(Topic ID: 172135)

Pinball Price database

By jrkitty

7 years ago


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  • 29 posts
  • 14 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by altan
  • Topic is favorited by 4 Pinsiders

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#1 7 years ago

as most of you know, the database has been down for several months at pinballprice.com

the problem is that the site database was designed by someone that was hired to make that function work properly several years ago at the onset of the site. That person has long since vanished, and the original hosting was a nightmare with downtime. The site has been moved to a new server at GoDaddy, and a nice gentleman from this board did a "capture" of the database for me and installed it on the new hosting. The problem is that the database was created in MS SQL and I am not schooled in how to make it function again on the new hosting.

The database needs to be converted to a new format, no doubt about that. But in the mean time I need someone trained in ASP.net and MS SQL to help make it function again.

There has never been a cost to access the site data, and there are NO plans to charge in the future. Some of you don't like or use the site, and I respect that. But several thousand people each month do access the site and try and access the data. The purpose of the site is just to present data of actual pinball sales, so that you can see the data trend since 2009, and come to your own conclusions of what your game is worth based on condition, a retail or auction setting, and geography.

please send me a pm if you have the skills and are willing to help get the site functioning properly again. Thanks

#2 7 years ago

Hope someone can help with this.
Mike

#3 7 years ago

You run ads so there must be a budget to pay a developer to fix it

#4 7 years ago
Quoted from tacshose:

You run ads so there must be a budget to pay a developer to fix it

those banners ads are long since expired, except for CoinTaker and Chris is a good friend of mine. The Google ads do not even cover the cost of the server, domain, and the cost of Adobe subscription to manage it. So if you think there is a developer budget, sorry to say that ship sailed a long time ago when I paid the original guy to create the database and write the asp.net code. Nobody getting rich here, I just worked too hard on collecting all that data for years and hate to see it all go to waist with the site not functioning.

#5 7 years ago

Great site. Good luck!

#6 7 years ago

I miss using the site.I wish I could help you but not my expertise.

#8 7 years ago

Wish I could help, great site and loved the database. I keep checking the database, hoping it's back up, but sadly it's not.

This is useful, but it's lagged and it doesn't take into account all the fees that are paid.

-1
#9 7 years ago
Quoted from Lermods:

Wish I could help, great site and loved the database. I keep checking the database, hoping it's back up, but sadly it's not.

This is useful, but it's lagged and it doesn't take into account all the fees that are paid.

It shows what the buyer is paying not what the seller is getting auction results not Ebay show a price with no buyers premium

#10 7 years ago

I'm a software engineer who does websites for a day job. Contact me, I might be able to help.

#11 7 years ago

I have a gentleman currently helping me, thanks to all who have offered to help

2 months later
#12 7 years ago

Good luck jrkitty. I go on your site weekly. I find it to be a great help when selling or buying a pin. Pinside helps now but I still like your site better for this option. Keep us posted.

#13 7 years ago

Looks like the site isn't working still? I did a search and got a standard ASP.NET error page.

I do have T-SQL (Microsoft) and ASP.NET skills as well as My SQL skills. LMK if you want me to help configure your site.

#14 7 years ago

Unfortunately, as far as I'm aware, the database was lost during a server migration. The tech guy responsible for the migration didn't do things correctly and left all the important files behind.

#15 7 years ago

its kinda hard to leave the important files behind.. when you do a ms-sql backup it's one file You don't need the transaction logs, etc. The database should be able to be validated on any ms-sql server.. even a free SQL Express one running on your desktop.

#16 7 years ago

It was my impression that the guy didn't really know what he was doing.

#17 7 years ago

You could probably figure out the schema based on the ASP or (MVC? .NET?) server side code and create a new database. Unfortunately the data wouldn't be there, obviously.

#18 7 years ago

Most of the source files for the ASP pages were missing as well.

#19 7 years ago
Quoted from ForceFlow:

Most of the source files for the ASP pages were missing as well.

That's unfortunate.

Is there a screen cap or anything that shows the old search result page? If it's just a simple database search page that could be mocked up again fairly easily. Then it would just be a matter of data entry (whether via migration script or by hand in Toad or SSMS)

#20 7 years ago
Quoted from chadderack:

That's unfortunate.
Is there a screen cap or anything that shows the old search result page? If it's just a simple database search page that could be mocked up again fairly easily. Then it would just be a matter of data entry (whether via migration script or by hand in Toad or SSMS)

at this point its pointless unless someone actually documents what they DO have... pretty futile to keep asking 'do you have X' and just getting no answers.

#21 7 years ago
Quoted from chadderack:

That's unfortunate.
Is there a screen cap or anything that shows the old search result page? If it's just a simple database search page that could be mocked up again fairly easily. Then it would just be a matter of data entry (whether via migration script or by hand in Toad or SSMS)

The general database layout was likely fairly straight forward. I sort of remember what was listed on the results page. But you basically would have to code the whole thing from scratch, and then since the data (which was the most valuable part of the site) is gone, it might not be a worthwhile effort, which is probably why it has sat in this state for a while now.

