Do any of the experts know whether or not there is a bit set/unset in any of the 'well known suspects' files - e.g. models.lst, card.xml etc. - when a card is activated/deactivated? If it is just done in cache, then presumably cache is written back to a disk file when iS is quit.

It is Done in the Data Folder.
A file is written into the Cards Data folder when it is Deactivated, and removed when it is Activated.
aXXXX.vhddisabled

this is one of the reasons,
when you Select All, and Activate or Deactivate your Entire collection, it takes a bit of time.
Especially if you DON'T have an Exception with your security Software.

Your Security Software is Double checking Every one of these files that gets stored in the data folders.

Why write these files?

If you shut down widows without properly Quitting iStripper, then the Models.lst file might get corrupted.
or your PC locked up and you ***** it to shut down.

So having the files in the folders is a way to Take Inventory of the Cards status.
and rebuild the models.lst file

Individual Clips that are deactivated are also stored in the Data Folders.
A file is written called inactive.txt
it's a list of the clips that are unChecked.
(Hint: in older versions this files was written in the Models folders )

The File is Not removed from the Data Folder if you make all clips active again, but it is Empty and has a size of 0 if All clips are active.

It is Done in the Data Folder.
A file is written into the Cards Data folder when it is Deactivated, and removed when it is Activated.
aXXXX.vhddisabled

Wow, that is so inefficient, so shortsighted! Can't they just have one database instead?

@WA
Thank you so much for showing me how it is done.
The reason I wanted to know is the passing of the old, simple text playlist files. In the old days the playlist file affected card activation.
I have written Excel VBA routines to read and write the new .vpl files. I want to do the same for activation/deactivation because when I load a playlist I want only the playlist to play.

@WA
At first sight it seems that I cannot do what I want to do.
If I deactivate all cards a .vhddisabled (empty) file is written into the data directory of all cards.
When I load a playlist the cards in the playlist are played when I turn iStripper on, but the .vhddisabled file is still there .
If I then run a fullscreen I only get one clip, presumably the first selected from the playlisy.
Even if I manually delete the .vhddisabled file for all the cards in the playlist, the cards do not become activated (allowing them all to play in the fullscreen).

(By the way, it seems that the editor in-text italic and cancel-italic do not work)

no need to turn ON iStripper first.
got to Full Screen Then click on the Start.

Cards that are on a Playlist, overrides the Active or Deactivate setting of that card.

a on Full screen Scene, only the First Model position is From the cards on the Playlist.
if the Scene has more than One Model, only the First one comes from the playlist.
The rest of the Model positions Come from the Active cards in My Collection.

To have the cards on the playlist repeat. check Repeat. for Random order check Random.

Manually Deleting the File Will NOT make the Card Active. Unless you Run the Rebuild Collection.

@WA
Thank you so much for showing me how it is done.
The reason I wanted to know is the passing of the old, simple text playlist files. In the old days the playlist file affected card activation.
I have written Excel VBA routines to read and write the new .vpl files. I want to do the same for activation/deactivation because when I load a playlist I want only the playlist to play.

If you read a VPL and then Write or Delete the .vhddisable files.
you MUST run Rebuild Collection.
The presence or ***** of the file is Not what makes the card Active or Not Active.

The GUI must do that.
Rebuild, takes an Inventory and tells the GUI to set the cards Active or not based on existence of that File.

You can do what you are trying. but you have to ***** the GUI to do a Rebuild to See the Changes.

I don't know of an external way to tell the GUI to Rebuild Collection.
So the Rebuild must be Initiated Manually.

[quote]It is Done in the Data Folder.
A file is written into the Cards Data folder when it is Deactivated, and removed when it is Activated.
aXXXX.vhddisabled

Wow, that is so inefficient, so shortsighted! Can't they just have one database instead?

They do. that single database is the Models.lst file.
But because of Windows crashes and such. that single database becomes corrupt., and All of the Settings get lost.
The Individual files is a fall back in case of a corrupt database.
It's saved many members countless hours of Re-setting there Active Cards.

It only becomes an issue when you try to Change the entire Collection at the Same time.
and especially if you don't have a security exception set.

The Database is cached in Memory.
it's written and closed when you Quit iStripper.
if Widows crashes, before the Database is written and closed. It Might be Corrupted.
That's the reason for the Files as a Fall back.

@WA

I understand. (I also see why it is important that iStripper has a method by which the models.lst file can be rebuilt.)
I probably should have cottoned on when I saw the GUI did not react to my manually deleting a .vhddisable file.
Rebuilding the collection is not a quick process, and taking into account the rather dodgy state of my internet connection at the moment, probably a bad idea.
As you have understood, I yearn for a simple text-file method of activating/deactivating cards, as existed before iStripper took to the stage. The new GUI, now that the early teething problems have for the most part been addressed and resolved, is much more versatile than that of the old VGHD, but it doesn't quite fulfil all my needs to activate and play particular cards with any particular fullscreen that I have concocted!

Thank you for sharing your expertise,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ...

@DrDoom9,

It might be possible to write a program that sets the enabled/disabled card flag in the models.lst file. This should work until the next time iStripper rebuilds that file which generally only happens after a crash. Back when it was still VirtualGirl I did this on my Mac using AppleScript. I haven't tried it for iStripper because pick lists do what I need. I understand that Totem plans to modify iStripper so that all the girls in a multi-girl full screen screen will come from the pick list.

@Dorsai6
Yes. That was what I thought too.
I looked at your AppleScripts which you were kind enough to share several months ago, but I am not familiar with AppleScript so I gave up after a while.

I have written an Excel macro which dumps the models.lst file (with and without the clip records) and I just cannot see which the activatio/deactivation bit is. Perhaps I should be rebuilding the collection to see it, but I haven't, and I can't. That was why I started this thread.

I would be happy to share my Excel macro with you if you send me your e-mail address. It isn't too obscurely written, but I have enough programming experience to know that code written for 1 person - the author - usually breaks when released to many other users.