Marvel Character Database 2

( Original Notes ) ( Update: 2/24/03 ) ( Update: 3/08/03 ) ( Update: 4/26/03 ) ( Update: Bug Tracking )

4/26/03:

Rick had some suggestions that I have implemented. They were:

1. Rename Characters
2. Copy Characters
3. Fill in the search field with CharName

I have added these items as well as gave a person the ability to delete a character.

Also moved the database connection strings to an external file. (For those people out there that might want to use a different database)

(back to top)

3/08/03:

Hey, as you can probably tell by the top of this page, I have some things available for download.

I have tested each of the functions individually (as I was building them) but I have not yet tested the program in total. (I'll be addressing that shortly)

I have developed the program, in the end, on a Windows XP (Pro), but I will be testing the program on every Operating System from Microsoft that I can get my hands on. I have Win2k available to me and Win98 (I think), but not NT or 95.

What does this all mean? Simple, it's in it's Beta release right now. If you download the program and have problems, let me know what happened (OS, CPU, and what you were doing, if nothing else)

More than likely, any errors will be faults of mine, and I'll answer with a D'oh!

There is one known issue that deals with merging characters in from a previous version of the DB, and that is, when merging individual characters, it may not correctly reflect the characters that were not merged. (Everything gets merged, but the process displays the characters as having been skipped) This happens only rarely in my experience, and closing the Merge Database window, then opening it again, if possible, corrects the display.

(back to top)

2/24/03:
Just an update, I found a bug in the program that I developed for my own use that MCD2 borrow heavily from. It was really a misunderstanding (on my part) of the new limitations that are imposed on a ListBox while using Windows XP. (Actually, that would make it an issue with something that Microsoft decided to change)

Oh well, that was fixed and all is back on track.

The last thing I have to add is a means to search the computer that the program is running on to see if there are earlier MCD databases on the system. If there is, you will be able to transfer the data from the old database to the new MCD2 database. This transfer can be the entire DB, or individual records.

Current ETA is within the first half of March.

(back to top)

Hey, I just want to show that I'm working on a new version of the Marvel Character Database program. I think it's going to be pretty cool, mostly because I'm using the stuff I've learned since I first wrote the current version of the MCD program. (Which is a lot.)

Unfortunately, the Access database behind the new program is changing. I am going to be providing a conversion program, that should be easier than the last one. :) (Norse: It's built in, and much easier, just let the program find the old DBs, you can merge in any part of the old DBs)

So far, I have the Character Entry and Storage portion finished. (Norse: Now it's just the final Beta testing)

I'm going to add search functionality to the character loading routines, which would be expected in a DB driven program. (Norse: Yep, works pretty good too)

For output, (I get to work on this next) I'm going to re-implement the templates from the current version. I am planning on adding another Template field, called RawData, that will store the character data in a format that could be imported into the program. I will be using the file extension CHA, once again to provide a human readable, though compressed, text file. I'm not done though, since I'm going to use a MVL extension, which will be an XML file. One more...It will also create a SQL file that could be used to easily update the database used by my Interactive section. (I think that should be enough.) (Norse: Nope, that last one didn't make the cut)

You may be asking what's going on in the [next-to-] last screen shot. That is, of course, the character's image, the confusion may come in with the menu that is currently displayed. No matter what size the image is, you can have it scaled down (but not up) to a specified maximum width, but only in the displayed HTML output. Nothing fancy here, just using the WIDTH and HEIGHT properties of the IMG tag.

(back to top)

Bug Tracking:

09/10/03:
Bug: Reported by Rick:
I have come into an issue with importing a .CHA file. If I try to import any character that has a relative I get a Runtime Error 91. Object variable or With Block variable not set. ...

Corrected: 1.00.0006:
The CHA import process had a grand total of three incorrect characters.

03/15/03:
Bug: Reported by Rich: (That's me!)
When running the program with an empty database, if you do a File/Edit, you get a RTE 91, "Object variable, or with block variable not set"

Corrected: 0.01.0008

03/14/03:
Bug: Reported by Rick:
After installing on a Windows 2000 machine, When I try and save a character I get a Run-Time Error (RTE) 430, "Class does not support automation or does not support expected interface"

Known Issue: (but I had to verify it)
You need to install (or re-install) MDAC 2.7 or higher.

