Losing UPC when adding multiple?

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pjc
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Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by pjc »

I'm running DVDpedia 6.0.1.

If I add a title manually by entering the UPC in the detail field and then looking up the movie on Amazon, things work as I expect: I get the metadata from Amazon, and the UPC code is present.

But if I add a title via Add... or Add Multiple... and search by UPC (such as 883929573660), it looks like I"m getting the Amazon data, but then the UPC field is erased!

I don't know if this is related to the fact that Amazon no longer shows the UPC on its web site (and thus probably doesn't provide it back to DVDpedia)? Whatever the reason, it's really important that I not lose the UPC. Am I doing something wrong?
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FineWine
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by FineWine »

A couple of things to check:

1 - There is a hidden menu setting that may need turning on: 'hold down the option key and click on the main Help menu in each program once and select - Amazon Test'. Whilst in this hidden menu carry out a few of the other tasks there. These may not solve your problems but it wont hurt either.

2 - Click on DVDpedia > Preferences > Sites > Amazon Settings (bottom left of the panel) in the Access Key field: it should say Amazon Test Enabled. All the other fields should be blank. Now click on Sign Up.

NOTE: Amazon have not shown the UPC for quite some time since there own number system came into full swing; ASIN. The reason for this is that there are so many UPC numbers for the same item now, depending upon format, country and language. It has become quite a clumsy system. I returned to NZ from Australia and bought quite a few DVD's from JB HiFi Sydney. That UPC does not equate to the NZ branch of JB HiFi UPC for exactly the same item and lot of the times they certainly do not equate to amazon.

So what to do about this. You could just search by Title but even then your return results will be muddled, this is not the pedia's fault. Amazon used to prioritise DVD then they switched to Blue-ray over all other formats but I now notice they are prioritising Amazon Video first, so to get the exact item details I want I manually use the amazon website. So I just Title search in their website, you end up with a search result showing; Prime Video, Blue-ray, DVD & 4K and maybe even the Hard Cover and paper back and Audio format. Select the format you want and scroll down to the Product Detail section, double click to high light the ASIN, Copy then paste into DVDpedia ADD > Search panel and up will pop all the correct details for your item.

Clumsy I know but it is the only way at the moment till the pedia's find a more exacting search method using amazon API's. Also be aware this applies to all the pedia's concerning amazon products.

Please us forum members know how you get on.
pjc
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by pjc »

Thank you for confirming that I'm not doing anything obviously dumb.

But I think you missed my actual complaint:

If I enter a UPC, I don't want it erased when data comes back from any provider that has an empty UPC!

I'm guessing that maybe in the Add... and Add Multiple... the UPC only gets used as a key for metadata search, but not inserted into the UPC field like it does if I put it there when I Add Manually...?

If that's the case, how can I make an enhancement request? Specifically, if I add a movie by something that looks like a UPC, I want that UPC inserted into the UPC field of the new record.

Since I'm scanning barcodes before putting my discs into folders and the cases into storage, I need to retain the UPCs so that I can accurately look up metadata later if I want. I don't want to have to hand-edit every single title before scanning the next one.
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FineWine
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by FineWine »

OH dear you are quite correct and I can verify this bug.

I miss read your post. Put it down to Lock Down Cabin Fever.

I have contacted Conor at Bruji directly with this. All I can say is that amazon keeps fluffing around with their API's and Associate agreements and this makes it quite hard to keep up with. I no longer use my own Associate numbers as the hassles are not worth it.

Anyway await word back from Conor.

Stay Safe and as Winston Churchill said:
Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.
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FineWine
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by FineWine »

This bug now appears to be fixed in the latest beta:
You can download from here:
https://bruji.com/beta/dvdpedia.zip
Joe
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by Joe »

I still have this error in Beta 162 of 6.0.2 both with "Add Multiple" and if I just use the scanner with app open.

Using a Flic Cordless Bluetooth scanner the UPC code is obtained.

The search occurs and the item is found in Amazon Test database option

Title is added

...but then the UPC it used to do the search is lost.

The only Sites I have selected in preference are Doghouse and Amazon US. Using Amazon Test from help menu.
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FineWine
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by FineWine »

Yes you are quite correct.

The bug has reappeared whether you use 'Add' single entry or 'Add Multiple' and it does not matter if you scan or keyboard enter the UPC number.

It is also occurring in Bookpedia with the ISBN number so I am guessing this is occurring in all the pedia's and it may well be an Amazon issue. (??)

On my first attempt at verifying the bug using my iSight camera and on adding the second entry, DVDpedia froze. After restart of DVDpedia the camera worked as it should.

I will send my crash report to Conor and re-highlight the bug.

Thanks for pointing the bug out to us all.
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by Conor »

Fixed in beta 6.0.3 and part of the next release. Thank you.
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by Joe »

Came here to say the same. It's working in 6.0.3. Thank you!!!
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Re: Losing UPC when adding multiple?

Post by FineWine »

DVDpedia 6.0.3 Beta 164 working now with UPC

Bookpedia 6.0.3 Beta 165 NOT working ISBN from amazon thought it brings up ASIN but ISBN IS working from Doghouse
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