History.dat HTML Link?

[mrudie]

Okay, I've been searching for an answer to this and can't find it, so I thought I'd post.

Is there any way to remove the HTML link that arcade-history has started adding to the History.dat file from showing up in GameEx?

I'm not sure which version they started adding this link, but you can see this header for each game in the History.dat file:

$info=88games,
$<a href="http://www.arcade-history.com/?n='88-games&page=detail&id=1&o=2" title="Edit this entry at Arcade-History.com">Edit this entry at Arcade-History.com</a>
$bio

Is there a setting in GameEx somewhere to skip this line that includes the html link? It shows up in my game information in GameEx.

If not, Tom, is there a way you could make it start skipping this line when importing the history.dat info?

Also, is there any way to tell GameEx which sections of the history.dat to import? I noticed that it skips the secions: - TECHNICAL -, - TRIVIA -, - TIPS AND TRICKS -, - STAFF -, - SCORING -, and maybe others. Some of these sections, I'd like to see in the game information screen on GameEx.

Tom, is there a way I could edit the history.dat to include these sections in the game info screen in GameEx?

[bkenobi]

If there is a will to do it, then of course there is a way! The history.dat file contains formatted data that Tom is reading with GameEx. He tells it what he wants to keep and appends it to the correct field in the mdb file during an update.

There are two ways to get what you want.

1) ask Tom to change it either here or in the features request thread (depending on whether this is considered a bug or a new feature);

2) Do something yourself to edit the mdb file to contain the info you want (asking for help if needed).

I personally think (1) should be done at some point, but if you are impatient like many of us here then I suggest you consider (2). The database I'm refering to is in a subdirectory of c:\Program Files\GameEx, but I don't remember which one. As I recall, it's called data.mdb. When you open this file, you will se a list of all your MAME games with the pertinant information in subsequent fields. One option is to write an update query. This may proove to be a pain in the rear if you aren't good with access, though.

But, if the history.dat file has changed at all, I think GameEx should be updated to deal with it correctly in the next version. I personally consider this a bug that can easily be fixed.

Hey nologic, was that rambling enough?

[Stu1983]

We all love a good ramble

Stu

[Tom Speirs]

This has been done, and will be in the next release.

[LB11]

Man, I feel like the next few releases of gameex are going to have a pretty long list of new features!

[Nologic]

bkenobi -

Hehe I would say thats spot on...I'm proud of you. hehe

[wahoo]

The new version sounds cool. Can't wait. In the mean time I fixed this (got rid of the URL at least) by using a log viewer program to open history.dat and filter out lines containing "Edit this entry at Arcade-History.com" I copied the remaining lines to a new history.dat file and had to select "Update List" from the GameEx Mame menu section to re import the history.dat file.

[mrudie]

Thanks for the tips everyone, and thanks Tom for fixing this in an upcoming release!

[mrudie]

  wahoo said:

The new version sounds cool. Can't wait. In the mean time I fixed this (got rid of the URL at least) by using a log viewer program to open history.dat and filter out lines containing "Edit this entry at Arcade-History.com" I copied the remaining lines to a new history.dat file and had to select "Update List" from the GameEx Mame menu section to re import the history.dat file.

Could you share the name of the log viewer program you used? Is it freeware/shareware? Thanks.