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Quoting Ian79:
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First, I don't know anything about software. So don't hate me for the question/remark.
I noticed that there are some software specialists/engineers on this forum. Is it an option or chance that you guys get together and write a new DVD Profiler. With the best parts from DVD Profiler and update it to be better then it's now. I know it's not written in two days. But is it doable?
It is a very good and valid question. Most of us take the answer for granted since we have been here so long. The answer is, yes of course it is theoretically doable. But it would be very costly and the results might not be commercially viable. Here is why:
(1) DVD Profiler has a long history, having been built by a genius programmer and colleagues. Over those years, which included court battles, the program, mobile apps, web site and online database have evolved to be the gold standard for DVD / Blu-Ray collectors. The code is not open source, and the database is proprietary.
(2) The MO ("modus operandi") of the Invelos ecosystem involves intense user participation. DVD metadata is contributed by users who meticulously audit the actual DVD contents, or validate other contributions against it. There are strict, complex contributions rules, a committee, anonymous reviewers that still exist even now, for approving database contents, known as DVD profiles.
(3) DVD Profiler has a unique method for encouraging other developer enhancements called "plugins". To recreate DVD Profiler would mean not only duplicating the enormous functionality of the program, the database, contributions mechanism, synchronized cloud and mobile apps, ability to extend the database, shared windows database across PCs, filters, reviews, custom skins, reports and the list goes on; one would have to decide which plugins would need to be reviewed for functions that many users consider to be important parts of the DVD Profiler experience.
(4) One of the reasons DVD Profiler was so popular was that it provided high value for a very low one-time license fee. This scenario would never work in today's economic environment.
(5) A replacement program would need to accommodate the new streaming paradym and consider innovative features and functions to allow users to make the most of the significant investments that we are all making on purchasing and using digital rights to online content. A new program would have to go much further than DVD Profiler to provide enough value to justify the high license fee it is likely to require in order to be financially viable. The use of "AI" will have to be heavily featured to be competitive.
Finally, perhaps the most glaring manifestation of the answer to your question lies in the observation that of all the competitors who have tried to create an equally compelling alternative, so far nobody has done it. Yes, there are other successful and useful approaches, but so far, nobody has captured the imagination and spirit of avid media collectors like DVD Profiler and embodied that spirit in a set of computer program functionality that continues to surprise those of us who have been using it for over 20 years. I am still discovering nuances that I didn't know were there, that reflect the enormous vision and creativity of Ken Cole and his team.
It is a "once in a century" type of invention. There will be a new one someday - maybe already out there, waiting to be discovered. I hope so. | Posted: Topic Replies: 56, Topic Views: 6505 |
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Does your ingenuity have no bounds?  | Posted: Topic Replies: 30, Topic Views: 29386 |
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Quoting nanoron:
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Thanks. I'll be careful not to run DVDProfiler on both PCs at the same time and only sync my iPad to the "master". Of course when I decide to switch "master" PCs I assume I can then start syncing my iPad to the new "master". Correct?
My original "master" PC has a serious problem and I need to reformat its hard disk. I was hesitant to do this until I had another PC with DVDProfiler running since both PCs are actually iMacs running Bootcamp.
Sounds like you understand the concept well. Best of luck. Let us know how you make out. And of course if you find my advice needed modification, help us all learn what you found out.
By the way, of course you can run both PCs at the same time, so long as you don't have DVD Profiler running on both machines at the same time, attempting to use the same database. | Posted: Topic Replies: 9, Topic Views: 1189 |
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Quoting nanoron:
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I have added a second PC (iMac running Bootcamp) running DVDProfiler to my home network, anticipating eventually switching over to it. What is the best way to sync them and my iPad up? The two PCs seem to be using the same OneDrive cloud storage.
Declare one of the PC's as the "master". Make sure to keep the database up to date and BACKED UP on that one always. Sync the iPad to the master.
The second PC can be loaded from an exported database from the master, or an uploaded online database, or synced to the master using the remote connection. Using the same copy of the cloud database can also work if you are vey careful about NOT using DVD Profiler on the two PCs at the same time, and carefully managing updates and backups. | Posted: Topic Replies: 9, Topic Views: 1189 |
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HTTPJolie Version 1.75 Available
In this version of HTTPJolie:
- GSyren updates to the HTTPJolie Command Reference
- HTTPJolie Usage Guide (pdf) updated to include more details on sending commands using TCP
- Bug fixes to the "xml" and "pidlist" commands
- Fixed bug that returned the incorrect set of profiles for any command using &collection="owned"
- Improved the "refresh" command, and added a new parameter &ctrlkey="true" or "false", with "false" being the default. If &ctrlkey="false" (default), the oline profile list is refreshed as an incremental change. If &ctrlkey="true", the entire online profile list file is downloaded. This, as with any other command, can be sent using the command line utility "TCPsend", and thus can be automated using a scheduler program.
