To restore order in their multimedia collections

Books. Music. Movie. Photo. It has long been part of our lives. We have a preference, and according to different criteria, we collect your disk collection, books, media files. When the collection is small, it is necessary to search for the object to be easy and simple. And if you gather a collection for a long time? If you are very diverse in genre preferences? That's when it becomes necessary to cataloging: by type of media, genres, types of media.

And on this, today we talk about the cataloger for media content. I deliberately removed catalogers documents (there are) and office files, as well as other calculated on the account of something not "multimedia".

Consider this subject, I want the example of a few, the most striking, in my opinion, the programs: DiskLibrary, CDFinder, Librarian Pro and the "quartet" of Bruji: CDpedia, DVDpedia, Bookpedia and Gamepedia.

Choosing catalogers on Mac OS is certainly not limited to these programs, but I find them the most functional and bright. So he took it upon myself to recommend, dear readers.
So, let's begin:

Four programs from Bruji. Interesting idea to divide cataloguers on the type and intended use, which made separately taken cataloger more flexible it is in its own direction. After all, most of these programs seek to collect in itself all together: music, movies, audiobooks, and el.knigi, software, etc. And that sin honest, most of these "average" catalogers suffer disadvantage fields for data entry and the subsequent search / sort by them. But at the books and say, music completely different data options. So we have to "get out" and "clever" urging "common" fields to fit your needs.

Bruji went the other way: for each type - its catalog. On the one hand, it gave us directions of the program with the other quadruple revenue Bruji. For example, I bought 3 of the program of four. Even taking into account the volume discount, the price of a movie-audio-book catalog I got $ 42. A lot or a little - you decide. I do not regret buying, for the convenience of work, I get, worth the amount.

But what do we actually have? Consider the example of one of the four programs. Let it be DVDpedia.

• Flexible interface customization, which takes into account all the necessary data fields, as well as the ability to create your own. The latter is very important addition, which have small count of catalogers.
• Sort, not only on the displayed fields, but also for tags. And also possible to create folders and subfolders (collection) and smart folder based on one of the given parameters.
• Finding information about the film on the databases of Internet services (in the list of almost all conceivable base, including the IMDb, as well as the ability to add search engines manually), and auto-complete forms through the fields if successful searching.
• Search by barcode data (the disk boxes) taken from the built-in camera (iSight & scanner integration)
• View collection in Cover Flow and Full Screen.
• Ability to establish hyperlinks to images and other files multemediynye, Video_TS folder, URL links to various websites.
• Integration with Front Row, AppleTV, Quick Look, Address book, Spotlight
• Export data collection or an entire directory in HTML (suggested several ready-made, lovely shape. Even iPhone-browser format is), text, CSV. and its own format. As well as direct export catalogs to Mobile Me, to FTP, and even iPod.
• Large selection of add-ons and plug-ins.
• Interaction with Wishlist collection
• It works with the Apple Remote and Bluetooth-enabled devices.
• The design is completely sustained in the MAK-style.

As you can see, on the above features, it is quite a powerful app, and with regular updates. In my opinion, one of the best, it pays a price in 18$ 1 program, rich functionality.

What I have cited the example of DVDpedia, exactly the same amount and diversity present in the other three cataloger Bruji. Accordingly CDpedia - for Audio CD and MP3-CDs, Bookpedia - for paper and electronic books (I just used for audio books) and Gamepedia - catalog of games.

When I once made a choice, in addition to allowing the flexibility to customize data fields, has paid special attention on the search for online databases and user-friendly Export to HTML and CSV, which makes it possible always to export data from Bruji catalogs in any other, including Windows and Linux platforms.

Now let's move on to the next, exciting program.

Librarian Pro - is a multifunctional cataloger on the principle of "all in one". It allows you to organize data on books, music, movies, games, as well as computer applications and devices.

