Must be a better way to add missing barcodes

Movies Movie Collector
1

I have been using you movies, music and books systems for many years. In the past as an ex-programmer, project manager, I have written multiple systems to record my Movies etc. As technology changed, they became outdated. I then came across you systems at such a reasonable price that I then invested my time in transferring my data into them.

My requirements were simple – have a list which allowed me to stop buying the same item twice and it needed to be on my PC/tablet and phone.

Of course your systems met those requirements easily. Your systems contain much more data that I am interested in, but I am sure they are of use to others. I am also aware of the complexity of ensuring the data in the core is relevant and accurate and the restrictions this may place on your systems.

Given the above, let me explain how I use Movies and the issues I have. All I need in my data is the name of the movie and its location. I add about 100 movies a week.

My preferred method is on the PC to use Add via barcode (I uses a barcode scanner). One click and information is displayed. Another click in Add fields to select location and I am finished. I also have the comments field displayed vis prefill option.

I am finding more and more often that DVDs are not found with this barcode process. I suspect that the versions available in Australia have not made it into you core as they are very new.

When this happens, the ‘barcode not found screen occurs’ At this point I can add the name of the DVD for search. A screen redesign could remove popup for type of movie ie single or set. This results in either it being found, not found or an error (do you know about this error, if not I can supply details).

If “found” I can proceed to add.

If “not found” I need to close down that process and return to the Add by name screen so I can select “add anyway” after typing the name in again (if I forgot to copy and paste). Sometimes the DVD is actually found and then I just use the normal add process.

“if error” then again back to “Add by name” screen. Many times this results in finding the DVD but with no barcode or a different one.

I would like a simple process to add my barcode to your core data so others will benefit. If I have time, I return to edit the DVD data record and add my barcode. The barcode field is not an option on the prefill add field. Is this a data integrity issue?

I rarely use the add to core option as I never know the URL ( I understand the need you to get accurate data but are you discouraging us end-users from helping?).

I assume that there must a data integrity issue for having these two options as I cannot think of a reason why you would not want the “Add Anyway” data to be also added to core, maybe you have a backend process to check on this. It would be good to have these options at the “not found stage” when adding by barcode.

For info I recently added a large number of commercial/government DVDs that did not have a barcode. Of course privately produced one do not have barcodes. Could there be a flag which indicates this?

The last issue relates to the name of the DVD. Often the DVD released here in OZ has a different name to what is in your core data and I don’t mean a name in a foreign language. The distributor has just called it something else. I need to have that name that I know the movie by. What I have to do is edit the movie and move the core data name to original name field and the enter my dvd data name as the correct movie name. Often the cover image does not agree with your core data name but with what I know it as. The prefill settings do not allow the Tile or Original Title to be displayed or edited. As you can change these in editing why not allow it to be changed at the Prefill Screen. Is this another Data integrity issue or an update/add process issue for the core.

I look forward to your comments

2

In most cases, if you are adding actual MOVIES on DVD, it would be very very rare that the movie itself is not in Core yet.
So the “Barcode not found” screen should let you find the movie, that add it that way. That process is THE way to go, because it also adds that barcode to our Core, with your selected Format.

I don’t think so. That popup is ESSENTIAL for presenting you with the next step of that screen.
That is, for a box set you need to select MULTIPLE movies.

If “not found” I need to close down that process and return to the Add by name screen

That should be quite rare, unless you are adding local documentaries, fitness videos, etc…

Sometimes the DVD is actually found and then I just use the normal add process.

That would be strange. If you can find a movies in the normal Add By Title tab, then you should be able to find it in the “Barcode not found” process too. Searches the exact same database.

“if error” then again back to “Add by name” screen. Many times this results in finding the DVD but with no barcode or a different one.

What is that “error” case?

I rarely use the add to core option as I never know the URL ( I understand the need you to get accurate data but are you discouraging us end-users from helping?).

Wow, that is a very old Report Missing page. Should not be used anymore.

What I am missing in your story, is the Submit to Core method. THAT is the recommended way to add missing movies (with their barcode) to Core.

Of course, there is no need to submit those to Core. Just add them to your own database.

3

Example of DVD Barcode Not Found.

DVD Name: Climate For Change

Barcode 810157460509.

I entered this barcode and it was not found.

DVD name was then entered for a core search which returned the name of a different DVD called “Climate For Change S1E1 Refuelling for change”. At this point I clicked on “Can’t Find Movie Report it missing here”. This brings up the Screen which requests the URL for the missing DVD. I entered the info but did not know the URL so entered the publisher “Dreamscape Media”.

At this point I have still have not entered the DVD into my catalogue. There is no option to “add anyway” in the “Unrecognized barcode” screen so back the normal Add Screen and then select Add by Title. Re-enter the name again. This search finds again “Climate For Change S1E1 Refuelling for change”. But I now have the option to “Add This Movie Anywhere” or “CLZ Core Report missing movie”. The “CLZ Core Report missing movie” option takes me to the same screen as before which required URL

Your reply “Wow, that is a very old Report Missing page. Should not be used anymore”. Not sure what you are referring to in this comment?

Example of Error

A barcode search for DVD “Lawmen Bass Reeves Season 1” did not find DVD. So then entered the name for a title search. This resulted in the following

Access Violation At Address 000000000087AEF5 in Module moviecollector.exe, read of Address 000000000000080.
At this point I went back to the normal “Add Title” Screen. Entered the name again and this time the DVD was found. I then checked what the barcode was recorded in the record but found none so I the entered the barcode 9305000084939.

Hope these example help.
Do want more examples?

4

Have you tried to just Add it Manually (from the Edit menu).
To be honest, I am not sure if DVDs like this would actually need to be in Core.
Adding it manually is always a good solution for rare DVDs like this.

I was referring to the “CLZ Core Report missing movie” page.

Access Violation At Address 000000000087AEF5

This could a bug in the legacy Movie Collector for Windows software.

Have you considered using the Movie Connect web-based software instead?