[LightWaver-67]

I am curious if anyone knows where I could find DVD Catalog software that will allow me to "input" the ISBN code, have the app look-it-up in the online database and have it auto-fill the entry into my list...?

There's so much info to "hand-enter" into some of the apps I've seen at VersionTracker. That's the only place I've looked so far... that and I did a Google� search, but found nothing. I have tried:

� My DVD Library v1.2 - it works... but you must manually enter all the info... looking for something a little-more automated and ISBN Database-driven.

� DVD Shelf v1.2 - It has a lot more information that it tracks... but again... as far as I can see... it's all manual entry. No way to just type-in a code and have it retrieve all the pertinent data online.

� Readerware - This is used for books... it "supposedly" can be used for movies... but for the LIFE of me, I cannot get it to work. Drag & Drop URLs wasn't working, and manual look-up uf DVD ISBN codes always yeilded no results.

Any other suggestions...? Are there any developers out there that think this is an "Easy" app to put together...? I'd EASILY pay $7-$12 for this app if it had the functionality I needed to track my DVDs (just starting to exceed 100 of them).

Thanks.

- Scott

[Adam Betts]

You're not the one. I just downloaded My DVD Library today and it got some potential but the author is hard-headed. He's not gonna to improve DVD Library based on people's comment. He is doing it just for himself only.

RealBASIC or FileMaker app really suck though.

Someone should write a decent cocoa app or sherlock/watson plug-ins that catalog DVD movies the simple and powerful way.

My DVD collections is over 200 and counting

[LightWaver-67]

CAUTION!!! : Potential Stupid Question Alert - Read with CAUTION!!!

Okay... I am not a developer by ANY means... the closest I've gotten to "writting code" has been hand-coding HTML, modifying JavaScripts for my own use, and Macromedia's "Lingo" for Director.

Having said that... how hard is it to "learn" to make an Application like I am describing...? Would it take me days, weeks or months to get to the point where I could even ATTEMPT to build this kind of application...?

Although I never applied myself as a developer... I know i have the "mind-set" for solving problems and writting code. I used to love dabbling in Lingo� when I got the chance.

Is this something better-left to the "Real" developers, or is it something a "newbie" like myself can attempt...?

- Scott

[MrBS]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:
CAUTION!!! : Potential Stupid Question Alert - Read with CAUTION!!!

Okay... I am not a developer by ANY means... the closest I've gotten to "writting code" has been hand-coding HTML, modifying JavaScripts for my own use, and Macromedia's "Lingo" for Director.

Having said that... how hard is it to "learn" to make an Application like I am describing...? Would it take me days, weeks or months to get to the point where I could even ATTEMPT to build this kind of application...?

Although I never applied myself as a developer... I know i have the "mind-set" for solving problems and writting code. I used to love dabbling in Lingo� when I got the chance.

Is this something better-left to the "Real" developers, or is it something a "newbie" like myself can attempt...?

- Scott

The front end shouldn't take that long at all, building a database would take just under forever.
~BS

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by MrBS:


The front end shouldn't take that long at all, building a database would take just under forever.
~BS

Yes... but what if it already EXISTS (which it does)...?

There are other apps looking-up ISBN codes for books... Just like the CDDB is available for Audio CDs... there's GOT to be a source to "tap-into" for DVD data. I know it exists... I just don't know how to "access" the info.

Me know nothing... me not dat bright...

[MrBS]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:


Yes... but what if it already EXISTS (which it does)...?

There are other apps looking-up ISBN codes for books... Just like the CDDB is available for Audio CDs... there's GOT to be a source to "tap-into" for DVD data. I know it exists... I just don't know how to "access" the info.

Me know nothing... me not dat bright...

