movie database: better import and 'scene-picture' support (1 Viewer)

[chefkoch]

No this thread is not only about commercial movies. I have many videos from my winter holidays and some home videos when i was 3-5 years old.

Something like a data cache from where mp will import infos for homevideos would be really cool.

regards
chefkoch

 

[HappyTalk]

I don't have a problem as such with the current MyMovies in MP I just think it needs minor tweaking in several areas to make it more useable. I use it for an offline library of movies stored on DVD. It is very awkward to to import them, and especially time consuming if a single dvd contains 10 or more files editing each entry by hand.

I think it needs the import functionality in MP Setup to be improved. The main problem is if you don't wish to get values back from imdb for each entry then no record is created in the movieinfo table and consequently the items do not appear in the editor tab so are not accessable and can't be edited. It does however create entries in the files and path table. For now I am just importing them, then running an sql query to create the entries in movieinfo so that I can refine their entry via the editor. It should still create a (fairly empty) movieinfo record with at least strTitle filled in even if you don't access imdb at that time.

If the editor was setup to allow multiple items to be selected and edited as a block it would make it much faster and easier.

Being able to set the imdb number manually in the editor, then selecting multiple items, then executing a 'get imdb info' to grab the imdb info without prompting you each item en masse using the imdbnum field would help. It could also grab and name (after the imdbnum) the cover and trailer.

The MovieInfo entry should have a field to name the file used for the thumbnail as a lot of records may want to use the same one. This might be the filename or the imdbnum, you choose. It should be extensionless and so if MP finds an image used as the cover, if a movie used as a trailer, if an audio file, played when you select it's own page.

The screen listing all the movies should show the tagline somewhere as you scroll through items helping you to choose. When you click a movie entry you are then presented with a screen showing the cover quite large (then after 5 seconds if trailer present begin showing that in same window). Also a scrolling window below showing the plotline, followed by Director and actor info. From here you can click to launch the movie.

I use it as is, cos it's there but have found other users of my MP simply don't bother watching movies much as it's unintuitive and akward. I know I ought to code it myself but just don't find the time. Is there a plugin version of current MyMovie code that is seperate from the main core code, as that would make it a lot easier to play with. I have looked at other movie plugins but found them to be too complicated to bother with. Something clean, neat and very, very simple is required else I find people just don't use it.