Building a virtual variations list - ideas and solutions

[Miller]

I changed the title of this thread to invite people to join us with ideas!

I thought about a list for my collection, in which i can mark a variatian as "stock". The easiest way would be to copy Nicks variation guide into an excel table and add some columns for stock or not, condition or whatever. This list could be printed and taken to the toy fair, but with more than 300 pages it would be a nightmare. The best thing would be a digital solution for the smartphone, excel based to add your own data

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Having such a list at home on your computer is a nice thing and easy to do, but looking at a model at the toyfair and guessing, if you might have it or not, isn´t that great.

What are your solutions for this?

[fixer]

Buy everything

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Buy everything

That's what I've been doing for Years!!

Ghosty.

[Miller]

Thank you for your suggestions, Gentlemen, i will think about them...

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi Roland. I am all for a way of how collectors can be in a position at toy fairs to know what they have in their collections. With modern portable comms equipment being no more than trimmed down computers, it must be possible and feasible to have one's collection stored onboard. I have heard of Excel, but do not know how it works and feel I have come this far without it, not to get involved, but please do explain further if you want to in a separate thread dedicated to the subject.

Collectors with such an index or cataloging system at home would surely like to have access to it at toy fairs. I used to carry a bunch of pocket books with all the variations listed on the models in my collection and if a variation was found at a toy fair not listed, I would buy it. Unfortunately this became unpractical as more books were added, so an electronic version would be ideal.

I am now past that stage and what variations I am still looking for I can keep in my head, it's rather empty in there these Days, so plenty of room.

Ghosthunter.

[kwakers]

Hi Roland! To quote Mick, kwakers is "one of those miserly old collectors seen clutching his obsolete Stannard Guide". When I catalogued by Stannards 8 years ago, I was amused by the number of small casting differences I was finding in my own spares. I am still carrying that paper copy of Stannard's 1985 Guide showing each of his different variations, our model's condition, price we paid and source/date etc. right in hand to car shows and swap meets. I keep a spare at home just in case I should ever lose any part or page of that irreplaceable collection inventory/Stannards Guide. Over the last 7 years I have continued to add my newest non-catalogued "Finds" on the bottom blank lines Mike Stannard supplied for that reason, as well as Nick's newest variations as we continue to find and share them on our Forum. No computer to crash and burn or electronic device to lose for Caveman kwakers, just an old pencil and my cheap paper copy of a 30 year old 80+ page Guide in hand at shows. That's all.....kwakers

[Miller]

So it seems, that under all these old farts here i´m the younger one with 54

Nonetheless i will try to find a solution for my smartphone. I will ask Nick for the permission to copy his lists for it and create something excel/word based to use on Androids. Another idea is, to load this list up on the VBD server for all users to download. Updates on this list with new variations could be done on the server and spread to all users. This way we can give younger collectors a connection between our old and their electronic world.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi Roland, just keep in mind that so many of the forum's members use the 'Nick Code' so whatever format or system you devise, do please use it as the core listing at all times, which if I read your post correctly I think that's what you intend, thank's.

Ghosthunter.

[Macdonald]

I carry an electronic list of variations I do not have. If a new variation is added to nick's or other lists, I add that to my electronic list. I also have pictures of the variation in my electronic list to help decide if I need to buy (saves on doubles!). The electronic method is easily updated and available for smart phone on the road or computer at home. If we could download lists already created (Nick's, Stannard's, etc.) it would certainly be easier for everyone to build their own initial electronic list. Of course paper works too!! Macdonald

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I do like the idea of downloading the 'Nick Code' listings. However and please Nick tell me if I am doing you an injustice here, but I don't think Nick is in a position to do the work required to convert the listings to the required format, he is still trying to add the various updates that we collectors keep throwing at him.

It would need someone to do this for him.

Ghosthunter.