Card Collecting Software

WoobieZarz · May 18, 2012

ratsdm said:
I found this software a while back, havent had time to try the demo yet.

http://sportscardorganizer.com/index.htm

Lost me at $30 bucks. lol. Sorry.

Brian Lee said:
I am a Java web developer so I am familiar with the front end stuff, the back end stuff I know a bit but haven't really put much to practice. What about yourself?

Yeah nice!

I've done a fair bit in VB but not much in .NET. I wrote an app for work to log our IT calls, and have also done a couple of other projects.

WoobieZarz · May 18, 2012

The more I look at this one (Sports Card Collection), the more I DON'T like it. A few niggly things that annoy me.

The fact that it's 100% based around sports, and not just cards is horrible.

Oh, and if you upload a scan and it's landscape and not portrait, it doesnt rotate... Even if you rotate and save the scan (it turns it back around).

hobo · May 18, 2012

ratsdm said:
I found this software a while back, havent had time to try the demo yet.

http://sportscardorganizer.com/index.htm

Thanks for the link

IMO this one is much more user friendly than Sports Card Collector...........you can delete all the Sports, Player and Series listings and add your own, it seems pretty good.

However the 30 day trial ended the moment I closed and tried to reopen the application. $30 Mmmmm..... if you open the backend Access database you can reset the license expiry.........

Will continue adding a few St George PC items and see how good the fit is for me.

Cheers
Ross

WoobieZarz · May 18, 2012

hobo said:
Thanks for the link

IMO this one is much more user friendly than Sports Card Collector...........you can delete all the Sports, Player and Series listings and add your own, it seems pretty good.

However the 30 day trial ended the moment I closed and tried to reopen the application. $30 Mmmmm..... if you open the backend Access database you can reset the license expiry.........

Will continue adding a few St George PC items and see how good the fit is for me.

Cheers
Ross

Ha ha, good find!!! Has the potential to allow for some more tweaks, and potentially give you unlimited access!

ratsdm · May 18, 2012

hobo said:
Thanks for the link

IMO this one is much more user friendly than Sports Card Collector...........you can delete all the Sports, Player and Series listings and add your own, it seems pretty good.

However the 30 day trial ended the moment I closed and tried to reopen the application. $30 Mmmmm..... if you open the backend Access database you can reset the license expiry.........

Will continue adding a few St George PC items and see how good the fit is for me.

Cheers
Ross

Cheers Ross, I am interested in trying it let us know how you go.

WoobieZarz · May 18, 2012

Hey guys, I've changed the thread title, thinking it might be better as a whole, to have this thread about different software, rather than specific stuff.

Would you mind if I asked a question, just trying to get a better understanding from others really...

Q? What are some key features you look for in an application like these ones discussed already?
(ease of use, adding scans, exporting data & reporting, etc, etc).

Like what's a MUST for something like this.

Brian Lee · May 18, 2012

Sounds like you are doing a bit of requirements gathering... here's my needs:

- a default/suggested set of fields/columns, but should allow the user to add/delete/modify/order.
- a set of pre-defined reports, but also have an interface for users to generate custom reports
- a search function that allow the user to input search criteria with a form
- allow user to associate a row or a card to multiple scans (this is really just a hyperlink)
- a bulk input function, allowing input from comma-separated files (XLS) or an actual spreadsheet. It should also allow users to map columns to fields within the app
- the manual input form should have pre-populated drop down lists. The app should also provide partial loading, so that when selecting the year, the sets dropdown list will be populated accordingly.
- user should be allowed to enter a custom value instead of selecting from the pre-populated values
- the pre-population data should reside in an update-able file, so the user can always try to get the latest version hosted somewhere on the web
- keeping an audit trail, like changes made, price changes
- export function to xls

Hope these ideas help!!

hobo · May 18, 2012

Taz_Cardz said:
Ha ha, good find!!! Has the potential to allow for some more tweaks, and potentially give you unlimited access!

If you make changes you need to save the data.mdb file found at:C:\Sportscard Organizer 3 as a back up and then put in back in the working directory.

I'm off for a Friday arvo beer, will keep "playing " with this one as it seems pretty good.....can edit some of the field names to customise it a bit more to your needs.

