Welcome to the Invelos forums. Please read the forum rules before posting.

Read access to our public forums is open to everyone. To post messages, a free registration is required.

If you have an Invelos account, sign in to post.

    Invelos Forums->General: General Discussion Page: 1... 3 4 5 6 7 ...13  Previous   Next
DVDSpot shutting down
Author Message
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorreybr
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
Norway Posts: 906
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
It looks good. Imported 100 profiles without any problems. The plugin was disabled after all were imported

The colour of her eyes, were the colour of insanity
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,396
Posted:
PM this userVisit this user's homepageDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting reybr:
Quote:
It looks good. Imported 100 profiles without any problems. The plugin was disabled after all were imported
Great. Once again - team effort = do more in less time!

Just finished a test - imported 2600 profiles with no errors. Now running the refresh to see what kinds of UPCs fail and why. It is usually because of incorrect locality. Since new uesrs are most likely to be using this, I'm trying to minimize the amount of manual work required. On the other hand, if I don't hurry up and get it released, there won't be any more need for it! 
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantRooster6975
Registered: May 27, 2007
Posts: 175
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Hi Mediadogg,

Sounds good.  A few questions :

1). As a DVDSpot refugee, I have my exported list which starts with the UPC.  I have already noticed (as mentioned by other users) that there is no leading zero.  Should I manually add this in (or write a quick Excel or 123 script to do so), or will the plugin realize there is no leading zero and match it anyway?

2).  I still have my DVDProfiler account from the 2.x days which is very out-of-date (since I switched over to DVDSpot to avoid having to use a local client).  I would guess I have 300 of 500 DVDs in that account.  If I import with your eagerly-anticipated plugin, will it account for dupes?

Thanks for your efforts, looking forward to testing it out.

DD.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantMotel Hell
Registered: October 3, 2008
United States Posts: 34
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
If I don't pay the $30, until I do, I have to enter them by hand??
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantEPKJ
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 52
Posted:
PM this userEmail this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting Mark Harrison:
Quote:
Like I said, I prefer this software.  But let's not pretend it's perfect and everything else is rubbish.


Everything else is pretty much rubbish. DVD Profiler can always be improved, but there is not one single program out there which is more flexible and complete a system of keeping track of a DVD collection. Any system which exists solely online is vulnerable to disappearing at the whim of its creator. Only a true database could ever hope to compete with DVD Profiler. The fact that Ken makes money from this product is testament to its quality. Based on what DVDSpot users are saying, I doubt even one of them would have payed to support that product. DVDSpot was a decent online system of keeping track of DVD's and statistics regarding them. Had it been a real database, it might have offered competition for DVD Profiler. But it did not offer a real database and so was relegated to second rate status.

Anyone who chooses a free catalog system over a pay system is foolish. As Robert A. Heinlein wrote, TANSTAAFL!
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,396
Posted:
PM this userVisit this user's homepageDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting Motel Hell:
Quote:
If I don't pay the $30, until I do, I have to enter them by hand??
That question has just been answered a couple of posts ago. You can enter them, but as soon as you exceed 50 profiles, certain features of the program will become unavailable - just two examples: hgih resolution cover images and plugins. See the home page for a complete description.

@Rooster:
(1) I'm usimg exactly whatever comes out of DVDSPot. No need to change it - er well, you have to unzip the file ... 

(2) Not sure what format your 2.4 export is. I do support what Mark Harrison calls 2.4 format in his CSV Export tool - is that it? If so, good deal. Dupes will NOT (correction) overlay the existing profile, but will be noted in the log and selected fields displayed in the BulkEdit datagrid. You have the option of selecting rows for update and overlaying the changes using Save Validated Changes. The only issue is the personal info, since you can always get the master profile from Invelos download.
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,396
Posted:
PM this userVisit this user's homepageDirect link to this postReply with quote
**** Long Post - Please Do Not Quote - It will Change 16 billion times - thanks ***************

Ok, I promoted BulkEdit to Version 1.0, and it is now available. It has been enhanced to support CSV Import from plugin CSV Export and DVDSpot. I will only describe the DVDSpot stuff here. Other BulkEdit details will be discussed in that thread.

