[Resolved] Sort Order

[MrGrynch]

I manage a very large media library, and one thing that is very useful is a custom sort field.  It makes it very convenient to force the front-end to display movies in the correct order, even when the title or numbering would cause it to display differently (and incorrectly).

Unless I am missing something, PinballX is lacking this.  The game name is critical to finding FTP content, but.. if the game title is poorly named or formed, then you are "locked into" that.  For example, The Addams Family.  Everywhere I look it can be found under "T" when it should be under "A" i.e. Addams Family, The.  This has the other unfortunate side effect of causing the game to be listed in the front-end in the wrong spot.  Ideally, the front-end should have an option to sort on the Description field, or add a custom sort field.  Some field that is NOT responsible for other title matching criteria.  Sure, I can fix the title myself, but then I am signing myself for always having to search for media by hand since the name matching will fail.

Am I missing something obvious?

[Mike_da_Spike]

To my knowledge, the list is sorted on description and not on file name.

And up to you, how you call it. Game list manager (and Databasemanager)will use the ipdb name as description name, but can be changed if you want (as you mention yourself)

Thats why Databasemanager manager uses a "fuzzy' search for media matching. It will use filename and descrip(displayname) to do the ftp search. And if you cannot find it automatically,  you can easily search on ftp and download it

And TAF is called "the addams family ". So it needs "The" in frond and not at the end (even rom name is TAF and not  AFT)  see https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=20

 

[MrGrynch]

1 minute ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

To my knowledge, the list is sorted on description and not on file name.

And up to you, how you call it. Game list manager (and Databasemanager)will use the ipdb name as description name, but can be changed if you want (as you mention yourself)

Thats why Databasemanager manager uses a "fuzzy' search for media matching. It will use filename and descrip(displayname) to do the ftp search. And if you cannot find it automatically,  you can easily search on ftp and download it

And TAF is called "the addams family ". So it needs "The" in frond and not at the end (even rom name is TAF and not  AFT)  see https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=20

 

Hmmmm.. Thought I tried using description, but maybe not.

UPDATE:  It seems that the frontend DOES sort based on description, not game name.  That's great!  Still a slight problem.  When I launch PinballX, for some reason, it doesn't start by displaying the first title in alphabetic order.  On my installation, it seems to always start displaying the THIRD table in my list.  See attached image

[scutters]

3 hours ago, MrGrynch said:

UPDATE:  It seems that the frontend DOES sort based on description, not game name.  That's great!  Still a slight problem.  When I launch PinballX, for some reason, it doesn't start by displaying the first title in alphabetic order.  On my installation, it seems to always start displaying the THIRD table in my list.  See attached image

That depends how you count it - the first wheel image is Addams Family, it's just not the selected game 

(not that helps you much, sorry)

[Mike_da_Spike]

5 hours ago, scutters said:

That depends how you count it - the first wheel image is Addams Family, it's just not the selected game 

(not that helps you much, sorry)

I hate to say it, but your right 

I think we had that discussion years ago and Tom convinced me that this count is correct

[MrGrynch]

I’m pretty sure it does this to fill the wheel on the left side, starting at the top of the alphabet.  The algorithm to do this is easier than rolling over past “Z”.  I understand it, but not intuitive.

[Mike_da_Spike]

Totally agree. But, thought it was to avoid issues with systems with a few tables/games

[Mike_da_Spike]

13 hours ago, MrGrynch said:

Still a slight problem.  When I launch PinballX, for some reason, it doesn't start by displaying the first title in alphabetic order

Btw, thats not a problem, but a feature