Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
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Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by LordHelmchen » 21 Jan 2013, 10:51
Greetings!
As I'm using both Magic Album by Goblin Hero and Forge, I currently have two folders with card pictures, which strikes me as a waste of space (and on updates, bandwith). Thus I'd like to ask if the two projects could envision to collaborate on unifying their expected folder structure and enable to set one picture folder for both programms to read their images from.
Crossposting this to both Forge and MA subforums.
regards,
LordHelmchen
As I'm using both Magic Album by Goblin Hero and Forge, I currently have two folders with card pictures, which strikes me as a waste of space (and on updates, bandwith). Thus I'd like to ask if the two projects could envision to collaborate on unifying their expected folder structure and enable to set one picture folder for both programms to read their images from.
Crossposting this to both Forge and MA subforums.
regards,
LordHelmchen
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Hellfish » 22 Jan 2013, 06:17
I havn't used Magic Album, how exactly does it expect it's image filenames?
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Max mtg » 22 Jan 2013, 12:08
I downloaded MA but could not figure out how to attach pictures to the program.
Forge supports images groupped per-set, ie root_image_folder/set_name/card_name.full.jpg - same syntax is supported by MWS.
I can't imagine what else needs improvement in current model.
Forge supports images groupped per-set, ie root_image_folder/set_name/card_name.full.jpg - same syntax is supported by MWS.
I can't imagine what else needs improvement in current model.
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by LordHelmchen » 23 Jan 2013, 09:48
Greetings!
To get MA's pictures, there's a torrent at http://www.slightlymagic.net/tracker.
Starting from the configurable picture root, MA uses for example
Pictures/set_type/set_name/lang_and_type.zip/cardname.jpg (with Pictures/Back.jpg as exeption)
where
set_type is one of
set_name is
lang_and_type is
[list=lang_and_type]
ENG.zip
ENG TOK.zip
ENG FOIL.zip
ENG INS.zip
ZHC.zip
GER.zip
ITA.zip
RUS INS.zip
RUS TOK.zip
etc
[/list]
falling back to ENG if no localized images are found.
I am sure both structures have their own merrits and histories.
MA's Goblin Hero already stated that his structure won't be changed (since it depends on his database and the zips are a necessity to get around file-count-limitations in the torrent distribution), I can only hope for Forge to consider a compatibility option.
Considering the stress that forge put on preventing unneccessary picture downloads, the torrent distribution might still make MA's pictures a viable alternative...
To get MA's pictures, there's a torrent at http://www.slightlymagic.net/tracker.
Starting from the configurable picture root, MA uses for example
Pictures/set_type/set_name/lang_and_type.zip/cardname.jpg (with Pictures/Back.jpg as exeption)
where
set_type is one of
- Core Sets
Expansions
Promo Cards
Special Sets
set_name is
- Core Sets | Open
- Expansions | Open
- Promo Cards | Open
- Special Sets | Open
lang_and_type is
[list=lang_and_type]
ENG.zip
ENG TOK.zip
ENG FOIL.zip
ENG INS.zip
ZHC.zip
GER.zip
ITA.zip
RUS INS.zip
RUS TOK.zip
etc
[/list]
falling back to ENG if no localized images are found.
I am sure both structures have their own merrits and histories.
MA's Goblin Hero already stated that his structure won't be changed (since it depends on his database and the zips are a necessity to get around file-count-limitations in the torrent distribution), I can only hope for Forge to consider a compatibility option.
Considering the stress that forge put on preventing unneccessary picture downloads, the torrent distribution might still make MA's pictures a viable alternative...
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Max mtg » 23 Jan 2013, 10:14
In that case (since Forge won't change its format either) I can only suggest you to unpack the archives you want to use in Forge and make directory symlinks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_symbolic_link) to matching MA folders
But even that won't work, since Forge expects filenames to be like CardName.full.jpg (not just raw cardname.jpg)
But even that won't work, since Forge expects filenames to be like CardName.full.jpg (not just raw cardname.jpg)
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Chris H. » 23 Jan 2013, 12:47
LordHelmchen wrote:I am sure both structures have their own merrits and histories.
MA's Goblin Hero already stated that his structure won't be changed (since it depends on his database and the zips are a necessity to get around file-count-limitations in the torrent distribution), I can only hope for Forge to consider a compatibility option.
Considering the stress that forge put on preventing unneccessary picture downloads, the torrent distribution might still make MA's pictures a viable alternative...
This is an interesting idea. Not sure how many people would find themselves in a position to make use of this type of a feature.