This time I remembered to reset the download windows for past orders for your convenience. | Posted: Topic Replies: 113, Topic Views: 29399 |
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Do you have any old copies of your PC hard drive? If so, you might be able to get a head start by simply copying images from the old image folder.
By "images", do you mean headshots or cover scans? If you mean head shots, and if you don't mind starting with somebody else's choices, you could take a loo at the Headshot Master Database. Most of your actors will likely be covered, and you can then update or add at you leisure. | Posted: Topic Replies: 4, Topic Views: 930 |
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Well I was able to write some code to do it inside HTTPJolie. That makes it possible to add to any of GSyren's tools, or to automate from a browser or by using the TCPSend command line utility.
Example for partial refresh:
tcpsend "?cmd=""refresh""
Example for full refresh (control key down):
tcpsend "?cmd=""refresh""&ctrlkey=""true"" | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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This discussion has caused me to review the HTTPJolie command "refresh".
Today it does this:
PerformPendingDownloads();
I plan to change it to:
TriggerMenuItem(PluginConstants.FORMID_Main, PluginConstants.MENUID_Form, "Online", "Refresh Online Profile List...");
PerformPendingDownloads();
TriggerMenuItem(PluginConstants.FORMID_Main, PluginConstants.MENUID_Form, "View", "Refresh Collection List");
And I will add an option equivalent holding down the Ctrl key for the first item.
Any comments? | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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I'm not finding information on holding down the Ctrl key. Can someone jog my memory on how that changes things?
Oh I see now, and I guess it was never officially documented. | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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Quoting GSyren:
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Yeah, but you need to combine the command with Ctrl-down, and I don't see how you can do that through HTTPJolie. But maybe I'm missing something?
Maybe not missing, perhaps overlooking the fact that HTTPJolie is hosted by DVD Profiler internally. There is nothing an external program can do, that HTTPJolie cannot. | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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I was thinking HTTPJolie, not AutoItX. You can send commands over TCPIP using the TCPSend utility that ships with it. TCPSend could be launched with the scheduler.
Or you could schedule the launch of DVD Profiler itself, with the command file option, which would include the menu command for refreshing profiles.
And then there is DVDPFauxAPI and the CommndOnEventGUI which could probably do the same thing based on a database event, such as opening the database.
Lot of toys in the sandbox. | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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Quoting T!M:
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Quoting mediadogg:
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Have you seen this post?
Yes, but that was five months ago. Surely something as basic as being able to get profile updates without having to refresh the entire online profile list every time could've been fixed by now. The repeated downloading of that largely-the-same block of data using the CTRL trick actually creates unnecessary traffic for the server.
Well I respect and benefit from your efforts as a major contributor to the database. So if there is anything you think a plugin or tool could do to make things easier for you to do that work, please make the request or suggestion and I promise to do my best as a "tools" guy to do my pert.
There are already tools by GSyren that might be able to help. For example, with his tools, you could schedule the refresh overnight or on whatever schedule you choose. Then you would not have to wait when you are ready to work. | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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| Have you seen this post? | Posted: Topic Replies: 47, Topic Views: 8779 |
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I am curious as an experiment. Could you provide the Profile ID(UPC.Locality). We have tools that access the online database internally. It would be interesting if those tools can see pending profiles.
Gunnar if you want to experiment, I think there are a couple of internal commands that I could add to HTTPJolie if the existing ones don't do it. | Posted: Topic Replies: 7, Topic Views: 1770 |
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Well, you got it done, that's what matters.  | Posted: Topic Replies: 10, Topic Views: 3543 |
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HTTPJolie Version 1.70 Available
This version is compatible with significant and exciting enhancements to the GSyren tools suite. Please watch for the announcement.
In this version of HTTPJolie:
- Access to HTTPJolie Usage Guide (pdf) from Help menu on DVD Profiler main screen
- Access to sophisticated GSyren version of HTTPJolie Command Reference
- Enhanced version of Sample Client, enabled to receive communications from GSyren Tools
I am indebted to GSyren for his brilliant and creative collaboration. | Posted: Topic Replies: 113, Topic Views: 29399 |
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Great news!
When you say "upload," what do you mean? I always interpret "upload" to mean from client to server, or from local to online (cloud). From where to where, do you want to send images? Where is the image repository that you are trying to refresh? | Posted: Topic Replies: 10, Topic Views: 3543 |
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I fully expect Ken's method to work, if the others didn't, but just in case:
(1) Start with a clean database
(2) Install BulkEdit
(3) Tools > Scrapegoat allows you to see any user's online
(4) Download your own database skeleton. This is different from the Invelos version. Bulkedit creates a database of new blank profiles using the profile IDs from the online.
