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| I just noticed that there is something strange with foreign language films. I'm going to have to analyze that, and it may take some time. In the meantime, if you find any other anomalies, please let me know so I can get a chance to look at them. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Thanks guys, glad to hear you find it useful.  | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Quoting ObiKen:
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This tool (v2.0) is a Hollywood production, it works like a dream!
Thanks ObiKen! Much appreciated!
I have toyed with the idea of making it possible to add new awards directly to the database, so that anyone can add this year's awards (and any upcoming year's) if they feel like it. Not sure it's worth the effort, though. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Quoting cronosmantas:
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I get this same error on titles I provide new cover scans for. As soon as they are approved, they get this same error message.
Well, that sucks!
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I've reached out to Invelos to fix this, even opened a "ticket" but they never responded.
I'm not very optimistic, but they did fix the incremental online file update (after a long time), so who knows. Fingers crossed.  | Posted: Topic Replies: 4, Topic Views: 224 |
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Writing a help file means you get to look at your program in a different way than you do when you are developing it. You get to go through all functions and look at them with a bit more of a user's viewpoint. And that sometimes lead to new insights. They usually fall into one of three categories;
1) This should be worded better. A simple fix.
2) This works fine, but it would be even better if it also had such-and-such feature. Usually a bit of work, but not too much. It's something you could ignore, but it would be bugging you if you did.
3) This isn't how it's supposed to work! That can be a real headache if you discover it this late. 
In the case of DpOscars 2.0.0 I had one each of the two first categories, and - thankfully - none of the third. Or unfortunately, if it turns out that there really is a problem that I didn't catch. If there is, I hope you'll let me know. So here we are:
DpOscars 2.0.0
It doesn't look much different from version 1, at least not on first glance. But when you run it, you'll see that it is based on much better data. And then there are those categories. Well, give it a whirl and let me know what you think!
Note that you can easily change how the categories are grouped if you don't like the way I did it. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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It's getting close!
Adapting DpOscars to that better data source seemed like a breeze. And it was, until I had to deal with those categories. Just leaving them as they were in the data source didn't seem very useful. But then again, forcing my idea of how they should be combined didn't seem right either. So I ended up with having the categories configurable. And that was easier thought than done.
The program will come with suggested category combinations. That seemed better than forcing the user to start from scratch in combining categories. But if you don't agree with my choices, they are easily changed.
I also took to heart magnusbe's suggestion of exporting the collection list. It takes the form of creating a flag set of the titles in the list. Either all och them, or just the winners. And this can be done for all categories, or for selected categories. So - for example - if you select Best pictures and Winners, you have the option to save a flag set of all winners, or just the ones that you haven't reviewed (which in most cases will be the ones you haven't watched, I assume). Just load the flag set and you can export it, print it, or use it however you choose.
I just have to fine tune the GUI a little bit, and then write the Help file. The program is getting complicated enough that I feel that it's going to need a help file. Like most developers, writing documentation is my least favorite part of development. But I also feel that all the hours spent coding are wasted if users don't fully understand how to use the program. Or at least have a chance to learn. But of course you always read the help file, right? 
So give me a rainy stay-at-home day or two, and version 2.0 should be out the door. Or rather onto the server ... | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Quoting magnusbe:
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Could there be some sort of way to export the list from "Collection"? I'd like to add it to Letterboxd or something to check which of the films I haven't yet seen ...
I'll consider it for the next version. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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I have a bit of a conundrum. The alternate source that I am looking at contains 128 different categories. That may be historically correct, but not very helpful. I'm wondering if one could merge some of them. For example, 22 music categories? Wouldn't "Score" and "Song" be enough? Any thoughts on which categories that could be conflated (if at all)?
