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Main => Suggestions => Topic started by: mrticsay on February 24, 2009, 08:47:26 PM

Title: Automatic Prize File
Post by: mrticsay on February 24, 2009, 08:47:26 PM
Corey,

So I've moved my prize suggestion files.  Yes, file(s) because I have different payout structures for different tourneys.

I have tdt files for each of my tourney structures and I can quickly load each structure.  However, I have to remember to go into the config files area and change to the appropriate payout file.  Not a big deal, but a minor nuisance.

I'd like to be able to save the link/path to a payout file as part of the tdt file so I don't have to reload everytime.

I know tdt files are copies of all the templates used to create it and the links to the original templates aren't kept.  I'd be fine with the payout file being copied into the tdt file like everything else.  But,  I'm guessing that the payout processing is handled a bit differently because of their existence in the lib directory.  So, how you implement is up to you (of course) and I'd be happy with either the link or the data itself.

This is a relatively low need, but a suggestion none-the-less.

Michael
Title: Re: Automatic Prize File
Post by: Corey Cooper on February 25, 2009, 10:51:20 AM
I'll give it some thought.  I've already decided to pull the Layout from the tournament file.
Title: Re: Automatic Prize File
Post by: mrticsay on February 27, 2009, 10:12:43 AM
I'll give it some thought.  I've already decided to pull the Layout from the tournament file.


Interesting.

I've always had mixed feelings about copying things into the file versus linking things into the file.  Arguments can be made for either approach.

One thing I like about everything being in the file is that for completed tourneys, you have a complete picture of the tourney at the time of the tourney.  Any future changes to rounds, payouts, etcs are not reflected in the tourney.

One thing I like about links is that you can start a fresh tourney with the latest versions of everything without having to load all the individual templates.

So, a "compromise" may be that completed (or even in-process) tourneys are saved with copies of everything and templates and unstarted tourneys are links.  Obviously, that's more logic for you and I'm sure there are differing opinions from users on what they want.

If going towards a decoupled/linked approach, I'd really like to see the Toolbox elements and individual Screens be therir own files/templates (or something).  This would allow me to define and change Toolbox items that can be used across Screens/Layouts with having to redefine them within each Layout file.  Similarly, by defining a Screen individually, I could use it across multiple Layouts without having to redefine as well.

Personally, these aren't that big a deal for me anymore because I've pretty much settled on the toolboxes, screens and screen sets I use.  But every once in a while, I play around and tweak them and these features would make that easier to do.

Thanks
Title: Re: Automatic Prize File
Post by: Corey Cooper on February 27, 2009, 11:25:43 AM
You've pretty much nailed it.  I opted to include all information in the tournament file precisely so that a completed tournament wouldn't be accidentally changed due to the modification of a template that it used.  Of course, you can deliberately change the state of a completed tournament if you want, but I didn't want it to happen accidentally.

The layout is a different story though.  I included it originally because ... well .. everything else was included, why include extra logic to NOT include the layout in the saved tournament file.  But it isn't necessary to include it - it doesn't reflect anything about the state of a tournament or how it played out.  So, it can be "decoupled" from the rest of the tournament file without having any adverse effects on the tournament itself.

The reason, though, has to do with future development.  In the current development version of the software, the way objects are persisted is changing, and the result is a bigger file.  This in turn means longer loading times, and while that's not a big deal for individual tournaments, when compiling stats it will be felt.  The new layout actually contributes to a major portion of the tournament file size, so removing it should mean much smaller files (which in the end will probably be comparable to the current size of tournament files including the layout).

While on the topic of Layouts, the development version has various changes to the layout, too.  And I will be (hopefully) including a layout import feature, which has always been (half-finished) in the code, but never exposed.  That would allow you to import elements from a different layout file.