Music Database Cataloging Software

[Constantbee]

I’ve been looking for any software that might help with cataloguing an expanding home library of things like books, CD’s and sheet music. So far, this one looks a likely candidate but there must be others. A bar code reader makes this the big attraction.

https://www.collectorz.com/music

Has anybody got any experience of using this or anything like it? Any recommendations?

[richardfinegold]

How is it for Classical? Most software programs are designed for non classical. And what is the significance of bar codes? Do most CDs and lps have a bar code somewhere on Them?
I purchased musichi, and even purchased a Windows computer to run it. It was very difficult to set up—I had to have an IT guy look at it for 2 hours to get it going—and I haven’t made much headway with it since.
Roon is the industry standard for CDs. I did a limited free trial, and I didn’t find it to useful for Classical, but then it crashed my ageing MacAir after a couple of days and I didn’t retry. It’s an enormous program that requires a lot of of computer horsepower to run properly, so much so that Roon now sells hardware designed to run it optimally

[Dave2002]

I tend to find that interest in this kind of tool wanes after a while. For books, I'm guessing that cataloguing using ISBNs would be a reasonable start, so a search found this page - https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs...r-home-library

Libib doesn't look too bad - https://www.libib.com/ - though one aspect you might want to consider is whether you want any data to be stored in any cloud.

[gurnemanz]

I tend to find that interest in this kind of tool wanes after a while.

Definitely not my experience. I started to use the Orange CD database twelve years ago, love it and probably use it daily. Without it I would not have such a good overview of my large collection. Also very helpful with downloads, which now form the majority of my acquisitions. The metadata of these downloads tends be a bit random and I have found it especially useful to be able to add them to the database, adjusting these details to conform to the same datafield criteria as existing items. The database can be uploaded and thus referenced when not next to computer. There is limitless scope to personalise the database to one's own preferences - add notes, reviews, biographical details, recording dates etc. I will admit to mild anorakish leanings and enjoy refining, correcting and updating the contained information on an ongoing basis. Eg death of performers/composers, marking duplicates, adding lyrics etc etc.

[Beef Oven!]

I've got rid of all my jewel cases and booklets etc (save for a few special ones) and my CDs are stored in purpose-made cases. Most of my CDs have now been ripped to my iTunes library and nearly all additions over the past 18 months (and going forward) are downloads.

Does anyone know of a good cataloging software package that would fit my storage choice?

[Constantbee]

Thanks all. I am on the case

[Dave2002]

I've got rid of all my jewel cases and booklets etc (save for a few special ones) and my CDs are stored in purpose-made cases. Most of my CDs have now been ripped to my iTunes library and nearly all additions over the past 18 months (and going forward) are downloads.

Does anyone know of a good cataloging software package that would fit my storage choice?

If you have iTunes, then

File-> Library -> Export Library

will give you an XML file - maybe library.xml. This can then be processed with any tool which can handle XML. You can roll your own, or use a standard tool - and I don't know much about using standard tools. Rolling your own can be done with software such as XSLT.

One package which might work which I've just discovered is eXist-db at http://exist-db.org/exist/apps/homepage/index.html

You should also be able to process XML files with some versions of Access (part of MS Office - the full version) I think.

Possibly Solr might do the job, once the xml files are available. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_Solr

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks Dave. I'll look into this. Down the years, I've never cared too much about cataloguing, but I should have!

If you have iTunes, then

File-> Library -> Export Library

will give you an XML file - maybe library.xml. This can then be processed with any tool which can handle XML. You can roll your own, or use a standard tool - and I don't know much about using standard tools. Rolling your own can be done with software such as XSLT.

One package which might work which I've just discovered is eXist-db at http://exist-db.org/exist/apps/homepage/index.html

You should also be able to process XML files with some versions of Access (part of MS Office - the full version) I think.

Possibly Solr might do the job, once the xml files are available. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_Solr

[cloughie]

I’ve been very happily using Excel for many years and will continue to do so. It is flexible as far as headings are concerned and sorting is simple.

[Beef Oven!]

I’ve been very happily using Excel for many years and will continue to do so. It is flexible as far as headings are concerned and sorting is simple.

Is it flexible enough to cope with definite articles?

[Lordgeous]

Definitely not my experience. I started to use the Orange CD database twelve years ago, love it and probably use it daily. Without it I would not have such a good overview of my large collection. Also very helpful with downloads, which now form the majority of my acquisitions. The metadata of these downloads tends be a bit random and I have found it especially useful to be able to add them to the database, adjusting these details to conform to the same datafield criteria as existing items. The database can be uploaded and thus referenced when not next to computer. There is limitless scope to personalise the database to one's own preferences - add notes, reviews, biographical details, recording dates etc. I will admit to mild anorakish leanings and enjoy refining, correcting and updating the contained information on an ongoing basis. Eg death of performers/composers, marking duplicates, adding lyrics etc etc.

Alas its only for PC not Mac, so that rules it out for me.

[David Samuels]

I designed and wrote such a product, called Classifile. It ran on Windows (and still does) and a full copy cost £45 (i.e. less than the price of 3 CDs); I gave up active marketing of it when I retired. It supports unlimited (up to 16,777,215) each of artists per recording, tracks per album, works per composer, performances per conductor, etc. It's based on the Explorer folders/file paradigm and, although it looks a little dated, it still works. If you're interested, email me and I'll send you a link to a trial copy (up to 25 albums).

[french frank]

I designed and wrote such a product, called Classifile. It ran on Windows (and still does) and a full copy cost £45 (i.e. less than the price of 3 CDs); I gave up active marketing of it when I retired. It supports unlimited (up to 16,777,215) each of artists per recording, tracks per album, works per composer, performances per conductor, etc. It's based on the Explorer folders/file paradigm and, although it looks a little dated, it still works. If you're interested, email me and I'll send you a link to a trial copy (up to 25 albums).

Hello, David - nice to see you back, and I can vouch for your bona fides! (But I'm now a Mac user)

[David Samuels]

So am I, FF -- I had to buy an old laptop to keep Classifile running!

[cloughie]

Is it flexible enough to cope with definite articles?

Beefy - almost indefinitely!