On 8/6/2010 11:04 AM, Mike Lazzari wrote:
> Unfortunately of the books I buy to actually keep (rather than check out/buy
> to read) many are waaaay pre-ISBN. It _is_ a daunting task to enter all the
> data by hand.
I built a database app for my classical CDs years ago, and the data entry was a
real pain.
> For the minority with an ISBN and a barcode it is easier and faster to just
> type in the #.
Although we have a significant number of pre-ISBN books, a much larger number
are numbered, and most of those,
bar-coded. Hardbacks are easiest, as the ISBN code is on the back. Mass-market
paperbacks have it on the inside front
cover. Fortunately, I've pretty quickly developed techniques to flip for
scanning one-handed.
Having done over 400 books, most with bars, but many with just numbers, my
experience differs. It's MUCH faster for me
to scan than key enter.
> For my friends in the book trade this gadget would be a real time saver. I'll
> ask them what they do.
>
> As for Bookcat, I'll check it out. I've also been looking for something to
> replace my old database. Did you look at<http://songstech.com/elibpro.html>?
No I hadn't. Looks less powerful than BookCat, as in fewer features and only
Amazon as a data source, but interesting.
Do you know what database format it uses? If the drag and drop works, and I can
transfer entries into BookCat, it could
be a big timesaver. Just in the mysteries, etc. bookshelf I entered alone,I
have some mysteries from as far back as the
1940s. Most will have been reprinted later and have an ISBN for a later
edition. Drag and drop would be a quick way to
gather input for many pre-ISBN books.
Moose
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