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rajko
Starting Member
18 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 02:51:47
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Take this from someone who's going through the same thing (moving, no - running away from Delphi). The .NET itself you'll pick up in no time. Very easy, logical and organized; good documentation and endless (web) resources. Migrating applications, however, is a completely different ball game. You can forget about that.
Handling datasets, to start with, is at a complete different level. All your ADO code (I assume that's what you used in XMM) you can consider useless. Behaviour of [windows] controls will come as a surprise as well etc etc etc.
Besides, .NET brings soooo much new stuff that you'll *want* to use. My bet is that you will sooner (want to) rewrite the entire application rather than upgrade it (which is technically impossible anyway).
As for features, series (I "think" this has been mentioned a few times  ). As a suggestion (and I'm probably speaking only for myself), I'd prefer a simpler interface with (far) less fields related to movies on the disk (don't we all just burn them to CDs/DVDs?). Also, when it comes to importing movies from IMDB et al, I'd consider not importing them at all; perhaps, storing only the link to the web page where the movie can be found would be sufficient. You can then load that web page into the embedded browser showing your "template" combined with a select XMM fields.
Finally, publish to web would be a must, if you ask me.
Thanks for a great product and wish you all the best for the Holidays.
rb |
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rhampton_69
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 02:53:02
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Alessio,
First let me say great application and support.
Being in IT myself, .NET is definitely the way to go. When investigating .NET technology and having programmed in VB6, I thought the logical choice would be VB.NET. However, after much deliberation and investigation, I decided on C# and have not been happier. Yes there was a "re-write" but with Visual Studio 2005 there is hardly any coding left.
I will be happy with either but .NET will take us into the future. |
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DJPLEASURE
Starting Member
United Kingdom
14 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 03:29:53
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| I can not help as not clued up in programming etc, but I am happy that you choose to keep improving xmm. I just hope any changes will accept importing from old database |
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 09:56:05
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Hi All,
As I can see, all of you think that the best solution is to switch to .NET technology. I will start this as soon as possible.
Do NOT WORRY about the future of XMM, I will CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IT as always for a LONG time, this is why I want change to .NET.
I write this precisation because some people write me private emails thinking that I will not continue to develop XMM. Probably this because of my bad english
Thank you guys!
Alessio |
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Flurkmaster
Starting Member
Belgium
1 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 10:42:40
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Hello,
I think it's a good idea to continue your product into the future and migrate to .NET. It will indeed only work on windows, but I guess that was the same before with VB.
One feature that would be really great is the possibility to link your database to an ODBC resource so that you can replicate the database in another database system (oracle, mysql, sqlserver,...). Thanks for the great product.
sincerely, |
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Mawu
Senior Member
Germany
1039 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 10:54:08
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Hi Alessio,
very much traffic in this thread. Nice to hear that you want to switch to .net and plan to reorganize the database structure.
My suggestions for that you all find in the wish list. One focus in the future should also be better DVD support and simplification in interface and function (three different thumbnail views and movie card types are too much). I hope you'll find enough time realize all that to make an almost perfect program better and better.
BTW: what are your plans for the music manager? |
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 11:54:12
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Hi,
Yes, the interface will change a bit I think, and will be "semplified" and more user-friendly (this is what I hope ).
Every suggestions will be very much appreciated 
About the Music, of course I want continue to develop it, maybe I will do this in the christmas holidays, and also this in .NET
Alessio |
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jadawin1
Starting Member
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 16:23:24
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Sounds good to me, but also sounds like a LOT of work. XMM is one great piece of work, the best movie manager I have used in 15 years and believe me I have used a bunch. I would surely hate to see such a fine piece of software go belly up.
I for one REALLY appreciate the work you have done in the past and hopefully will continue to do in the future. Please Please continue to keep this GREAT piece of software going!!!! |
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 16:52:48
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Yes, the work to do is really much, because I must re-write all code in .NET, but I think that will be funny 
The biggest work will be the Script Engine, I want change it for add more powerful features, so will be not easy.
Alessio |
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jwhoopi
Starting Member
7 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 20:44:08
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I for one have not yet seen an app that .not didn't mess up, but if anyone can, I'm sure it is alessio;-)
While .net has all those little bells and whistles that at first, appear to make things easier, I would like you to at least consider writing it in something a little less MS-centric and more platform independent. I'm not really anti-MS, but they have no incentive to keep going on other, or old platforms once they have something new for you to buy. As such, it won;t be long before you have to migrate from .net to .whatevercanmakeBillmore$
But whatever you do will probably be fine. . .you have done a great job thus far.
PS. Will .net make it possible to add a right click context menu in explorer to add movies to the database? That would be sooo nice. . . |
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 21:24:05
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Mmmm, I dont know yet if will be possible add movie with just right-click in explorer, but I am optimistic, because .NET is really the best technology around. I have choose this platform because I know it and I have already much experience in VB, changing platform will cost me too much time.
Alessio |
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rubennoorderijk
Starting Member
Netherlands
20 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 21:37:41
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Hi Alessio,
Nice to see the consideration to swith to .NET.
I have used .NET for some time now and find it more logical than previous versions.
My website has been converted from plain html to ASP.NET.
It took some time, but at the end it was rewarding.
The logical step for VB6 would be VB.NET, but as someone else pointed out, C# is much more flexibel and powerfull.