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by friarsol » 23 Jan 2013, 13:08
We use the format based on how the HQ Pictures name their pictures, which a lot of other people on this forum also use. It seems like MA is the oddball here not us, and we are being more compatible by sticking to the HQ Pics naming convention.LordHelmchen wrote:
I am sure both structures have their own merrits and histories.
MA's Goblin Hero already stated that his structure won't be changed (since it depends on his database and the zips are a necessity to get around file-count-limitations in the torrent distribution), I can only hope for Forge to consider a compatibility option.
Considering the stress that forge put on preventing unneccessary picture downloads, the torrent distribution might still make MA's pictures a viable alternative...
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by LordHelmchen » 12 Feb 2013, 13:03
Greetings again!
I'm still not done with my idea
Please note that I'm not trying to demand anything, only throwing out thoughts to be discussed.
Besides, I'm not proposing to give up the HQ Picture structure, just to make it an option to choose another structure.
What I think needs to be done for this:
I'm still not done with my idea
Please note that I'm not trying to demand anything, only throwing out thoughts to be discussed.For reference, here is the Wiki page for Magic Album's Picture Structure.Max mtg wrote:I downloaded MA but could not figure out how to attach pictures to the program.
I admit that the MWS way has become a de facto standard of picture structure. But it seems that this is more of legacy compatibility decision (made higer up by HQ Pictures and not by forge itself) than anything else. Since Forge uses only one type of image, the ".full" infix is more or less redundant.friarsol wrote:It seems like MA is the oddball here not us, and we are being more compatible by sticking to the HQ Pics naming convention.
Besides, I'm not proposing to give up the HQ Picture structure, just to make it an option to choose another structure.
That is a good point. Me neither. I'll leave that to the MA users to answer in the sister thread. Still, I wonder how many people use MWS and are thus in a position to have Forge and MWS share their image resources. For collection management and deckbuilding, MA is at least a viable if not better alternative. There's still online play going for MWS; but with people apparently working on a Forge hotset branch, the hope for Forge to become an actively develloped substitution for it seems not completely unfounded.Chris H. wrote:This is an interesting idea. Not sure how many people would find themselves in a position to make use of this type of a feature.
What I think needs to be done for this:
- change image filename from *.full.jpg to *.jpg.
either switch extension based on preference or have it look for *.jpg if *.full.jpg is not found - include support for .zip archives instead of flat folders
- change set-to-folder mapping from MWS-like to MA-like
depending on how card-to-jpg mapping is stored, this could be simply a 2-by-#(sets) table or needs to be an additional property of each individual card. - look for tokens in %set%\ENG TOK.zip instead of pics\tokens, so tokens would need to know which set they belong to.
- .preferences file settings
IMAGE_SOURCE_TYPE = MWS (default) | MA
disable picture downloader exept for booster/box/etc art and quest mode images
change expected file extension
switch expected folder structure
IMAGE_PATH = %forge_root%\pics (default) | user defined path ( for example %forge_root%\..\Magic Album\Pictures ) - (optional) gui to change .preferences option
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Chris H. » 12 Feb 2013, 16:03
Originally, Forge did not support multiple images for each card. Each card would use the URL:
http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/{card_name.jpg}
and Forge did not care about which set this card came from.
The number of cards in Forge increased over time and it reached a point where including set information started to make sense. We decided to make use of the HQ set pics and used their naming convention as this would prevent people from having to rename the pics that are located in the various set folders located in the /res/pics/ folder. Please note that some people have displays large enough that they choose to use HQ pics rather than the LQ pics.
I seem to remember that the code would also recognize the naming convention used by the non set cards located in the /res/pics/ folder.
http://www.wizards.com/global/images/magic/general/{card_name.jpg}
and Forge did not care about which set this card came from.
The number of cards in Forge increased over time and it reached a point where including set information started to make sense. We decided to make use of the HQ set pics and used their naming convention as this would prevent people from having to rename the pics that are located in the various set folders located in the /res/pics/ folder. Please note that some people have displays large enough that they choose to use HQ pics rather than the LQ pics.
I seem to remember that the code would also recognize the naming convention used by the non set cards located in the /res/pics/ folder.
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by LordHelmchen » 12 Feb 2013, 17:39
The pictures from MA's torrent are HQ.Chris H. wrote:Please note that some people have displays large enough that they choose to use HQ pics rather than the LQ pics.
