Bulk data entry

[pencilhead]

Hi All,

I am struggling with performing bulk data entry.

I have imported my database of about 700 movies / series from collectorz ok. A few minor hickups but nothing that couldn't be overcome.

I now have a couple of hundred or so movies that need to be entered manually.

I am finding bulk data entry methods to be unwieldy and am wondering if there is a better way.

If I type movie /optional year into an excel spreadsheet and then import port that, I find that the entries are added to my already exisiting database entries. I then need to filter the list ( I am filtering entries without a poster - there may be a better way) to get the list of movies I have just entered. I can then import data from IMDB/Amazon etc.

If I use the new (Ctl+N), the newley created list is at the top, but I find I have to click in the right hand side, enter the movie name/year. Ctl+Enter to save. Ctl+N - click the right hand side, enter the movie name/year.Ctl+Enter to save etc etc. if I forget to click in the right hand side, My list at the top is lost (merged in with already completed movies and I have to filter as per above).

I do not want to use the new movie mater function ctl+M for so many movies. It is ok for 1 or 2 movies but not hundreds.

Ideally, I would like to be able to go into a "Data Entry mode".
For example if you entered new movie mode (ctl +N)
You could enter the name of the movie and when you hit enter, it immediately took you to a new entry. No having to take hands off the keyboard or complex keyboard shortcuts. If you wanted other data like year you could tab to it. Similar to excel. Enter for new row, tab for new column.

When you have finished entering your data, you could then search the list in imdb/etc with the results merged into your existing list.

I guess I am looking to:
1. Streamline the way I enter data.
2. Be able to separate that list until it has been updated from IMDB etc.

If someone can provide a better way to get my data in and updated, it would be appreciated.

Cheers
PH

[patch]

If I use the new (Ctl+N), the newley created list is at the top, but I find I have to click in the right hand side, enter the movie name/year. Ctl+Enter to save. Ctl+N - click the right hand side, enter the movie name/year.Ctl+Enter to save etc etc. if I forget to click in the right hand side, My list at the top is lost (merged in with already completed movies and I have to filter as per above).

Have you tried sorting your movies by data added
Works well provided you add only one set per day, after which it does get a little less intuitive (data field is to 1 day resolution)
Alternatively use an advanced search such as "url" "does not contain" "www"

For bulk field entry you could just do it in excel then import your typing

[pencilhead]

Have you tried sorting your movies by data added
Works well provided you add only one set per day, after which it does get a little less intuitive (data field is to 1 day resolution)
Alternatively use an advanced search such as "url" "does not contain" "www"

For bulk field entry you could just do it in excel then import your typing

Thanks patch,

I haven't had a chance to check all the filtering options.
There are many and they look very cool. So far ones that don't have a poster works. The searching options are really quite awesome
I am also especially impressed with the scan movies from file feature.

It seems convoluted to have to enter your movies into excel to then have to import them into a movie database program. It seems more logically to have it so you can "just type them in" and "go".  It would be really nice to be be able to do it in a single step.

I think I will use the excel/filter option at the moment.

Cheers
PH

[rick.ca]

I'm having difficulty understanding the situation you're describing. Importing movies, even if it's just a list of titles, is more efficient than entering them manually. If you had digital media, you'd be creating records by scanning that. How is it you "have" several hundred movies for which there is no media and no list exists?

As you've described, a new entry will stay at the top of the list until the list is refreshed. That's normally sufficient for doing whatever needs to be done initially to create the record. But, yes, if you are doing several different things, it's likely a refresh is going to happen before you're done. As you've already learnt, you can filter or sort the list to deal with this. I find it easier just to bookmark new items until I'm satisfied I'm finished adding/updating/checking everything.

The "data entry mode" you describe doesn't exist because, thankfully, there's little need for it. If it's simply a matter of preferring to manually enter data via the keyboard rather than importing, you'll find Grid View (removed from 0.9.7.x, planned for 1.0.x) will provide a natural solution for you. Entering data there will be similar to entering it in Excel.

It seems convoluted to have to enter your movies into excel to then have to import them into a movie database program.

Yes, but no one has suggested doing that. Excel is a useful tool because, as long as you can get the data into it, you can create a list which can then be imported into the database.

[deazo]

 This the way I do it. I thought I would share it with you, it might help I don't know.
On average I enter movies by bunches of 50 or so.
 I use excel because it's much faster to type the movie title, hit enter, and so on. I also add media label (number of the dvd the movie is on) but that's just because of the way my collection is organised.
I then import the excel list into PVD.
It is very easy to find the movies I have just entered because I sort by date added.
I then select them all with the the shift key, and use IMDB import to harvest the information from IMDB.
I use Amazon and google image to find posters but that's another subject.

I don't know if this helped you, but I don't see any problem with this way of bulk data entry, and didn't find anything quicker.
If I had my movies on a hard drive I would use the Scanning utility and it would even go faster (scanning the burnt dvd's is very slow because of the drive mainly).

[rick.ca]

I use excel because it's much faster to type the movie title, hit enter, and so on.