In contrast to the above-mentioned Bruji - all these data be stored under the same roof, but the developers have carried their own sections. It's comfortable. Icon-rubricator immediately clear to which category directory. And, just as in Bruji, each section has its own fields that are specific to this type of information (Books, movies, music, software, games), but the interface is not as flexible, and does not provide the ability to create their fields.

Just consider a minus, to collect as much information in the same database. If you have a decent collection of books, movies, audio CDs, and so forth. You can imagine how much this database will weigh, and how long it will run.

But to each his own. Many I think this option will suit more than Bruji, and the price in $29.95 much less, if a functionality of all kinds of media data. That offers us this cataloger?

• Finding information on the Amazon (Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and France), and auto-complete forms on the fields in a successful search.
• Search data by barcode (from the disk boxes) taken from the built-in camera or a USB Barcode Scanner
• Create folders, collections, and "smart collections" (Smart Folders) on the specified criteria.
• The possibility of incorporating "debtors list" with personaliztsiey contacts via Address book and direct sending of e-mail "debtor".
• Search duplicate data.
• Import data from Bruji catalogs, Delicious Library, iTunes. From text and CSV files.
• Automatic creation of a directory of installed programs, by scanning the "Programs" folder, with the possibility of making a large amount of additional information on the program: the rating to links to the manufacturer's website and deadlines license.
• Import contacts from your Address Book. Only except for the "debtors' list can be useful in principle.
• Export to HTML (not as nice and diverse like Bruji, but it is functional and suitable to be placed on his personal website, or import into another program), Test and own file format.
• Just direct export to iPod
• Design quite MAK-style, but without the Cover Flow and Full Screen. Showing only a table and icons, and it kind of smacks of "Wind"

As you can see functional smaller Bruji, but it is sufficient for a complete database of this to your collection.

And finally, the most interesting for switchers: Librarian Pro - a multi-platform program that works with one type of database both under Mac OS, as well as under Windows. It makes life easier for users who have large databases made in cataloger of this type on Windows (for example, Collmate). Fairly affordable way to export your data to the Librarian Pro on Windows, and then just open the database in the program for Mac OS.

Consider a pair of programs catalogers multifunctional type, move on to a couple more simple, but very popular.

Those who actively used on a Windows program such as «Where Is It?» Are actively looking for an analogue to the Mac OS, and such a program, and not one. The brightest and best of catalogers scanners is CDFinder.

CDFinder - one of my favorite programs. Her work is simple and unpretentious: it scans the data on CD, DVD or HDD and makes the "cast" of content. Folders, sub-folders, the contents of these folders, all leaves a mark in the form of original shortcuts. One scan - one image. For example, you store your files of movies or music, or photos on a DVD-R. Scanning the drive program, you get the exact image of the data, but only in the form of labels.

You can create a collection of types and topics, and then decompose these images on the appropriate folders.

Similarly, we can proceed with the data on the HDD, select how the whole entire screw that, in my opinion, it is inconvenient, as well as individual folders.

The process is almost Momental and is quite simple. For those who do not hunt to tinker and to fill in a bunch of fields in a database such as the above catalogers, or those who are simply unnecessary, would be sufficient for this program, which would quickly bring their collections order. The main thing that the contents of your CD-DVD-HDD media was adequate, but not the assembly of disparate content.

But in any case, always the desired file can be found correct and Hustler search in the program.

And do not forget that the program created images - it labels. Therefore, if the DVD is to be in the tray, and the HDD is connected to your Mac, then run the file can be found directly from the program.

Among the few drawbacks is worth noting utter uselessness of this program for cataloging DVD and Auduo CD drives, so as scanned, we learn the folder Video_TS + Audio_TS on DVD, and a list of the type of Track 1, Track 2 Audio CD files. But this is the cost of technology.

