Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
I'm looking for an application that can scan my backup DVD's that contain many games and other software and then create a database that makes it easy for me to be able to locate where games and software are located. I did have a freeware program last year that was perfect, but forgot to save the executable prior to doing a format and then promptly forgot the name of the program.
Can anyone suggest a freeware proigram that would do this. Thank you
(commercial examples are also welcome. :)
That must be telepathy - LOL
Stimulated by the new start menu programme, I was going to reorganise my system (I'm out to do that since a year) and tried to remember, which of all my installed and unused programmes was that cataloguing tool, my friend recommended warmly to me.
I found it: Visual CD
Sorry, I can't write a review, because I -as I mentioned before- didn't use it yet, I can only say, it looks good enough to spend my sleepless night with it.
Visual CD is a cataloger with a lot of extra tools (such as a mass renamer tool, etc).
From the website: Visual CD Features
* Ability search across multiple catalogs
* Ability to index dimensions and duration of video and music files
* Ability to index dimensions and date picture taken of picture files
* Ability to extract thumbnail of picture, icon, video, and executable files
* Ability to save directory structure to Text Document
* Ability to export catalog to HTML Document, Microsoft Excel File, Rich Text Format and Text Document
* Ability to build Visual CD Portable
* Support Zip, 7-Zip, Rar, Ace, and Cab archive
* Support MP3 ID3v1 and ID3v2 Tag
* Support Windows Visual Style
* Moving, copying, renaming, and deleting catalog without leaving Visual CD
* Auto switch drive
* Auto check disk status
* MP3 Playlist Generator
* Batch Export
* Extras: Advanced Rename, Duplicated Files Finder, File Splitter, NFO Reader, Photo Rename, and Thumbnail Maker
* And more..
Oh, did I say it's FREEE and clean ?
Let's try it.
graylox
rno2
Member
I use a program called Cathy. While it does not have all the extra tools, it is very fast, small and can be put on a usb stick.
http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/Cathy/cathy.html
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
I spent some time yesterday searching the net and did find Cathy and Visual CD. got them both downloaded, but not yet explored them. Just so long as I can insert a DVD or CD into my drive and have the application scan the contents and record it in a database for easy reference i'll be very very happy (though I still have to go thrugh the hundreds of DVD's and CD's , lol
Thanks for all your advice so far.
The one I previously used but forgot the name of has not been mentioned so far though. :(
goodgotd
Member
I've got suggestions and tips on organizing discs so they can be found- just ask.
I have a rather large number of discs, (way past a thousand) and can load the catalog, search out a file, and have the disc in the drive in 3 minutes or less.
before I dispute speed I must define my terms. [Virtual CD is a new one to me, so I'll have to try it- thanx graylox- though if you're cataloging CD's and DVD's, things like rename, dupe find, and file splitting are less than useful. ]
In my experience, [way too much] most disc catalog programs that do more than save the disk label and a list of files (and honest, having details is really handy) start getting rather sloooow to load and search once you get past a hundred or so dvd-r's, (frankly, *most* get very irritating after just 150 CD-r's!) as they use a database resident on the hard drive that all discs are entered into. the more details it records, the faster it slows down.
I have been using InsideCAT registered since version 3.27, and long before that using the lite version. my mainline DVD-R catalog has 874 dvd-r's in it, and it's still fast loading and fast searching since it loads the catalog files in memory rather than staying linked to a slow hard drive.
And I highly recommend it. fast, amazingly complete info on video files, audio files, PDF documents, nested files in archives.... Very few programs can match IC's data extraction ability, and I haven't found another that can hold the speed even with less detail on files.
here's a screenshot of InsideCAT in action, with that DVD-r collection loaded.
and here's the description, posted on http://www.freewarefiles.com, where you can download the lite version without going to the main site:
InsideCAT is an automatic indexer/cataloguer program for all your PC disks (CD, DVD, HD, USB, CD-Audio, floppy, folders...) with an excellent support for compressed and multimedia files. No typing needed!. It enables you to locate any file in a fast way. Never loose a file again!. A must have if you used to burn cd/dvd disks.
The Lite (free) version has a limit of 100 discs.
(in one location- using multiple shortcuts with different startup directories you can get around this- I did for years)
The paid versions the limit is how much ram you have. that set of 874 dvd cats takes just 130 megs of memory, plus the thumbs.
Features of all versions: (give the guy a break, he's french)
* Complete and automatic cataloguing of any PC disc (any letter drive) or folder.
* Cataloguing of CD-Audio disks automatic (Internet or Cd-Text) or manual.
