PlaymoFriends

General => Direct Service/Parts Queries => Topic started by: GrahamB on April 30, 2013, 19:38:00

Title: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on April 30, 2013, 19:38:00
I discovered a couple of things which aren't immediately obvious, so I thought I'd list here what you can and can't currently do on the wonderful PlaymoDB. If any of these actions are prejudicial to server efficiency, Heather will hopefully disable them!

I have used the spelling Klicky for a figure and click for a mouse/touchscreen/glidepad action

CAN do:
Numbers 2 to 5 are 'business as usual', No 1 is a way around the disabled 'set look-up' on the Home page and no. 6 is potentially useful for finding which klickies come in which sets -edit- and which sets contain a specific part.

1. Show one picture of a set by using the link on the Home page 'Show info for a set-list of your choosing'  (this link takes you to a dialogue box: type one or several set numbers in the box, click on 'submit' and sets will be displayed). Click to show pictures if not already displayed and then click on a picture to see a larger version of the same picture.
2. Show all the sets in a given theme (from home page or link 'Show sets by theme' at bottom of any other page). Again, can show pictures and click on a small picture to see a larger version of the same picture.
3. Show all parts in a chosen category or subcategory (from home page or link 'Show parts by category' at bottom of any other page) NB clicking on part-pictures does not display a larger version.
4. Search for parts or klickies by keyword (from home page)
5. Find a klicky with one or more characteristics (from home page or link 'Find a klicky' at bottom of any other page)
6. Show klicky details and find which sets a klicky can be found in- edit- works for all klickies. First display small pictures of klickies (either by using 'Find a Klicky' or one of the other methods under 'Who's that Klicky?' on the home page). For any klicky which has a small green camera symbol on the description line, you can go to its Klicky page by clicking on the camera icon. Klicky page shows photos of the klicky, the Description of the klicky and the Found in sets information. There seems to be no way to get to the klicky page of any klicky which doesn't have a camera icon, though (and the camera icon shown next to non-klicky parts doesn't work either edit if you change the klicky part number in the URL line of your browser, you can get a klicky page for any klicky- this also works for all part numbers

CANNOT do:
1. Get more details of a part or klicky by clicking on its picture
2. Search for specific part numbers
3. View set inventories with pictures of parts
4. View set lists with counts of parts
5. Get klicky details by clicking on the 'klicky's head' symbol
6. Get klicky details where no camera icon is displayed

Hope this is helpful

Graham

edited with new information
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: bonniebeth on April 30, 2013, 20:31:13
Yes, I've been discovering that even in its partially disabled state, it's still incredibly useful! I've been able to search for parts I'm looking for and find part numbers by using the "search parts by category" feature. And seeing all the sets in a theme allows you to find the set number for a set so you can search for it elsewhere.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: playmofire on April 30, 2013, 20:43:11
But I think you will find that what is available changes over time.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on May 03, 2013, 14:07:46
Add number 7 to the 'can do' list:
7. Find out what sets a part comes in if you know its part number. Use the following URL but replace the part-number with the one you are interested in, then paste it into browser: "http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/klicky.pl?partnum=30-10-1890".

(I don't know why this works, as it seems to assume the part number is for a klicky, whatever it is!)

I will PM Heather to check this is OK.

Graham
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: henry_martini on June 24, 2013, 08:40:31
Add number 7 to the 'can do' list:
7. Find out what sets a part comes in if you know its part number. Use the following URL but replace the part-number with the one you are interested in, then paste it into browser: "http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/klicky.pl?partnum=30-10-1890".

Thank you so much for this  :)

H_M
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: Salamander on July 27, 2013, 18:32:58
Graham, thanks so much for this info.  I've been able to find a few details I needed that I wouldn't have been able to get otherwise!  :D
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on July 28, 2013, 09:43:51
Thanks, Henri and Salamander.

I recently found another useful feature (obvious to some people, no doubt, but I found it when I wasn't actually looking for it);
Text-only inventories (with part numbers and quantities) are still available by clicking on the 'Inventory' link beneath a set picture and then following the 'Text list' link on the following page. Alternatively, type the following into your browser and add the set number of your choice:

http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/listinv.pl?setnum=nnnn

I just have a tab in my browser ready with any set list and edit the last four digits each time I want an inventory. I also have another tab with

http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/klicky.pl?partnum=30-00-0000

ready to look up any part number (kicky or otherwise)
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: Hadoque on January 11, 2014, 22:50:40
* bump*

@ Mods:
Would it perhaps be useful/possible to make this thread a sticky?
It has real useful information by Graham on how playmodb can still be used, and otherwise one has to use the forum's searchfunction each time to find back this thread...
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: playmofire on January 12, 2014, 02:16:00
Good idea, Erwin.  My DS orders have never been the same since playmoDB went down.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: PlaymoMan on January 12, 2014, 14:44:24
Wow, I just discovered this thread! Thanks, this is extremely helpful! :)
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on September 17, 2014, 06:36:34
I just noticed that when you enter a part number (any part number) in the url address of a 'klicky details' page such as http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/klicky.pl?partnum=30-24-4770 (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/klicky.pl?partnum=30-24-4770)- as mentioned above- you now get several pictures of the part as well as a list (with pictures) of the set in which it is found. This will be very useful for checking you are looking at the part you want in the colour you want.

Thanks Heather!
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: playmofire on September 17, 2014, 07:01:36
Your link appears not to work, Graham.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on September 17, 2014, 07:05:47
Your link appears not to work, Graham.

Thanks for that playmofire. Now fixed.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: playmofire on September 17, 2014, 07:30:41
That can be very useful.  Thanks for highlighting it, Graham.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: sbblabotw on September 17, 2014, 12:43:32
Baby-steps of progress - still working on it!
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: tigana123 on September 30, 2014, 21:17:48
Is there a way to find out in which theme (in PlaymoDB) a specific set belongs to?
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on October 02, 2014, 11:22:59
No, there isn't currently an easy way to do this- just search likely themes here http://www.playmodb.org/cgi-bin/sets.pl (http://www.playmodb.org/cgi-bin/sets.pl). Sometimes it can be tricky to track down a set to a theme.

If you want to find an inventory or picture of a specific set, enter the set number here http://www.playmodb.org/cgi-bin/your_set_list.pl (http://www.playmodb.org/cgi-bin/your_set_list.pl). This doesn't give you the theme, however.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: tahra on October 02, 2014, 11:51:44
Is there a way to find out in which theme (in PlaymoDB) a specific set belongs to?

I find that is mostly a matter of opinion... no?

(We've been struggling with themes for a LONG time in the playkingdoms remake :-[ )
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: tigana123 on October 02, 2014, 12:50:50
I 'm keeping a record of the sets that I have and it is helpful to keep it under specific themes (instead of sorting them by product number). This way (sort by theme) I can see what I may be missing in each category etc...
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on October 02, 2014, 19:21:30
I find that is mostly a matter of opinion... no?

(We've been struggling with themes for a LONG time in the playkingdoms remake :-[ )

Yes, apart from Geobra's own catalogues, which put sets together in themes, it is a matter of personal opinion. I sometimes use PlaymoDB's themes, but some are less useful ('Knights' covers a wide variety of sets, 'Traffic' covers some but not all vehicles, 'Rescue' covers both 'Fire and Rescue' and Hospitals, 'Free Time' and 'Leisure' seem to cover similar sets and so on. I guess some of the themes reflect different phases in PM development.
Title: Re: What still works on PlaymoDB
Post by: GrahamB on November 13, 2014, 17:31:27
Is it time to unstick this topic now that PlaymoDB is back up and running (and even better an before!)?