The gain for forge this option brings is a collection of HQ pictures that is complete (MA is a collector's archival tool), already sorted (imho logically, albeit differently than what MWS uses) and distributed in a way that takes the load off cardforge.org (torrent).
edit: [cut a paragraph, rephrased and reposted it 10 minutes later]
I can see SVar:Picture in res/cardsfolder/... for each card; that points to wizards.com/global/images (matching what was said by Chris H.) or cardforge.org/fpics. It does neither have the .full infix nor a set subdir (or any other local filename).
Then there's res/pics_link/card-pictures_X.txt: that looks like some sort of replacement table. It changes capitalization, switches "_" to "%20" and adds the .full infix. The set subdirs given are 2 or 3 letters long, while the HQ archive for forge that I had found uses 3 letters only.
When and where does forge decide on the local filename, both for storing the ressource downloader data and for loading the images? Maybe someone who knows their way around the code can point me in the right direction so I can make the changes in a dirty hack style for my local forge install.
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by timmermac » 12 Feb 2013, 18:17
I would advise continuing to handle pictures in a fashion that is at least more similar to how they are currently handled. I.E. Low quality. The reason why Forge has gone away from HQ pictures is due to memory concerns, as the HQ pics had been bogging Forge down to the point where it would be unplayable on lower-end systems. Anyone that does use HQ pics probably has a ton of RAM in their computer.
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Chris H. » 12 Feb 2013, 19:25
timmermac wrote:I would advise continuing to handle pictures in a fashion that is at least more similar to how they are currently handled. I.E. Low quality. The reason why Forge has gone away from HQ pictures is due to memory concerns, as the HQ pics had been bogging Forge down to the point where it would be unplayable on lower-end systems. Anyone that does use HQ pics probably has a ton of RAM in their computer.
Good point. In the past Forge had Java Heap Space problems and this forced us to create the launcher process which would increase the Java Heap Space as Forge was launched.
Lower end machines such as the popular netbooks may find using the HQ pics to be too painful and they would be better off using the LQ pics.
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by myk » 12 Feb 2013, 19:27
For filename building, see CardUtil:203
- Code: Select all
private static String buildFilename(final String cardName, final String setName, final int artIndex,
final int artIndexMax, final boolean isToken) {
...
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by Chris H. » 12 Feb 2013, 19:36
LordHelmchen wrote:Then there's res/pics_link/card-pictures_X.txt: that looks like some sort of replacement table. It changes capitalization, switches "_" to "%20" and adds the .full infix. The set subdirs given are 2 or 3 letters long, while the HQ archive for forge that I had found uses 3 letters only.
A person once set up a server with HQ pics that would use the files in question to download those HQ Pics. This server went off line a couple of years ago.
During this time we started to notice Java Heap Space issues.LordHelmchen wrote:When and where does forge decide on the local filename, both for storing the ressource downloader data and for loading the images? Maybe someone who knows their way around the code can point me in the right direction so I can make the changes in a dirty hack style for my local forge install.
If you want to take a try at modifying the code I would suggest that you follow these instructions:
How to Get Started Developing Forge
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Re: Unified picture resource handling in MA and Forge
by LordHelmchen » 13 Feb 2013, 00:51
re:timmermac : When I installed Forge a few months ago, I just optimistically looked for forge-compatible HQ pics, unzipped them and have not experienced unplayable bogging down. As MA's picures are the same size, I assume that, at least for me and my "ton of RAM" Laptop, they should work as well. Besides, I still don't want Forge to abandom their working LQ image downloader. I just want an the option to have Forge use an alternative image source, namely my existing MA installation.
re Chris H. : Am I corretly to assume that the res/pics_link dir and its contents is thus a leftover that is no longer used, and kept only in case someone wants to reactivate Forge-internal HQ downloads ?
Anyways...
Thanks to the Wiki page and myk, I started to experiment a bit. So far I have successfully made buildFilename recognize the existance of the file, but no image shows up. (though I cheated around the zip archives by creating unzipped folders that I just renamed to have a .zip suffix). When copied to the MWS-style expected location, image files from MA are read and displayed, so I know that it's not the jpgs themselves that are the problem...
re Chris H. : Am I corretly to assume that the res/pics_link dir and its contents is thus a leftover that is no longer used, and kept only in case someone wants to reactivate Forge-internal HQ downloads ?
Anyways...
Thanks to the Wiki page and myk, I started to experiment a bit. So far I have successfully made buildFilename recognize the existance of the file, but no image shows up. (though I cheated around the zip archives by creating unzipped folders that I just renamed to have a .zip suffix). When copied to the MWS-style expected location, image files from MA are read and displayed, so I know that it's not the jpgs themselves that are the problem...
- what I tried so far patchfile | Open
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