Download Files Sorting Options

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

I have been going through the download categories to check on the latest uploads and if i want these items installed. But the format to display the newest items may not be optimized to the best method.

I generally opt for displaying the items by date but the settings are displayed in "Month Day Year" which will mix all the items all the way back to 2006 year.

Can the uploaded date format be changed to reflect the year first?

Can the files be sorted to reflect if they are compatible with the latest version? (this may be a requirement of the initial file construction name or owner) Can the upload file requirements be amended to include the build version somewhere in the description or title?

If someone had the time, there may be the possibility to also change the catalogue format to sub format the files by version number. Formatting may not allow this option? Option to select your version number and these files are for your consideration. May even lead to owners selecting to upgrade their versions after seeing the newest and latest offerings available. (?)

Just my personal opinions after having to search through every file to look for the latest uploads, and having to guess by the date if this file is compatible with my installed version. (without corruption or alteration of the files)

All for now, what thinks you?

9erRed

[Ssnake]

Your suggestions seem to make sense to me. But I have no idea if the site can be adjusted accordingly. Hopefully Sean will know.

[Homer]

Greetings all,

I have been going through the download categories to check on the latest uploads and if i want these items installed. But the format to display the newest items may not be optimized to the best method.

I generally opt for displaying the items by date but the settings are displayed in "Month Day Year" which will mix all the items all the way back to 2006 year.

The date sort is listed according to "Date Updated", not "Date Added". It displays them in order of year, month, then day.

Can the uploaded date format be changed to reflect the year first?

Yes, but it will affect the rest of the site too. Look again at the above pic. Is it that difficult to pick out the year?

Can the upload file requirements be amended to include the build version somewhere in the description or title?

Yes, we can ask people to label their uploads with better descriptions. They can either put the version number in their title or in the available version number input box:

Can the files be sorted to reflect if they are compatible with the latest version? (this may be a requirement of the initial file construction name or owner)

We can't see into the future. How do we know if a mod will work 3 versions from now?

If someone had the time, there may be the possibility to also change the catalogue format to sub format the files by version number. Formatting may not allow this option? Option to select your version number and these files are for your consideration. May even lead to owners selecting to upgrade their versions after seeing the newest and latest offerings available. (?)

Just my personal opinions after having to search through every file to look for the latest uploads, and having to guess by the date if this file is compatible with my installed version. (without corruption or alteration of the files)

Are you volunteering?

[Homer]

I added to the "Uploading Files" instructions:

LABELING A FILE UPLOAD

Please include the SBpro PE version number that is compatible with your file by adding (#.###) to the end of your file upload name, and to the title of the file description. Your upload will not be approved for posting unless it follows this label format.

Example:

• Tanks A Lot! (2.546)
  
• tanks_v1.0_(2.546).zip
  

[Captain_Colossus]

You'll need a system which automatically updates each and every file so that it reflects whether it can be used with the current version, otherwise the name won't specifiy whether it is compatible with a future version or not and defeats the purpose. And that creates another problem- that favors users who are updated to the newest version, but leaves users who aren't updated to figure out whether the file will still work for them. So it tells you that Tanks A Lot! was created or known last compatible with 2.546, it doesn't say whether it works for anyone who isn't updated and has 2.356, nor does it say anything about whether it's compatible with version 2.895. You'd still be guessing if it works with any other version than what the file name says.

In other words, this system is static and therefore it would only tell you which version it was created with at that time, it says nothing about whether it works with newer versions or older versions than that. The only way to be sure is just to try it out yourself. Really, it's a caveat emptor- if you're going to presume to mess around with mods or user created files, you'll have to probably have to assume the risks of going through the trouble and test it out as part of the deal.

[Ssnake]

Still, it's better than not having any hint at all about it.

[Captain_Colossus]

In what way? I'm not being pretentious, I don't see what it actually does. The point of what you're trying to do is inform people if a given mod is compatible with a current version. It doesn't necessarily reflect this. It doesn't necessarily save people the trouble of just loading it up and seeing if it works anyway. If you're going to tell people assume this convention or otherwise your scenario or mod or whatever won't be accepted, yet the only thing it does is tell people what version it was created with, rather than what other versions it will or will not work with, it seems a little arbitrary to me for such a hard rule.

Maybe it's not often that an existing vehicle is replaced with a newer one, or a new feature is added which breaks a scenario or makes a map unuseable, so odds are you're safe anyway to simply assume a file will work. Some users are more in touch with updates, maybe they can just look at a thumbnail to know if a skin will work, maybe they are experienced enough with SB Pro to have a good idea what works and what will be outdated anyway. That in itself might go at least as far if not more than to tell you whether Tanks! created a year ago will still work one year later based on the version number. There are people with different versions out there, it doesn't tell you if it actually works with any of them, or if it works with a newer build of SB Pro. As long as you assume there will be at least one more update coming in the future, then your file name is always in the process of becoming outdated and self defeating for what your system wants to do.

It's your site and your rules, but I don't get it.

[Ssnake]

In what way?

Well, at least you know the version number for which it was made.

In a second step, maybe a wiki article could be created for each vehicle that tracks significant artwork changes from one version to the next so that, as long as no artwork change was implemented for vehicle X, you can at least assume that a mod for that vehicle will probably work.

I'll try to put more emphasis on this aspect when writing future version histories, to clearly point out artwork updates that are known to no longer work with previous textures.

Maybe we can also enable a comment function where people could point out after a new release whether mod Y still works or not. It won't work without some active participation, it won't be perfect - but it's better than not having any version number mentioned at all.

[Homer]

CC,

Your candor and words of encouragement are always appreciated. Your assessment would be absolutely correct.... were it not for stage 2 of my how-the-hell-did-I-get-involved-in-this master plan! (curse you, 9erRed :-P)

First, a revision of the instructions:

Please include the SBpro PE version number that was used in the creation of your file. Add the number as (#.###) to the end of your file upload name, and to the title of the file description. Your upload will not be approved for posting unless it follows this label format.

You should note that I kept the word "please" in this rendition too.

Second, produce a data chart referencing the SB version number and changes over time to deduce compatibility.

If we plot if and when a change occurred to a given item, we can determine (as best, given the limitations) what should be compatible.

• Tank A has never been changed since the original SB release - any versions of the file should work with all versions of SB.
  
• Tank B had a change at 2.460 - any version of the file at and after 2.460 should work with all SB version 2.460 and later. The same would be true for all SB and file versions except they would only work for pre-2.460.
  
• Tank D was introduced at 2.538 - until a change is made, everything should be compatible and there should not be any files labelled before 2.538 or the date of its release.
  
• Tank E had 3 changes - you should be able to figure it out.
  

More comments to follow, gotta go....