Cheers
Ross

WoobieZarz · May 18, 2012

Brian Lee said:
Sounds like you are doing a bit of requirements gathering... here's my needs:

- a default/suggested set of fields/columns, but should allow the user to add/delete/modify/order.
- a set of pre-defined reports, but also have an interface for users to generate custom reports
- a search function that allow the user to input search criteria with a form
- allow user to associate a row or a card to multiple scans (this is really just a hyperlink)
- a bulk input function, allowing input from comma-separated files (XLS) or an actual spreadsheet. It should also allow users to map columns to fields within the app
- the manual input form should have pre-populated drop down lists. The app should also provide partial loading, so that when selecting the year, the sets dropdown list will be populated accordingly.
- user should be allowed to enter a custom value instead of selecting from the pre-populated values
- the pre-population data should reside in an update-able file, so the user can always try to get the latest version hosted somewhere on the web
- keeping an audit trail, like changes made, price changes
- export function to xls

Hope these ideas help!!

Dang, that's one chunky list!! ha ha. Some really cool ideas too! A fair few "advanced" features there too, well done!

I do like your idea on tracking changes, especially to values (with them going up and down, etc).

Bit of background on me, I've had an app going for years, seriously don't remember the time I had it going full-time, and now that I'm getting back into cards, I've dusted it off, and trying to work on it in my spare time.

It has the basics of adding any type of collection (sport/non-sport), and then adding cards per collection from there. I've wanted to, (but not yet done it), include a mass-import function. A down-side to including it, would be the mass-import of card scans per each card/collection. I'm looking at enhancements for the card scans at the moment, as I'm not happy with my old code (amazing what you pick up over years, and then see how "messy" things were back then).

At the moment, I can (in short);
* Add a custom collection, with cards (and scans), including details on paid prices, BVs if applicable, the types of cards (AU, GU, 1/1, etc), if they're a limited number, etc, etc
* Run .txt and .xls based reports for any collection which populates card totals, as well as identifying the totals of each type of cards, ie GU, Auto, 1/1 etc, etc
* Pretty much modify ANY field across the board, including adding new options (I call them Lookups) - so adding a new Brand, or Series, new types of cards, etc

I hope to get some screen shots up one day soon to show some people and get some feedback on it. I don't plan on selling it as an app, so when completed I'll be putting it up for download to anyone wanting a copy.

Essellohbeebeewhy · May 18, 2012

Cant the majority of this stuff all be done in excel? ive been trying some different things with Excel and its doing what i need it to. im using excel to track changes and tick off cards i get in. straight forward. i scan everything and just chuck it all in folders. i admire you guys for sticking with it and scotty i remember when first came on here you were tinkering with yours and was keen for some info....but you guys have gotta dumb it down..dont over think it half the stuff in Brian's list is like WHOA i cant see what you need all that stuff for plus excel does most of it anyway? i think what we all could use is something that incorporates excel and image viewer (no fricken H/link) click on ur excel name and bank it brings up a pic...sort of like putting excel on top of image view but getting excel to read from your images to then display it...yes i know hyperlink but its unreliable.

Brian Lee said:
Sounds like you are doing a bit of requirements gathering... here's my needs:

- a default/suggested set of fields/columns, but should allow the user to add/delete/modify/order. EXCEL
- a set of pre-defined reports, but also have an interface for users to generate custom reports EXCEL
- a search function that allow the user to input search criteria with a form EXCEL
- allow user to associate a row or a card to multiple scans (this is really just a hyperlink) EXCEL. HYPERLINKS ARE SH!TTING ME ATM
- a bulk input function, allowing input from comma-separated files (XLS) or an actual spreadsheet. It should also allow users to map columns to fields within the app WHY?
- the manual input form should have pre-populated drop down lists. The app should also provide partial loading, so that when selecting the year, the sets dropdown list will be populated accordingly. EXCEL FILTER
- user should be allowed to enter a custom value instead of selecting from the pre-populated values EXCEL
- the pre-population data should reside in an update-able file, so the user can always try to get the latest version hosted somewhere on the web EXCEL VIA BECKETT
- keeping an audit trail, like changes made, price changes GREAT IDEA!!!!!! CANT SEE EXCEL DOING THAT
- export function to xls

Hope these ideas help!!

You can make excel look how ever you want it to with spacing formatting of cells etc and colouring and merging cells etc etc but auditing gets tricky. You guys will be fricken genius if you can get that to work...im cheering for you both! i think the only problems with SCC is the pic issues and the inability to import an xls checklist by the sound of it..but then how do you know what you have and what you dont have?? again excel and the bold button become your friend. gee i hope someone nails this on the end with this app..come on you guys less reading more developing

Shaun · May 18, 2012

Has anyone played around with FileMaker pro? We use this in the warehouse I work at. It can be customized to suit your specifications. The one at work is all set up so thought if he a copy for my home pc to tinker with. I feel it may have potential, I have attempted to suit it up to suit my needs In the past but I really don't know what I am doing.