Field Mapping (Updated as of V1.03)

The header is as follows:
upc,title,custom_title_sort,rating,review,source,price,owned,owned_date,owned_custom,watched,watched_date

Thanks to FredLooks and Cyclograph for coming up with the following mapping:

upc is a 12-digit UPC with no locality: locality is guessed using the GS1 Country Codes (thanks Mithi!)
title -> Title and embedded Production Year will get overwritten by refresh.
custom_title_sort -> sort_title
rating (0-50) is divided by 5 and mapped to Review-Movie
review is a general text field - > Notes
source is a general text field -> Purchase Place (Retailer)
price is amount paid -> Purchase Price (always USD)
owned_date -> Purchase Date
owned_custom text field associated with purchase -> Appended to Notes as an XML field <PurchaseNotes>
watched_date is the last date watched: A watched event is created with user = "Unknown User"

IF owned=1 then Profile is put into Owned
IF (source !="" OR owned date later than 01/01/1900) AND owned=0 then Profile is put into Ordered
Otherwise Profile is put into Wish List

Step-by-step cookbook to import DVDSpot files

(1) Install the BulkEdit plugin - note that Net 2.0 is required

(2) Unzip the DVDSpot export.

(2) Open a new database in Profiler. If you know all the Retailers (Sources) you need, then you should define them ahead of time (Tools/Edit Retailers). The spelling should be exact.

(3) Select BulkEdit from the Tools menu. You only need to check one field for display - Purchase Place. Profile ID is always visible. You can check any other fields you want - but it slows things down quite a bit. (Edit: You might also want to make Locality visible, as in V1.02, the Locality can be edited before doing the refresh step).

(4) Select File-> Load CSV and Validate. Pick your file and click OK. Leave the delimter dialog box options as default. If all goes well, you will create profiles at the rate of 1 profile every 1-3 seconds.

(5) When finished, view the log and note any errors. Verify that the correct number of profiles were discovered and processed. Handle any problems - report any bugs here. All your personal data will have been saved in the newly created profiles, EXCEPT Purchase Places. Now select View My Purchase Places. If there are any on the list that you forgot, you will need to add them before running the bulk update - otherwise you will get nasty errors.

Edit: Version 1.02 adds the ability to edit Locality. So, if you see obvious locality errors, you can change them at this time to prevent download errors during refresh. Once again - your purchase places (aka Retailers aka Sources must be up-to-date in the database).

(6) Click out of BulkEdit (the results will be saved for you). Notice that all the added profiles have been flagged (any that haven't indicates a program bug - please report it). So now, select Collection/Flagged/Refresh. You have the option now to download all the profile data from Invelos. At the complettion of this step, you are done, unless you have Purchase Places in your profiles, or unless you have locality mismatches. You can fix locality mismatches using "Change locaility" on the Profiler DVD menu.

(7) To load Purchase Places, go back into BulkEdit - your stuff is still there, including the Purchase Places column. Verify that the Purchase Places are highlighted (which means they are scheduled to be updated). If not, right click and select that row for updating. Then select Save Validated Changes. View the log when done - just to make sure.

Notes:

(1) Edit: Actually, I think the problem with embedded commas may not happen anymore - deleted the warning. I'll wait to see what issues people have and adjust my advice from there.

(2) The processing loop has no "stop" button. At 20-30 profiles /minute, you can calculate how long it might take. As an example, it took almost two hours for a 2500 profile database. You can do things in chunks. New profles will just add to the database.

(3) If you have no personal data, you might want to consider an alternative method, such as the UPC Import plugin.

