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    Invelos Forums->DVD Profiler: Desktop Feature Requests Page: 1 2  Previous   Next
What would be helpful to me
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DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantnetsapper
Registered: August 9, 2008
Posts: 4
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Gosh, there are a lot of feature requests.  I have gone through many of them and will keep going but here's what would be useful to me.

1.  Ability to disable plugins from outside the application or a configuration program seperate from the main program.  I have had plugins give me grief and it would be helpful to manage them without crashing.

2.  Import of cover images in definable formats.  If I have HD and LD covers, I should be able to import and manage them both.

3.  Ability to import any/all data.  I would like to be able to import data, for example, in the same format that I can export XML.  I would like to be able to import from text file or CSV, etc.  If  you have many, many titles editing them one at a time is extremely laborous and should be able to be automated.  The UPC import plugin is useful but you still have to touch every single title if you have more data than can be downloaded.  The bulk edit plugin does not support drag and drop or multi-cell update/paste.

4.  Ability to add trailers/links to trailers.  Even if the tralier is pulled from a DVD or is of my own creation/locally.

5.  Ability to download from other sources than IMDB.

6.  Ability to mass skip all non-downloadable content.   When I update images or profiles I should not have click the 'OK' button for every single error.  When data is not available it stops, prompts interactively and does not continue until the prompt is cleared.  It would be nice to have the option to supress errors and then maybe have a result log to explain (actually explain, not check internet connection) skipped content.

7.  I should be able to update profiles or images by criteria or delta from the last update.  Although I understand that I can create a filter, if I want to update a subset or a more manageable group I should be able to define it and update it without having to filter and unselect since unselecting is completely unintelligent.

8.  Ability to mass or definitively select in the collection list.  I would like to be able to [SHIFT] select or [CTRL] select in the collection menu to flag, group or define.

9.  Own more than one copy of a title.  I know others have asked but it's my two cents.  If I have more than one of a title, and I choose to loan it, I can still own and even lend, another.
 Last edited: by netsapper
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantMarEll
Registered: June 9, 2007
United Kingdom Posts: 1,208
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Some of these features may have been implemented in the new version (currently in beta, due for release in a couple of months) but I havent tried it yet so I dont know.

As for the trailers, there is a very good workaround using a html window.  Simply paste the code below into a html window and create a tag called 'ztrailer' with 3 child tags ('vob' 'wmv' and 'mov').

Quote:

<HTML>
<HEAD>

<SCRIPT TYPE="text/javascript">
<!--
<DP NAME="HEADER_VARS" Language="JavaScript" Comments="True" IncludeCast="False" IncludeCrew="False">
//-->
</SCRIPT>


<SCRIPT language=javascript>
window.onload = window_onload;
function window_onload() {
  var i;
  myloop: for (i = 0; i < DP_Tags.length; i++) {
    switch (DP_Tags[i]) {
      case "ztrailer/WMV":
        idPlay.href = "F:\\~Trailers\\" + DP_CollectionNumber + ".wmv";
        break myloop;
      case "ztrailer/MOV":
        idPlay.href = "F:\\~Trailers\\" + DP_CollectionNumber + ".mov";
        break myloop;
      case "ztrailer/VOB":
        idPlay.href = "F:\\~Trailers\\" + DP_CollectionNumber + ".vob";
        break myloop;
    }
  }
  if (i >= DP_Tags.length) {
    // Remove link if there is no trailer tag
    idPlay.removeNode(true);
  }
}
</SCRIPT>


</HEAD>
<BODY>

<A id=idPlay href="#">Play Trailer</A>

</BODY>
</HTML>


The bit in red you will change to the path of your trailers (note the double slashes).  Rename each trailer to the collection number it has in profiler, tag the profile with the trailer extension and away you go!

If all your trailers have the same extension its even simpler than that, if thats the case I'll modify the code if you want.

Let me know if I havent explained this very well.

