I was going to cross post this to a bunch of music echos but couldn't figure how to in Synchronet. I also figure if you read it here, you'd probably see it 5 times on the other networks...

anyway, I digress. As some of you may know, I have a huge collection of about 3,500 CDs that I want to sell. People keep asking me to make a list but it's a daunting task.

I started off manually typing in each CD into an Excel sheet on my computer, which is incredibly slow. I decided to get a barcode reader to help speed up the process. This is conneted to my Windows PC and scans the barcode and writes out to my ssh session as keyboard input.

I wrote a shell script on my Linux box to do a lookup on MusicBrainz and Discogs and write the results to a file that I could import into Excel, but not getting great results due to how the barcode data was entered so...

Now I have a local database of the Discogs data and a local MusicBrainz server just for fun, so I can fiddle around with data and create indexes and the like. Success! About 75% of the CDs are already in one or both of these databases.

But what a pain getting that list into Excel and then updating it as a Google Sheet. Google API to the rescue!

I converted the xlsx sheet to a Google sheet and, using the api, once I confirm the scanned barcode pulled back the correct data, when I save it automatically updates the Google sheet!

This means, anyone who wants to look at the list can check back daily as I add a batch of CDs to the list. No prices as yet, Probably $2 per CD, $3.50 for a double, and $4 for 3 disc set. $1 for CD singles. Maybe a bit extra for some factory sealed ones, signed, rare, parental advisory etc.

Anyway, if you want to take a look at the list, it's here...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tMXms_Lf5O-Dua-sxEKzK84wpIVuWfL4EcO8zutKmX4/edit?usp=sharing

It's interesting how we can use a lot of different bits to make a larger job easier.
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Hello Nigel Reed!

Anyway, if you want to take a look at the list, it's here...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tMXms_Lf5O-Dua-sxEKzK84wpIVuWfL4E cO8zutKmX4/edit?usp=sharing

Excellent. I was wondering how you were progressing with that.

Myself, I'll probably just stick with a Discogs database. I
like the idea of seeing the cover art with a listing.

I sorted that list by Artist. I see that you have one Yello.
I may have the same one too; I know that I have at least a
couple of theirs.


--- OpenXP 5.0.64
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

Re: Bringing all the bits together...
By: Nigel Reed to All on Sun Mar 30 2025 05:42 am

I was going to cross post this to a bunch of music echos but couldn't figure how to in Synchronet. I also figure if you read it here, you'd probably see it 5 times on the other networks...

SlyEdit has a cross-posting feature that lets you select which other sub-boards to post the message to. If you use FSEditor, I'm not sure if that editor allows that.

Nightfox
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Re: Bringing all the bits together...
By: Ogg to Nigel Reed on Sun Mar 30 2025 11:37:00

Excellent. I was wondering how you were progressing with that.

Myself, I'll probably just stick with a Discogs database. I
like the idea of seeing the cover art with a listing.

Once I'm done I could probably produce links to Discogs. I find it too much of a pain to try and match a specific CD with a specific release based on the minute print around the center of the CD and stuff like that.
--- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (21:2/101)

Hello Nigel Reed!

** On Sunday 30.03.25 - 15:46, Nigel Reed wrote to Ogg:

Once I'm done I could probably produce links to Discogs. I find it too much of a pain to try and match a specific CD with a specific release based on the minute print around the center of the CD and stuff like
that. -+- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux

Yeah.. not worth the extra handling to look at the hub.

It's quite the eclectic collection.

The Hooters! Yay.

Mannheim Steamroller.. Did you know there is a new Mannheim
Steamroller recording? It's more like an ambient/background
release with birdsong. Not my cup-o-tea right now. But I do
have a couple of Dan Gibson evironmental type recordings.


--- OpenXP 5.0.64
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

Re: Bringing all the bits together...
By: Nightfox to Nigel Reed on Sun Mar 30 2025 12:44:28

SlyEdit has a cross-posting feature that lets you select which other sub-boards to post the message to. If you use FSEditor, I'm not sure if that editor allows that.

Maybe it's time to swap...
--- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
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Re: Bringing all the bits together...
By: Ogg to Nigel Reed on Sun Mar 30 2025 11:37:00

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tMXms_Lf5O-Dua-sxEKzK84wpIVuWfL 4E cO8zutKmX4/edit?usp=sharing

Excellent. I was wondering how you were progressing with that.

Myself, I'll probably just stick with a Discogs database. I
like the idea of seeing the cover art with a listing.

I sorted that list by Artist. I see that you have one Yello.
I may have the same one too; I know that I have at least a
couple of theirs.

Well, I have just got the 1000th disc entered into the spreadsheet. The problem is, I forgot where I stashed the first 100 or so CDs lol. I picked up a large collection, which is why a few of them are factory sealed still. I found about a dozen so far with no disc :( They were in no particular order or genre and it's hard to sort when you have limited space. I have shelves stacked 2 high and 2 deep of CDs! I may just end up having a garage sale and put them all out on a bunch of tabels.
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