL)
Error Count: 0
Comments: (OPTIONAL)
Contents: (OPTIONAL)
Version: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)
Edition/Release: Original (VERIFY THIS)
Primary Volume Descriptor (PVD):

0320 : 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 20 20 20 20 32 30 30                200
0330 : 35 30 33 33 31 31 31 31  36 30 30 30 30 08 32 30   5033111160000.20
0340 : 30 35 30 33 33 31 31 31  31 36 30 30 30 30 08 30   05033111160000.0
0350 : 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30  30 30 30 30 30 30 30 00   000000000000000.
0360 : 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30  30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30   0000000000000000
0370 : 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ................

Copy Protection: (REQUIRED, IF EXISTS)

Cuesheet:

FILE "MIDWAY.bin" BINARY
  TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
    INDEX 01 00:00:00

Write Offset: 0

DAT:

<rom name="MIDWAY.bin" size="291314016" crc="e4e8c5e1" md5="9f654fd921e7bd7e4bf3278717a51a66" sha1="804c46bab96faf1e6341de5448ac036f48c57c5d" />

That's right, all that info that's inputted here was done autoMAGICally!!! (sure there's still some physical data that needs to be entered).

Well what if we could auto input this into a redump.org submission in "ADD DISC"? WELL SOON YOU CAN (pending iRobot/etc adds the feature).

darksabre76 is ready to code an xml output with all the info, and we just need redump.org to accept submission via this xml to auto-fill this info. No more hours of manually entering data, no more second checking to see if it's correct, NO MORE HUMAN ERROR!!1

All my posts and submission data are released into Public Domain / CC0.
  • Registered: 2017-04-01
  • Posts: 144

So, as the coder (of the 3) who is being called out here, I'd like to ask for clarification with a bit of back-explanation:

In most APIs that I've personally used, the data format that is expected has been ironed out by the group who created the API. This means that in most cases, as a programmer, I'd expect things like the XML structure to be a known thing and at least a DTD or XSD would be available for what is expected (including what is optional or required).

If this information could be provided, it would be semi-trivial to add another output format alongside the submission info that DICUI currently outputs. It raises a few more issues on our side (including pre-filling any required information), but that is not that big of a deal.

If this functionality can be exposed, we will do our best to conform to whatever standard is put forward so that dumpers can submit the standardized information in a more consistent way.

  • Registered: 2006-12-24
  • Posts: 3,847

But you still need to fill all those fields by yourself via some offline form. What's the real difference?

4 Reply by user7 (edited by user7 2018-07-02 10:21:57)

  • user7
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-14
  • Posts: 2,621

F1ReB4LL wrote:

you still need to fill all those fields by yourself via some offline form

Incorrect, to clarify DICUI fills in a LOT of the data for you, for example:

  • *PVD data
    *size
    *checksums
    *cue
    *version number for PS2 games
    *DMI/PFI/SS

It can also do system (specified during system input in DICUI) and format (CD-Rom / DVD-5, DVD-9).

That's a lot of tedious work which can be flubbed if you're adding disc after disc. It will shave a lot of time off the process and increase accuracy if we could just upload an xml of this data output by dicui.

All my posts and submission data are released into Public Domain / CC0.
  • Registered: 2009-03-31
  • Posts: 176

Of course some kind of sanity check needs to be implemented on database side and/or mandatory user input fields on DICUI side. You'll end up with a lot of Klingon releases otherwise...

rosewood's Website

  • user7
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-14
  • Posts: 2,621

An XML will only include data gleamed from discs, users will continue to input the other data.

All my posts and submission data are released into Public Domain / CC0.
  • Registered: 2018-05-23
  • Posts: 328

This would greatly help with submissions, especially when users like I who are inexperienced at dumping certain games (like IBM PC ones) feel that manually submitting is a burden  on my time and adds pressure to a task that's meant to help preserve games.

Dumping PSP:  PSP-1000, 6.61 PRO-C ][ Can dump GCN, Wii, Wii U, DS, DSi, 3DS, Switch, PSP, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and GD-ROM