The categories are:
Actor
Actor in a leading role
Actor in a supporting role
Actress
Actress in a leading role
Actress in a supporting role
Animated feature film
Animated short film
Art direction
Art direction (black-and-white)
Art direction (color)
Assistant director
Award of commendation
Best motion picture
Best picture
Cinematography
Cinematography (black-and-white)
Cinematography (color)
Costume design
Costume design (black-and-white)
Costume design (color)
Dance direction
Directing
Directing (comedy picture)
Directing (dramatic picture)
Documentary
Documentary (feature)
Documentary (short subject)
Documentary feature film
Documentary short film
Engineering effects
Film editing
Foreign language film
Gordon e. sawyer award
Honorary award
Honorary foreign language film award
International feature film
Irving g. thalberg memorial award
Jean hersholt humanitarian award
John a. bonner medal of commendation
Makeup
Makeup and hairstyling
Medal of commendation
Music (adaptation score)
Music (music score of a dramatic or comedy picture)
Music (music score of a dramatic picture)
Music (music score--substantially original)
Music (original dramatic score)
Music (original music score)
Music (original musical or comedy score)
Music (original score)
Music (original score--for a motion picture [not a musical])
Music (original song score and its adaptation or adaptation score)
Music (original song score and its adaptation -or- adaptation score)
Music (original song score or adaptation score)
Music (original song score)
Music (original song)
Music (score of a musical picture--original or adaptation)
Music (scoring of a musical picture)
Music (scoring of music--adaptation or treatment)
Music (scoring)
Music (scoring: adaptation and original song score)
Music (scoring: original song score and adaptation -or- scoring: adaptation)
Music (song)
Music (song--original for the picture)
Outstanding motion picture
Outstanding picture
Outstanding production
Production design
Scientific and technical award (academy award of merit)
Scientific and technical award (scientific and engineering award)
Scientific and technical award (special award)
Scientific and technical award (technical achievement award)
Scientific or technical award (academy award of merit)
Scientific or technical award (class i)
Scientific or technical award (class ii)
Scientific or technical award (class iii)
Scientific or technical award (scientific and engineering award)
Scientific or technical award (technical achievement award)
Short film (animated)
Short film (dramatic live action)
Short film (live action)
Short subject (animated)
Short subject (cartoon)
Short subject (color)
Short subject (comedy)
Short subject (live action)
Short subject (novelty)
Short subject (one-reel)
Short subject (two-reel)
Sound
Sound editing
Sound effects
Sound effects editing
Sound mixing
Sound recording
Special achievement award
Special achievement award (sound editing)
Special achievement award (sound effects editing)
Special achievement award (sound effects)
Special achievement award (visual effects)
Special award
Special effects
Special foreign language film award
Special visual effects
Unique and artistic picture
Visual effects
Writing
Writing (adaptation)
Writing (adapted screenplay)
Writing (motion picture story)
Writing (original motion picture story)
Writing (original screenplay)
Writing (original story)
Writing (screenplay adapted from other material)
Writing (screenplay based on material from another medium)
Writing (screenplay based on material previously produced or published)
Writing (screenplay written directly for the screen)
Writing (screenplay written directly for the screen--based on factual material or on story material not previously published or produced)
Writing (screenplay)
Writing (screenplay--adapted)
Writing (screenplay--based on material from another medium)
Writing (screenplay--original)
Writing (story and screenplay)
Writing (story and screenplay--based on factual material or material not previously published or produced)
Writing (story and screenplay--based on material not previously published or produced)
Writing (story and screenplay--written directly for the screen)
Writing (title writing)
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I'm looking into turning another better source into a SQLite database. Hopefully I cane make it so similar to the current database that I can use it in DpOscars with only minor adjustments to the program. Fingers crossed.
Unfortunately this source contains studio names as nominees for some awards. And not even consistently spelled names. I think it has 5 different variations of 20th Century Fox. Not sure where this will lead. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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For Best Original Song, the listing that I base the program on only includes the song title as nominee, not the song writer. So, unfortunately you're right.
The same, sorry to say, also goes for Best Picture (and probably some other categories) where only the name of the movie is listed as nominee, not the producer(s).
I looked at another source listing than might have been better (not sure), but unfortunately all the data was in upper case which I hate. It's technically possible to turn upper case into something resembling title case, but it has some limitations, for example turning MCDONALD into Mcdonald rather than McDonald, and capitalizing all words, including connecting words, so not "proper" title case..
So, we'll have to live with these limitations. If I can think of something better, I might do something about it, but turning any source listing into an SQLite database is a lot of work. So no promises ... | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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DpOscars 1.3.0
This lets you see who has been nominated or won a certain number of times. Winning entries in bold.
Fun facts:
- The person with the most nominations has been nominated 49 times. Guess who?
- One person has been nominated 17 times without winning. Who's the unlucky guy? | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Quoting ObiKen:
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Are you referring to the 1976 computer game "Colossal Cave Adventure" which used the magic code "XYZZY" to teleport the player between two locations?
Indeed. It would sometimes teleport the player, and sometimes just say "Nothing happens here". I believe XYZZY was used in Zork as well. But that was a long time ago, so I might be misremembering.
I was actually introduced to Colossal Cave Adventure by a programmer at Scandinavian Airlines when I visited their IT department back in the late seventies. Someone there had implemented it on one of their mainframes. I don’t recall if they ran it on a Digital Equipment computer (like the game was originally developed on) or on an IBM mainframe (which was what SAS mainly used). Probably on a DEC, otherwise I would likely have borrowed the source code to try to implement it at the Post Office Bank where I worked. (Yes, the Post Office in Sweden had their own bank back then.) | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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By the way, just in case you were wondering about "nothing" but were afraid to try ...
Yup, that's what happens if you double-click where nothing is supposed to happen. Does this trigger any memories for anyone? | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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DpOscars 1.2.0
The new tab Categories will let you select a category and get a listing of every winner in that category.
Collection has been updated. You can show all categories, or just a specific category, and you can select to see all nominees or just the winners. Right click on a title and you can select the corresponding profile in DVD Profiler.
The Filter option has been removed. It got too complicated to use in conjunction with categories and All/Winner. I hope you don't miss it too much. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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I'm not quite done with DpOscars yet. In the works:
- A tab for searching all winners in a selected category, sorted by year..