* Compressed files support. Even 14 formats! (ZIP, RAR, CAB, ACE, JAR, TAR, EXE...).
* Multimedia files: five types, 29 formats supported (more than 42 variants).
* Makes thumbnails of photo files JPEG, TIFF and PCD. It also extracts EXIF metadata.
* Labels and sleeves designer for CD/DVD boxes. Including automatic functions.
* Six graphic style reports. Four ASCII style reports. Customizables.
* No third-part software dependent: it has "built-in" routines for all file formats.
the Pro and Forever paid versions add:
* Powerful textual search functions: five different types!.
* Emergency de-compressor for the 14 formats supported, including EXEs.
* Support and upgrades (pro to v5, forever- well..)
* Files are directly opened in five ways: just insert the disc and click.
and he actively stomps bugs ASAP- I've found a few, and they got swatted right quick.
goodgotd
Member
Ok, I tried Visual CD- and it's got a long way to go. there's no list view of catalogs, only shows one at a time. Unless you count the 'favorites' list, which doesn't provide any details. ook.
if you don't leave the paths and options as installed- and that means your catalogs are going in the documents and settings subdirectory on your boot drive- any crash (and a smudge on a dvd will do it- a read error crashes the program?? gee...) resets everything back. you have to manually load the list of catalogs to search and then you have to be pretty specific.
even for freeware this program would drive me nuts. if someone figures out how to use it better, lemme know.
Quantum Dragon
Member
On top of the other suggestions, I found this one: Gentibus
It is in the best free file disk catalog organizer category over @ Gizmo's
alongside Cathy, Visual CD and the older Disclib
You can check the Gizmo reviews here: Best free file disk catalog organizer
From there, you will be able to link to the various homepages
Hope this helps you find what you need
Regards
The Dragon (Paul)
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Thanks guys for all the suggestions. Keep #em coming. I want to try as many as I an before I decide which i'm gonna use. :)
Quantum Dragon
Member
For those having trouble finding programs mentionned here without their web links, here they are:
For the Ruby software, here is the home page: http://www.warpengine.com/software.php
For the mcat software: http://mcat.sourceforge.net/
For the Advanced File Organizer (if you did not get it on its giveaway day): http://www.softprime.com/
Quantum Dragon
Member
Hello again,
Found these:
Disk Explorer Professional
This program used to be shareware, it then went free for non-commercial use in 2005 ( v3.60.f06 (2005-06-01) ) and finally became entirely free in 2010 ( v3.70 (2010-02-16) ).
The latest version also has these updates:
* Windows 7 - natively supported
* New filter: FLAC info filter (ogg tag)
* Pictview/EXIF filter update - many bugfixes
* EXIF support extended, new gfx formats supported (*.orf, *.blp)
Freewarefiles Description page ( Very informative )
In the shareware area, you've got this one: Where is it!
Best regards
The Dragon (Paul)
goodgotd
Member
Thanks dragon, another to check out. Disk Explorer looks pretty capable. In fact, catalogs of internet locations is one I never considered- being personal-system-centric, y'know.
IC certainly has no need of the original disc to search contents, but then if it needed the disc it'd hardly be a sensible catalog program.
Where is it! certainly looks like a decent competitor for InsideCAT, depending on preferences, plugins and needs. Lower price depending on dollar/euro ratios. (IC has 'trouble file' disable options stock)
InsideCAT Lite I'd say is a better trial in some ways (for one, no time limit- true freeware) than Where is It!'s 14 day limit.
OTOH, if you can get a catalog up to 2 gigs in 14 days, that limit is looser. though some of the phrasing kinda has me wondering.
goodgotd
Member
I did some preliminary comparison testing of Disk Explorer Professional last night.
I'm not going to test the basic low-detail catalogs at all; I've found them to be inadequate for my usage, and assume anyone who would be satisfied with a simple file listing can find lots to use.
I'm still waiting for a reply from gentibus' author as I haven't managed to get it to run to the point of being able to catalog discs.
OTOH, Disk Explorer Pro 3.70 is on the whole a pleasant surprise- slow to high speed indexing discs (noticably faster some places, far slower than others in cataloging compared to my standard, which is of course InsideCAT Lite 4.10), very good detail capture and auto-inclusion of same in the database.
some areas it includes details beyond where IC goes, including number of frames in videos and details of files when of filterable type inside archives (this can be set to different levels, down to 'don't'.)
It's *much* more impacted in performance by Online Armor++, probably (WAG) due to the number of filter calls and external codecs used. InsideCAT has most of the common archive and multimedia formats in internal modules. Although I set it as trusted for any target.
