Cataloguing the collection

[Sergio Paradise]

Well it seems i've reached the point in my life where I feel I need to catalogue my collection. So far i'm using Discogs to enter as much as I can (cause i'm lazy), exporting it to google docs and then manually adding what's not listed there.

I'm only a couple of 'cubes' in (actually, a bit less than two) and it's a great way to evaluate what stays versus what goes towards credit - if I can't be arsed adding it to the spreadsheet then why keep it?

It will be interesting to get a view of the collection other than spines on the shelf actually. I'm not looking forward to doing the 7s.

Jamie

[nlgbbbblth]

I've mine on Microsoft Access. Fairly basic - artist / title / format.

Tried to catalogue mine on Discogs but of the first 10 records I pulled, five had no discogs entry so I gave up as the creating new entries seemed cumbersome. I must try it again.

[Sam]

I only have my 7" singles catalogued. I do this in an Excel sheet (Artist, Side A, Side B, Label, Cat no, Year).

I then have some extra bits that I've written : one to process the Excel sheet into a database on my website so I can do all sorts of searches, and the other to produce a "gots" list which goes onto my phone.

The "gots" list used to be Artist and Side A, but I've got so many that I now do it by Label and CatNo - I've found this is actually much quicker when checking while digging. I'm in the process of writing an app that makes the phone even more useful.

One day I'll get round to doing the LPs, 12" and CDs! I also plan to register my singles collection on 45cat although I'll be looking for an automated way to do it 'cos manually would take months!

[Plainstone]

I'll put my hand up to this, too. Once I had a conversation with someone which went something like, "Records? Do people still have/play them? How many have you got? You're f@rking joking, bet you can't even name half of them!"

After I started reeling off names he threw his hands up and admitted defeat, but it got me thinking and so the next time I was due to invigilate an exam (at that Uni we weren't allowed to read books/journals in case the turning pages distracted candidates ) I started jotting down names on a bit of paper, which then became an Excel file.

I had a fairly serious operation a while back and in a fit of morbidity highlighted all the valuable ones in orange so my wife wouldn't throw them out if I popped my clogs.

[carryonsidney]

I should say a big round of applause to 45CAT then. I am doing my 45's at mo, what you do is log your 45 collection on there ("I own") and then add the records not already listed. You can now dowload the result, straight into Excel and even more impressive I realised I could transfer that excel file to my blackberry, so I can refer to my collection when I'm out and about.! (you can also do the same for WANTS)

a really handy resource and its free.

[Agnes_Guano]

I am using Flickr as a sort of graphic catalogue of my vinyl. Most of my LPs are up there and at some stage I need to tackle the singles.

[highland cow]

I should say a big round of applause to 45CAT then. I am doing my 45's at mo, what you do is log your 45 collection on there ("I own") and then add the records not already listed. You can now dowload the result, straight into Excel and even more impressive I realised I could transfer that excel file to my blackberry, so I can refer to my collection when I'm out and about.! (you can also do the same for WANTS)

a really handy resource and its free.

Wow! I didn't know you can do that (the Excel thing)

[Col Wolfe]

I should say a big round of applause to 45CAT then. I am doing my 45's at mo, what you do is log your 45 collection on there ("I own") and then add the records not already listed. You can now dowload the result, straight into Excel and even more impressive I realised I could transfer that excel file to my blackberry, so I can refer to my collection when I'm out and about.! (you can also do the same for WANTS)

a really handy resource and its free.

yep, brilliant isn't it, P?

Apollo Cat ran a script for me so all 45s I've uploaded to date have instantly transfered into 'my collection' (the facility wasn't available when I first began this long and arduous journey!)

now to suss out how to get the bugger on my excel

[Col Wolfe]

yep, brilliant isn't it, P?

Apollo Cat ran a script for me so all 45s I've uploaded to date have instantly transfered into 'my collection' (the facility wasn't available when I first began this long and arduous journey!)

now to suss out how to get the bugger on my excel

Odin! I've sussed it in under 10 mins!

a job in IT beckons

[airfixkid]

I havent foolproofed mine yet, when I download a CSV file from 45CAT I can open them in both MS WORKS database and Excel. The excel sheet I save as a XLSX to get it onto my blackberry. Current I need to work out how to divide up the sheet into 1st letter names and resend seperate sheets to my bb so its quicker searching for an item otherwise the BB slows down a bit.

[Brainbomb]

I already said on this board that I am a bit anal - so it should be no surprise that I have for several years kept an Excel sheet for cataloguing my collection. It started mainly as a quick overview just to keep track of condition but grew a bit over the years so now also include other bits, like where I got it from (if I can remember) and a short review based in most cases upon the first listen. They can look like this:

"String orchestra goes hippie with guitars and sitars. Good stuff. Some nice covers, but the best tracks are three sitar groovers written by the arranger Monty Kelly."

"Excellent psych even if the Hendrix influences at times are a bit too obvious. The organ and flute create a different sound picture that counters this to some degree."

"Good instrumental funk/jazz with a latin touch. Lots of congas and bongos."


So trying not to be too anal and flesh it out into full lentgh reviews.... but it does make it easier to find forgotten sitar tunes or moog sounds or whatever I may for one reason or the other wnat to find more of for some project or just themed listening afternoon.

[danielandhisorchestra]

it's a great way to evaluate what stays versus what goes towards credit - if I can't be arsed adding it to the spreadsheet then why keep it?

Hey Jamie, if you're seriously having a clean out, fancy going halves on a table at the next Glebe fair?

Hope all is well with you and yours, by the way.

D.

[Sergio Paradise]

OK, nearly at 1000 just based on what I can remember and following links. Not been too strict on exact pressing (being in Australia means not a lot of local pressings are listed on Discogs): http://www.discogs.com/collection?us...t=artist%2Casc

Next step, going back to the shelves and going through one by one and then anything not listed (or near enough) on Discogs has to be done manually.

I have to finish it!

[Sam]

If there's interest, I might be able to tidy-up and share some of my apps for processing Excel files into useful things for your phone or webpage... let me know.

[eric-adams]

download them as high quality mp3s, put them on an ipod, add artwork, scroll through the collection of first press original artwork farts in jars.
what ever you cant be arsed to download, sell.
carry it in your pocket at all times.
this is what i did. i wish i had done someting more practicle with my time

[relkeel]

In future ,just catalogue teh vinyls as you acquire them,surely.

[Sergio Paradise]

Finished! (For Now)

What I have that Discogs had in it's database: http://www.discogs.com/collection?user=sergiop

And the rest: https://spreadsheets.google.com/spre...hl=en_US&gid=0

What did I learn from this? Well, that I do need three different self-hypnosis LPs but really only the one 'How to Disco' LP. Oh, and that I do have a few CDs. Now I need to decide if I really need so many 5,6,7,8's 45s.

[Rafter242]

Hey Sergio,

That is an amazing collection! We share interests and I see many of my own albums represented.

Thanks for sharing.

[Rafter242]

I've mine on Microsoft Access. Fairly basic - artist / title / format.

I also use Access, but with Artist/Catalog number/ Mode(S/M/Q) /Title/ Year /Notes

Very easy to then sort by Catalog number or year etc. Then I transfer these files to my phone to use when I am out in the field. I used to print out a large 300 page (at tiny 4.5 font) spiral bound tome to carry with, but that got silly, fast.