Elfstone
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michthro wrote:
Hopefully I'm not giving you false hope, but that looks very promising. Now, if you did play a bit since losing everything, first export your player so you don't lose that progress. Then close DROD and execute the following four commands, one by one. Then start up DROD and have a look.

cp ~/.caravel/drod-2_0-demo/player.dat ~/.caravel/drod-2_0/player.dat
cp ~/.caravel/drod-2_0-demo/data.dat ~/.caravel/drod-2_0/data.dat
cp ~/.caravel/drod-2_0-demo/drod2_0.dat ~/.caravel/drod-2_0/drod2_0.dat
cp ~/.caravel/drod-2_0-demo/text.dat ~/.caravel/drod-2_0/text.dat

OK, sorry to be such a dither, but can I just check what I'm doing, before I do it?

I have to copy and paste and press Return, for each of those 4 lines, one at a time?

Do I quit Terminal in between each line, or get a new Terminal window, or do the 4 copy/paste/press-return things all in one window?

Elf.

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eytanz
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You need to copy & paste and press return for each line.

You can do them all, one after the other, in the same terminal window.

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trick
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Yep, what eytanz said. Once you've done that, start DROD and see if your progress is back. If it is, hooray!

Note that once you've done this, your DROD install will go back to DEMO mode, and you probably don't want that. We can tell you how to fix that, but let's take one thing at a time here

(You can start by exporting your player file. Also, keep it in a safe place this time, just in case something should happen in the future!)

- Gerry

Elfstone
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File: Snapshot 2006-08-13-4.jpg (69.7 KB)
Downloaded 53 times.
License: Public Domain

Right, apologies for taking so long; I had to ask for a new key.

I did that and all I have is the demo of JtRH.

I've attached another pic.

The one bit of good news is that, all of a sudden, I've got sound back!! - and of course that's where this whole sorry saga started.

Elf.

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[Last edited by Elfstone at 08-13-2006 05:24 PM : forgot to re-attach]

Hikari
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OK... So now the only thing we've gotta do is figure out how to give Elfstone a full version of JtRH (the hold) without killing all her local completion... Anyone got any ideas on how to do *that* on a Mac?

(I bought the full version without going through the demo at all, so I never had to worry about that ^^;: )

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[Last edited by Hikari at 08-13-2006 08:26 PM]

eytanz
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I don't think she got the completion back - as far as I understand, she just got downgraded but didn't get her progress back.

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Elfstone
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I'm not giving up on this yet, but could you have a quick look at the thread I have started in "Anything". Thanks.

I will be back in contact with the teachers in the computing department tomorrow and it may be that they might be able to suggest data undelete things.

(I do realise that this is maybe a lost cause but I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel.)

Elfstone.

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trick
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Aw, and I was ready to dance and everything. Oh well

Assuming there's nothing in the demo data to save , you can do this to get the full version back (in terminal):

mv ~/.caravel ~/caravel-backup

This has the same effect to DROD as that rm command you did earlier (ie DROD won't find the files and will install new, fresh ones), except that it won't actually delete anything (it just moves the files), so if you decide you wanted them anyway later on, you can restore them. Also, the moved directory will be visible in your regular file viewer thingie, so if you decide you don't want it anymore, you can just delete it like you would a regular directory.

After you've done the mv command, just start DROD in the regular way, and it'll behave like a fresh install of the full version. However, don't do this until after you're done trying to undelete, if you still want to try that.

- Gerry

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[Last edited by trick at 08-14-2006 07:46 PM]

michthro
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arrgghhh..I'm sorry I got your hopes up, Elfstone. I thought those files looked promising, but on closer inspection they are just the demo .dats. I still don't understand why they are dated as they are, but never mind. Sorry again.

So the next step is data recovery software, which you should ideally try as soon as possible (or not use your computer). And if that fails, I'll manually reconstruct your progress from CNet plus what you tell me you've done.

Elfstone
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Thanks folks. I'm just doing a quick sortie in here in the hope that I can keep up with what's going on in the fora. Staff meetings and things today so I didn't have a chance to ask about data recovery. Hope to do that tomorrow.

Elfstone.

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Elfstone
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michthro wrote:
So the next step is data recovery software, which you should ideally try as soon as possible (or not use your computer). And if that fails, I'll manually reconstruct your progress from CNet plus what you tell me you've done.

Ah well, I did try to sort this, but you can't always win. I'm going to have to admit defeat. I haven't heard of, or been able to find, recovery software which doesn't cost much more than I can justify spending.

I also need to use my computer now; I use this one at home for work because the (one) computer I have in my department is 12 years old (!) and in a parlous state.