I'm using a selected 'reference' DVD-R set, so I can be sure the same data are included in the resulting tests. (I've pretty much given up on CD-R's for reliability reasons. I use them only if I need to transfer something to a computer that's standalone and has no DVD drive)
I selected these groups to toss a variety of data at the programs:
1) a mix of videos from download, rip, and satellite DVR-thru-ADS DivX capture box: MVC_380 to MVC_413. (these happen to be the latest in the MVC_ series) 7,974 files, 142.59 gb
2) mostly 8 megapixel Canon A720 images with other resolutions including HP M517 5.1 megapixel, crops from both cameras and larger panoramas: HP_CAN_026. This is the latest photograph disc I've burned. 1,604 files, 4.29 gb.
3) collected one-megapixel HP Photosmart C200 images, with some scans both b&w documents and photos: DVD_PX001. burned 6/19/2005- 7,117 files, 4.29 gb.
4) and finally a fair mix of new downloads and rescued (off older cd's surrendering to bit-rot) files of mostly data and freeware: DVD_444 to DVD_454. also the latest burned in the DVD_ series, and including the M.A.M.E. 0.137 rom pack and core accessory pack. 40,250 files, 46.31 gb.
total 47 DVD-R's with 2490 folders, 56,997 files totaling 197.36 gb. (according to DEP)
I note that the old DOS *.FLI files crunch the 'image filter' and cause the filter to restart. Frankly, I don't know what would read them currently. InsideCat doesn't try.
catalog disk space on disk, using default settings for 'get all info':
Disk Explorer, 1 .DED file, 332 mb
InsideCat, 71 files, 70.6 mb:
47 .TCT catalogs, 12mb
24 .THU thumbnail files, 58.6 mb (compressed bitmap thumbnails, renamed zip files)
compressed with WinRAR 3.62, no recovery record, best compression, split at 100 mb-
DEP: 206 mb, cannot be compressed while DEP is running, file locked
IC: 41.8 mb, can be comressed while IC is running as operating data are in memory
startup time
DEP 5 seconds
IC 4 seconds
search time, 'lost in space' as substring (seasons 2 & 3 in XviD/AC3, plus EMDB cover thumbnails)
DEP: 29 objects found, 30 seconds.
IC: 29 objects found, 3 seconds.
the last time I tried a monolithic database catalog program, it didn't have nearly the features or the speed of Disk Explorer Professional, so I consider this to be a really good disc catalog with an excellent feature set, and for collections of disks in the low to mid hundreds in scope a quite reasonable choice.
depending on the user's desires, InsideCAT Lite 4.10 should do well, (for <100 discs it's far, far faster and collects a reasonable amount of detailed info) but running past 100 discs requires splitting collections into sub-groups and loading each in sequence for search. it may still be faster but would be more work and thought to implement. YMMV, I did OK.
Disk Explorer Professional 3.7 slows down much faster and the catalog gets larger and remains on the hard drive during all operations, (this can, according to the help, be reduced by excluding details, pictures, etc. that aren't essential to the user- I haven't explored how much) but is free of disc number limits and costs the same as IC Lite.
Hope this helps. I'll try and get the same info on other programs as I can. If my DVD drive holds out.
and here are screenshots of both programs with the data:
InsideCAT Lite 4.10
Disk Explorer Professional 3.70
Oh, yes, here is the Freewarefiles link to InsideCAT 4.10 Lite edition.
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
Nice one GoodGotd, thanks for all the input.
Yes, goody a thank you from me too.
Now I still have to decide, what I really need.
At first I only wanted a list about all programmes. Then I thought it would be great to have all info about the music too, besides my separate music catalogue (which will never be completed, I fear), and of course the vids and pics and...
Now there is the question, how many info I really need about each vid or photo.
As far as I know me, I'll end up with a simple list (like I had on the old system), as it will turn out to become a giant mission to make such a comprehensive catalogue.
And what about the MBs such a big catalogue needs?
On the old puter I had a simple list (have forgotten the programme), but of course that list died with the HD before I made a backup.
Whiterabbit-uk
Games Guru
That's basically what I did Graylox. I was really happy with that program as well. I suspect it was the giveaway version though I'm sure I lost that and ended up getting another one.
