DreamShell: Can I make bug report and suggestions?

[rouken]

I want to know if I can do bug reports and suggestions for the DreamShell get better in the following releases. I have some reports and suggestion to do...

[SWAT]

Yes of course.

[ms18e]

why not

[rouken]

Ok!! So... Here we GO!!

There's two bugs at the File Manager. I will explain step-by-step for easy understanding…

Reporting Bug 1…

Sorry about the quality of the pictures, but I can't put the DreamShell to work on Chankast or NullDC, so I used a device to capture the screen from the real console…

Continuing… There's the screen of the DreamShell's File Manager. The left column is accessing the A1 VMU, and the left column is accessing the SD root. I want to backup a save file (in this case, the file GEKKANOKENSHI). The green line shows I selected the file. Ok… time to copy the file.

This advice will appear. Normal… I'll try to mark the “OK” sign to copy the file.

Ops!! What's happening here!? Each line I passed the pointer is over the advice box? And they are covering the “OK” sign!!

If I try to pass over the “OK” sign, the sign will be reveled, but it can be covered again.

Ok, I did it!! I put the pointer over the “OK” sign. Now, I can confirm the operation… But pay attention: The pointer is over the file SAMBAUS1.SYS (it's just over de file, and not selected), and the advice box is showing I'm copying the file GEKKANOKENSHI to the /sd.

WHAT!? The file was copied to the SD card was SAMBAUS1.SYS!? The file manager copied the file under the “OK” sign, like I pressed A to confirm the copy command and selecting the line under the sign at the same time!!

Bug 1 reported…

---

Reporting Bug 2…

This time I scrolled the list of the the A1 VMU column, because I want to get the last file of the list. In this case, the file MVLCSCAP_DAT.

Pay attention in the file I'm pointing… The file CVSS2___SYS.

I'll scroll a little more and hide almost the CVSS2___SYS line behind the tool bar.

Now I'll press the copy button at the tool b… Ops!! I'm pointing the CVSS2___SYS line, even it's hidden behind the tool bar? Ok… I'll just ignore it. Let's click the copy button.

Hey!! The line is green!? I selected that line when I clicked the copy button?

I copied the file CVSS2___SYS… T_T

Ok… I got very angry!! I'll try to put the CVSS2___SYS line completely behind the tool bar and I'll try to copy the MVLCSCAP_DAT file again.

Even if I do this, it's like the files of the scrolled column hidden behind the tool bar are still activated to selection. I copied the file again… T_T

Bug 2 reported…





In the next post, I'll show my suggestions, ok!? ^_^
And if I find any other bug, I'll report it. ;)

[SWAT]

Bug 1:
Yes there is a problem with the focus of the GUI. In fact, do not necessarily click on the OK button, this window is used for notification. Just click 2 times on the desired action, it is immediately confirm the selection.

Bug 2:
Focus of the GUI I don't know that and here this bug manifests itself ... Thanks for the report.

[Lin]

Так баги будут исправлены?

[SWAT]

Баги с фокусом в грядущей версии вряд ли я исправлю. Просто постараюсь убрать неудобства в использовании файлового менеджера.

[rouken]

Ok!! Time to suggestions.... :-)
There's a lot of suggestions... So, be patient with me... ^_^





Suggestion 1
Boot from VMU + SD Card (it’s possible?)

In THIS POST, the user Mario asks the possibilities to load the DreamShell in the VMU. Of course it’s impossible, because the VMU have too little memory to hold the program.

Now, let's see one interesting thing: Puyo Puyo Fever, the last official Dreamcast game released, comes with the possibility to put a special picture in the DC manager with a specific save file. But the save file don't just put a picture in the DC manager, but it's enable a screen hack too. Pressing Start, you can rotate the manager.

This fact open one possibilitiy: Install the DreamShell at the SD card and create a VMU file with a special command to search and load the DreamShell from the SD card. This special command can be activated if we hold L or R or L+R while press Start in the DC Manager.

As I said before, it’s impossible to put the DreamShell in the VMU because of the too little memory it have to hold the program, but it can be possible to put just a command to search the DreamShell on the SD card and, from the SD card, the DreamShell can be loaded with no problem.





