I've just lost my entire database (including backup!), and am faced with entering the barcodes of nearly a thousand disks. Is there a way to use a barcode scanner to enter the UPCs into DVD Profiler? It's save many hours of typing if there us.

Hi, thanks for the response. I didn't want to buy a scanner only to find it wouldn't work.

I had several backups, but added a new DVD the other day, and somehow that is the only DVD that is in the list. And the other backups are so old, that I might as well start from scratch.

I didn't realise there was an option to save Online, so will probably use that in future.

If you happen to have a Collection.XML lying around, you can also recover quickly with BulkEdit. You even get personal data back (such as Notes, purchase price, etc.)

(1) Also, check your Trashcan, in case you accidently deleted the database file - maybe it is still there.

(2) And think about whether you have used DVD Profiler with a different User Login. You might find a copy of the database under that User/Documents/DVD Profiler.

(3) And finally, did you try File/Open Database? Have you perhaps switched databases by accident, and the old one is actually still there?

(Oh I see Mithi already pointed to the Wiki which has some of the same suggestions.)

And one more, little known feature of BulkEdit, called ScrapeGoat (see the Binoculars icon). If you know of one or more users that have many titles in common with you, ScrapeGoat allows you to display their online in a list where you can checkmark the UPC/EANs you want to add, to which Collection. You can grab dozens of profiles in minutes (no personal data). Once you are done scraping the UPC/EANs, then click the Add button and skeleton profiles will be created for you. Finally do a Online Refresh to get the complete profiles downloaded (Refresh Flagged if you are inside ScrapeGoat). You could create a database of hundreds of profiles in less than an hour this way.

Quoting John M:

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I bought a barcode scanner off eBay, but it doesn't come with any software. Could anyone recommend a suitable piece of software for windows (preferably freeware) that would work with a USB connected scanner?

Well, an USB-Scanner should simply act as a "keyboard", so when you scan something it should simply be entered in the current window. Best to try with any text-editor.

cya, Mithi

Quoting quietman1965:

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Anyone knows if thru any barcode reader in my android phone I coould fiurther paste them
in a windows note?

Yes, to cite myself:

Quote:
Well, if you have an Android-Smartphone: there is an app named "barcode2file" which, as the name suggests, reads UPC and stores them in a plain-text-file. Such a file can be loaded via DVD -> Add to Collection -> Add by UPC -> Add Multiple-> Load UPC File ( the leftmost icon )

But as you have to e-mail this list to your PC I would recommend it only for larger batches of UPCs.

cya, Mithi