Import database from Excel

[blusky1]

??? I've got a simply list of my 2000 Cd done in excel. Is it possible to import this list in orange cd or there's no way and i have to re-type all the entire list???
Thanks a lot

[Guest]

Almost the same problem.
I use my own database written in MS Access.
OrangeCD looks very nice and more convenient for me so I would be glad to change my db, but I have 5000 albums.
If someone could offer any utility to link fields and then export it automatically, oh...

[blusky1]

glad to know that there's another person that have the same problem...
If you find a way or another program like this please let me know!
Thanks

[Guest]

hi. same problem here.
just installed around 40 trial versions of cd catalogueing software. orange cd seems the best so far.
but i still haven't figured out how to do the following:

import cds/lps and/or singles from xls/txt/csv list in format: NAME-TITLE and then automatically add the tracks via freedb to these.

anybody figured out how to do this or any suggestions

thanks
dj major tom

[pheisholt]

As far as I know there are only three import options in OCD:

1) from an OrangeCD database (old or current)
To my knowledge the OCD database specification is not available, so you can forget about that.

2) from a local FreeDB database
You can find the FreeDB database format specification at http://www.freedb.org/modules.php?name=Sections&sop=viewarticle&artid=29 , but I'm not sure whether it's of any help.

3) from cdplayer.ini
I think this is your best bet. The specification is fairly simple. Here's a sample with two albums:

-------------------------------------
[00BA7E6E]
artist=Depeche Mode
title=A Broken Frame
numtracks=10
0=Leave In Silence
1=My Secret Garden
2=Monument
3=Nothing To Fear
4=See You
5=Satellite
6=The Meaning Of Love
7=A Photograph Of You
8=Shouldn't Have Done That
9=The Sun & The Rainfall

[2985686]
artist=Glenn Miller
title=Big Bands
numtracks=21
0=In The Mood
1=Pennsylvania 6-5000
2=Moonilight Becomes You
3=Sunrise Serenade
4=Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree
5=Moonlight Serenade
6=Elmer's Tune
7=Goin' Home
8=Juke Box Saturday Night
9=Tuxedo Junction
10=Chattanooga Choo Choo
11=Caribbean Clipper
12=Moonlight Cocktail
13=American Patrol
14=At Last
15=(I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo
16=Danny Boy
17=Serenade In Blue
18=A String Of Pearls
19=I Know Why
20=Little Brown Jug
-------------------------------------

To try this out, paste the above sample into a text file. Name the file whatever you want (for instance test.ini) , and then import it into OrangeCD (-> Database | Import and export.... | Import from Windows CD Player).

So the real challenge here is probably to find a way to turn your Excel/Access-based information into a cdplayer.ini file.

It can be done with a fairly simple Visual Basic script (vbscript). But the script would have to be customized to reflect your specific record layout (Access table structure, Excel columns etc.).

[Guest]

Thanks Paul,

the cd.ini tip is working.
Only two problems:
1) I only have artist and title in my database. nothing else. And now I wanted to get the track info from freedb once all is in OCS.
2) how can I add Cds without tracks (numtracks=unknown or 0 or none doesn't work)

Of course I could scan the CDs individually - but we are talking about around 10K.

Thanks
Tom

[pheisholt]

1) I only have artist and title in my database. nothing else. And now I wanted to get the track info from freedb once all is in OCS.
2) how can I add Cds without tracks (numtracks=unknown or 0 or none doesn't work)


Hmmm - I don't know that you can.

[Guest]

thanks again. I think I'll have to play around a bit to figure this one out.
thanks
tom

[pheisholt]

Using a barcode scanner might be an option. It' faster than inserting each CD in the CD player at least.

There is an option for this in OCD: From the OCD menu select 'Album | Scan UPC barcode....'

However, I haven't tried it out properly. As far as I can see OCD only allows you to pass the barcode to Amazon sites (American, British, German and Japanese). So if your CD collection contains titles that are not on Amazon's lists, you're out of luck.

[samboca]

RE: the barcode scanner, I've used the modifed cuecat I purchased for about $18 on eBay.

It worked really well, and was very fast.

[pheisholt]

Hi Samboca

But what was your experience with Amazon? Did most of your scans return a hit?

[samboca]

I had a pretty high (>95%) hit ratio. I'm sure each user's mileage will vary, esp. those who have many rare or unique recordings. I think I mentioned this in another post, but it took me about 5 hours to scan in 160 discs via the tray (while I was doing other work), and it took about 45 minutes to scan the next 160 via scanner. When I hit upon one that didn''t scan properly, I used the tray, and if that didn't work (rare), I entered manually. For anyone with a large collection, the bar code reader is *the* way to go.

I would have just put asside the ones that didn't scan properly for later scanning (faster than closing/opening various dialogs), but I used the auto-sequence feature so had to do them in order.

[pheisholt]

Hi Samboca

Thanks! That is useful to know. The barcode scanner is obviously the way to go - unless you have a collection of very rare recordings or discs with no bar code.

[samboca]

You're welcome!

Oh, and I should have also mentioned that one reason for not being able to scan some CDs was that they pre-dated bar codes! Now, that's old!