If it already exists (which I'm not sure it does) in a useful form (and it's something you can get access to) then making the rest of it would be really simple. You'd just need to grab, parse then save the info. Add the ability to delete and search and you're done. I haven't used interface builder at all but it would probably let you make it look nice with a minimal time investment. The main sticky point is the database, if it has all the information you want (do you want year of release? running time? actors? title? genre? summary? special features? number of discs?) and if they give you free reign to it.
~BS

[tobster]

I've been in the process of making my own DVD catalogue app with a feature I needed (a list of people I lend my discs to so I don't loose them). This ISBN thing idea hit me some time ago but I didn't think more of it as my coding capabilities in this area are limited. I made the app in Real Basic already but have been thinking about making a cocoa version. I'll research about that ISBN idea and see if I can figure something out.

- tobs

[tobster]

Oh, by the way, I think the ISBN equivalent for DVDs is ASIN number.

- tobs

[tobster]

Oh, and one more thing, sorry. I remembered there was some cataloging program for dvds, cds and such which searched the internet by using the bar code.

ReaderWare

Haven't tried it myself, might suit you.

- tobs

[sunriser]

The best DVD cataloguing software i know is a windows-only software named DVD Profiler.

For now they don't plan to make a mac version because of the language they used to program it. (it's not available for the mac )

But maybe someone can make a simple clone that just connect to their server to upload/dowanload the datas... I'm not a programmer myself buut it should be quite simple if the protocol is. Who will try?

[Adam Betts]

Originally posted by tobster:
I've been in the process of making my own DVD catalogue app with a feature I needed (a list of people I lend my discs to so I don't loose them). This ISBN thing idea hit me some time ago but I didn't think more of it as my coding capabilities in this area are limited. I made the app in Real Basic already but have been thinking about making a cocoa version. I'll research about that ISBN idea and see if I can figure something out.

If you made the cocoa version, I would be glad to help you on the graphics side for free

I just need a decent cocoa DVD Catalog that does cataloging the simplest and powerful way. DVD Profiler can be powerful but extremely ugly!

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by tobster:
Oh, and one more thing, sorry. I remembered there was some cataloging program for dvds, cds and such which searched the internet by using the bar code.

ReaderWare

Haven't tried it myself, might suit you.

- tobs

Did you READ the original post...?

hehehe...

Yes... tried ReaderWare... could not get it to work for DVDs. Went through the tutorial, tried mucking with it for about 20 minutes then gave-up. If it takes that long to figure-out, it's not that useful a tool IMHO.

[tobster]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:


Did you READ the original post...?

hehehe...

Yes... tried ReaderWare... could not get it to work for DVDs. Went through the tutorial, tried mucking with it for about 20 minutes then gave-up. If it takes that long to figure-out, it's not that useful a tool IMHO.

Well, yes I did read it, the problem lies with me not putting the right name in. ReaderWareVW is the prog for videos. I don't like it though. Ugly as hell interface.

I am up to my neck in school and work right now but in two weeks I should be able to look into making a cocoa version. Not too good in cocoa though so it might be a while

- tobs

[sunriser]

Originally posted by tobster:
I've been in the process of making my own DVD catalogue app with a feature I needed (a list of people I lend my discs to so I don't loose them). This ISBN thing idea hit me some time ago but I didn't think more of it as my coding capabilities in this area are limited. I made the app in Real Basic already but have been thinking about making a cocoa version. I'll research about that ISBN idea and see if I can figure something out.

- tobs

So maybe you can send your ISBN requets to the DVD Profiler servers to get the full listing? Like that, we'll get a pretty interface with the database of dvd profiler

Anyway, it worth talking to them anyway...

Who's volonteer?

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by tobster:


Well, yes I did read it, the problem lies with me not putting the right name in. ReaderWareVW is the prog for videos. I don't like it though. Ugly as hell interface.

I am up to my neck in school and work right now but in two weeks I should be able to look into making a cocoa version. Not too good in cocoa though so it might be a while

- tobs

AHA! User error prevails again...!!! I bet if I took the time to READ the website, I would have downloaded the right version. "D'Oh!"



