Tape Logging and Library Management at DVinfo.net

Bob Costa · December 4th, 2004, 02:55 PM

I did a quick search and could not find a thread that addresses this. But if anyone knows of one, please point me at it...

I am assumingThere are a few thoughtful people here who know something about managing large quantities of tapes and shooting. Since I am now unhappy with my big pile of tapes, I decided to build a database to track this stuff. I am also starting to shoot scenes I will want to find in a year. So I am hoping that some of you will help me with my table design and point out any fields or information that I should collect. It is lots easier to put it in at the beginning than to add it later. Maybe there is something that your system does not track and you really wish it would? Maybe I just didn't think of something? I would like to build something that would work for large operations as easily as a one-person shop, so you "big guys" share your wish list too. If the system comes out really cool, I may let other people use it. :)

Media table

MediaID (Tape# etc)
ClientID (all client data stored elsewhere)
ProjectID (all project data stored elsewhere)
RecordDate
CameramanID
MediaType (DV, VHS, Beta, DVD, etc)
MediaUsage (Raw, Stock, Final) (What others would there be?)
Description (briefly what is on the tape, 100 characters or less)

What did I forget?

MediaLog (Details of each tape)

LogID (for DB purposes)
MediaID (links to Media table)
Sequence (1,2,3,4, etc)
TimeIn
TimeOut
Description (short desc of scene, exactly what it is)
SceneNotes (very detailed description of scene if needed, including talent names, weather, anything that seems useful, etc)

What did I forget???

Any and all help appreciated.

Dylan Couper · December 4th, 2004, 03:25 PM

Way to make me feel like a slacker. I scribble something on the label like "Imortant - don't erase" then throw them in a shoebox and stuff it under my desk.

Lamar Lamb · December 18th, 2004, 07:04 PM

Sounds good to me. Do you have a table for your equipment and serial numbers so you can track usage and problems? Maybe a bit column for ID'ing problem tapes. I built something similar in Access 2003 and am now in the process of putting it on SQL Server 2000 and making an ASP.NET web application. Sounds like overkill, I know, but I enjoy programming and building databases. With this app you could log tapes from anywhere in the world as long as you have access to the internet.

December 4th, 2004, 02:55 PM	#1
Bob Costa Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Venice, FL Posts: 850	Tape Logging and Library Management I did a quick search and could not find a thread that addresses this. But if anyone knows of one, please point me at it... I am assumingThere are a few thoughtful people here who know something about managing large quantities of tapes and shooting. Since I am now unhappy with my big pile of tapes, I decided to build a database to track this stuff. I am also starting to shoot scenes I will want to find in a year. So I am hoping that some of you will help me with my table design and point out any fields or information that I should collect. It is lots easier to put it in at the beginning than to add it later. Maybe there is something that your system does not track and you really wish it would? Maybe I just didn't think of something? I would like to build something that would work for large operations as easily as a one-person shop, so you "big guys" share your wish list too. If the system comes out really cool, I may let other people use it. :) Media table MediaID (Tape# etc) ClientID (all client data stored elsewhere) ProjectID (all project data stored elsewhere) RecordDate CameramanID MediaType (DV, VHS, Beta, DVD, etc) MediaUsage (Raw, Stock, Final) (What others would there be?) Description (briefly what is on the tape, 100 characters or less) What did I forget? MediaLog (Details of each tape) LogID (for DB purposes) MediaID (links to Media table) Sequence (1,2,3,4, etc) TimeIn TimeOut Description (short desc of scene, exactly what it is) SceneNotes (very detailed description of scene if needed, including talent names, weather, anything that seems useful, etc) What did I forget??? Any and all help appreciated.

December 4th, 2004, 03:25 PM	#2
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Way to make me feel like a slacker. I scribble something on the label like "Imortant - don't erase" then throw them in a shoebox and stuff it under my desk. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

December 18th, 2004, 07:04 PM	#3
Lamar Lamb Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Baxley, Georgia Posts: 103	Sounds good to me. Do you have a table for your equipment and serial numbers so you can track usage and problems? Maybe a bit column for ID'ing problem tapes. I built something similar in Access 2003 and am now in the process of putting it on SQL Server 2000 and making an ASP.NET web application. Sounds like overkill, I know, but I enjoy programming and building databases. With this app you could log tapes from anywhere in the world as long as you have access to the internet. __________________ Lamar