As for request #8 I'm not sure I understand, are you aware you can flag profiles now?  Just highlight the profile and hit SPACE or goto collection-flags-show flag indicators.
 Last edited: by MarEll
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorWinston Smith
Don't be discommodious
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 21,610
Posted:
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Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
Gosh, there are a lot of feature requests.  I have gone through many of them and will keep going but here's what would be useful to me.

1.  Ability to disable plugins from outside the application or a configuration program seperate from the main program.  I have had plugins give me grief and it would be helpful to manage them without crashing.

2.  Import of cover images in definable formats.  If I have HD and LD covers, I should be able to import and manage them both.

3.  Ability to import any/all data.  I would like to be able to import data, for example, in the same format that I can export XML.  I would like to be able to import from text file or CSV, etc.  If  you have many, many titles editing them one at a time is extremely laborous and should be able to be automated.  The UPC import plugin is useful but you still have to touch every single title if you have more data than can be downloaded.  The bulk edit plugin does not support drag and drop or multi-cell update/paste.

4.  Ability to add trailers/links to trailers.  Even if the tralier is pulled from a DVD or is of my own creation/locally.

5.  Ability to download from other sources than IMDB.

6.  Ability to mass skip all non-downloadable content.   When I update images or profiles I should not have click the 'OK' button for every single error.  When data is not available it stops, prompts interactively and does not continue until the prompt is cleared.  It would be nice to have the option to supress errors and then maybe have a result log to explain (actually explain, not check internet connection) skipped content.

7.  I should be able to update profiles or images by criteria or delta from the last update.  Although I understand that I can create a filter, if I want to update a subset or a more manageable group I should be able to define it and update it without having to filter and unselect since unselecting is completely unintelligent.

8.  Ability to mass or definitively select in the collection list.  I would like to be able to [SHIFT] select or [CTRL] select in the collection menu to flag, group or define.

9.  [b]Own more than one copy of a title.  I know others have asked but it's my two cents.  If I have more than one of a title, and I choose to loan it, I can still own and even lend, another.[/b]


This can be done through phpProfiler, I believe. You are describing a business (video rental), of course a store should have more than one copy. This program is designed for such work, it is designed to be a personal library management program.  I understand your desire to use profile to operate a loan operation, it is cheap, but that is not its purpose and as i am sure you are aware programs designed for business purposes are a lot more expensive...justifiably so.

For more on this read the I'm Not Blockbuster in my signature

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

Billy Video
 Last edited: by Winston Smith
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorpdf256
PC, iOS and Android
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 810
Posted:
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Quoting skipnet50:
Quote:
Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
Gosh, there are a lot of feature requests.  I have gone through many of them and will keep going but here's what would be useful to me.

...
9.  [b]Own more than one copy of a title.  I know others have asked but it's my two cents.  If I have more than one of a title, and I choose to loan it, I can still own and even lend, another.[/b]


...
You are describing a business (video rental), of course a store should have more than one copy. This program is designed for such work, it is designed to be a personal library management program.  I understand your desire to use profile to operate a loan operation, it is cheap, but that is not its purpose and as i am sure you are aware programs designed for business purposes are a lot more expensive...justifiably so.

For more on this read the I'm Not Blockbuster in my signature

Skip

Skip, why do you think that anyone who owns more than one copy of something is running a business?

Many of us have had someone give us a copy of a DVD that we already have in our collection, I can think of no good reason why I should not be able to enter both copies into DVDProfiler.

pdf
Paul Francis
San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantpauls42
Reg: 31/01/2003
Registered: March 13, 2007
United Kingdom Posts: 2,692
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If you want to show two copies of a title - you could always just add something into the edition field along the lines of "Two copies".