(4) During the Invelos refresh (download fom the master database), you may get errors due to:
- network problems (a troubleshooting guide will appear automatically)
- "Locality" is incorrect for an otherwise valid UPC. Just bypass it. You can change the locality and re-download the exceptions at any later time.
- UPC is actually not in the database. This means that you, or somebody else have the opportunity to complete the profile, according to Invelos strict standards and contribute that profile for review by a panel of nail-chewing, rattlesnake eating, alligator wrestlers. After approval of your first contribution, you will consume massive amounts of beer or other indulgence!   

(5) Make sure that you have no duplicate UPCs - they will overlay one another. If you don't know the UPC, leave the field totally blank, and a temporary UPC will be created for you, and a "Manual Profile" will be created which you can update later.

Ok, good luck.
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorWinston Smith
Don't be discommodious
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 21,610
Posted:
PM this userEmail this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Good job, dogg.

Skip
ASSUME NOTHING!!!!!!
CBE, MBE, MoA and proud of it.
Outta here

Billy Video
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantMark Harrison
I like IMDB
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: Great Rating
United States Posts: 3,321
Posted:
PM this userEmail this userVisit this user's homepageView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting skipnet50:
Quote:
Good job, dogg.

Skip


Agreed!!!
Get the CSVExport and Database Query plug-ins here.
Create fake parent profiles to organize your collection.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantAstrakan
Registered: Feb 12, 2000
Registered: March 28, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
Canada Posts: 1,299
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting skipnet50:
Quote:
Good job, dogg.

Skip

Yeah, fantastic work. And quick too. You're an asset to the community, that's for sure.

KM
Tags, tags, bo bags, banana fana fo fags, mi my mo mags, TAGS!
Dolly's not alone. You can also clone profiles.
You've got questions? You've got answers? Take the DVD Profiler Wiki for a spin.
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,396
Posted:
PM this userVisit this user's homepageDirect link to this postReply with quote
Thanks all. I benefit every day from the database and the amazing program. Just trying to give a little back. Eagerly awaiting actual results. Hoping for no major bugs.    (Edit: Wow, kind of overwhelmed by all the kindness - and on "pins and needles" until somebody reports success ...)
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorBad Father
Registered: July 23, 2001
Registered: March 13, 2007
Posts: 4,594
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
Thanks all. I benefit every day from the database and the amazing program. Just trying to give a little back. Eagerly awaiting actual results. Hoping for no major bugs. 


I'm surprised that you haven't received that second gold star yet because it's well deserved .
My WebGenDVD online Collection
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantCalebAndCo
Ralphie shot first.
Registered: October 6, 2008
United States Posts: 1,932
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
I am a DVDSpot refugee.

mediadogg:

DVDSpot allowed line returns in the Review field, which in my CSV file caused the data following to go to the next row.  I manually corrected my file, but does your plugin account for this as it could cause problems for some users?

I think it's great you put this together and I plan to utilize it later this week.

BTW (I'm sure you know, but for the others reading this) leading zeros are retained in the CSV file.  If you don't see them, the prg you are using is interpreting the data.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributordee1959jay
Registered: March 19, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Netherlands Posts: 6,014
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Quoting 8ballMax:
Quote:
Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
Thanks all. I benefit every day from the database and the amazing program. Just trying to give a little back. Eagerly awaiting actual results. Hoping for no major bugs. 


I'm surprised that you haven't received that second gold star yet because it's well deserved .


Hear hear! A joint user effort should be able to fix that... 
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantpauls42
Reg: 31/01/2003
Registered: March 13, 2007
United Kingdom Posts: 2,692
Posted:
PM this userEmail this userVisit this user's homepageView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Good job dogg.

I've given you a
Paul
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantxradman
Registered: June 17, 2002
Registered: March 14, 2007
United States Posts: 1,328
Posted:
PM this userView this user's DVD collectionDirect link to this postReply with quote
Posted the news on Bulletpointreview (DVD Spot Refuge Forum) and on DVD Talk Forum.  Good job, mediadogg.
My Home Theater
    Invelos Forums->General: General Discussion Page: 1... 3 4 5 6 7 ...13  Previous   Next