Either way... looking at the "Book" version, it was a bit-much... too much going-on.

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by sunriser:



So maybe you can send your ISBN requets to the DVD Profiler servers to get the full listing? Like that, we'll get a pretty interface with the database of dvd profiler

Anyway, it worth talking to them anyway...

Who's volonteer?

I will go on the record as saying... PERSONALLY... I'd be willing to pay a ShareWare fee for an application that allows the functionality of "My DVD Library" with the ease of data entry by using the ISBN lookup.

Anyone willing to make the effort... I think there would be LOTS of people who would use such an app. (Sorry Eric... I don't mean to circumvent YOUR application... it's GREAT!)

Keep me (us) posted if any of you plan on attempting this undertaking.

[sunriser]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:


I will go on the record as saying... PERSONALLY... I'd be willing to pay a ShareWare fee for an application that allows the functionality of "My DVD Library" with the ease of data entry by using the ISBN lookup.

Anyone willing to make the effort... I think there would be LOTS of people who would use such an app. (Sorry Eric... I don't mean to circumvent YOUR application... it's GREAT!)

Keep me (us) posted if any of you plan on attempting this undertaking.

I second that... ready to pay for such app

[Adam Betts]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:
I will go on the record as saying... PERSONALLY... I'd be willing to pay a ShareWare fee...

I third! If people are able to afford DVD then they can afford shareware fee as well!

[sunriser]

so who gonna start?

I can help talking with the dvd profiler guys.

now we must find a programer and a graphic/UI designer...

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by sunriser:
so who gonna start?

I can help talking with the dvd profiler guys.

now we must find a programer and a graphic/UI designer...

Well... I'm a graphic/UI guy.

Although there isn't much UI stuff up there yet, you can see the "beginnings" of my portfolio site:

My stuff

[sunriser]

we are two...

who will program it?

[seb2]

sorry if i'm a little thick... you want the app to import the track *names* from some sort of database?

or do you want it to keep track whom you gave your dvds to?

i happen to have written a small app that indexes cds (reads id3 tags and archive contents, as well) (http://www.sebastian-krauss.de/software/ -- look for "locator"), so if you tell me exactly what it is you want... why not?

oh, i'd have to disappoint you with one thing: i won't take your money. it'll stay freeware.

btw: *is* there a freely accessible database on the net with all the info?

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by seb2:
sorry if i'm a little thick... you want the app to import the track *names* from some sort of database?

or do you want it to keep track whom you gave your dvds to?

i happen to have written a small app that indexes cds (reads id3 tags and archive contents, as well) (http://www.sebastian-krauss.de/software/ -- look for "locator"), so if you tell me exactly what it is you want... why not?

oh, i'd have to disappoint you with one thing: i won't take your money. it'll stay freeware.

btw: *is* there a freely accessible database on the net with all the info?

Track names...? We're talking about DVDs here.

The application in question would be able to store all the "Pertinent" information about any particular DVD; Title, Distributor, Rating, RunTime, etc... that it would "Grab" from an online database. It "could" also grab the cover-art, etc.

The user would simply 'add' a DVD by entering its ISBN code... the app looks-up that code from the online database and imports all the info FOR you. No manual entry required.

Sure... there would/could be features like keeping track of when & to whom you've loaned the DVDs, but overall the user could select what info he/she wishes to view when browsing their collection.

Basically.. it would be like Eric's "My DVD Library" application, but with ISBN look-up and possibly user-defined views of what they want to see.

- Scott

[tobster]

Well, my first DVD catalogue app did two things. Kept track of which DVDs I owned and also kept track who borrowed them (useful if 30 disks are away each time, sometimes only 25 get back).

The idea of having info on the DVD looked up on the internet was a distant one since I didn't know of a database to look up in.

Like I said, I'll sit down over this in some time when work and school slow down a bit.

Anyone feel free to start on some ideas behind the User Interface.