Its the low tech solution..
Paul
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributornorthbloke
Registered: March 15, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
United Kingdom Posts: 5,459
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Except that's more of a workaround than a solution.
Doing something like that reduces your options on working with a profile. You only get one Watched, one set of location and slot fields etc.
And as more and more discs are "recycled" into different boxset releases, this problem is only going to get worse.
I can understand Ken's reason of limiting the discs to stop commercial use, but why only 1 copy? I think upping that to 5 would still prevent commercial use but allow us to deal with the duplicate copies in our personal collections.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorTomGaines
Registered Sept. 24, 2001
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
Germany Posts: 2,005
Posted:
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Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
1.  Ability to disable plugins from outside the application or a configuration program seperate from the main program.  I have had plugins give me grief and it would be helpful to manage them without crashing.

You can disable plugins from the outside when you unregister the plugin's DLL.

Quote:
3.  Ability to import any/all data.  I would like to be able to import data, for example, in the same format that I can export XML.  I would like to be able to import from text file or CSV, etc.  If  you have many, many titles editing them one at a time is extremely laborous and should be able to be automated.

I think that would bring more problems with it than one can imagine.
Quote:
The bulk edit plugin does not support drag and drop or multi-cell update/paste.

Sounds like a feature request for the bulk edit plugin.

Quote:
5.  Ability to download from other sources than IMDB.

Do you mean linking/searching in other sources? We cannot download from IMDb, which is a good thing.

Quote:
7.  I should be able to update profiles or images by criteria or delta from the last update.  Although I understand that I can create a filter, if I want to update a subset or a more manageable group I should be able to define it and update it without having to filter and unselect since unselecting is completely unintelligent.

I don't understand this. You are always updating deltas. From "Online->Refresh Updated Profiles From Invelos" you get all profiles displayed which have updates available and you did not update yet. With right-click->"Select None" you can deselect all first and then select only those you want update now. The rest will remain in the list for the next time. I highly recommend to preview and select changes beforehand and not blindly updating the profiles!


DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,460
Posted:
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Quote:
Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
3.  Ability to import any/all data.  I would like to be able to import data, for example, in the same format that I can export XML.  I would like to be able to import from text file or CSV, etc.  If  you have many, many titles editing them one at a time is extremely laborous and should be able to be automated.

I think that would bring more problems with it than one can imagine.
Quote:
The bulk edit plugin does not support drag and drop or multi-cell update/paste.

Sounds like a feature request for the bulk edit plugin.
@ netsapper: I wrote the BulkEdit plugin: maybe I'm not the best programmer, but it was hard - and it is far from finished. I think it would be very difficult to support arbitrary formats, such as text input. It needs to be structured. XML is as good as any. And if you have XML, you can convert that to CSV and vice-versa, just by passing through Excel.

I tell you, it is really frustrating after all that work to see someone find a "critical" flaw while the thing is still in beta, and in fact the feature requested has just been provided in a recent update (XML Import and multi-cell copy/paste). You certainly have a choice to use or not use any plugin, but to trash it inaccurately without even a discussion with the author is really unfair.

Edit: And I agree with Tom about being cautious with editing. I have implemented drop-downs and other methods in order to minimize (hopefully eliminate) the opportunity to corrupt or pollute the database.

So, for new profiles: XML import the personal info, then refresh from Invelos.
For existing profiles, BulkEdit with multi-cell copy/paste, find/replace.

If you try it, and find it lacking or buggy, please post your experiences in the BulkEdit thread.
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorTomGaines
Registered Sept. 24, 2001
Registered: March 13, 2007
Reputation: High Rating
Germany Posts: 2,005
Posted:
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I hope you are not refering to me. I feel like I have accidentally offended you when responding to the original poster. Or do you mean the remarks of the original poster?

Edit: After your edit it seems more like you are refering to the original poster. 


