I’m still working on it.

Turns out the API for the DVD covers website I was planning on using doesn’t work, which was a bit of a setback.  I have a workaround though (embedded web browser – find the cover you want, touch it, and then press a button at the bottom of the screen) which is a bit more complicated, and a bit slower, but it does work.  A pity I spent so much time writing code in preparation for using the API, and now I can’t use any of it 🙁

Just a quick update to let you know how work on the new version is going.

I have finished putting in tabs, and updated the database layout.  Barcodes are no longer essential internally, so I should be able to have a manual addition process for adding items with no barcode (of course these will not be able to be searched for online or submitted back to  http://www.upcdatabase.com/).

The new database format stores all of the previous information (title, barcode, type, whether you own it or not) as well as a bunch of new information (wishlist, rented,  date record was added, date record was last modified, IMDB link, region, and a description/synopsis where you can enter any additional information you want to record).

My plans before release are to add all of this new information to the interface, and all going well, add in cover image support from freecovers.net .  I am still investigating how possible it will be to add additional data sources such as itemlookup.net and checkupc.com.

I am also planning on adding an options screen for choosing what types you want in your list.  Additional types that will be available will be Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, Xbox, Playstation, and Gamecube.  If you have any types you want included, please leave a comment below and I will try and add it.

ETA: I have 1 more day off work tomorrow, and I do not expect to finish it in that time.  I am then out of town for the rest of the week, so realistically, I don’t see a release happening before  18th of July.  Hopefully the wait will be worth it 🙂

I don’t expect any of the people this post is actually directed at will ever read it, but here goes anyway.

If you are using an Android app, and it does something unexpected, contact the author directly.  Don’t leave a rating of 1 star, and a comment of “doesn’t work”.  The author cannot fix the problem based on a comment like that, so you haven’t helped anyone by leaving it.

Continue reading Bug reporting and Android →

I needed a way of keeping track of which DVDs I own so that I didn’t accidentally buy two copies of anything.  One long weekend of programming later produced Disccat for Android based phones.

Continue reading Disccat – My first Android app →