I haven't mastered both .NET languages well enough to help you out (sorry).
The benefits .NET will bring are worth considering the swith.
Microsoft is well aware of the importance of .NET, that I doubt that they will move on to another programming language.
More programming languages are converted to (Microsofts) .NET standards, showing just how much they want to keep it going.
Re-writing all the code will be tough, but just a my website, the reward is worth it.
Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Ruben |
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2005 : 21:43:56
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Mmmm, I dont know yet if will be possible add movie with just right-click in explorer, but I am optimistic, because .NET is really the best technology around. I have choose this platform because I know it and I have already much experience in VB, changing platform will cost me too much time.
Alessio |
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Ludes
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2005 : 08:21:28
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Hi Alessio,
As a (somewhat hardcore) software developer, I can tell you that most of the posts here have been giving you bum advice.
First of all, Microsoft no longer supports the VB6 DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT; they still support the VB6 runtime environment, and probably will continue to do so for several years (in the same way that they still support 16-bit windows apps on Windows XP). Which basically means that unless you find a bug in the VB6 compiler, you can continue writing VB6 apps for a very, very long time.
My advice would be to continue using VB6 as long as it makes sense to do so. If you want to add some feature to XMM that would be easier to do in VB.NET, then switch to VB.NET. If switching to VB.NET would reduce the size of download file, then switch. In other words, unless there's some compelling reason to switch, don't. To switch earlier than that would be a needless waste of time and effort, which could be better spent improving the program (not that it really needs any improvement ;) ).
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2005 : 14:44:37
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I want rewrite the code of XMM because is not so "good written". When I have start it I was a newbie in VB6, so there are a lot of things to correct. Add features now to XMM is easy, yes, but will be more easy in .NET for future releases.
The first thing to do is the interface, I need to change something for make it more "user-friendly", even if it's not so easy. The main structure will be the same (moviecars, trees etc...) but I need to build a more powerful grid.
Also the Movie's add and Script's window must be improved, too much people find hard download information from internet.
The latest thing is the TV Series support: only XMM can import all episodes from internet, but XMM was born to manage movies, so for TV series I must write a new window layout.
Alessio
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jamestan
Junior Member
137 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2005 : 02:32:55
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Alessio, moving to .net is fine. If that makes your maintenance easier.
Whatever it is, these are couples of suggestion :
1. Make the big buttons and status bar etc dockable. This allows some fields like plot to be widden and bigger to see.
2. Make the left panel resizable and retractable - this allow the movie panel to be expanded as big as possible.
3. Provide FULL SCREEN MODE - so that big buttons are hidden, Active Database bar and status bar and "Powerful Movie Database Manager ..." (we all know it is powerful :-)) can be hidden.
Great software again ! I have been using it ever since 2001 and love it.
James |
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Avogel
Starting Member
1 Posts |
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Alessio Viti
Forum Admin
Italy
9171 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2005 : 10:47:01
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Thank you Avogel for the links, I will deeply take a look at it
To Jamestan: the left panel will be resizable, and I will cut off some others things. I will think also to a fullscreen version, maybe for people that you XMM in the TV.
Alessio |
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nicor
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2005 : 03:36:20
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Dear Alessio,
I am pretty much new of the forum even if I have been using an old version of XMM for a long time. Recently I decided you deserve the small fee requested for the newest version.
I found the new version very complete and personally I think that many developers would just leave it as it is and stop spending time to fix what I consider to be minor issues.
I find the interface very complete, maybe too complete. As you mentioned I would encourage you to semplify it, if possible.
A second suggestion is that I would enlarge the possibilities of the Media Center interface. I can see some options are under construction. I think it would be useful a settings panel where the interface could be customized. This is how I wish it was:
main menu:
- show all movies
by selecting this there would be a page with an alphabet on top and by selectin a letter all the movies with title starting with that letter should be displayed. By selecting a movie a few information should be displayed. Poster, year, actors, director and summary. There should be also an option to play the movie which of course should be doubled or triplicate in case of multiple files (i.e. start I part, start II part...)
- show all tv series
inside this menu there should be a list of tv series and when seclecting one there should be the list of episodes that could be played by selecting one
- show movies by actor
same as show all movies, with alphabet but of course the list is ordered based on actors.
- options
possibility to customize these menus with different search options... to be determined
This is all I could think about for now, sorry for the long post and please feel free to drop me an email if something is not clear.
Nico
PS: Oh one more thing. I don't know if it's me, but I just have an hard time importing info from websites. Many italian script just don't work, many have a lot of junk in some fields (for instance the actor list is a mess sometimes). This is how I do things now: first import through imdb which is the most complete. Than chose an italian script and overwrite the few italian information I can find. The hardest part is usually to find a cover. imdb provides usually about 10 low quality pictures. I wonder if other people have a better procedure.
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cstrauch
Starting Member
Brazil
2 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2005 : 05:56:30
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Alessio,
The improved support for series will really be welcomed...
On the (future) new version, one thing I would like to see was a support for a SQL database. It would be nice if I could store all my data on my MySQL server, way more robust the Access...
XMM is a wonderful software, and I can't imagine how I would manage my movie collection without it. Thanks!
CStrauch |
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Topic |
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New releases of XMM...VB6 or .NET?