Suggestion 2
New interface

The interface of File Manager is, sometimes, confusing. The double file list with "origin & destiny" locations sometimes make me do mistakes. Mistakes like for example, the "origin column" is accessing A1 VMU, and "destiny column" is accessing the SD card, and I want to delete one file in the SD card. Sometimes I forget the left column is the "origin column" and will receive every command I make, and I try to delete the file of the right column, but the command goes for the left column and I delete some file from that column (Yes!! That happened during the bug report... T_T).

The change propose is the File Manager could use just one file list, we can select one or multiply files, and call a popup window with all the things we can do with that one specific file selected or with the multiply files.

Example: I access the CD to copy a file on it. If I light one file, I can press Y button to call the popup and use all options, like Copy, Cut, Paste, Rename, Run ISO (if the file is a ISO), etc... If I select multiply files (I can select each file with X button), I can call the popup and use all the commands I can do in this occasion (just Copy, Cut and Paste). Once I copied the file, I can leave the CD and go to the SD card, call the popup menu and select the Paste command.

I got this inspiration from the amazing uLaunchELF for PlayStation 2.

Ok… It’s look like an old DOS program. But it’s just an example to show how the popup window works.

I think it can solve the problems with the Bug Report 1 and Bug Report 2 I made…





Suggestion 3
No analogict pointer, just digital cursor

I must to say: Work with the pointer with analogic pad is a pain and stresses me a lot!! If I can use the mouse, the pointer will be amazing, but with the analogic pad... So, I suggest to change the pointer to a cursor controlled by the digital pad. The cursor lights each option/file for each touch, and if I hold the digital pad, the cursor runs for that direction.

See the cursor. I thing it's better a D-Pad controlled cursor than a analogic controlled pointer…

Suggestion 4
Specific VMU manager

One thing cool about using a SD card on the Dreamcast is we can backup the saves from the VMU, something impossible without specifics devices or advanced ways. But if I try to copy the file from the VMU to the SD card, I will get just a RAW file. This file can be used in emulators specific programs, but if I want to take a save from emulators and put in the VMU using the DreamShell, I can't do it because it will be in Nexus DCI format or VMU+VMI format, and the DreamShell will keep those files formats when I copy they to the VMU. And without counting the name of the file in the VMU is the same of the save info.

With this, I have an idea for a suggestion: Create a specific VMU Manager separated from the File Manager. This VMU Manager would show all information of the save file, like the icon, etc... But there's one more important thing: When I try to copy the save from SD Card, CD or other device to the VMU, the DreamShell can convert the format automatically for the VMU format, and if I try to copy a file from VMU to the SD card, when a window will pop-up, asking if I want to save in DCI format, VMU+VMS format or RAW format. More advanced options could be used in this VMU manager, as change region of the save, etc...





Suggestion 5
Bigger letters

When I try to read some information in the top borders, I just can't read if I'm using the Dreamcast on my TV (I don't have a VGA adapter). The letters in that line are small and they don't show very well on TV.





Suggestion 6
Longer borders

And as the small letters was a good problem, the borders the problem too. The space from the edges of the screen to the edges of the File Manager display is small, and if I run the Dreamcast on a TV, the TV cut parts of the File Manager display: In special, the messages above the tool bar.

See…? The top text is cut from the half.

Suggestion 7
Title Screen and customize option

It will be cool if the DreamShell could have a Title Screen with the "Press Start Button" message (and with a sound when you press Start to start it), and a customize option to… Customize (duh!!). Customize things like screen position, letters color, put a picture in the background, etc… And the DreamShell can comes with something about four different themes.





Suggestion 8
More file support

I think there are a lot of suggestions about file support in this forum to turn the DreamShell a multipurpose program. So, I’ll try to put my suggestions:
> A VMU emulator in the VMU Manager to play VMU games on TV (like the one found in the Dream Explorer / VMU Tool);
> A MP3 Player (or support for others sound files), and play that music (or music list if possible) while using the DreamShell (with volume control, of course);
> A music and video player to play Dreamcast music and videos from the discs;
> A TXT file viewer/editor;





Well... This is it. I hope I was not a noob with those suggestions. ^_^

[ands]

totally agree, Proposition 6, I exactly the same shows I would like to change settings, or at least a small compression of the screen.