- tobs

p.s. I'm [email protected] in iChat if anyone wants to chat about this...

[Macrat]

If you check out ReaderwareVW, it appears it is pulling it's info from online stores. It in fact gives you the choice of several different sites, and grabs cover art. It has a horrible windows interface though.

[sunriser]

Originally posted by Macrat:
If you check out ReaderwareVW, it appears it is pulling it's info from online stores. It in fact gives you the choice of several different sites, and grabs cover art. It has a horrible windows interface though.

ReaderwareVW is not close to be usable...
[list=1][*]it's in _bad_ java because it's to slow to be used (see limewire how much time it took them to make their java app [*]they look at US commercial site who left all others users with no luck... not a solution...[/list=1]

Originally posted by tobster:
Well, my first DVD catalogue app did two things. Kept track of which DVDs I owned and also kept track who borrowed them (useful if 30 disks are away each time, sometimes only 25 get back).

The idea of having info on the DVD looked up on the internet was a distant one since I didn't know of a database to look up in.

Like I said, I'll sit down over this in some time when work and school slow down a bit.

Anyone feel free to start on some ideas behind the User Interface.

Can i start talking to the DVD Profiler guys to see if we have an option here? maybe you'll be able to hook their protocole in your app... (both export and import)

I'm sure they will want some kind of royalties or something... bahhh we'll see )

[Epicurus]

You can use the IMDB database, unfortunatly, you have to license it which could be quite cost prohibitive. Probably the best solution would be some kind of partnership with DVD Profiler's DB. It is proprietary and updated by it's users, so if there is licensing, it may not be very much. I would be willing to pay for an app like DVD profiler that is OSX native.

[OwlBoy]

http://www.antp.be/index.php?l=uk&z=5&c=3

a program that uses scripts to rip the info outta places like IMDB and dvd stores.

some of the scripts con be dounloaded separate, I cant tell what lang they use though...

-Owl

[OwlBoy]

Hmm, in my searching of sites for a Windows version I have found all they all do is search IMDB, dvdempire, etc.

So they download the pages and rip the info outta it and place it in a database, basicly.

Maybe someone should try that?

-Owl

[sunriser]

Originally posted by Epicurus:
You can use the IMDB database, unfortunatly, you have to license it which could be quite cost prohibitive. Probably the best solution would be some kind of partnership with DVD Profiler's DB. It is proprietary and updated by it's users, so if there is licensing, it may not be very much. I would be willing to pay for an app like DVD profiler that is OSX native.

that's exactly what i plan to do

Still waiting for a volonteer to start coding it... As soon i'm getting an ok from someone, I'll speak with DVD profiler...

i started the draft of the main window of the app... Lightwaver, i guess you can upgrade it big time

Let's make it for real!

i'm mchenry in iChat if you wanna iChat with me about it


btw how do i post images in this forum? the "image" button doesn't work with Chimera...

[Corys]

I have been playing around with this..using FMP since that is all I know (sorry, not a programmer).
with FMP's new XML capabilities you can easily pull XML data from the web. and import it into the database

here is a FMP sample using Amazons system. (FMP 6 required)
http://www.filemaker.com/xml/xslt_library.html

Amazon uses ISBN numbers for a lot of their products, unfortunately looking at just my collection of DVD's, some items aren't cataloged by ISBN, but rather Amazons ASIN number (which does you no good)..

it's a place to start.

anyone know if you can pull XML data from other places? I looked around IMDB and didn't see anything, same with Tower Records.

[sunriser]

Originally posted by Corys:
I have been playing around with this..using FMP since that is all I know (sorry, not a programmer).
with FMP's new XML capabilities you can easily pull XML data from the web. and import it into the database

here is a FMP sample using Amazons system. (FMP 6 required)
http://www.filemaker.com/xml/xslt_library.html

Amazon uses ISBN numbers for a lot of their products, unfortunately looking at just my collection of DVD's, some items aren't cataloged by ISBN, but rather Amazons ASIN number (which does you no good)..

it's a place to start.

anyone know if you can pull XML data from other places? I looked around IMDB and didn't see anything, same with Tower Records.

