[DVDPedia] Handling box sets

[rast]

I remember some time ago there being a request for being able to handle box sets in DVDPedia. I've had a search and dont see anythingabout this now.

So before I add a request, I thought I'd ask here. Does anyone know if it is possible to add dvd box sets where the individual movies can be listed (and have an individual watch date)?

[Nora]

There is no dedicated feature regarding box sets in DVDpedia (it's on our feature request list for the future) but this is one way to get around it: you can enter the movies from the box set as independent entries but add a common title in the beginning such as "Stanley Kubrick Set - title of the movie". That way the movies will still be listed together when you sort your library alphabetically and you can keep the information for the individual DVDs (credits, borrowing info, etc.) separate.

In addition you can link the entries to each other so you'll see at a glance which movies 'belong together'. To link entries together, make sure you have the info view showing (if it's not there, use the 'I' button in the toolbar to bring it up), then select all the movies you want to link to each other, hold down the option key and drag them over the info view. The movies will automatically establish links between themselves; you'll be able to see them in the info view (depending on the template you have chosen) or access them through the edit window, links tab.

[Richard]

I was trying to enter the Dirty Harry box set for blu ray and was asking this question myself. Since it was on a feature request list almost a year ago I was wondering how it was coming? I see the work around but would like a better way to organize them.

Thanks.

[verdejt]

I Keep trying this but can't get it to work. I still have to manually copy and paste the links.

[Conor]

Where are you manually copy pasting links from? There should be no place that you can copy the links from.

[verdejt]

Open up the movie and select the Extra tab and at the botton there is a URL that is the link to the Amazon Database for the that movie. Then I open up the movie I want it linked to and then go to the links tab and add a new link and then type in the name and paste the link in.

[Conor]

The link you are creating is a different type of link to the one I was describing. Your adding a link from one of your movies to another movie at Amazon (that is the correct way to create those links). The link I am describing is a link from one of your movies to another one of your movies inside DVDpedia. After draging a few entries over the info view there should be links created that have a similar URL to these:

Code: Select all

dvdpedia://bruji.com/uid=178
dvdpedia://bruji.com/uid=187

Of course if you drag the current selected movie over itself a link will not be created since it would link to itself. Try it out without the option (alt key) and the links should be created from the current movie to the dragged movies. If that works, then try the option key and the reverse links should also be created.

[verdejt]

Okay for the galactially stupid which I obviously am which info view are you talking about. For instance I am working on James Bond Collection Volume 1 which has 7 movies in it. I have table view selected and the Box set displayed at the bottom. When I try click one of the 7 movies and try to drag it to the info view it displays that movie I am trying to drag to the box set. If I hold down the option key while doing this nothing happens. I am currently using the downloaded view template Matt. Again please help the Galactially stupid, Many thanks

[Conor]

Thank you for the longer explanation, it allows me to point you in the right direction. Select the 7 movies that go in the box set while holding down the command key (this will increment the selection). Now that you have all 7 movies selected, still holding down command, select the box set. So now you have the box set information in the info view but 8 items selected in the table. Now drag those 8 items over the info view. This should create a link from the box set to the 7 movies.

Holding down command select the box set again to unselect it. You have the 7 individual movies selected, holding down the option key drag them over the info view. This will link all 7 movies to each other (each movies will have 6 links).

These are just examples so you can see how the linking works, if you would like to include the box set in the links you can do so as well. To summarize in order to create an internal link at least two items need to be selected in the table view, the one that will be linked to and the one that will have the link.

[verdejt]

Conor I can't thank you enough. I swear I tried that but with the option key as was stated in the screen shot text. "When you link different entries to each other, make sure you hold down the Option key while you drag the entries over the info view. Otherwise the entries will only be linked to the entry that was selected last, i.e. the one showing in the info view. With the Option key held down though, the entries will automatically link themselves back to the other selected entries. " Thanks again

[Conor]

I am glad I was able to help. That is our fault that we haven't simplified the interface or streamlined the process. The hardest parts of creating a program is making it feel natural and easy to use; especially when the Pedias do so much, some of it can be tricky.

[verdejt]

I so enjoy your product. I have to keep a windoze server up and running anyway so I actually use both DVD Profiler on the Windoze box and now finally I have a great program that I can use on my iMac.

[PGW]

Frankly, I gave up trying to link the various movie titles and name of the boxed set they're in - the process described above either didn't work, or was so confusing and time consuming that it wasn't worth the trouble.

As a workaround, I've taken to listing them this way...

Mario Bava Collection 1
Black Sunday -> Mario Bava Collection 1
Black Sabbath -> Mario Bava Collection 1
The Girl Who Knew Too Much -> Mario Bava Collection 1
(etc.)

Then, in a comments field, I enter the word BOX next to the name of the boxed set, to differentiate it from the movies. If I search for "Mario Bava Collection," both the box and the movies it contains come up.

This is similar to what was suggested above, but I list the title first, since I'd rather have the titles of the individual films show up when I sort alphabetically.

I'm not sure what a tidy solution to this is, but I'd certainly like to see a feature that makes it easy to link and view boxed sets. Obviously, it's one of the few areas of the program that's not really worked out yet - along with a way to handle TV episodes and short films.

[DanW]

Obviously, it's one of the few areas of the program that's not really worked out yet - along with a way to handle TV episodes

Take a look at this thread for a plugin to deal with TV episodes.