03/13/03:
Bug: Reported by Rick:
When using a single quote within the Affiliation or Power name [or Alias or Relative], when the program tries to save the character, there is an error.

Fix: 0.01.0007:
OK, that had to deal with the SQL statements that saved the characters, this has been corrected.

3/09/03:
Bug: Reported by Rick:
It appears that you are not able to see all of the notes that you entered into the notes section of the powers from vers. 3. I see that all of the powers are there but when you click in some of them the notes are missing. (Check the batman entry from my Db.)

Fix: 0.01.0005:
If you use colons in the power notes, they were converted into field separators. This was wrong. Now only the first colon, wich separates the power rank from the power notes, is changed

Issue: Raised by Rick:
How do you delete a character? I see no way to do this.

Note:
Currently there isn't a means to delete a character. Stay tuned...

Question: Asked by Rick:
This is just for you, [ yeah, ok, :-D ] the about menu comes up but when you click on it neither of the entries produce anything.

Answer:
The about menu, added earlier, only displays information. I didn't want to include another form so I have the information displayed directly on the menu items themselves.

Bug: Reported by Rick:
When exporting to HTML, the powers rank is repeated for the power's notes.

Fix: 0.01.0006:
OK, yep, logic error. (Right code, wrong place.)

Bug: Reported by Rick:
When exporting to HTML, anything that you have in the character's history is not in the HTML file.

Fix: 0.01.0006 (full version):
This is a fault with the template itself. The templates don't have a |History| section. Add that in, and you have the fix. If you don't have any templates chosen, it will create a default template that has the History section. I have also included corrected templates with the Full installation of the file.

Bug: Reported by Bjorn: (Win98)
I just tried installing the new DB and got an error.  I will restart and see if it will install...I restarted and all I got for my efforts was a screwed up "msvcrt.dll". The error message is "The MSVCRT.DLL file is linked to missing exprot NTDLL.DLL:RtlGenNtVersionNumbers."  I deleted the one in the System directory and replaced it.  This solved the problem.

Comment:
I need to get a Win98 machine set up so see if I can get that error, and specifically how to have that error not show up...OK, it royally kicked me off the network. So hard, in fact, that I had to reinstall Win98! (Couldn't get back on, so I hope I hear from you soon. :)

Fix: MSI installation file:
OK, the installation file creation package that came with Visual Basic creates an installation package from XP machines that, to put it mildly, has issues with earlier OS'es. To get around that, I went to another installation creation program, called Visual Studio Installer. This creates the MSI file above.

Comment by Bjorn:
I know....I am always the troublemaker.

Response:
Hey, the more troublemakers in the beginning, the higher the quality in the long run.

3/08/03:
Bug: Reported by Rick: (WinXP)
When migrating over the old DB it only displays the first power in the list and that is all. I can see in the new DB that it grabbed all the info but it does not display it in the GUI. This happens for any character that was migrated over. They all show only the first one listed and that is it. Everything else appears to be there.

Fix: 0.01.0001:
The display has been corrected.

Bug: Reported by Rick:
I can not get the export to html function to work. I try it to my desktop and when i do it shoots the pic to the desktop but not html gets created. I did find that it does place the html output from the template onto the clipboard.

Fix: 0.01.0001:
This was a logic fault on my end. The file was created, but in the root directory of whatever drive it was to be exported too. This has been fixed.

Bug: Reported by Rick:
If I try to use an older template to export with I get an error. It happens on the Blindspot entry that you should have as well. The error is "Run Time error 91. Object variable or With block not set."

Fix: 0.01.0001:
Actually, any character with a relative would have had a problem. Not any more.

Issue: Raised by Rick:
In the previous version, a character exported as HTML using a template would have a _t.htm extension.

Included: 0.01.0004:
If you tell the system to use a template, the _t.htm extension will be generated. Also added an About menu to provide version information.