Hmm, I guess I misunderstood, from your last posts I somehow got the impression that you wanted the data so you could launch a website.
I had more than one idea I presented as examples of the use of being able to download the database.
Asking for the ability to download your "Missing" list is a little more reasonable, especially if it's just a simple list, like you say. But I don't understand how this would have helped you with the "Max-B" figure situation. Why didn't you just print out your collection list and bring it along with you? You could have flipped to the Beast Wars section, seen that you already own him, and moved on to the next table.
Because, as I said, it's less efficient. If you have more figures than you're looking for, it's a larger list. While you can use the process of elimination, it may take longer to look through your list to find the right section and the right figure, and you'll have to look through the whole list of figures in the series to make sure it's not there, rather than just locate the one figure you see the dealer has to see if it's one you need.
That said, the collection functionality is all still new, and if I'm missing features it's only because nobody ever asks for them! I do take requests when they're reasonable and well thought-out, but well, it's damn rare that anybody ever provides any feedback.
Sorry about that. I tend to be a non-person most of the time, unable to contribute anything to anyone.
You already know that's all outside my abilities.
It was outside of mine, too, a few years ago. A good way to learn fast is to just dive right in on a project you're passionate about, and brother, you've got plenty of passion.
It's possible I do, although I seem to be easily discouraged. I haven't touched databases in months.
Ehh... aren't there systems where you can just "plug in" a table file(s)? I dunno.
Not sure I understand what you mean. What's a "table file"?
... uh... XML? isn't that a table file? table/spreadsheet? jargon?
That doesn't even cover uses like printing out a list to bring with you to BotCon so you can keep track of what you're looking for.
Hmm, good point. Maybe I should see if I can come up with a way to print the wish list.
Or to be able to print out owned, and wish list, and both together. (and I'd suggest if both are together, to have the items interspersed and sorted the way they normally would be if they weren't sorted by have/want, otherwise there's no advantage to printing them together other than saving paper by starting one as soon as the other finishes. although you could also have all the owned figures within a series/year/sizeclass listed first before the wish list figures were listed. That's plenty of options.
For example, what if you just want a list, instead of pictures (especially if most of the pictures are missing) Maybe you want to fit more than 8 figures per page you print out. Huh. ... the "details" display mode is actually more compact than the "summary" mode. Go figure.
Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I'll give it some thought, okay? And yes, "details" mode is more compact than "summary" mode. Maybe I should call one "expanded" and the other "table". I dunno.
I also want to start keeping track of my collection's multiples, and not on separate accounts, for the purpose of my hypothetical dream museum. For that I need to keep track of 1 set for my personal collection, both wanted and owned, and at least one if not two sets for the museum. (ok, by the time I got as far as collecting 1 of everything + 3rd+ modes + my small personal collection, I'd probably be doing serious work on this and be asking for support and probably have plenty of photographs to submit)
Well, of course with the new system you can already add multiples. Why not just add everything to one account, and simply note in the comments which ones are intended for the "museum"?
Ah. Thanks. I realized this after I posted that. Although I would still like to download the list so that I can see just how complete my collections are, since the total for each is different. My museum collection is only working towards getting figures with 3rd modes, while my personal collection is just stuff I absolutely have to have.
I don't even know how... All I know is that I can't keep track of the pictures I have. There's always a fan repaint or mod I'm thinking of and I can't find the damned picture to see exactly what it looks like.
The mold/name/alt-mode relationships between original toys also helps with fan repaints/mods, especially when you're trying to find a TF to use in a repaint/mod.
Well, if you don't mind waiting a bit we will eventually get around to letting users supply their own photos for items in their collection. And once we get that far, it will be fairly trivial to add support for tagging items as "customized". So, we'll get there, just gotta be patient.
Wouldn't it be best to host the majority of a database like that on another server, or can you really handle such a large amount of data? I mean, the possibilities are enormous. You could add bootlegs, which would probably double or triple the database. Fan customs. What if you added corresponding fiction entries and character pages and continuities? (making it more like TFwiki, I guess) and you already mentioned other toy lines, not even necessarily Transformers related. We could do all the Takara TF-like lines, like the entirety of Brave, Machine Robo Rescue & Mugenbine, and the wee lines of Web Diver & DaiGander(sp?). Go-Bots, like TFU.info has.
Do you want to host everything, or do you think perhaps if it got too huge you would consider linking off-site for different content? I guess it's too early to really make any decision like that.
I think what I really need is some kind of offline image database. That way it would be very fast to react, but I'd still be able to see images instead of just lists.
Unfortunately, I don't think image databases are standardized and as user-friendly as the very OS you use. I think I looked into this before on wikipedia. :S (for my porn collection.
I think it might be just a little bit bigger than my TF image collection. :> )
