Hey everyone, today I have a minor update to share with you. As many of you are already aware, the DB-Template repository is quite helpful for creating your own Downloader DB with ease. Several people have already been creating and sharing Downloader DBs, allowing users to install files on MiSTer effortlessly by simply running Downloader/Update All. This isn't a new development.
Initially, the only way to add files to the DB was by uploading them directly to the GitHub repository. However, a few months ago, I introduced a method to add other files by listing them along with their source URLs in the external_files.csv file. I didn't elaborate much on this at the time. It was somewhat more challenging to maintain than merely adding the files to the GitHub repository, as it required manually inputting the file size and hash in the CSV.
Today, I've simplified the format for external_files.csv. Now, you only need to include the file path on MiSTer and the source URL, as demonstrated in the picture above. This change will significantly ease the process for less tech-savvy DB maintainers.
The downside of omitting the size and hashes is that it becomes slightly more prone to errors. However, in practical terms, the difference is minimal since error checking still occurs with the parameters being automatically calculated by the template script.
To conclude, and as I always say when talking about this topic, if you are maintaining a Downloader DB that you believe should be included in "Update All," please let me know.
That's all for now. My next write-up will be a technical post describing my TDD refactoring process with Downloader. Stay tuned!