Multiple Libraries - BOOKpedia

[Principia]

Would it be possible to allow 2 or more Libraries to be set-up on the same computer, with different Icons and-or Names, such that each Library may be accessed independently and held discrete?

My problem: I have rather a lot of books and would like to have one library for Fiction and one for Non-Fiction to prevent confusion with multiple Collections and Folders, and with numerous categories and sub-categories.

An alternative might be to allow users to set-up a simple visual hierarchical structure, similar to that of a computer filing system, such that primary directories can be shown independently, along with their indented sub-directories:

e.g. LIBRARY
- Non-Fiction
- History
- American History
- British History
- 1066 to 1200
- 1200 to 1400
- 1400 to 1600, etc...
- British Military History
- Afghan Wars
- The Boer War
- Campaigns in the Arakan
- World War II, Etc...

[Conor]

Both solutions are possible.

I would recommend the hierarchical approach as it's how Bookpedia was designed for minimal fuzz. You can enter all your movies into the "library" and then let Bookpedia do the sorting via smart collections. E.i. genre is history or you could base it on a private custom field if you want to have more control and be very specific. You could also drag books into regular collections and for even more hierarchical options create folders to sub-sort collections.

For two databases, with Bookpedia not running move the data folder (~/Library/Application Support/Bookpedia) to a new location. Launch Bookpedia and it will create a new database at the old location.To switch between the databases launch Bookpedia while holding down the option key. Be sure to backup both data folders on a regular basis as having two of them adds complexity and the possibility of confusion and adding the wrong books to the wrong database. So it's useful to have the ability to go back in time with TimeMachine for example.

[Izzy]

I just read this topic and I'm very interested in it.

First of all, is it possible to do that with Bookpedia 5.1.7. ? And will the second one be an "image" of the first one ? Is it possible to change the fields in the second one without putting a mess in the first one ? So will they be completely separated ?

If the answer to all previous questions is yes and in order to have two libraries, I need to do this steps :
1. I move Bookpedia (not running) to a new location of my choice,
2. I launch Bookpedia from the new location,
3. I have to press the option key while the opening (do I understand well: it will open both libraries ?),
4. I do have to back-up the 2 libraries (the one from "Application Support" and the one from the location I choose).

And how that goes with the program's updates ? Does it change something with 2 folders in two different locations ?

If the answer is no, how can I import data already recorded in a library that didn't match to mine ? I tried several times but each time the structure had changed to one or the other structure. Now I saved the databases with one record in a folder apart in order to keep each structure saved. I also saved both global libraries but I can't find a way to integrated the content from the old structure to the new structure.

I don't know if it's possible, difficult or impossible but can you consider a way to let the possibility to create multiple libraries who will be completely separated.

Last little point : someone had asked me how many records Bookpedia can manage ? I didn't know what to answer. I know that for the trial version, it's around 20, but for the full version ?

Sorry for my English and thank you for your answer.

[Conor]

You can have as many libraries as you like with the Pedias. We keep our own personal libraries in Documents and our test libraries in Applications Support.

1. Copy the data folder to a new location to move the existing data. If you want a new blank library, then skip to step 2.
2. Launch Bookpedia while holding (option). It will give you a choice to choose a data folder or create a new one.
3. I always quit Bookpedia and use step two to change because I am a paranoid person. But in reality you can simply click the Database.bookpd file and Bookpedia will change libraries without restarting.
4. The data folder contains all the information, since they are different you have to back them up both. THe most important file is the Database.bookpd and the Covers folder. But best to simply backup the entire folder.

Your data is separate from the program, the program continues to update as normal. Should there be an update to the data structure the update would notice when you switch databases and upgrade it as needed.

I am not sure I understand the content import issue. But if it's from an older version of Bookpedia or you want to import partial information then you can use a .bookpedia type export of a collection and then import that file into the other version. You will find the .bookpedia option under File -> Export.

The demo version locks editing and adding at 25 entries, but is fully functional other than that. The regular version has no upper limit. We test to 20,000 items, but some users have 50,000 and are happy. Bookpedia and Gamepedia are actually the fastest Pedias and can go significantly higher. CDpedia and DVDpedia have a relationship of tracks and credits and hence 20,000 albums, means about quarter of a million track names that need to be searched when a user does a search. Searching and smart collection are the areas the program slows down when there tens of thousands of items to track.

[Izzy]

Thank you Conor for your answer and all details.

I'm sorry about the suggestion of making multiple libraries, I didn't know the tip with the option key. 20,000 to 50,000 items is impressive.

So, I tried yesterday and today to do everything you wrote. First, I move my library to an other folder. I opened the program with the option touch and asked a blank library. Everything went well up to then.

The second step I made was to insert manually a item. I discovered that the program starts the collectionID at 371. I think it continues from my other collection. How can I restart collectionID to 1 ?

The third step I made was to add an import of 41 books. I discovered that those have no collectionID. When I open them, no number is filled. How can I give a collection number to those I imported ?

Concerning the wished books : they haven't collectionID. It's normal because they are not already bought. But when I click on buy, the collectionId doesn't appear.
Concerning the CoverNumber in the file cover : is it normal that the number of the file isn't the same as the collectionID. If there are jumps in the numbers, is that mean that the missing one is a deleted entry ? Is that mean that the program "keeps" the deleted entries in memory ?

So thank you for your help because I have done everything I wanted except the collectionId question.

[Conor]

Indeed there a few preferences that are outside the data folder, like collection ID, that are shared by all the databases. So you will have to reset the collection ID when switching databases to add information. You can do that in the Incremental Collection ID command in the View menu. In that same panel you can set the collection ID for the import. Select all movies you imported (sort them by date added if you want the collection ID to match the import order) and then in the Incremental Collection ID window you can set the ID and press the "Apply to Selection" button to have it fill the collection ID.

[Conor]

If the collection ID is on to be applied automatically, it should be added to all books searched and added. But could be there is a addition I overlooked such as importing entries from a an outside program. If you can pin point when the collection ID is not being added with steps to reproduce do let me know.

[Izzy]

Thank you Conor for your quick answer. I was modifying my post while you posted yours because I saw that I found an answer to one of my last questions. I will try the tip you give me and I'll give you feed-back if I found something else.

But meanwhile I found the same problem with the wished books : they haven't collectionID. It's normal because they are not already bought. But when I click on buy and it's added to the library, the collectionId doesn't appear.

Concerning the CoverNumber in the file cover : is it normal that the number of the file isn't the same as the collectionID ?
If there are jumps in the numbers, is that mean that the missing one is a deleted entry ? Is that mean that the program "keeps" the deleted entries in memory ?

Thanks.

[FineWine]

But meanwhile I found the same problem with the wished books : they haven't collectionID. It's normal because they are not already bought. But when I click on buy and it's added to the library, the collectionId doesn't appear.Thanks.

Just discovered this little problem as well yesterday and was about to do a posting when I read latest entries here. I too noticed collectionID not being added for an item that was originally in the Wish List after I have dragged from and into the Main Library.

[Conor]

Thank you for the report. I have updated the beta versions and collection ID will be added to items added to the lIbrary from a wish list or other excluded collection that does not already have a collection ID. The fix will also be in the upcoming 5.1.8 update with a few other minor fixes.

[FineWine]

Thank you

[Izzy]

Thank you Conor.

I have done everything you said about the incremental collection ID and every items imported is perfect. If I add a new book, it's also ok. It gives the right number.

Thanks also for the update on the collection ID for a item from the wish list.