Auto managing content to reduce user and file errors

[mexpress22 10]

First off let me start by thanking all the developers, testers, and the scene for contributing so much allowing me to progress to where I am.  That being said, I am nowhere near the understanding of all the underlying processes. So when reading these suggested tips, I am in no way assuming that they are reasonable in application, nor needing to be done in the manner outlined below.  This is just how I've interpreted the processes already being used and reapplying them to maybe acheive fewer errors that take away from what our systems can really do.

 

1. When a game path is scanned, info (game name, title id, media id/base) is logged to an existing or newly created database or similar file(maybe this could also be used in the implementation of a current request to extract game titles/title ids to csv.)  Just like in the creation of the title update database, games already logged would be skipped only updating with new additions/changes to the library.
   
2. Scanning of title updates would scan only one folder, let's call it "Content Needs Added." Any title updates that need to be added to the system either through Unity or manually would go to this folder. Manual files added would require a title scan.  Unity downloaded files would force an automatic scan or force addition to the database, just like the current behavior. Instead of logging to the title update database the original file location and file name, aurora would log the correct file location and original file name that is contained within the file (similar to what happens when Horizon or 360 Content Manager handles the file). Comparing against the above game database file created in step 1, files not matching the media/base would be skipped.  Title updates already in the database would be skipped, just like the current behavior. 
   
3. If the same detection of file name/file location could be applied to other content like xbla, game saves, dlc, etc, then maybe we could use the "Content Needs Added" folder for adding other content. The same way aurora copies, moves, and deletes tu's, maybe the same could be applied to this other content.  Scanning against the games database file in step 1, would allow omission of files that do not match a corresponding game.
   
4. Comparing the games database, the title update database, and the available files on Unity might also help the implementation of another request for notification of new available tu's.
   
5. Additional suggested tweaks
   

• log results of Content scans to inform of mismatched content, actions taken, etc ie "Title update tu00004_0000000 was not added due to no matching media/base in Games database" or "Title update tu000001_0000000 was renamed to tu00000a_00000" or "DLC for title id/game name was added".
  
• allow user selected options for what happens to files in the "Content Needs Added" after manual or forced scans ie "Delete all files after organizing," "Only delete files that are successfully organized," "Delete nothing (default)," or "Delete nothing and replace files with corrected file names."  Any selection other than default would turn on the logging suggested in above.
  

 

Thanks for your continued efforts!

[gavin_darkglider 1562]

1. All of that information is stored in the database. As far as game ripping goes, this will be doable with aurora 0.6b, as that feature has been requested for a while.

2. TU scanning copies installed TUs that are not in the aurora directory, as you can have multiple TUs, and switch between them. TUs are then coppied back to content/cache directory on launch.

3. Content management is handled by the system, and due to copyright laws, other than being able to view and erase this data is probably all aurora will ever have built in to do.

4. With LUA, that should be doable, but you will have to wait for the next release, and then see how much of the LUA libs are included in that version.

5.1 Probably wont happen, as that isnt how the scanning process works. Just because you didnt install a game to the hdd, doesnt mean you cant play it off of the disc.

5.2 Also probably wont happen due to reasons stated above.

 

Dont quote me on these answers, as I am not actually a member of team phoenix.

[mexpress22 10]

1. All of that information is stored in the database. As far as game ripping goes, this will be doable with aurora 0.6b, as that feature has been requested for a while.

2. TU scanning copies installed TUs that are not in the aurora directory, as you can have multiple TUs, and switch between them. TUs are then coppied back to content/cache directory on launch.

3. Content management is handled by the system, and due to copyright laws, other than being able to view and erase this data is probably all aurora will ever have built in to do.

4. With LUA, that should be doable, but you will have to wait for the next release, and then see how much of the LUA libs are included in that version.

5.1 Probably wont happen, as that isnt how the scanning process works. Just because you didnt install a game to the hdd, doesnt mean you cant play it off of the disc.

5.2 Also probably wont happen due to reasons stated above.

 

Dont quote me on these answers, as I am not actually a member of team phoenix.

thanks for the response. Regarding #1 the idea isn't to reinvent the wheel but maybe utilize the games database (whether it was already created or not-sorry for my ignorance) for other functions like omitting TU's that do not match corresponding games in the scanning process and creation/modification of the title update database.

for #2 in order for aurora to scan and log a tu it first has to be in one of the scannable locations.  I am suggesting only scanning a single specified folder.  As unity does not have tu>300mb (and some <300mb are not avail), we must place tu's that we find in their appropriate locations so that once a title scan is initiated, aurora can find it and now recopy to that same location.  If a tu is misnamed or incorrectly placed it will not work.  This can also happen when dl'ing from unity via Aurora on some files.  Either the file name is incorrect or the installation path resulting in a failed tu. If aurora is already detecting the installation path upon launch of the game, maybe just an added step to ensure file name is correct. also by having only one specified folder to add new tu's and the updated database/scanning process would allow us to add multiple tu's at once that we could rename (ie CODBO2 tu17 or FarCry4 TU8) without worry of the tu failing once activated nor worrying about getting it in the right location. Renaming allows for easy sorting on the pc plus I am unsure of how one currently would be able to add an additional tu that isnt available via unity without first deleting the current title update as they very likely will have the same file name. Current unity dl's bypasses this name matching issue of tu's through its ingenious database and backup process. However unless your title update is directly saved to the title update database, you cannot place the 2nd TU in its scannable location without deleting/moving the first one.  This does not allow for the easy switching between tu's on first use.  After the deletion of the original tu, copying of the new tu, and new scan, one should still be able to select from TUs as they are now both saved in the backup and logged in the database, but the initial process of adding both requires multiple steps increasing the chances of error.  Plus, the more tu>300mb we run into the more problems will arise ie minecraft. Adding one more step in the title update/database process to check base version against games database would ensure that only correctly matched tu's would be added to the database.

 

 

with #3 I was unsure if aurora could move said files as long as they weren't dl'd directly through aurora.  In order to add dlc, we must copy to the correct folder.  If the folder is not there, (ie an xex with no current tu or content) we must create the folder with the right folder stucture.  I was suggesting using a single folder that aurora could scan and log the proper location of the content (be it xbla, dlc, game save, etc) and place in the correct location similar to the process of tu management. Content would still be handled by the kernel but properly placed by aurora, thus reducing more content related errors.  Again, comparing file attributes to the games database could omit the organization of content that didnt match a corresponding game in your paths.

 

and 5 im unclear you what mean.  I wasnt referring to playing the game more referring to a logging feature that would let us know what tu's or files were skipped or renamed during the modified scanning/database creation process. that way if we are scanning in new tu's we would know why the system added or didnt add them to the database, ie the base versions didnt match or the file name was incorrect.  for games launched via odd or any other method not through aurora's game paths, title updates would still have to be manually added or allow an exception for database matching to allow addition of tu's that do not have a corresponding game path. the suggestions in 5 were only additional tweaks to the modified database process above.