Assuming you're still cataloguing the rips you've burnt to DVD, you might consider...

Open a DOS window at your DVD drive. Insert a DVD, and run dir >> rips on c:\anywhere\dvd.txt. Repeat for as many DVD's as you want to catalog. Import the resulting text file to Excel. Parse the movie titles from the filenames, and copy the media label to each line.

Also, should you not be importing File Path at the same time? Then you would be able to Play or Read file information after inserting the DVD, but would not have scan the entire DVD.

[pencilhead]

 This the way I do it. I thought I would share it with you, it might help I don't know.
On average I enter movies by bunches of 50 or so.
 I use excel because it's much faster to type the movie title, hit enter, and so on. I also add media label (number of the dvd the movie is on) but that's just because of the way my collection is organised.

This is how I generally work too. I'm lazy so my list is usually a lot bigger before I get around to updating...

I then import the excel list into PVD.
It is very easy to find the movies I have just entered because I sort by date added.
I then select them all with the the shift key, and use IMDB import to harvest the information from IMDB.
I use Amazon and google image to find posters but that's another subject.

It looks like this is the best way. It's a pity this can't be done directly from PVD as easily as entering it into excel.
ie. Type the title hit enter, type the next title hit enter etc.  At the end of typing download data from IMDB etc.

I don't know if this helped you, but I don't see any problem with this way of bulk data entry, and didn't find anything quicker.

Yes it has helped. Looks like excel method is currently the best way....

enter data via the keyboard rather than importing, you'll find Grid View (removed from 0.9.7.x, planned for 1.0.x) will provide a natural solution for you. Entering data there will be similar to entering it in Excel.

Hopefully Grid view will solve a lot of my issues. 

It seems convoluted to have to enter your movies into excel to then have to import them into a movie database program.

Yes, but no one has suggested doing that. Excel is a useful tool because, as long as you can get the data into it, you can create a list which can then be imported into the database.

It just seem odd to me that an external tool (excel) is better at getting data into a database tool. To me data entry should be a fundamental function and as simple as entering the data into excel.

Usually, data needs to be typed at some stage.
Typing movie titles directly into PVD and then importing extra info from IMDB requires less steps than opening excel, typing movie titles in, saving file, opening PVD, importing excel file, filtering the list so I know what I have just imported, then get extra info from IMDB

The "data entry mode" entry mode I described in my original post is a suggested way that it could be done if data entry was unified into PVD. It would keep new records separated until the final download from IMDB. I don't know what the grid view is or how it works, but it sounds promising.

I'll try bookmarking method as well.

I use excel because it's much faster to type the movie title, hit enter, and so on.

Assuming you're still cataloguing the rips you've burnt to DVD, you might consider...

Open a DOS window at your DVD drive. Insert a DVD, and run dir >> rips on c:\anywhere\dvd.txt. Repeat for as many DVD's as you want to catalog. Import the resulting text file to Excel. Parse the movie titles from the filenames, and copy the media label to each line.

Nice...
Any coders want to have a go so it recognises when new media is inserted and ejects the DVD when done writing the entry?
I'll try, but I'm not much of a coder.

Also, should you not be importing File Path at the same time? Then you would be able to Play or Read file information after inserting the DVD, but would not have scan the entire DVD.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this??

Cheers
PH

[patch]

Also, should you not be importing File Path at the same time? Then you would be able to Play or Read file information after inserting the DVD, but would not have scan the entire DVD.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this??

My understanding is filepath is used if you have ripped versions of movies on your hard disk or network.

If you have movies stored this way then using
"Tools" -> "Scan folders for new movies / changed paths..."
becomes the an efficient way of entering your movies in PVD most the time.

[rick.ca]

I agree, patch. Maybe I'm missing something because I don't do DVD's, but I don't really understand why deazo can't just let the program scan his DVD's. Even if the drive is relatively slow, it can't take that long to read the directory. Maybe it's the Read file information function that takes too long. I don't recall—does that run automatically at the end of the file scan process? Maybe all that's needed is an option to turn that off. But that doesn't seem right either. How long does the MediaInfo scan take for files on a DVD?

I'm having difficulty understanding the situation you're describing. Importing movies, even if it's just a list of titles, is more efficient than entering them manually. If you had digital media, you'd be creating records by scanning that. How is it you "have" several hundred movies for which there is no media and no list exists?

Pencilhead?

[deazo]

 Scanning DVD's takes a lot of time for me. It might be due to my drive, but I need to open the drive, insert DVD, close the drive, then wait (long step) for my computer to pick it up, then scan (long step as well) with pvd, then inport IMDB.
Doing this on 10 or 15 DVD's is way longer than just typing a list of titles in an Excel column.

 Of course, I am planning to migrate to a hard disk based collection one day and I will then use the much simpler "scan folder" option.

 

[nostra]

There is really a time problem adding multiple DVDs to PVD. I do think of adding some kind of New Movie Master improvement to enable users enter multiple titles at once as it seems like it would really help many users. The planned Grid view could be a good solution as well, but it will still be slower then just entering or copy-pasting a list of titles in a memo and pressing enter...