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Project Database Brainstorm (updated 10/31/07)
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Neverending Project:
Table/Field Requirements:
This first post will contain the up-to-date compilation of data requirements for the Project Database. I will review suggestions below, and if we want to capture the requirement I will update this post. When we have the list of requirements, we can focus on the correct tool(s) to make it happen. We'll start with a look at the table/field requirements, then talk about the search/browse functionality.

This will most likely need a set of relational tables. Tables will be listed in Bold, fields in blue followed by a colon, and if a field only allows certain values they will be listed in brackets. These are all up for discussion, and where indicated in italic I am looking for feedback.

Update Comments:
Updates in green with input found later in thread (beginning here). Added Pics table for all pictures.

Projects Table
Name: Cabinet Name Jimbo. How could I have missed this one?
Description: Brief description of project. Jimbo
Start Date: Date work began on project. Actual project start date, not entry into database Jimbo.
BYOAC Thread: Link to BYOAC thread Jimbo.
Type: [Upright, Cocktail, Cockpit, Jukebox, Bartop, Other]
Base: [Scratch-built, Conversion, Restoration, ?] NP
The completion and phase fields can be captured a couple of different ways. We an have a field for the phase of construction:
Phase: [Planning/Design, Construction, Almost Complete, Complete, Sold, Re-design]
And another field for percent complete.
Complete: [0-100] in 10% increments including 99% :P
Would the percent complete reset for each phase? Should we skip the phase, and only offer a percentage?
Coin Door: [Two-coin over-under, Three-coin over-under, etc.]
Overall Rating: [1-5] as rated by others
Front-End: [Mala, Mamewah, GameEx, etc.] Jimbo. Multiple entries allowed.
OS: [DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, TinyXP, Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, Linux]
Emulator: [MAME, Daphne, Modeler, Nebula, Vantage, Zinc, etc.] multiple entries allowed
Inspirations: [link to other projects/users]
Display: [Arcade Monitor, CRT, TV, LCD, Vector, Other] Multiple entries allowed.
Display Type: [Static, Rotating Manual, Rotating Motorized] Added motorized. Jimbo/shock_.
Aspect Ratio: [4:3, 16:9, 16:10, ?]
Diagonal Size: (inches)
Orientation: [Horizontal, Vertical, Both]
Control Panel Type: [Static, Swappable, Rotating, Modular, ?]
CP Inspiration: [link to other panels/users]
CP Rating: [1-5] as rated by others
Last Updated: (automatically updates to the last time the data was updated)
Total Cost: To date. Jimbo.
Tags: Free text. Covers anything not inlcuded in select fields. Jimbo.
Plans: (sketchup/autocad/pen-and-paper/"by the book"/based-on/etc.) Jimbo. I'm not sure how this would be kept consistent. Maybe rolled in with the Inspiration field?
Plans Link: Link to plans file if available. Jimbo/shock_
Computer HW: [Original arcade PCB, multi-game PCB, Desktop PC, laptop PC, Other] shock_
CPU Type: [PIII, PIV, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo, etc.] shock_

Each project will also need multiple entries in the following table, one for each picture oof their project.
Pics Table
Picture of: What is the picture of - CP, cabinet, coin door, etc. Can be select box, or free input.
Picture Phase: What phase is the component at the time of the pic. Same phases as above.
Picture JPEG, GIF, PNG, etc.
Picture Tags Free text for searchable keywords about picture.

Each project will also need multiple entries in the following table, one for each control on their panel.
Controls Table
Type: [Joystick, Button, Trackball, Spinner, Lightgun, Wheel, Pedal, Shifter, Yoke, Handlebars, Encoder]
Make: [Happs 8-way, Ultimarc 360, Logitech Driving Force Pro, I-Pac2, A-Pac, etc.]
Mount: [Top Flush, Top, Bottom, Removable, Other]
Light: (either boolean or type of light here)

Original Post Follows:
I'm thinking about creating a website for the sole purpose of categorizing and showcasing users cabinets. My initial thought was to create a database where cabinets could be stored with pictures, stats, etc. for easy searching and reviewing.

A user would log in and add their own cabinets complete with fields for cabinet style, monitor type, controls, OS, front end, mame version, inspirations, plans (if available), leds, etc. Then users could perform complex searches to get ideas or see how others performed similar tasks. I even thought about adding a ranking system where users could vote for cabs from one to five stars. I would also include a spot to keep track of your build stage, so others could see in what state your cabinet is.

The idea is just an idea right now, but I wanted to see if there is interest out there in the community. Would you use something like this? If the site could grow to hundreds of cabinets, there may be some really useful information to be found. It would be free... I wouldn't be interested in charging people to access the site.

I have more ideas, but it is a long road. What do you think?
Kaytrim:
Why compete with Saint's database? :dunno  He has over 1200 cabs already.
kelemvor:
The one thing that makes the "Examples" page on this site useless (IMHO) is that there are no pictures.  This means I have to literally click on every single link on that page to see what the cabinet is.

My only suggestion would be to have something that listed them broken down by type (sit down, up-right, etc) but to show a thumbnail of each cabinet on the main list.  That way I could view them all at once and just view mor einfo on the one(s) that I actually like the look of.

Thumbnails are tiny enough in size that loading a page would still only take a couple seconds but make sure they are big enough to see at least some of the details.

I'd make it nice and have Saint link it in to this site or incorporate it somehow to get everyone here to submit their stuff.  And also I'd try to make sure everything is hosted on your own site or you end up with half the links that don't work because the personal site they used is no longer in existence.

Kind of like a Blog site basically but with a database on the back end to index everything.  I like the idea.
Neverending Project:

--- Quote from: Kaytrim on October 25, 2007, 01:01:04 pm ---Why compete with Saint's database? :dunno  He has over 1200 cabs already.

--- End quote ---
I would not want to compete with anything done on this site. It is an amazing resource, and the knowledge accumulated here amazes me every day.

I am more interested in complimenting the info here, and adding a Web 2.0 flare to the cab database. In my head, everything is searchable - similar to the search features of MAWS. I imagine being able to perform very specific searches (e.g. cabinets with TVs between 22" and 27" using a trackball, two spinners and an i-Pac and have a rotating panel).

OK, that was just an obscure search example, but hopefully you get the point.
Jimbo:
I like the idea too, not as a seperate site, but as an improved/upgraded version of the Examples page on this site, that would be great.  I must admit its hard work traversing the current examples page as  a) there's so many cabs listed with no clues on the page what's unique about them, and b) half of the links are dead - as kelemvor said, host all the projects in one place to prevent this.  I may open a can of worms here, but I'd also like the ability to rate and comment on the cabs...  perhaps a system where you could rate on different things like cp design, innovation, wow/bling factor, craftsmanship, artwork etc.
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