where does pictureflow store its database?

[Frankenpod]

I already use the simulator to build the database, copying the *.tcd files to the ipod(s) afterwards (quicker, saves battery life and more reliable with flash mods).  If I were to do the same with pictureflow, does anyone know what files need to be copied across?

[cereal_killer]

I think pictureflow uses the same files as the database (the *.tcd files). The slides are created in rocks\demos\pictureflow. So copying the *.pfraw files over should do it.

[Frankenpod]

Thanks.  Though now I have the follow-on question - how do I ensure the simulator uses the latest rockbox dev version?  I'm guessing the simulators have to be built from source?

(Want to test out the recent changes to pictureflow - found it actually crashed when I tried to build the picture database on the ipod itself - but I don't know if there's a bug in the new picture flow changes or if it's just that building that database is too much of a strain on the flash-modded ipod, which of course has the known flash-mod ata-driver issues when writing to the disk)

[Frankenpod]

The problem now is that the simulators available for direct download are all compiled with older versions of rockbox, from before the recent change to the pictureflow plugin, hence aren't compatible with the latest release or dev version.  I realise the solution is probably to compile my own simulator build, but that means powering up the linux box and working out again how to do that (I've managed it in the past, but have forgotten how it's done), and I can't face the effort!

Building the picture database on the ipod itself seems to take a ridiculous amount of time.  So much time I suspect the battery will drain before it finishes.

[cereal_killer]

I missed your post Form july, but I don't know if the code for Plugins in dev builds and UiSim builds are identical.

A nice and well done guide for compiling is https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/LinuxSimpleGuideToCompiling

[Frankenpod]

Ha, turns out I can't run pictureflow (on the actual device) anyway because it gives up with an error of 'not enough memory for cache to run'.  Seems as if I can't get round that with building on the simulator, as I guess it needs cache memory just to run at all, even with the database already built?  Presumably the problem is just too many tracks and hence too much cover art? (modded ipod).  I assume the only solution would be a rewritten coverflow that didn't rely on holding so much in memory?  Oh well, can't have everything.

I still wish rockbox had a thumbnail/cover art grid, that you could just scroll through to select an album (like Sony players do with original firmware).

Edit - in fact looking at it, it seems the pictureflow directory is corrupted, so maybe it's the iflash disk-writing issue rather than a lack of device memory?

[Frankenpod]

Rockbox would benefit from a companion PC utility that would do things like build databases, perhaps keep track of playcounts, etc.  I guess as iTunes does for the OF.

[Frankenpod]

I missed your post Form july, but I don't know if the code for Plugins in dev builds and UiSim builds are identical.

A nice and well done guide for compiling is https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/LinuxSimpleGuideToCompiling

Thanks.  Though it's more matter of not having the energy to do it at the moment!

Edit - if anyone were to ever update the simulators available for direct download, that would be appreciated!

Edit2 - started the process, and, Good Lord, it takes a long time to set up a development environment.  Its been very rapidly scrolling messages for half an hour now.  Must be thousands of lines of messages (including quite a few 'warnings') in there.

If I make a Sim build (on a linux build environment), how do I tell it to build it so as to run under Windows?

Tried to follow the instructions here
https://www.rockbox.org/wiki/UiSimulator

But after the line

./configure --host=i586-mingw32msvc --prefix=${HOME}/mingw32-sdl

I get the message "your compiler (gcc) does not produce Win32 exectuables!"

Anyone got any ideas what the issue is?  Really hoping to try getting pictureflow to work using the simulator.

[Frankenpod]

Gotten back to experimenting with this, now there are up-to-date simulators for download [And as Chris_s very kindly fixed the problem with insufficient memory allocated by RB to use pictureflow with a huge number of tracks].

  And, while I can copy the database from the sim to the ipod, by copying the .tcd files across, I still haven't managed to copy the pictureflow database.  Copying the rocks/demos/pictureflow folder, with its pfraw files, doesn't seem to be sufficient, RB still tries to build the pictureflow database from scratch when I start it up on the ipod itself.  Seems as if it needs something else to be copied - maybe the nvram.bin file?

Someone must know what files are relevant, surely?  Looking at the modified time stamps doesn't seem to suggest anything obvious.

[Frankenpod]

On the upside, it seems the current dev version is _much_ better at loading the database into RAM than it was when I last tried building the pictureflow database.  Presumably something has been improved/changed since then?
Seems now I can consistently get the ipod to load the database to RAM by just setting that option, shutting down, and restarting the ipod.  (And loading the database to RAM is essential to build the pictureflow database in a bearable length of time)

  The last time I tried pictureflow (years back) it took an eternity of faffing around, repeatedly restarting, waiting for ages, browsing the database, performing ritual chants, etc, to persuade the "load to RAM" option to actually do what it was told.  Now it just does it.  Hurrah!

[chris_s]

The database is stored in pictureflow_album.idx (inside of the pictureflow folder). I seem to remember that the version generated by the simulator can't be used on the player, though, for one reason or another.

[Bilgus]

I'd like to eventually get them able to be run like that but looking at the source I bet the sizes don't line up or endian issues

[Frankenpod]

The database is stored in pictureflow_album.idx (inside of the pictureflow folder). I seem to remember that the version generated by the simulator can't be used on the player, though, for one reason or another.

Yeah, that seems to be the case.  Managed to create it on the player itself, though.  Next idea is to then copy that from one player to another...