Smart Collection - CDPedia

[dedlock]

Perhaps I have misunderstood how this program works, but I assume that the main database (collection) is contained in the Library and that you can then create sub-collections. If you specify criteria for the smart collection then items in the main database will also show up in the smart collections. In my case I have tried to create smart collections by year but it doesn't work. I've done the obviously right things: selected Release Date and then put the year in. Can somebody steer me in the right direction?

[kbarnes70]

Perhaps I have misunderstood how this program works, but I assume that the main database (collection) is contained in the Library and that you can then create sub-collections. If you specify criteria for the smart collection then items in the main database will also show up in the smart collections. In my case I have tried to create smart collections by year but it doesn't work. I've done the obviously right things: selected Release Date and then put the year in. Can somebody steer me in the right direction?

Strange. You've got the right idea. I just tried this on DVDpedia (essentially the same) using 'Release' and then 'is' and then '2009' and what happens is that the Smart Colleciton returns no results and thw date field has changed to today's date. I have no idea why it isn't working as you'd expect.

A workaround would be to use 'Release' and then 'is after' and then '31 Dec 2008' plus 'Release' and then 'is before' and then '01 Jan 2010'. Then set it to 'match' 'ALL'. This would then give you all the CDs released in 2009. You could then do a similar thing for every other year. It's a bit clumsy but at least it will work.

Incidentally (note for Conor) the same problem as the OP mentions also occurs in DVDpedia if you try to set a filter for the 'Theatrical' field. I just tried to set 'Theatrical' 'is' '2008' and it works as described above for 'Release'. I suspect this isn't a bug but how it is designed to work - ie it is looking for a date rather than just a year.

Kind regards,

Keith

[Conor]

The dates are always specific to a particular day even if the display is set to only show the year. The date display preference vary by user and the internal Apple date is specific. So instead of trying to roll our own version that would capture every possible combination we used the Apple dates and leave the set up of those smart collections to be a little less intuitive the way Keith described by giving the begin and end date and setting the rules to match all.