Strange Error in Access game database

[greatflash]

funny error that I don't understand..

If you use the database files to show manufacurer, year, description, etc in gameex, be carefull not to use the & symbol in the Description field of the access file. If you do, when you access the game in gameex, the description that usually follows the 'play game' 'add to favorites' screen, will fail to display any of the text from the '&' and onwards..

Just discovered it when typing game description for Chuckie Egg (A&F Software). This does not appear to affect any other fields.

Am using Microsoft Access 2003.

Has anyone else had this problem? or is it just me again

[greatflash]

I take it no one has had this little problem?

[bkenobi]

I haven't had this problem, but it appears that the data is incorporated in such a way that the string in the database can affect other code. This is the same way that people do buffer overrun hacking. Are you trying to hack GameEx? Tom! This guys trying to F' with your code! Tom, where are you?!

[Smocca]

Just found a similar bug. If there is a period in the game name you get the same/similar effect. "Buster Bros." for the TGCD was the game I was having trouble with. It would display the name, developer and year properly from the game list screen, but when you actually selected it and went to the game description page then no information (not even the developer+year) would show up. I had to change the name to "Buster Bros" in my database and map file in order to fix this.

EDIT: also just realized that if you have a comma in the "Name" field the same thing happens.

[bkenobi]

This is a bug in the way those fields are used. It looks like Tom will need to take a look at it and see whether we need to parse and edit the databases, or just adjust how GameEx utilizes the data from them (probably the latter).

[headkaze]

Special characters such as the ampersand, dollar sign, comma, asterisk and period need to be surrounded by square brackets or preceeded by a backslash character if used inside an SQL query.

So Tom just needs to write up a little method where names are passed through to add the escape character to the special characters before running the query.

[Tempest]

I mentioned a few weeks back, that when I use the databases, it breaks things....Too bad Brian didn't post it, maybe somebody would have listened.

COME ON BRIAN! It's Monday, and I'm already ahead of you on ball busting...

[greatflash]

I mentioned a few weeks back, that when I use the databases, it breaks things....Too bad Brian didn't post it, maybe somebody would have listened.

COME ON BRIAN! It's Monday, and I'm already ahead of you on ball busting...

No-one would have listened to you Tempest - you should know that by now