Request for Transformer Spreadsheets and/or Databases

[jaydisc]

Some of you might remember a discussion I sparked on the old board about databasing our collections and might remember me promising to do all these wonderful things regarding building a web application for collectors to use. You've probably since thought, "bah... that jaydisc overpromised and underdelivered..." You'd be partially right, but I'm happy to say that I've made great leaps and bounds and I'm hoping to open up a version for you guys to play around with and test in the next week or two.

The primary basis of the software is to maintain one central library of Transformers and collection-related items. Each user can then have their own collection and easily add items from this central library thus saving themselves a great amount of data entry.

For my first release, editing and adding to the library will NOT be made available to users. However, providing a mechanism for users to recommend and approve library changes is the first feature that will be added after the initial release.

So, because Library edits and additions will not be made available, I need to have this initial database as well populated as possible for the first round of testing. So, I am putting a request out to all of you who might use spreadsheets or databases to provide me with what you use so that I can filter through that to provide the initial contents of the library.

So, if you have a spreadsheet or a database that you can export and are happy to share it with me, please grab me on AIM or MSN (see my profile) or PM me for my email address.

Thank you!

[iceburn]

hihi....

i think this could be addressed to griffin, gok, demonac, dirge, tiby and other collectors that already have a massive database.

jay, paul and i were talking about it on Monday again and it's come to my mind that something needs to be done about it soon.

currently, i'm more than happy to get a simple list of toys/merchandise (be it Hasbro, Takara or whoever) that's been released since G1 till present day. i'll be happy to do a compilation of whoever has supplied it and come up with a generic one for starters.

please help as i'm sure this will benefit the community and who knows...it may be a point where we can use it as a standalone as well as shared software in Ozformers. It can also become a revenue (when fully developed) to maintain the board....

so pls pls email me your list (minus your expenditure on the item or other details that is deem as a privacy issue). thanks

[JuzMel]

I use an excel spreadsheet for the moment. Each category like G1, Movie, Animated, Classics etc is seperated by different worksheets in the same spreadsheet. Ah it's hard to explain, I can email you mine when I get home tonight...

[kup]

I am going to have to start with keeping records of not so much what figures do I have but what accessories I need/have.

I have made the mistake in the past of not buying something because I thought I already had it or buying something that I alread had particularly when it comes to combiner/Gestalt team accessories.

[GoktimusPrime]

Like mel I just use an excel spreadsheet. A whoppingly massive spreadsheet, but yeah... it's just a regular excel file. :p

[Soundwarp]

Wow, i have just done most of my collection on a spreadsheet.
I'd be more than happy to do it again if there was one for us all to use, only problem is i diddn't understand a word you said :o

[iceburn]

Like mel I just use an excel spreadsheet. A whoppingly massive spreadsheet, but yeah... it's just a regular excel file. :p


Wow, i have just done most of my collection on a spreadsheet.
I'd be more than happy to do it again if there was one for us all to use, only problem is i diddn't understand a word you said :o

haha...i just need a list of figures right from the beginning to create the database....so this request is about asking you guys to email me your excel spreadsheet (minus all the sensitive details) leaving those generic ones so that i can compile it all together.

Soundwarp..hope that helps..mind my language too
i talk Singlish you know

[Saintly]

how about just sharing an online spreadsheet via Google Docs?

http://spreadsheets.google.com

[Paulbot]

Iceburn, I sent Jaydisc a list of the US G1 toys. If you want I can send it on to you.

You could also the Checklist that the Hasbro have (had?) on their website which I think goes up to the first year of Cybertron.

Edit: List attached. Has some Beast Wars toys included too

[iceburn]

yeah...if you could send me yours...Demonac has send me his..so i'll just compare.
i've looked on the web and some list are reliable, some aren't. so i rather trust local fan's list.

[Paulbot]

List attached above

[jaydisc]

Hey Icey,

I've slapped together a very simple editor last night. Everyone here is welcome to have a play. If we can get something like this populated, then allowing people to build their own collections off it is the next step.

http://collecting.thepracticeofcode.com/library/
Username: otca
Password: TESTER

[iceburn]

Hey Icey,

I've slapped together a very simple editor last night. Everyone here is welcome to have a play. If we can get something like this populated, then allowing people to build their own collections off it is the next step.

http://collecting.thepracticeofcode.com/library/
Username: otca
Password: TESTER

ahh that's fine...i can start populating some then
Note: access is case-sensitive

[Saintly]

looks simple and effective :)

ummm JD, is it possible to retain the view position on the left? as everytime a link (on the left) is clicked on, it refreshes both frames

[jaydisc]

Hey Saintly, it's not a framed layout, so the entire page is reloading. I basically grabbed a chunk of code from another CMS, so this won't be anything permanent. Just more of a showcase to show what's possible. I won't subject you to anything like that for the finished interface :)

Icey, don't do anything permanent yet, as the whole world has access to destroy your work (please don't World :)). I think I was more hoping to discuss the fields and make any good suggested improvements. Then, I'll make it read-only to the public and we can start pumping in real data.

[iceburn]

ahh ok..then i'll just start with what i have...

[edit]
jay, do you think you are able to popular the existing data in a table at each high level node? e.g. Transformers > Hasbro [+]

when i click the + sign...it allows me to add a new level e.g. Generation 1 (but since this exist and I or the system should already know) but it would be nice to know what's not been added yet before getting any system prompt that it exist.

just a thought

[Saintly]

Oh ok :)

a point to note... the "Notes" field acts very differently in Chrome (grab and re-scale)

[Borgeman]

just thought id add a very important feature at the bottom of the list that was left out ;)

George

[Saintly]

just thought id add a very important feature at the bottom of the list that was left out ;)

George

ROFL!!

[jaydisc]

You forgot to add the Manufacturer and Class ;)

[kurdt_the_goat]

Off the top of my head, seems to be missing a year of release field?

[jaydisc]

Off the top of my head, seems to be missing a year of release field?

Added. Thanks.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Sweet!
Noticed you've added bundles as well.. this is a good idea, but choosing a transformer to add to a bundle will be a nightmare without some idea of which line + class it's from.

[Soundwarp]

:( Oh my simple head, i wanted to share but i don't know :D

[jaydisc]

Sweet!
Noticed you've added bundles as well.. this is a good idea, but choosing a transformer to add to a bundle will be a nightmare without some idea of which line + class it's from.

Added. Thanks again.


:( Oh my simple head, i wanted to share but i don't know :D

Don't worry Warp. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it'll get easier.

Also, to anyone else that might want to supply some data, I can do mass imports from spreadsheets if people want to provide them. But, it'd be great if the fields are close, or easily mappable to what I have so far.

[Sky Shadow]

Here's Bob Budiansky's contribution:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8774/p70800479vp.th.jpg (http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p70800479vp.jpg)

:p

[autobreadticon]

might seem irrelevant, but in my spreadsheet i have a column that lists the lowest discount price domestic retailer sell a toy for, wanna be hardcore and cross-link items to repaints by clicking on the cell

[iceburn]

thanks guys..all your info will be greatly appreciated.

[1orion2many]

I don't know if this site has been posted before but it has a large amount of checklists for TF's which can be converted into Excel, then it's just a matter of adjusting it to your preferred set out. http://www.figurerealm.com/BrowseFiguresChk.php