[SWAT]

1)
This is not a hack. This feature was originally in the BIOS, as well as changing the menu background. When you load the BIOS itself scans the VMU and there looking for these files, makes these effects.
To make a boot with a VMU, need to hack the BIOS.

2-8)
I understand all this, I will try to do something. But I do not have enough time for everything: (

[rouken]

(24.02.2011 09:28)SWAT писал(а):  To make a boot with a VMU, need to hack the BIOS.

So... The BIOS can be hacked or just with a modded Dreamcast can do this?



I want to tell something in my final suggestion I believe it was not clear... When I said about a music and video player to play Dreamcast music and videos from the discs, I'm telling about a player to listen the music and watch the videos of Dreamcast games in the Dreamcast's game format. You can put a DC game disc, and the DreamShell would search for DC video and music files and will list them.



Another suggestion I want to do: In the next DreamShell release, why not create an optimized CD image to put the DreamShell files to the border of the disc? Tux have the knowledge to do this, and he have a tutorial about how to optimize CD images at the SNES-O-Rama.

[ands]

(24.02.2011 09:28)SWAT писал(а):  1)
This is not a hack. This feature was originally in the BIOS, as well as changing the menu background. When you load the BIOS itself scans the VMU and there looking for these files, makes these effects.
To make a boot with a VMU, need to hack the BIOS.

And if the VMU to extract this fail, and rewrite it, or to add or type in your computer, there are shortcuts that do not contain addresses except for the boot program, and here in this fail is it possible to paste the address Dreamshell with the launch of the SD card?

[SWAT]

(24.02.2011 21:42)rouken писал(а):  So... The BIOS can be hacked or just with a modded Dreamcast can do this?

Need bios mod.

(24.02.2011 21:42)rouken писал(а):  I want to tell something in my final suggestion I believe it was not clear... When I said about a music and video player to play Dreamcast music and videos from the discs, I'm telling about a player to listen the music and watch the videos of Dreamcast games in the Dreamcast's game format. You can put a DC game disc, and the DreamShell would search for DC video and music files and will list them.

i'm understand...

(24.02.2011 21:42)rouken писал(а):  Another suggestion I want to do: In the next DreamShell release, why not create an optimized CD image to put the DreamShell files to the border of the disc? Tux have the knowledge to do this, and he have a tutorial about how to optimize CD images at the SNES-O-Rama.

This is not a need if you load DS from SD card with the "DS From SD Loader".
If you have an SD Card adapter, then I would recommend it to boot.

[SWAT]

(24.02.2011 23:00)ands писал(а):  And if the VMU to extract this fail, and rewrite it, or to add or type in your computer, there are shortcuts that do not contain addresses except for the boot program, and here in this fail is it possible to paste the address Dreamshell with the launch of the SD card?

This is not the case.

[rouken]

(25.02.2011 09:23)SWAT писал(а):  

(24.02.2011 21:42)rouken писал(а):  Another suggestion I want to do: In the next DreamShell release, why not create an optimized CD image to put the DreamShell files to the border of the disc? Tux have the knowledge to do this, and he have a tutorial about how to optimize CD images at the SNES-O-Rama.

This is not a need if you load DS from SD card with the "DS From SD Loader".
If you have an SD Card adapter, then I would recommend it to boot.

The DS From SD Loader disc can be optimized as well.

The purpose of this optimization is to avoid the Dreamcast reader makes unnecessary work and noises, and putting the files to the border of the disc makes the data loads better and faster as well. Other thing: Optimizing the files in this way, the files will be compressed in the same as if you wasn't doing this.

[SWAT]

From CD in this case 1st binary loaded only once, after which the disk is not used at all. So I do not see much point in optimizing it.
Laser head returned back anyway, when the GD-ROM goes into standby.

[Anthony817]

I want to say congratulations on bug reporting. This is how a good beta tester works, always reporting and making new suggestions.

I report bugs on the Half-Life DC mods, but not to the extent you have done with pictures and that good of an explanation, so bravo!

[rouken]

Thanks, Anthony. Bug report is something important for the developers to improve their work. Many people uses the DreamShell, so, if someone could find any bug, it's important to report it to Swat. With this, he can release a better release in the future...