 Last edited: by TomGaines
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,460
Posted:
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Quoting TomGaines:
Quote:
I hope you are not refering to me. I feel like I have accidentally offended you when responding to the original poster. Or do you mean the remarks of the original poster?
Oh sorry, no I'm in total agreement with you - I botched the quoting - I'll fix it ... hang on for a few ...    - Edit: Ok, I think I fixed it. Sorry for the confusion. I'm watching the Olympics ... hard to concentrate ... women's diving ... 
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:
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Quoting pdf256:
Quote:
Quoting skipnet50:
Quote:
Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
Gosh, there are a lot of feature requests.  I have gone through many of them and will keep going but here's what would be useful to me.

...
9.  [b]Own more than one copy of a title.  I know others have asked but it's my two cents.  If I have more than one of a title, and I choose to loan it, I can still own and even lend, another.[/b]


...
You are describing a business (video rental), of course a store should have more than one copy. This program is designed for such work, it is designed to be a personal library management program.  I understand your desire to use profile to operate a loan operation, it is cheap, but that is not its purpose and as i am sure you are aware programs designed for business purposes are a lot more expensive...justifiably so.

For more on this read the I'm Not Blockbuster in my signature

Skip

Skip, why do you think that anyone who owns more than one copy of something is running a business?

Many of us have had someone give us a copy of a DVD that we already have in our collection, I can think of no good reason why I should not be able to enter both copies into DVDProfiler.

pdf


Call it a very healthy dose of skepticism.

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

Billy Video
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorWinston Smith
Don't be discommodious
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 21,610
Posted:
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Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
Quoting TomGaines:
Quote:
I hope you are not refering to me. I feel like I have accidentally offended you when responding to the original poster. Or do you mean the remarks of the original poster?
Oh sorry, no I'm in total agreement with you - I botched the quoting - I'll fix it ... hang on for a few ...    - Edit: Ok, I think I fixed it. Sorry for the confusion. I'm watching the Olympics ... hard to concentrate ... women's diving ... 

Are ypu creating profiles for the divers? Which checkbox?

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

Billy Video
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantnetsapper
Registered: August 9, 2008
Posts: 4
Posted:
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Wow, that seems like a whole lot of disappointment and hate for what I thought was trying to assist in the evolution of the product.  I certainly wasn't trying to bash anyone or the product; I like it so I use it.

So, no I am not a rental company or store; I just like movies.  Some people like cars and spend all their money on that, does that mean they only own one car?  In the past I bought a movie and got it as a gift; I am not going to throw it away just because I already bought it.

To mediadogg, your plug in is great and that was by no means trashing it.  I was under the supposition that many plugins were stop gaps to what isn't yet in the release of the program.  I would hope they'd incorporate your hard effort as an intrinsic function of the application.  But from my pedestrian perspective, since I want to update many titles individually that had a commonality, and I wanted to paste a block of data back to the app for posting.  Perhaps I am not using your plugin correctly but that doesn't mean I don't think including that type of functionality in a future release wouldn't be helpful to someone who buys the program.  I liked the fact that I could output my data in an XML format that the app understands; I was just surprised I couldn't import the same file back.

I also understand that there are many work-arounds and a lot of people have put a lot of effort and intelligence into this.  My point to all of these is that as the application improves there should be fewer work arounds.

Hey, if you don't like my ideas don't use them.  I paid for the app because I thought it was worth it and it's certainly heads and shoulders above the apps that I have home grown to manage my dvds.
 Last edited: by netsapper
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorWinston Smith
Don't be discommodious
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 21,610
Posted:
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Net:

I get duplicates sometimes, usually through my own stupidity, I think they make great Christmas or birthday presents...therefore i have no concerns with dupes. No hatred BTW only amusement.

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

Billy Video
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorWinston Smith
Don't be discommodious
Registered: March 13, 2007
United States Posts: 21,610
Posted:
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Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
Wow, that seems like a whole lot of disappointment and hate for what I thought was trying to assist in the evolution of the product.  I certainly wasn't trying to bash anyone or the product; I like it so I use it.