Essellohbeebeewhy · May 18, 2012

Shaun said:
Has anyone played around with FileMaker pro? We use this in the warehouse I work at. It can be customized to suit your specifications. The one at work is all set up so thought if he a copy for my home pc to tinker with. I feel it may have potential, I have attempted to suit it up to suit my needs In the past but I really don't know what I am doing.

send it to brian and scotty those boys know their biz....just do what i do, keep plugging away until the bludger works hahahaha

Brian Lee · May 18, 2012

slobby, I know most of that stuff can be done with Excel and that's exactly what I have at the moment.. a massive spreadsheet with buttons and VB code behind... but I am just trying to get Scotty to develop this ultimate card collection inventory program!!

on a side note, you are right... Excel is a very powerful tool that can do wonderful things and that's why most organizations keep lots of spreadsheets... the only problem is that when there are 1 million rows then it becomes too slow. So these new custom apps are written to make things scalable and create a better graphical user interface. But for the thousands of cards that we have, Excel will suffice.

WoobieZarz · May 21, 2012

Yeah, there's some real bonuses with Excel, but in saying that, not everyone has it. Oo's "Calc" whilst free, doesnt have the same feel to it the a M$ product.

I've used Excel for as long as I've collected (after starting back up when I started working 11 years), and it's certainly helped me out, it's just some functions (probably more-so seeing scans right then and there, instead of linking to somewhere on your PC).

Excel's reporting is probably not the best way to get figures out when you want them, rather having to spend time to manipulate the data in the spreadsheets in order to get those figures you're chasing.

Finding time to write more code is hard right now, so I'm struggling to get it further developed. I'm currently re-doing the card details screen, this is where you view the details of a particular card (sorry, it's kinda obvious huh, lol), and the next on my checklist is to be able to import a spreadsheet.

One thing about checklists, they're not all the same. They can contain different stuff from person to person. Beckett Checklists are usually a good start, as they usually contain the same fields;
Card/Set Description | Number | Player(s) | BV Low | BV High

So...
2004 Press Pass | 27 | Devin Harris | $1.00 | $2.50

If we used these fields, and say a "have" and a "want" field, we should be able to import the data into an app reasonably well.

I'll see what I can come up with.

Brian Lee · May 21, 2012

I think you only need one field to indicate if you "have" or "not have" a card, there wouldn't be a card in the database that you don't have that you don't want anyway. Unless you want to handle trade cards as well but then can have integers in the same field that map to different values or status in another table.

A_Iverson_I · May 22, 2012

Taz_Cardz said:
Yeah all good man. I'd love to try and write something for the web, but in saying that, there's always a negative to every attempt (ie, you HAVE to have an internet connection to use it, etc).

I now recall this program I use.. http://www.invelos.com/dvdpro/Info.aspx

Looks like they use an online database for their program.

WoobieZarz · May 22, 2012

Brian Lee said:
I think you only need one field to indicate if you "have" or "not have" a card, there wouldn't be a card in the database that you don't have that you don't want anyway. Unless you want to handle trade cards as well but then can have integers in the same field that map to different values or status in another table.

Ah yeah, good point. I'm gonna try and get a look at the app today. Building up a new DR Server at work, and in between tasks, I MIGHT find some time to get a look-in. Just depends on what else comes through the door. Had a long weekend, so usually something happens when I'm not in (Murphys Law!).

A_Iverson_I said:
I now recall this program I use.. http://www.invelos.com/dvdpro/Info.aspx

Looks like they use an online database for their program.

Oh nice! I had something once to keep track of my DVDs, then I broke it when I tried to link to actual movie files on the PC, ha ha. Another one in the works.

This one looks pretty cool though, and you said you can customise it all, so it can be something for your cards?

Cobretti · May 22, 2012

These guys make reasonable products:

http://www.collectorz.com/

I use their game collector to catelogue my games. I knwo in there you can create custom fields etc.. So guessing you you wanted to spend a lot of time you could make it a card collecting thing. I'm too lazy, excel is good enough for me haha.

WoobieZarz · May 22, 2012

So I've got some code to import from excel, I've just gotta make it work now.

A_Iverson_I · May 23, 2012

Taz_Cardz said:
Oh nice! I had something once to keep track of my DVDs, then I broke it when I tried to link to actual movie files on the PC, ha ha. Another one in the works.

This one looks pretty cool though, and you said you can customise it all, so it can be something for your cards?

Hmmmmmmmm......... been many years since I used it, but don't think ti can be used for anything other than DVD's. Think you can download a demo to have a look?

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