Version 2.0  --  List of Changes from 1.240 (plans for future releases here)

New Features:

• Support added for changes in IMDb.com web structure.
  • If a query is incomplete (ie missing data from IMDb), a popup will alert user what fields weren't loaded (director, rating, etc).
  • Tracks history of download performance for future error alerting purposes. If  > 50% error count for last 10 queries, user is alerted.
  • Queries can also 'time-out' now if a query takes too long.
• Automatically downloads significantly higher resolution images from DVDEmpire.com.
  • Automatically chosen based on IMDb movie information. No input required after title is chosen.
    • Attempts to match title, year of production, and at least one cast member before making a choice for you.
    • Occasionally, there is a mismatch between IMDb info and DVDEmpire info. If MovieFinder is at all uncertain, you will be asked to choose from a list of search results. Happens < 5% of the time, usually with rare or movies that are part of a series.
  • If attempt fails, IMDb is automatically queried for its dependable, lower resolution image.
  • Can always download an alternate by right clicking image or via button on edit window.
  • Can drag and drop a new image file onto current image at any time.
  • If an image is corrupt or missing, clicking on the error image will download a new one.
  • Left-clicking on a good image toggles scaling (zoom). Window is scrollable if necessary.
• Several data fields added:
  • Can now set media type (DVD, Blu-Ray, etc, all fully customizeable), keep a number of times watched count, and add personal notes.
  • Movies are now indexed. Automatic indexing options are to numerically number them based on either their alphabetical position in the library or the date they were entered. Or you can take manual control and type in text (such as where it's located or whatever else you might want to label the title with).
  • Personal rating (stars) now in 1/2 star increments, and are also now resettable to 0 stars.
  • Can associate movies with a file (such as an .avi, .mp3, .html, whatever). MovieFinder will ask your OS to play/open it when desired. Drag and drop entry supported. Parental controls optional.
• *Numerous* personalizeable appearance options:
  • Can now invert and negate built-in color themes, or choose from custom color themes (skins).
  • Create custom color themes, including mixed (two colors transitioning on a single button) or blended (average or user-defined mix of two colors) button colors, etc. Can also saturate or de-saturate colors.
  • Choose from several watermarks (background patterns), including a user-supplied image.
  • Personalize button shape, texture, focus, background bleeding (blending background through lists and text fields), how tabs and scroll windows are displayed, etc.
• Appearance/functionality refinements:
  • 12 iconic buttons placed on bottom of Movie Details tab. All other buttons now have graphical icons along with the text.
  • User settings (such as colors, etc) are now remembered on a new/guest computer (ie such as via thumb drive).
  • Parental controls added.
    • Can block display of cover images or playing of associated file above a given MPAA rating.
  • Refined display options for 'Genre Searcher' and 'Selections' tabs, as well as allowing the browsing/searching in the 'Movie Details' tab to be more specific for browseable movie groups.
    • Can now also narrow down based on what is currently being displayed on these tabs (temporary lists separate from your current Selections).
  • Mac OS X:
    • Dock now shows MovieFinder icon vice generic Java icon.
    • Prevents display from being hidden under OS X title bar.
    • Window modality (ie which window frame is on top) improved.
  • New options added:
    • Option to remember last new movie format entered or always default to [selected format].
    • Option to skip title duplicates alert if their formats are different.
    • Option to un-check Romance and Comedy genres if Romantic Comedy is ever checked.
    • Option to display success dialog or not after a successful save.
    • Option to display last save date and movie count on main window frame.
    • Option to disable security access sound (movie quote).
  • Can backup your library file and cover images to a specified folder.
  • Changes to custom genre are now applied to entire library.
• Cover Images now stored in their own folder:
  • By default, creates a folder named 'cover images' in the working directory.
  • This can be moved/changed by the user, but in doing so you prevent OS-independency if you use MovieFinder from a thumb drive. Default setting is recommended.
• Streamlined Auto-Detection of new associated files
  • A folder can be specified where MovieFinder will look for new files that aren't accounted for by your library
  • Creates a queue of recommended titles, each linked with its respective auto-detected file
• Auto-Update Library feature added
  • Intended for replacing low-res images and updating any missing movie info fields from failed/incomplete queries.
  • Will be prompted after migration from 1.240 to 2.0, or usable anytime via button on 'Options' tab.
• Drag and Drop features:
  • Onto Add New Movie tab to auto-submit new movie based on name of file.
  • Onto details text area (Movie Details tab) to associate a file to be opened/played (.avi, .mp3, etc).
  • Onto image to replace with new image.
  • Onto text fields of Add New Movie or Edit screens for updates/changes. Or click on these fields to browse for a file.
  • Onto background appearance options area to supply your own background image.
• Parental Controls Added:
  • Above a given MPAA rating, cover images are hidden and associated files will not be opened.
  • Password required to unlock or change settings.

