I think the current rom database covers close to 100% of all games. Its rare that we find old games that aren't already in the database. Of course new games, such as the msxdev or MRC copmo entries needs to be added as they become available.
As manuel said, both openMSX and blueMSX are working (at least in the background) to link emus to generation-msx. So its probably better for you to spend the time to help current efforts if you want.
I agree though that the interface to generation-msx is not the best. Its very 90's I think and not as easy to use as e.g. lemon64.com. So perhaps try to work to get the interface better is something. The database itself is imo great, just needs a face lift.
@cesco: I think you can find a description of the database format bluemsx and openmsx is using in the bluemsx manual or online at http://www.msxblue.com/manual/index.htm. See the "Rom databases" link.
If you find any roms that are not present in the database that comes with bluemsx or openmsx, please send us the sha checksum of the rom and information about the rom
Ok, as a test I have collected all the information about the MSX-1-Mania collection of disks; I have organized the information in a valid XML file with the same tags used by OpenMSX and I have added my personal tag, called <description> with a small HTML code that explains what's inside each disk.
For example, these are the first lines:
<softwaredb xml:lang="en" timestamp="1199668497"> <!-- MSX1Mania Disks --> <software> <title xml:lang="en">MSX-1-Mania #001</title> <description> <html> On This Disk:<br/> <br/><li/> Chicago's 30 [Arcade] (1988, Topo Soft)<br/><li/> Clapton 2 [Shoot'm Up] (1984, T&E Soft)<br/><li/>Hunchback [Arcade] (1984, Ocean)<br/><li/> Lazer Bykes [Arcade] (1985, PSS)<br/><li/>Manic Miner [Platform] (1984, Software Projects)<br/><li/> Octagon Squad [Adventure] (1986, Mastertronic)<br/><li/>Operation Wolf [Arcade] (1988, Ocean)<br/><li/> Rocket Roger [Adventure] (1986, Alligata) </html> </description> <system>MSX</system> <company></company> <year></year> <country></country> <dump> <original value="false"/> <disk> <hash algo="sha1">f7cf2ee5387f2217b4157fc8c6b0723828a22fe2</hash> </disk> </dump> </software> ... ...
You can download the complete XML file from this site: http://www.cesco.it/test/msx1mania.xml.zip
Is it ok if I do this work? Can it be useful for you?
[..] <description> <html> On This Disk:<br/> <br/><li/> Chicago's 30 [Arcade] (1988, Topo Soft)<br/><li/> Clapton 2 [Shoot'm Up] (1984, T&E Soft)<br/><li/>Hunchback [Arcade] (1984, Ocean)<br/><li/> Lazer Bykes [Arcade] (1985, PSS)<br/><li/>Manic Miner [Platform] (1984, Software Projects)<br/><li/> Octagon Squad [Adventure] (1986, Mastertronic)<br/><li/>Operation Wolf [Arcade] (1988, Ocean)<br/><li/> Rocket Roger [Adventure] (1986, Alligata) </html> </description> [..]
Why do you use self-closing list item tags in it and not something like:
[..] <description> <html><body> On This Disk: <ul> <li>Chicago's 30 [Arcade] (1988, Topo Soft)</li> <li>Clapton 2 [Shoot'm Up] (1984, T&E Soft)</li> <li>Hunchback [Arcade] (1984, Ocean)</li> <li>Lazer Bykes [Arcade] (1985, PSS)</li> <li>Manic Miner [Platform] (1984, Software Projects)</li> <li>Octagon Squad [Adventure] (1986, Mastertronic)</li> <li>Operation Wolf [Arcade] (1988, Ocean)</li> <li>Rocket Roger [Adventure] (1986, Alligata)</li> </ul> </body></html> </description> [..]
which is, as far as I know, how list item tags are supposed to be used..
And wouldn't it maybe better to just include a genmsx_id in it that points to the entry in the Generation MSX database?
thus:
<softwaredb xml:lang="en" timestamp="1199668497">
<!-- MSX1Mania Disks -->
<software>
<title xml:lang="en">MSX-1-Mania #001</title>
<genmsx_id>2750</genmsx_id>
<system>MSX</system>
<company></company>
<year></year>
<country></country>
<dump>
<original value="false"/>
<disk>
<hash algo="sha1">f7cf2ee5387f2217b4157fc8c6b0723828a22fe2</hash>
</disk>
</dump>
</software>
Although you would always need to do an online lookup for that then..
Honestly, I have never wrote a lot of HTML code with the list items... but I have seen that my syntax is working on all the browsers I have tried.
Eventually I can change that syntax... it's not a problem at all, I have made a small utility that allows me to create XML on-the-fly from my database.
And wouldn't it maybe better to just include a genmsx_id in it that points to the entry in the Generation MSX database?
IMHO it would have more sense to open a page on the GenMSX website by passing the HASH code of the game; and then a small script on the web side could fetch the corresponding game. For example, you could open a new page with an address similar to this one:
http://www.generation-msx.nl/search.php?hash=f7cf2ee5387f2217b4157fc8c6b0723828a22fe2
With this method you could also pass the same code to an unlimited number of MSX related websites, without worrying to maintain 4 or 5 different reference codes for each MSX portal... you could pass the same code to MSX Passions or to MSX-Files, and show the same information for example.