#22 7 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

at this point its pointless unless someone actually documents what they DO have... pretty futile to keep asking 'do you have X' and just getting no answers.

Well, I only just asked

Quoted from ForceFlow:

The general database layout was likely fairly straight forward. I sort of remember what was listed on the results page. But you basically would have to code the whole thing from scratch, and then since the data (which was the most valuable part of the site) is gone, it might not be a worthwhile effort, which is probably why it has sat in this state for a while now.

True dat.

OP, if you want to spin it up again and start over, LMK. I can do ASP (MVC3/4/5) type sites with MS SQL pretty quickly (maybe not very pretty, but quick). I'd be willing to throw about 20-30 hours at it.

4 weeks later
#23 7 years ago

Here is an update as of 1/31/17 :
as many of you know last summer the site experienced too much downtime on the server. We purchased a new hosting sever and needed help to transfer the database to the new hosting. A gentleman volunteered to help and assured me that our data was captured safely and moved t the new server. After months of no response back from him, we posted on Pinside that we needed some help to make the database function on the new server as it did on the old server. Another very nice gentleman stepped up to help and when he went to access all the sales data to properly configure the database, he informed me that the database was empty and all the sales records were lost during the transfer.

Since that time I have been painstakingly creating a new database and I have recovered almost all of the sales records from the site. The only sales records that were lost were those that were submitted as private sales by our users. All the sales prior to 2014 were recovered on my Excel file, and most auction info from 2014 to present was recovered from my notes or user posts to Pinside.

As of today, the new database is more detailed, and it is my intent to create a new search format that will be more user friendly than the previous version. I will attempt to integrate the data with php scripting that will display the results in an easy to understand format. The results will display the game title, sale date, sale location and state, condition, and notes if applicable. My estimation is that it will take about 60 more days or less to add all the sales data to the new database, and hopefully have the new version of this site fully function-able prior the the Allentown Pinfest in early May. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused, and this was the result of having to rely on someone else to move the data. This time I am creating the database and the php scripting myself if possible so this sort of thing does not happen again in the future.

If you submitted a pinball sale to us in the past and if you remember the details, then you can email me the information. Or if you have a recent sale that you would like to have included in the new database, then send the information to [email protected] and you MUST include the IPDB# of the game, the date, city and state of the sale, and the condition.

Common notes may include the following abbreviations:
NIB = new in box; HER = high end restoration; LE = limited edition.

Condition grades:
N/W = not working (complete EM games only)
decent = complete game, some wear, needs shopped
good = looks and mostly works fine with maybe some minor issues, and or some wear
nice = works 100%, very little wear, sparkling clean and shiny
excellent = near mint condition, very little use, no wear

Sales will NOT be included without the data mentioned above, and we reserve the right to verify your submission.

Thanks
Scott

#24 7 years ago

Cool. LMK if you guys need help with the MVC/ASP or even PHP stuff.

#25 7 years ago

So any ETA when this is searchable again? Tried it today, no dice. Best of luck.

1 year later
#26 5 years ago

The NEW version of the PinballPrice.com site went live today.

after years of relying on others for help, I decided to just do it myself the hard way in raw html code, one game at a time. Not the easiest way, but it works. Site is still under construction but many records are now active.

Choose the game on the main page, then click the IPDB# to view the records. If the number turns neon green on mouseover, then it is active, if not, it will be eventually. I add about 20 new games a day until it is completed.

I hope you like the new version, it is very user friendly. There is a form to submit a sale to be added. I rely on your honesty on submissions to keep the database accurate.

All the old user submission records were lost a few years ago when we changed servers and the backup was corrupted. BUT, I do have over 10,000 records that were saved and added. I hope you enjoy, and remember it is FREE for you to use as much as you like.

PLEASE spread the word and help make this a nice tool for you to use often by submitting a sale when you either buy or sell a game. Thanks

#27 5 years ago

When on a smartphone, you can't tell if there are records for a game or not (since you can't hover).

#28 5 years ago

your exactly right ForceFlow, thanks for pointing that out. That will pretty much take care of itself as I get the other records added, as every game listed will have a page. For now, please bear with me as I get it completed as the worst that should happen is it does not go to a new page if the number is inactive

#29 5 years ago

Your adverts look like clicks from your site. When faked to click on them, they offer to download stuff --- which I feel is a big no-no and may as well be malware.

This will significantly detract from your site, IMHO.

Screen Shot 2018-04-03 at 8.55.11 PM (resized).pngScreen Shot 2018-04-03 at 8.55.11 PM (resized).png

And when I click on “pricing”

Screen Shot 2018-04-03 at 8.56.42 PM (resized).pngScreen Shot 2018-04-03 at 8.56.42 PM (resized).png

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