Michthro, if you can reset anything I'd be very grateful, but I realise this will not be a high priority for a busy person, so at your convenience .

Elfstone.

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michthro
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Elfstone wrote:
Michthro, if you can reset anything I'd be very grateful, but I realise this will not be a high priority for a busy person, so at your convenience .

I'll be happy to do so, but it is going to take a while. Not that I have such a hectic life, but at the moment I am rather busy with..er..well..the contest. Maybe someone will do you a favour and bump me off early. I'll also have to dig through the relevant part of the code first (something I've been meaning to do anyway), but at least I have managed to build DROD already, and already have some idea of (other parts of) the code, so I can just make some changes and use the existing code.

I'm going to need your score list, so please go to the "My Scores" tab on the high scores page, click "Export my scores" and email me that file at michthro@yahoo.com. I'll PM you at a stage, when I have something for you, or need more information.

Meantime, you now have the full version of JtRH, and there's no shortage of other holds, so at least this doesn't mean you can't play.

Syntax
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michthro wrote:

Elfstone wrote:
Michthro, if you can reset anything I'd be very grateful, but I realise this will not be a high priority for a busy person, so at your convenience .

I'll be happy to do so, but it is going to take a while. Not that I have such a hectic life, but at the moment I am rather busy with..er..well..the contest. Maybe someone will do you a favour and bump me off early. I'll also have to dig through the relevant part of the code first (something I've been meaning to do anyway), but at least I have managed to build DROD already, and already have some idea of (other parts of) the code, so I can just make some changes and use the existing code.

I'm going to need your score list, so please go to the "My Scores" tab on the high scores page, click "Export my scores" and email me that file at michthro@yahoo.com. I'll PM you at a stage, when I have something for you, or need more information.

Meantime, you now have the full version of JtRH, and there's no shortage of other holds, so at least this doesn't mean you can't play.

Wow... that is some undertaking! Do you even think it's possible? My guess at best solution would be based on the following assumptions:
* Caravel.net knows Elfstone's progress
* Caravel.net has every one of Elfstone's demos uploaded

Hence, it must be possible to do something server side? "Reverse engineering" the progress upload comes to mind... But then I'll let the coders answer that one as I can't see the code.

coppro
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Syntax wrote:

michthro wrote:

Elfstone wrote:
Michthro, if you can reset anything I'd be very grateful, but I realise this will not be a high priority for a busy person, so at your convenience .

I'll be happy to do so, but it is going to take a while. Not that I have such a hectic life, but at the moment I am rather busy with..er..well..the contest. Maybe someone will do you a favour and bump me off early. I'll also have to dig through the relevant part of the code first (something I've been meaning to do anyway), but at least I have managed to build DROD already, and already have some idea of (other parts of) the code, so I can just make some changes and use the existing code.

I'm going to need your score list, so please go to the "My Scores" tab on the high scores page, click "Export my scores" and email me that file at michthro@yahoo.com. I'll PM you at a stage, when I have something for you, or need more information.

Meantime, you now have the full version of JtRH, and there's no shortage of other holds, so at least this doesn't mean you can't play.

Wow... that is some undertaking! Do you even think it's possible? My guess at best solution would be based on the following assumptions:
* Caravel.net knows Elfstone's progress
* Caravel.net has every one of Elfstone's demos uploaded

Hence, it must be possible to do something server side? "Reverse engineering" the progress upload comes to mind... But then I'll let the coders answer that one as I can't see the code.

No, I think michthro is attempting to write a piece of code that will give her access to every room for which she has a high score.

Syntax
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Right... is that even possible client-side?

coppro
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Syntax wrote:
Right... is that even possible client-side?

Yes, because you can export the list of your scores into a text file.

Syntax
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coppro wrote:

Syntax wrote:
Right... is that even possible client-side?

Yes, because you can export the list of your scores into a text file.

No, I mean changing progress client-side.

michthro
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Well, that it's not impossible to recover what can be recovered is kind of a tautology. (And no, it's not like saying proof what can be proved It is relatively simple to establish what can be recovered.) An automatic "rebuild my player from CNet" feature has been requested a few times. My idea is basically to scratch around the DROD source and extract what I need to play around with player files. From the demos on the server it should be possible to recreate restore points for room starts and all checkpoints she stepped on. For other rooms I can at least create room start restore points. (So they won't necessarily be exactly what she had, but that really doesn't matter.) Basically, it shouldn't be too difficult to recover nearly all of her *progress*, which, other than demos, is the main thing. There will be a bit more data lost in the form of demos and save games. Lost demos are a problem, and there's nothing to be done about it, but lost checkpoints isn't really a big deal. As long as you can at least restore directly to any room you have explored before. Once you've conquered a hold, you either replay it from scratch, or you restore to specific rooms here and there. That's what I find anyway.