Install Process:

• Now compatible with Windows Vista
  • If User Account Control is ON, MovieFinder cannot extract for system-wide use (limited to current user).
• Added option to change install directory (all OSs)
  • For Mac OS X, added option to 'Run MovieFinder Now' after successful install
• Updated links for latest Java downloads
  • Auto-updates via MovieFinderOnline.com.
• Added option to keep or delete library during UnInstall process
• Mac OS X now installs an alias (with icon) if installed to /Applications/MovieFinder

Misc. Refinements:

• When IMDb query results are displayed, two buttons have been added: 'change spelling' and 'cancel search.'
• 'Dates' that movies are entered are now more precise (to the millisecond, to be exact) behind the scenes rather than just the month/year. To be used in the future when lists are sortable based on any field.
• No longer displays video game titles among imdb query results.
• Scrollbars on Mac OS X have up/down buttons together like native Mac OS X scrollers.
• Can now handle detection of more than one duplicate at a time.
  • At startup, the list of duplicate titles is displayed. Option to delete duplicates or handle manually.
• Checking for movies with missing cover images now pops up a list of all movies at program startup (if option enabled).
• Added "Search for Title" button to search field on movie details tab.
• Drawing/reloading of 'Movie Details' tab is now much more efficient.
• Spelling verification for adding new movies now has options to re-query with a new title spelling or cancel entirely.
• After submitting a new movie, the 'Date Entered Into Library' drop-down boxes retain the last date used. (Defaults to current month upon program start.)
• If an update is available, the alert will now display the highlights of the new features. Alert is for *significant updates only.* [I think it's annoying when programs bug me to update, too!]
• Tested library size of > 6,000 movies. Worked great with *very* marginal difference in run speed, even with a very old computer.
• Reworded instances of 'database' to 'library' (when referring to your personal collection of movies).
• Reworded instances of 'poster files' to 'cover images.'
• Added an explanation of how to later delete the example library if a new user chose to save it as their own.
• Rearranged cast fields 1-5 so that they appear in a single column (edit movie window and add new movie tab)
• Made width of fields more consistent between OSs on edit window, new movie tab and adv search criteria
• Prevented repeated popups of 'failed to acquire cover image' (ie remembers failed status)
• Refined splash screen progress bar for movie lookup and cover image download. Background image changes real-time based on task. (Separate backgrounds for IMDb queries vs. DVDEmpire queries.)
• Deleting a movie doesn't result in two separate popups regarding removal of movie and deletion of image. Combined to one step.
• Simplified popups for new users regarding IMDb access and downloading cover images
• Updated auto-naming predictions to be more intelligent regarding larger images downloaded from cdcovers.cc.
  • Also now intelligently renames titles such as "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" to "Lord of the Rings, The: The Fellowship of the Ring" vice "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The." Type *that* three times fast!
• If an auto-detected movie is renamed, the display in background is refreshed.
• Removed the 'tagged' movie feature.
• Updated tutorial mode text.

Bugs Fixed:

• Updated IMDb queries to match changes in their html structure. Much more intelligent now.
• If alternate images were downloaded, they would sometimes not update the display with the new image
• If 'reload selections last saved' was clicked and a previously selected movie had been deleted, incorrect movies were loaded as 'previous selections.'
• 'Reload selections last saved' button found on the selections tab now literally loads selections from last save vice selections found at program startup.
• Progress bar showing lookup/image download progress would sometimes not refresh fast enough.
• IMDb queries could lock up on rare occasion with obscure titles.
• Changing the custom genre sometimes would not save properly.
• Switching tabs while downloading an image now places the image from where the query started, vice where it ended up.
• If removing selections via clicking on lists (selections tab), MF would sometimes lock up if you clicked too fast.
• If there were zero movies selected and you attempted to print your current selections, the program would crack out and MF would require restart. Oops.
• While trying to edit a movie, fixed erroneous popup that complained of year of production being out of range when in fact it was often ok.
• Removed redundant password entry upon saving changes associated with resetting the password.
• Prevented 'null' from being displayed as a poster file if no poster image was in use.
• If you clicked on a title from either the genre searcher or selections tabs with the intent to switch to that movies details, sometimes the details would not be shown if that specific movie was already pulled up on the movie details tab.
• When cycling through posters on the poster view tab, occasionally browsing via up/down arrows would fail to update picture.
• If the 'delete selections' button is used and the option to save changes is accepted, MF would unnecessarily reload. No longer.
• Dialog 'library successfully saved' dialog no longer comes up twice.
• Minor refinements on auto-fixing the spelling of movie queries.