It is also worth noting also the following options:

• The ability to assign tags and labels
• The ability to create groups of collections
• Write a comment (to which is not so easy to get then)
• Indexing archives ZIP, TAR, StuffIt, RAR (larger than 4GB)
• Pref for video files
• The possibility of metadata read MP3, AAC, AIFF, and WAVE and built-in MP3 and AAC iTunes Lyrics texts
• Supports iPhoto libraries and service Locr
• Access to the database over the network CDFinder
• Search drives and directories using Spotlight
• AppleScript support

Not too little. In this case, we do not forget that this type of program involves a simple data storage in the form of scanned images. Program price is not small: $ 39.99. So there are over than to think.

Well, in the end of this short review, the last of me recommended programs catalogers.

DiskLibrary - is considered to be a direct competitor of CDFinder. The program is built on the same ideology scan and create an image of folders / drives. The main functions are the same as in CDFinder: cataloging media collections stored on CD, DVD and HDD. For each of the scanned object is fully preserved entire directory structure. According to this, if, for example, you store a large collection on the USB-HDD, or you can scan the entire disk, and then scroll through the folders in the search (you can use built-in search) or, taken separately scan a folder outside screw and create folders with media content stored on different HDD one thematic Smart Collection. For example, if the films - to create a smart folder, genre, and to sum it all your movies in this genre are stored on different external HDD, DVD-R, etc.

In order to add a folder or disk to the catalog, enough to win over the icon of the desired object (Drag and Drop) on the side panel open DiskLibrary program. But I want to warn at once, if you add a disk / folder with many files, this process takes a long time. And by the way a lot more than in CDFinder. Perhaps this is due to the more detailed processing contents of the object to be added. So adding a folder with a large number of CMV jpg-files, it took me more than an hour.

Unfortunately the program does not know how to group the collection (as opposed to CDFinder), so that, if the collection volume, all hope to Samart-folder, which, in my opinion, is not very convenient.

Now, about a couple of unique features, due to which, DiskLibrary, it may seem to some users is particularly interesting
a) Import data from «Where Is It?» in the XML file. For switchers passing with Windows, perhaps, it will be decisive in the choice of programs of this type, if they used it «Where Is It?». However, I want to note that the export of a collection I have not turned properly, and "on-disk" carry... easier to rescan collection. Come a little slower, but an order of magnitude more informative. For DiskLibrary puts on the blades «Where Is It?» «One left" in functionality.
b) In version 1.9 added support for Quick Look.

That, in addition to the program can say,

• Indexing archives ZIP and RAR
• Ability to read metadata: AAC / MP3 tags, as well as XMP / EXIF ​​/ IPTC data of photos, PDF info, information Word / RTF data and video metadata
• Pref for video, audio, PDF and text files. Archives pref.
• Search drives and directories using Spotlight + import comments.
• Search by keyword, date, category, status, genre, size.
• Creating a Smart Folder on the criteria and the results of the search.
• Import directories besides said «Where Is It?» as the application of CDFinder, FileFinder, DiskTracker and the other in XML format and TXT (This takes into account that imports under these formats do not give us all the charms DiskLibrary, in the form of thumbnails and metadata files)

As you can see, DiskLibrary very similar to CDFinder, but it has a lot of distinctive features. In some strong CDFinder, something DiskLibrary. They are so similar and so different. And even the price they like. The cost of the license DiskLibrary $39

There is another similar feature of all types of CDFinder and DiskLibrary program: since they are "sharpened" for the establishment of images, the addition of new items in the collection is done by re-scanning (updating) the existing folder / drive. And of course the main data is taken from the files themselves. If you want to have a complete database with its own fields, criteria, references, etc., it is necessary to pay attention to the type of program Bruji-pedii and Librarian Pro.

In this review, I examined all 4 compartmentalized cataloguer. But if you turn back, you can count several tens of varying degrees of complexity, and with different capabilities. And there is still catalogers, documents, software and licenses, offline objects (furniture, wine, coins and stamps etc.). The main time to think about it, then that would not have gone for months filling out forms catalogs already collected collections. After all, add a new disk, or a few new items in the collection - a few minutes, and the "score" accumulated over the years... a long time out. By myself I know.

If you want to know something more detail, or in some doubt. Write.
Yours sincerely, Andrew B. velvets