It will take me some time, but I've been meaning to look into the database code anyway, with the aim of writing some sort of manager, which I sorely need if I'm ever going to sort out the complicated mess of installations I have spread all over the place. I never got around to it because there's always some new hold, or some Roaches Revenge type incident *ahem*, or somesuch.

Anyway, I must still find out exactly what is stored on CNet and so on, but I think recovering most of Elfstone's progress, in the sense that she'll be able to restore to where she's been, and have her %explored/conquered status etc. the way it was, shouldn't be a problem.

EDIT: Bit of a collision. In brief, more or less what coppro said.

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[Last edited by michthro at 08-18-2006 12:04 AM]

coppro
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michthro wrote:
Well, that it's not impossible to recover what can be recovered is kind of a tautology. (And no, it's not like saying proof what can be proved It is relatively simple to establish what can be recovered.) An automatic "rebuild my player from CNet" feature has been requested a few times. My idea is basically to scratch around the DROD source and extract what I need to play around with player files. From the demos on the server it should be possible to recreate restore points for room starts and all checkpoints she stepped on. For other rooms I can at least create room start restore points. (So they won't necessarily be exactly what she had, but that really doesn't matter.) Basically, it shouldn't be too difficult to recover nearly all of her *progress*, which, other than demos, is the main thing. There will be a bit more data lost in the form of demos and save games. Lost demos are a problem, and there's nothing to be done about it, but lost checkpoints isn't really a big deal. As long as you can at least restore directly to any room you have explored before. Once you've conquered a hold, you either replay it from scratch, or you restore to specific rooms here and there. That's what I find anyway.

It will take me some time, but I've been meaning to look into the database code anyway, with the aim of writing some sort of manager, which I sorely need if I'm ever going to sort out the complicated mess of installations I have spread all over the place. I never got around to it because there's always some new hold, or some Roaches Revenge type incident *ahem*, or somesuch.

Anyway, I must still find out exactly what is stored on CNet and so on, but I think recovering most of Elfstone's progress, in the sense that she'll be able to restore to where she's been, and have her %explored/conquered status etc. the way it was, shouldn't be a problem.

EDIT: Bit of a collision. In brief, more or less what coppro said.

Of course, because you won't actually be able to download CNet demos. However, a feature that basically marks a room as explored and cleared based on the CNet export would be more than helpful enough. However, then it stands for some cheating, too, which is unfortunate.

Briareos
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coppro wrote:
Of course, because you won't actually be able to download CNet demos. However, a feature that basically marks a room as explored and cleared based on the CNet export would be more than helpful enough. However, then it stands for some cheating, too, which is unfortunate.

That's why it would be a great server side feature - how about "pay us 1.99 USD and we mail you a player file with your progress that was stored server-side" (i.e. your progress and the demos stored on the server)...

Not cheating, but simply a data rescue mechanism in case of data loss - and if it costs some money people will probably try to make do without it...

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coppro
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I hate to necro, but this just seemed so obvious to me in retrospect that it might be useful for the future.


Why not just delete drod.ini and let DROD reconstruct it? Most people don't change much of it, after all. (I think I've only ever changed 2 lines outside of the graphics section).

mrimer
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coppro wrote:
I hate to necro, but this just seemed so obvious to me in retrospect that it might be useful for the future.


Why not just delete drod.ini and let DROD reconstruct it? Most people don't change much of it, after all. (I think I've only ever changed 2 lines outside of the graphics section).

I wasn't sure whether 2.0.13 supports that, but the changelog says that's been in since 2.0.11. So that should probably work for Elfstone, since she has a 2.0.13 build (right?).

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Elfstone
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mrimer wrote:
. . . So that should probably work for Elfstone, since she has a 2.0.13 build (right?).

No; I have 2.0.11. I investigated putting in 2.0 13 but, if I'm remembering right, it's lots of Mbs to download and without Broadband (STILL !!!!!!!!! ) I can't do that.

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michthro
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Broadband still not sorted out? Wow. Well, I posted a patch file in the other thread, but you'll have to ask someone who knows more about the mac to help you apply it.

Elfstone
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michthro wrote:
Broadband still not sorted out? Wow.

No, BT are making a real mess of things - why is life never simple???????

Well, I posted a patch file in the other thread, but you'll have to ask someone who knows more about the mac to help you apply it.

Thanks

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