Well, FMP is not the way we are going. It's not... hmm... mac enough. cocoa is the way to go i guess (or maybe carbon?)

One more thing, getting from commercial sites is good only for dvd in zone 1.
It should (must?) be a user oriented database...

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by Corys:
I have been playing around with this..using FMP since that is all I know (sorry, not a programmer).

I hate being one to pre-judge anything... but the moment I see an application that is actually a FMP "app.", I dump it. I cannot stand the UIs people put on them.. I hate the "Made with FMP" ad... I just (for some reason) have a "thing" against FMP applets.

Every one I've ever downloaded and tried... I hated... not sure if I was being objective or biased... hard to tell... but either-way... the end-result was the same: "Delete"



- Scott

[sunriser]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:


I hate being one to pre-judge anything... but the moment I see an application that is actually a FMP "app.", I dump it. I cannot stand the UIs people put on them.. I hate the "Made with FMP" ad... I just (for some reason) have a "thing" against FMP applets.

Every one I've ever downloaded and tried... I hated... not sure if I was being objective or biased... hard to tell... but either-way... the end-result was the same: "Delete"



- Scott

Same here Scott...

Can't stand FMP from the very first versions...

[LightWaver-67]

OKAY...!!!

So, what's it gonna take to entice someone to take-this-on at full-speed...? I can send-in my $12 payment right now, if that'd help.

No, but really... is anyone here going to give this a "serious" shot...? or are we just 'discussing' this idea as a hypothetical...? It's not that I can't live my life without a DVD catalogging app... it's just that now that the idea is stuck in my head... I'm wondering if the idea is gonna sprout wings and take flight... or just stay grounded.

I wish I was a developer/programmer. I'd get it going... but I am "so-not-that"



Later...

[Adam Betts]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:
I wish I was a developer/programmer. I'd get it going... but I am "so-not-that"

You can build a sample preview of the GUI in Interface Builder then post it here. I bet it would be a big helpful to some programmers

One little note to programmers: I would be willing to pay the shareware fee *only* if it was written in Cocoa

[OwlBoy]

I put my vote in for paying for it too!

All the app needs to do is dl a page with the info on it, then search for the different items and copy those outta the pages source code to a database...

-Owl

[sunriser]

In an attempt to speed up things to get a programmer who will to work on the project, i'll post a topic on "OS X Developers".

I hope i'll get some responses

I'll contact also the author of "DVD Library". It seems a good start with a better GUI...

What else? hmm... ah yes i started to make a beginning of GUI with "Interface Builder" but i'm stuck when I want to add drawers... and i have a few problems with long choice lists. I have to think a little more about it...

[LightWaver-67]

Hmmm... where's MY interface builder...?

I don't remember being asked when installing 10.2 about installing the DevTools... can I just "add" them...? I'd like to take a "stab" at the UI.

Thnx.

[sunriser]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:
Hmmm... where's MY interface builder...?

I don't remember being asked when installing 10.2 about installing the DevTools... can I just "add" them...? I'd like to take a "stab" at the UI.

Thnx.

You can add them after your install...

that's what i did.

I made a 1st contact with DVD Profiler. Waiting for their answer...

[Adam Betts]

Originally posted by LightWaver-67:
Hmmm... where's MY interface builder...?

I don't remember being asked when installing 10.2 about installing the DevTools... can I just "add" them...? I'd like to take a "stab" at the UI.

Thnx.

Yeah you can install Interface Builder by install Developer Tool cd that came with your 10.2 retail box.

[sunriser]

No answer from "DVD Profiler" for now...

And not alot of answers in the "developer" forum neither

More soon...

