Need help with an issue of remote data updating

ookami007

I am currently working on a word puzzle app for a client. I'm feeding the words from multiple tables - one for each category since we don't have any sort of SELECT ability like mySQL.

My issue is figuring out the best way to update the puzzle tables. It would be great if we could download upgrades directly from GameSalad, but currently there is really no official support for anything like that.

The only alternative I can see is to update them in the app, then post the updated app to stores. This presents me with a couple of issues I haven't run into before. For instance...

Say I have a table of 300 Entertainment related puzzles and I add 200 more. The table is saved when the person completes each puzzle so that it doesn't repeat. When the update installs, I'm assuming it won't keep the old data but it will be overwritten with the new table so it resets it back to default. Or worse, it doesn't overwrite a saved table at all and the updates can't be done that way.

Anyone run into this situation before? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Armelline

Store the data about which ones have been completed in a separate table and you avoid this problem.

ookami007

Thanks @Armelline - I thought about that. In Corona or other language where I had command level access to the database, I'd do just that. But, if I store a the row number of completed puzzles, then I have to search through the COMPLETED table every time to know if the survey was taken, which isn't optimal, especially once that table starts to get really large.

It's still a possibility though. Basically, I'd have to have one completed table for each category table.

ThoPel

@Armelline Can't @ookami007 use the "Network Get Table.." features for updates?

Armelline

@ookami007 said:
Thanks Armelline - I thought about that. In Corona or other language where I had command level access to the database, I'd do just that. But, if I store a the row number of completed puzzles, then I have to search through the COMPLETED table every time to know if the survey was taken, which isn't optimal, especially once that table starts to get really large.

I'm unclear as to why you can locate the correct row in the first table quickly enough, but not in the second?

ookami007

INTERESTING @Armelline... I've never used those before and cough admittedly, I didn't even know they were there. Darn my old eyes!

Armelline

@ThoPel said:
Armelline Can't ookami007 use the "Network Get Table.." features for updates?

Yes, with the additional work and server side support that that entails. Much easier to just push an update, unless there are additional considerations that tip the scales.

Armelline

@ookami007 said:
INTERESTING Armelline... I've never used those before and cough admittedly, I didn't even know they were there. Darn my old eyes!

Unless there are extra considerations, they're really not worth the effort in this case.

I've updated large databases of questions in games before that have needed to track which questions were previously completed, so there isn't fundamentally a problem doing so. It's just a matter of working out what your exact requirements are and adapting as needed.

jonmulcahy

@ookami007 said:
INTERESTING Armelline... I've never used those before and cough admittedly, I didn't even know they were there. Darn my old eyes!

check out the link in my signature for an overview on how to set this up. It's not difficult, but if the concepts are foreign to you, it might be tricky.

ookami007

Thanks @jonmulcahy - I'll have to give it a try. If nothing else, I have an idea for a slot machine and giving away one use codes that would give them extra money, etc. But to do that and prevent abuse, I would need a server to manage the codes, so I'll have to start testing it.

Armelline

I'll reiterate - if your only reason for wanting remote updating is to avoid the need to overwrite the existing table, you do have other options. If remote updating is beneficial for other reasons, though, of course keep at it!