Common Use Cases

The list below describes additional workflows not already covered in Quick Start.

#1 Feeder: update local database(s) with updated information

• Run Feeder with fuzzy matching enabled
• Individual tables..
  • Add new tables via the '+' icon. After adding a new table to the database..
    • Use Feeder to download new content (refer below)
    • Use Merger to merge new content (refer below)
    • Use Cleaner to clean the new content (refer below)
  • Update existing tables via the 'refresh' icon. After updating a table name or description..
    • Use Cleaner to clean the existing content (refer below)
• All tables..
  • 'Add Missing Info' button to populate missing info, e.g. IPDB links, manufacturer year, etc.
  • 'Overwrite All Info' button to synchronize your local database to the online sources. _Highly recommended! After running..
    • Use 'Cleaner' to clean the new content (refer below)

This function can ONLY be used for front ends that use a PinballY/PinballX compatible database file format.

#2 Feeder: check for new content and download

• Run Feeder with the desired filtering to check for updated feed content. Examples..
  • Exclude 'original' table authors, i.e. if you prefer just the commercial released tables
  • Last updated date range, e.g. last 2 weeks
  • Year of manufacturer range, e.g. if you're only interested in modern pinball tables
  • Table name, e.g. if you're looking for a favorite table
  • etc

This function can be used irrespective of the front end (e.g. PinballY, PinballX, PinUp Popper, etc). But of course I would strongly recommend an open source solution such as Pinball Y versus a propietary solution.

#3 Cleaner: audit collection

• With trainer wheels ON, run Cleaner with relevant content types selected.
• Examine the output windows to review the audit:
  • Statistics: review totals of missing files, percentage missing, etc.
  • Results: using the filter criteria, review the missing items for each table
  • Explorer: click the icons to open the content (e.g. tables, graphics, video, sounds, etc)
  • Logs: examine in detail why content has been marked as dirty or missing.

#4 Cleaner: clean collection

• With trainer wheels OFF, run Cleaner with relevant content types selected.
• The content identified during the audit will be fixed, e.g. files renamed, redundant files moved to backup folder, etc.

#5 Merger: merging new content

• Download your new content into separate folders based on the content type. Ideally name the folders to match the content type so ClrVpin will automatically assign the content type when merging (next step), e.g. "launch audio", "backglasses", "tables", etc.
• Step 1: run Merger on content type 'tables'
  • Recommend this is done as a 2 pass..
    • 1st pass: trainer wheel ON to confirm the merging behavior works as desired.
    • 2nd pass: trainer wheels OFF to do the actual merge.
• Step 2: review remaining 'tables' files that weren't merged..
  • Unwanted tables: delete the files manually
  • Unmatched tables: rename the files manually to match the table description. Ideally, these should be few as the 'fuzzy matching' logic will take care of the common mismatch scenarios (refer here)
  • New tables: manually run the usual workflow for importing new table files..
    • Not essential, but recommended to rename the file in the 'standard' format: "<table> (<manufacturer> <year>).vpx"
    • Move the files manually into the 'table' installation folder.
    • Run your frontend (e.g. PinballY) to add the tables to your database. For recreation tables, recommend using a tool that harvests information from IPDB
• Step 3: run Merger for ALL other content types, e.g. launch audio, wheels, backglasses, etc.

#6 Explorer: inspect your collection

1. Run Explorer to navigate your existing collection.
2. Filter displayed tables via the filtering options on the left hand side.
3. Open content type via the buttons on the right hand side.

#7 Manual: manually updating database (advanced users)

• Not recommended since the intention of ClrVpin is to automate this type of task via Feeder and Explorer...
• But, if you do manually update your database (e.g. change table/game name or description), then you can run Cleaner to resynchronize your content files to match the updated database(s).