Request: DVD/BluRay and Cost options

[Maziel]

Hello there.

I've just recently stumbled across your program as I was looking for a way to catalogue my DVD and BluRay collection, as well as possibly my CD collection.

I buy everything and thus don't use half of the programs options which revolve around the playing the media from the drive etc.

As I have been playing with this program it has come to my attention that there were no option to choose if my movie was on DVD or BluRay.

My suggestion would be to have an icon at the top right corner (near the option of 'seen/wish' is.

You could have a few options:
[] DVD
[] BluRay
[] CD
[] HDD

The last option could be Hard Disc Drive and if ticked, all the options at the bottom which revolve around linking to your media on your own drive could be enabled. If you don't choose the last option, instead opting to only choose DVD, BluRay or CD, then the bottom media linking section could be disabled.

That's my first suggestion.
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My second suggestion is a Cost option.

I would like to be able to input the cost of each of these items that I have bought. Granted, these days with so many pirates out there, many people may not even want to use this type of option, but I actually buy everything and would like to record a cost of the product I am entering into the catalogue.

The third suggestion is a Total Cost of your collection, what I have spent on the entire collection.
The cost could be sub-grouped into total DVD cost, total BluRay cost, and total CD cost. ...Then a grand total of them all.

~

My last suggestion fits in to the options idea above would be to allow us to create our own option. For example, if I am a comic book collector I could add an option of 'Comic'.

Then the list would be something like:

[]DVD
[]BluRay
[]CD
[]HDD
[]Comic

~

If there are ways to do any of the above mentioned already, please let me know as I must have over looked them.

Thank you for your time in creating this program.

[rick.ca]

Welcome to the forum.

As I have been playing with this program it has come to my attention that there were no option to choose if my movie was on DVD or BluRay.

I don't know if it's filled automatically, but there is a [Media Type] field. There's also [Media Label], [Barcode] and [Media Location] which may pertain to optical media—in addition to the usual video and audio specs.

The last option could be Hard Disc Drive and if ticked, all the options at the bottom which revolve around linking to your media on your own drive could be enabled. If you don't choose the last option, instead opting to only choose DVD, BluRay or CD, then the bottom media linking section could be disabled.

The media section applies equally to external and HDD media. With a movie selected, try inserting its disc and letting the program analyze it.

I would like to be able to input the cost of each of these items that I have bought.

Add a custom field for cost and whatever else you want to record (supplier, date purchased, etc.).

The third suggestion is a Total Cost of your collection, what I have spent on the entire collection. The cost could be sub-grouped into total DVD cost, total BluRay cost, and total CD cost. ...Then a grand total of them all.

The program doesn't currently provide any summary statistics for selected records. If it ever does, I wouldn't count on that ability extending to custom fields. I think the best tool for this sort of thing is to export the relevant data and use Excel to create any kind of report desired.

For example, if I am a comic book collector I could add an option of 'Comic'.

By using custom fields, modifying captions throughout the program and designing new skins, it is possible to adapt the program for cataloguing a different type of media. It's not something many users would want to attempt. For obvious reasons, attempting to catalogue things as different as video and comics in the same database is not going to work very well.

[Maziel]

Hi Rick, thanks for the reply.

I have created separate folders for each of my media types, CD, DVD, Blu-Ray, and that seems to work nicely for both the program and my brain. 

Never thought about putting the actual disc in to the drive and letting the program read it. >_<
Wow, that may sound silly to some people, I know. LOL

I still think a cost field which calculates the total cost all up would be a brilliant addition to this program.

In fact, I am also using this program for non media related items, such as house hold contents and such. Why? people may ask. Well if the house ever gets broken in to or there is a fire or any other issue, I can access my online databank of house hold contents and find out exactly what I had.

Basically, great little insurance purpose type use for me, kind of why I think the cost thing would be a great addition too.

Once again, thank you for your time.

~

EDIT:
Oh the only other thing that would be handy would be some kind of why to customise your HTML export... or be able to download various templates (preferably a place which gives previews of what the template looks like).

[rick.ca]

I still think a cost field which calculates the total cost all up would be a brilliant addition to this program.

That's not going to happen for something as specific as cost—a field that doesn't even exist. As I indicated, we might hope that someday the program will produce summary statistics of some form (average, total, number of unique values, etc.—as appropriate for the field type) for any/all fields. But don't expect anything like that any time soon. Meanwhile, the best solution is to export the necessary data to a spreadsheet.

In fact, I am also using this program for non media related items, such as house hold contents and such. Why? people may ask.

Yes, we might.

You must have an aversion to spreadsheet software. It's a much more effective tool for any such task. It's still better (more flexible, faster, easier to use) if you want to include movies of rooms and/or photos of items.

Oh the only other thing that would be handy would be some kind of why to customise your HTML export... or be able to download various templates (preferably a place which gives previews of what the template looks like).

Customization is done by editing the templates. You've find templates and people who create them in Scripts and Templates. The obvious first stop for you would be svenne's HTML List export template.

[Maziel]

"That's not going to happen for something as specific as cost..."

Yeah, I'm in no real rush. Just thought about it as I was using the program and thought I'd suggest it.


"You must have an aversion to spreadsheet software. ..."

No, not really. I just never thought about it. I was looking at my DVD collection and CD / Vinyl collection and thought, damn... I really should catalogue these. So the first thing I looked around for was a video database and you guys were listed. Seemed to be a solid little program so I checked it out and started entering stuff.

Kind of like the whole export to html type things.

I've entered quite a few entries now, and figure I'll stick with it.


"Customization is done by editing the templates...."

Thank you for the links, I'll check them out.

Thank you also for your prompt replies, welcoming nature and for this wonderful little program.