[LordJavac]

I would be interested in helping this project (I am a programmer), but I need more information before I can commit. The three biggest issues are:

• User Interface
• Remote DVD Data source
• Local data storage

Most likely, the local library would be a PLIST XML file (or a directory with an XML file per DVD). The remote data source seems likely to be the biggest issue. I recoil at the thought of screen-scraping web sites for this. It sounds like the UI is likely taken care of.

[LightWaver-67]

Well... If I ever get-around to installing Interface Builder (the whole dev-tools bundle) on my 'puter, I can do some UI work when I'm done with my current project. I will be on this for about another week-or-so.

- Scott

[OwlBoy]

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=125401

more insentive for someone to make this program

-Owl

[sunriser]

We have a winner!

I think we finally found our programer!

LordJavac, i guess the biggest issue is the remove database and to be more precise, the way to fill it enough to be usefull... That's why i first though about the DVD Profiler database. It has a lot of users... But for now i can't get an answer from them...

Maybe i should bug them moe than that

More soon...

[sunriser]

Originally posted by OwlBoy:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=125401

more insentive for someone to make this program

-Owl

especially when the shareware fee can be based on an annual subscribtion to the online database

[LordJavac]

I'd like to see a list of what information people want for their DVDs. Let's start with the basics:

• Title
• Year
• Running Time
• MPAA Rating
• User Rating (not from remote database)
• Director
• Writer
• Cast
• Crew (?)

This looks very much like the information available on IMDB, perhaps we just need to link to there for more information. It seems a shame to duplicate the content on IMDB needlessly. Though for as small a collection as most people have (couple of hundred), it might not be too bad.

I'm beginning to think that a custom XML format would be better suited for stroing the DVD information. I think that seperate files per movie would be better as far as efficiency and for ease of downloading the data (if we create a new DVD database).

There has beens some discussion of a sort of checkout system for tracking loaned DVDs. This is a great idea (and a feature I'd like to have).

I assume that there is a desire for search capabilities (by title, year, rating and/or cast/crew). This would work best if the data were stored in an actual database rather than in files, but then you have to be running a db on your machine.

[sunriser]

Originally posted by LordJavac:
I'd like to see a list of what information people want for their DVDs. Let's start with the basics:

• Title
• Year
• Running Time
• MPAA Rating
• User Rating (not from remote database)
• Director
• Writer
• Cast
• Crew (?)

This looks very much like the information available on IMDB, perhaps we just need to link to there for more information. It seems a shame to duplicate the content on IMDB needlessly. Though for as small a collection as most people have (couple of hundred), it might not be too bad.

I'm beginning to think that a custom XML format would be better suited for stroing the DVD information. I think that seperate files per movie would be better as far as efficiency and for ease of downloading the data (if we create a new DVD database).

There has beens some discussion of a sort of checkout system for tracking loaned DVDs. This is a great idea (and a feature I'd like to have).

I assume that there is a desire for search capabilities (by title, year, rating and/or cast/crew). This would work best if the data were stored in an actual database rather than in files, but then you have to be running a db on your machine.

Well, you can add also all the specific dvd stuffs like:

• zone of the dvd
• langages availables and formats (DD, DTS and so)
• subtitles/cc
• format of the pict (4/3 or 16/9 anamorphic +ratio of the pict)
• bonus available
• number of discs

I may have forget some other things also

[Jordan]

Guys - little late in the thread here but....

I was thinking exactly this about a year ago. I thought to myself, if only there were something like CDDB for DVD's. Pop in a DVD, and it looks up the title and other pertinent info and records it in my library.

So I jumped on to the net and typed in www.dvddb.com. It seems like someone has registerd that site with the intention of doing something. (According to the limited info on the site.) Unfortunately, a year later nothing has materialised on the site.

Anyway, site is registered to a Nathan Shulman in Texas. Maybe you want to contact him and see where he's up to: [email protected]

Not sure if it helps or not. Just giving my two yens worth.