Abandonware Menu System ...

[SlowCoder]

Along with being an abandonware collector, I'm also a programmer. As far as DOS level stuff, I've got experience in QuickBasic from years ago. My nostalgia for the language was recently increased, and I've been looking for a project.

My idea was to build a menu program largely for DOS abandonware that includes the following features:
- An ability to perform a search and catalog for games by way of MD5 signature of primary executables. This could require the involvement of folks to perform the signature creation, and would not be a one-man job.
- It would be DOS based, written in QB or perhaps VB for DOS. I'm doing it in DOS, as I think it would have a more old-school feel, and would run directly in a DOS environment, even pure DOS. I have experience with both QB and VB (Windows), so I can't see how it would be too difficult to learn VBDOS if I needed.
- Would utilize easy to use INI file structures, which could be easily modified by libraries.

I actually already started this project (in QB) as a pet, and have a few of the pieces put together so far.

The eventual outcome of this project would be that it become available freely to abandonware users, and make cataloging of their collections much easier.

What do you think?

[The Fifth Horseman]

Interesting idea, definitely.

[dosraider]

I don't wanna be a spoil but........
There are plenty freeware dos-windows based DB software (catalog stuffies) that does what you propose, I thought.
Isn't it........?
But if you could add some 'specials' to it (thumbs or such), could be a plus.

[SlowCoder]

I don't wanna be a spoil but........
There are plenty freeware dos-windows based DB software (catalog stuffies) that does what you propose, I thought.
Isn't it........?
But if you could add some 'specials' to it (thumbs or such), could be a plus.
No, by all means, spoil. :) It won't hurt my feelings.

Well, maybe it will, but we won't be enemies.

I know there are all sorts of menu programs out there, both free and non-free, and that are very nice. My personal favorite is Direct Access, but it has the nasty tendancy to corrupt when you are maintaining the menu. I'm currently using QuickMenu, which is nice and graphical, and easy to use. What I found was that after reentering the games into Direct Access 2 times, then into QuickMenu, AND maintaining a separate spreadsheet catalog of all my games, I got tired of it. At this point I'd prefer to allow my computer to do all the work. :)

Problems I've seen with other menu systems:
- I have seen some that are able to catalog from a known database, generally provided by the program's maker, and you can't add/delete from that database.
- Some are not scalable. There are potentially thousands of games that can be input into a menu. Many menu programs simply can't handle that load and remain sane.

So, the solution I propose is to build a program that pretty much allows the cataloging work to be done, hopefully quickly, by the website maintainers, through their own databases. This doesn't mean that the maintainers would be required to enter each program's data, but might need to write a script to output the data from their databases.

[dosraider]

The one I'm using lately is InsideCat:
http://www.insidecat.biz/
Catalogs about everything and anything, details or not, at your wishes.
From folders to complete HDs, CDs/DVDs filled with all kinds of crap.

*Must clean up that pile of ol'HDs, really.

[SlowCoder]

The one I'm using lately is InsideCat:
http://www.insidecat.biz/
Catalogs about everything and anything, details or not, at your wishes.
From folders to complete HDs, CDs/DVDs filled with all kinds of crap.
A very quick look at the site shows that it's a Windows based application. That, to me, would make a DOS abandonware collection "impure", as it would have to rely on more than DOS to run properly. You can call me a purist, but that's just me. :)

My collection is set up in such a way that all I have to do is copy the contents of my collection DVD to the root of a DOS installation (DOSBox or DOS in VM, etc.), reboot, and it's up and running. It includes a configured config.sys, autoexec.bat, QuickMenu, mouse driver, etc. Everything required to make it operate without any modification.

*Must clean up that pile of ol'HDs, really.
You too?!? :whistling:

[_r.u.s.s.]

- An ability to perform a search and catalog for games by way of MD5 signature of primary executables. This could require the involvement of folks to perform the signature creation, and would not be a one-man job. how about patches, game updates, cracks or fan made modifications? would there be database of multiple versions of excutables for each game?

[SlowCoder]

how about patches, game updates, cracks or fan made modifications? would there be database of multiple versions of excutables for each game?

I don't think it would be difficult to provide for multiple MD5's for a single game's executable. But what about games that use the same executable, but different maps? I.E. AGI adventure engines?

I'm sure there will be some games that require manual input into the system.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Perhaps then, you should not identify games just by executable but by executable and at least one data file?
This could also allow for partial matches, in case the data file is known to the system but the main executable is not recognized.

[SlowCoder]

Yes, I have been, and am still considering that.