So, no I am not a rental company or store; I just like movies.  Some people like cars and spend all their money on that, does that mean they only own one car?  In the past I bought a movie and got it as a gift; I am not going to throw it away just because I already bought it.

To mediadogg, your plug in is great and that was by no means trashing it.  I was under the supposition that many plugins were stop gaps to what isn't yet in the release of the program.  I would hope they'd incorporate your hard effort as an intrinsic function of the application.  But from my pedestrian perspective, since I want to update many titles individually that had a commonality, and I wanted to paste a block of data back to the app for posting.  Perhaps I am not using your plugin correctly but that doesn't mean I don't think including that type of functionality in a future release wouldn't be helpful to someone who buys the program.  I liked the fact that I could output my data in an XML format that the app understands; I was just surprised I couldn't import the same file back.

I also understand that there are many work-arounds and a lot of people have put a lot of effort and intelligence into this.  My point to all of these is that as the application improves there should be fewer work arounds.

Hey, if you don't like my ideas don't use them.  I paid for the app because I thought it was worth it and it's certainly heads and shoulders above the apps that I have home grown to manage my dvds.


Let me try and explain this one to you nets, and don't take it wrong. This isn't likely to EVER be possible within the program. There are many people who want to be able to Just post whatever data they have in whatever form they have it and from whatever source, including perhaps the single most inaccurate database there is; IMDb. We are DVDProfiler and we have Rules to how things are done and not done, and how you are to enter the data, including an absolute prohibition against using any outside database sources such as IMDB, TCMDb, pick your poison. You are absolutely correct about the amount of time that has been expended, to build a database of 300,000+ titles and to siimply allow someone to do a mass import of inaccurate data and undo hours and hours and hours of work would be simply silly. Think about it, IMDb has been created and iyt has its fans despite its gross inaccuracies, besides the illegality involved in using a third party Dbs data, since IMDb or whatever database you might wish to discuss, has already been created if all we are going to do is clone it then there would be absolutely no need for profiler we could all simply use IMDb. Welcome to our little asylum and by all means contribute whatever you wish but follow the Rules.

Pleas also remember that when you speak of things such as commonality and such, they are usually commonalities to you. But our Online database must serve 500,0000+ users, not simply you, therefore the rules must be followed for Contributions, the places for the things to which you are likely referring to belong only in your local database, which BTW when you upload it, all users who wish to look at it, will see the data in YOUR form.

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

Billy Video
 Last edited: by Winston Smith
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,460
Posted:
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Quoting netsapper:
Quote:
To mediadogg, your plug in is great and that was by no means trashing it.  I was under the supposition that many plugins were stop gaps to what isn't yet in the release of the program.  I would hope they'd incorporate your hard effort as an intrinsic function of the application.  But from my pedestrian perspective, since I want to update many titles individually that had a commonality, and I wanted to paste a block of data back to the app for posting.  Perhaps I am not using your plugin correctly but that doesn't mean I don't think including that type of functionality in a future release wouldn't be helpful to someone who buys the program.  I liked the fact that I could output my data in an XML format that the app understands; I was just surprised I couldn't import the same file back.
Hey, no worries! Just a cranky ol' plugin guy. In fact, BulkEdit was an attempt to straddle the type of requirement that you have, and the legitimate concerns that this community has about the integrity of the database. I wanted to make something cool, but I didn't want to upset anybody. Skip and I have different ways of expressing it, but the objective is the same: to preserve one of the most valuable attributes of the DVD Profiler "system" - the quality of the database.

Ok, back to my Olympics Plugin (to be released April 1, 2009  ).

That being said, come on over to the BulkEdit thread when you have time. I'll be posting some ideas that I think will help in the future (e.g. an Excel macro that takes the output of BulkEdit Excel Export, spits it back out in Profiler format, then re-import via BulkEdit. Everything is available now, except the macro.) (Further edit: also, I think you might see other plugins in the future along these lines - others are working on the concept ...)
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
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