It's just occured to me that I probably followed a link that a community member will have posted as an alternative. I must go check the old comments and see (thanks to someoner above mentioning what that giveaway was) :)
Though I have checked out some of the above and so far am quite happy with what I've seen. Still got loads to check though. :)
I know what you mean Graylox. I end up going overboard. for example I started a basic reference for all the mods and maps that I had for Battlefield 2 mainly for the small clan that I jointly ran with a friend. My intention wa sjust to briefly post details of what the map was and a download link. In the end I started to write a review for each map, included at least 3 or 4 screen shots of each game map. In the end I never finished it becasue at the time the game was very popular and modders were creating maps virtually every day. to date theres well over a thousand custom made maps. Many of the maps were used for different mods which gave them a different character becasdue of the changes made by the mods, so I started to write reviews for the same map several times to include the changs then I started to hyper link to duplicate maps and then well you can guess, lol. The review got to be so large it wasn't practical to upload it It was on a Word documant. I got the bright idea that if I could convert it to a pdf it would reduce the size of the file and make it possible to upload for others to download. Considering there were tactics included on how to beat or try to beat the map plus several download locations as well as in game screenshots and a picture of the actual map it would have been a great resource. I ended up purchasing Expert PDF v5.0 but it wouldn't convert the hyperlinks so I scrapped the idea. (After spending over a year working on it every day (well almost every day)
Now most of the download links are invalid becasue the game is no longer as popular as it was back then. so most gaming sites got rid of the maps and mods. (There's over 500Gb of free mods and maps for that game) It was released in June 2005 and was one of the top games for nearly three years until Call of Duty 4 was released back in 2008.
That's the cruelty of perfectionism. You'll never come to an end.
goodgotd
Member
I've given up on 'perfect', but I do try for 'reasonably effective'- that's why when I finally (I used to let Nero choose random disc labels, and that's still biting me on the tail) started cataloging discs seriously (as in, *not* trying to put everything on the crystal case label- I don't even *use* the stupid cases anymore!) I stepped back and came up with a set of organizing steps that at least let me keep track of what I've done and tells me when I've not put a disc back, so I can look for it.
I will say that if you are cataloging pressed discs (purchased on cd/dvd games, comes-with-dvd drive discs, etc) the sensible thing is to turn off most of the 'look inside' options and so on, as most of the details of the contents will be nearly useless and often obscure what you're searching for. IC and DEP both can be set to collect nearly as little as the least-complicated cat programs- see the end of this comment for screenshots of the options on InsideCat lite.
Likely the volume labels will be nothing at *all* indicative of what's printed on the label, so before or after (my memory fails me as soon as the disc gets hidden in the drive- aargh) the index/catalog process one has to rename it to what's human-readable on the label.
Currently I use a 3-letter series prefix with an underscore, 3-digit numeric index and a 6-digit compilation date (ok, the HP_CAN_ and M517_ series violate that, but neither needed pinned down to dates nor will ever grow nearly as large as the general purpose storage blocks) with DVD_XXX_YYMMDD being devoted primarily (before the VHS VCR started becoming a rare bird, I mixed data, photos and multimedia a bit too much- I'm working on correcting that) to downloaded programs and info, data backups, and random stuff. When I started switching over to the front room computer being my movie server with movies sent to it over the LAN, I created the MVC_XXX_YYMMDD series for music and video files.
Both these series are in the same catalog directory so I can search all of them. The photo discs I have a separate shortcut to access just those catalogs. And the bazillion thumbnails that go with them.
When those two run into the limits of the 3-digit disc number, I plan on incrementing the last letter of the prefix to DVE_ and MVD_, which will sort alphabetically in the proper places. I thought that 3 digits was enough, but I'm such a digital hoarder that ain't gonna be the case. So I'm thinking ahead.
The digital photo disc sets I've done all the M517's I'm going to (that was a 'search and collect' series to gather all the pockets of random saved pix into one place when I got the Canon) and the HP_CAN_XXX series takes all the Canon A720 pix and any I (or whoever I loan 'em to) take with the HP M517 and R707 cameras and stores them in dated (with appended name for other's pix) subdirectories. I still do use the smaller cameras occasionally, as there are some scenes they simply produce better looking results. As one well known fella put it, with digital the *camera* is the film...
Here's the various option tabs for insidecat- lite and registered are the same. Disk Explorer Pro has different option locations and somewhat different procedures, but in general they're as comprehensive.
Both programs have a taste of difficulty displaying all the info running at a screen resolution of 1152x864 or lower- DEP has a hover-and-popup-details feature I rather like, since it has a bit more trouble fitting the data into columns.
Basic options:
Advanced options:
Print options:
Export options:
Debug options:
options at new catalog time:
And I know just what you mean about game accessories. Quake2 I have more maps and mods than I'll ever use, and servers are sparse these days. And TreadMarks.... <sigh>
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