(5) Then refresh the database from the online. If it still crashes, you should be able to figure out which profile it crashed on and delete it. Corrupt profiles are often due to bad data in the overview. | Posted: Topic Replies: 10, Topic Views: 3543 |
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There are other methods of database recovery. The one that Ken usually recommended is as follows:
(1) Open a new empty database
(2) Restore your latest backup into the clean database
(3) Run database repair
(4) Backup
You should be Ok | Posted: Topic Replies: 10, Topic Views: 3543 |
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| I like the advice given by ObiKen and if necessary follow with GSyren's. Report after that, and we can go from there. Quickest way to eliminate hardware issues is to temporarily install on a different machine if possible. | Posted: Topic Replies: 10, Topic Views: 3543 |
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Let's for a moment put aside the issue of DVD Profiler's long term viability. To understand why the function you desire is not in the product, please read the contribution rules. Very briefly, they prohibit the copying of data from other sources without explicit verification by actually watching the movie and / or the credits as displayed in the movie. There are rules about what can be copied from the DVD container, and in some cases, from which side of the container.
That being the case, of course you can put into DVD Profiler whatever you want. You just are not allowed to contribute data that has not been gathered and validated per the rules.
See the "plugins" being offered. Some of them include ways to import other databases (may be obsolete) or derive cast and crew information from IMDB.
This community has always attempted to respect the rules and Copyrights of DVD Profiler and any other programs that we use. My words have not been an attempt to preach; rather to help you understand the context of the limitations that you have noted in your post. | Posted: Topic Replies: 3, Topic Views: 1362 |
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Quoting mreeder50:
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I am so sorry about this, but every time there is an update, I can't figure out how to download it.
I think it is my fault. I keep forgetting to update the download date cutoff. The eCommerce store that I use, does not make it easy for me to indicate "unlimited". I have to run a SQL scripit, and I usually forget, so no problem. Every now and then I just delete the duplicate orders from the database. | Posted: Topic Replies: 113, Topic Views: 29399 |
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Quoting undertaker88:
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I also went to MyMovie.
I used the import but it did not work 100%
Given the ease of building the collection with the phone scan, I scanned my entire collection.
This allowed me to validate certain editions and see certain duplicates that I had forgotten.
MyMovie's database is much better than DVDPofiler, I had more than 99% recognition, even on little-known films and editions.
My collection is 95% French edition out of 2500 references.
And with the phone in my pocket I can check in a few seconds, in stores, if I'm buying a film that I already own.
I got this from right-click Translate to English. Amazing. And good work to you. Your comments are very helpful. | Posted: Topic Replies: 56, Topic Views: 6505 |
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Quoting nanoron:
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I generally agree with you but since I primarily use my iPad at home and my iPhone while shopping, I have little choice but to search for a potential alternative iOS app. I'll keep using DVD Profiler as long as it keeps working in iOS, but I'm not willing to bet the farm that it is still usable after the iOS 18 upgrade. In addition, since Invelos recently screwed up syncing iOS devices to the online database, I worry that Invelos might also screw up syncing iOS devices to the PC version.
On a related note, by working with the other iOS app developers who want to court DVD Profiler users, we have a chance they will change their apps so as to make them more attractive to us. For example, MyMovies modified their import function.
Thanks for your mature approach and conscientious efforts. | Posted: Topic Replies: 56, Topic Views: 6505 |
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Your enthusiasm is to be applauded. But you should know that this topic has been hashed about over and over through the years. You might find interesting discussions using the search tool. And I personally have experienced the issues with data model differences first hand, while wring import code in the other direction - bringing other program export files into Profiler, for my plugin BulkEdit.
I have yet to find a program with so few bugs as DVD Profiler, given that all development and support has been dormant for years now. You don't realize just how much thought went into its incredible design. Most people use only a fraction of its features. On top of the default platform, there is a sophisticated plugin mechanism that allows a programmer to make virtually unlimited extensions, including the ability to add new fields to the database, and to augment the UI. All with database synchronization across multiple platforms.
That's why this ship keeps plowing ahead, dodging all sorts of torpedoes. I bring this up, as a reminder that simply importing the database is only the tip of the iceberg as far as replacing DVD Profiler goes.
Some things in this world got done right. The B52 and DVD Profiler are two of them. Both are still flying, but alas I do understand what lies ahead. | Posted: Topic Replies: 56, Topic Views: 6505 |