- Option in Collection to only show titles with winners.
- Possibility to select a profile in DVD Profiler from the Collections result.
If anyone has any requests, now would be a good time to raise your hand and say "Please, Sir!"  | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Turns out I did nothing wrong in version 1.0.0. Very wrong, in fact!
If you double-clicked a row in the expanded results in Person or Movie you should have gotten nothing. However, the nothing that you got was not the nothing that I had intended. Fixed now. Intrigued? Go ahead and try it. You'll either go "Huh?", or you'll get a knowing smile on your lips. Feel free to let me know which.
I also took the time to add star reviews to the Collection output:
You'll notice that this deviates from the most used star rating format. No empty stars. I did it this way because that's how Ken did it in DVD Profiler.
Quoting ObiKen:
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I was disappointed when I couldn't find any technical nominations for GSyren, as I believe this person deserved it!
Thank you, that's very nice of you! There are, in fact, only "standard" awards in the source file. I would have liked to see Ray Harryhausen's lifetime award, for example. But alas.
DpOscar 1.1.1
PS. I screwed up version 1.1.0. It was only available for a very short while, but just in case anyone was quick enough to download it, please go again! | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Thanks, Marty!
I must say I was surprised to see how many of my titles that had some kind of Oscar nomination. About one in eight. I might have to rewatch some of the ones that I have rated low, to see if I need to reevaluate them. Could I have been wrong on the first watch? Me wrong? Nah! Never happens!  | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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DpOscars 1.0
A discussion about Tom Gaines' plugin Cinematic Collection Viewer planted an idea in my head. I didn't actually look at Tom's plugin, because I wanted to take an unbiased look at the Academy Awards (aka Oscars). Primarily I wanted to be able to find out which movies in my collection that had some kind of Oscar nominations (including wins, of course). And this program grew from that.
You can search for a movie, and see what nominations it had received:
You can search for a person and see what nominations that person had received:
(Isn't it a f***ing scandal that Thelma Ritter was nominated 6 times and never won Best Supporting Actress?)
And, most importantly (for me), you can load your exported collection and find out which of your movies had received nominations:
There is a gotcha here, though. A profile must have the nominated title either as its main Title or its Original title. And it must be spelled the same (not shift sensitive, though). So, for example, "First" and "1st" won't match. And the program won't realize that "Jungfrukällan" in my collection is a Best International Feature Film winner, since the name ("The Virgin Spring") doesn't appear in my Swedish profile.
The spelling also matters for the person search, and unfortunately the source that I base my database on isn't always consistent. So, for example, "L.B. Abbott" and "L. B. Abbott" are treated as two different persons. Does that problem seem familiar? Well, it's not too great a problem here, I think, but you should be aware of it when searching for people.
On that note, I should mention "Contains" vs. "Specified". The movie and person searches are done using SQLite SELECT statements, and SQL has two wildcard characters. Percent ( % ) and underscore ( _ ). Percent matches zero or more characters, and underscore matches exactly one character.
So, if you check Specified, "Wild%" will match any title that starts with that word, "%Wild" will match any that ends with it, "%Wild%" will match any that contains the word, and finally "Wild" will only match that exact title.
On the other hand if you check Contains then enter "Wild", it will internally be changed to "%Wild%", just for convenience.
You can use percent it inside a string as well, so for example "L%Abbott" will find both "L.B. Abbott" and "L. B. Abbott".
The underscore is perhaps less useful, but can come in handy in some cases. Search for "_._.%" and you'll find any names that start with two initials without any space between, like "L.B. Abbott".
Apart from that, this program doesn't have any bells and whistles. So double-clicking rows won't do anything. The database goes up to the production year 2023 (Awards presented in 2024), so this years awards are not included. | Posted: Topic Replies: 29, Topic Views: 1792 |
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Country of Origin (COO)
Enter the country or countries in which the main feature's production company/companies are based, in the order they appear in the credits.
The rules don't support any sources other than the credits. And if the credits are as ObiKen has listed (and I have no reason to doubt it), then I would have to agree with ObiKen; Germany-UK-France. | Posted: Topic Replies: 4, Topic Views: 1035 |
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I have double-checked by downloading the zip file just to make sure I have the same thing that you do, and it works as expected for me. CoverInfo.exe is the file to run, and I have no idea why it wouldn't run for you, unless you have Windows 11 in S mode.
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Windows 11 in S mode is a version of Windows 11 that's streamlined for security and performance, while providing a familiar Windows experience. To increase security, it allows only apps from Microsoft Store, and requires Microsoft Edge for safe browsing.
You can switch out of S mode, but if you do, you can't switch back to S mode again. See here.
If S mode is not the reason, then I'm lost.  | Posted: Topic Replies: 7, Topic Views: 1502 |
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| That’s strange. I’ll have to check if I’ve done something wrong. I’ll get back. | Posted: Topic Replies: 7, Topic Views: 1502 |
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Academy Award nominations are based on the year the movie was released in the United States, not on its original release. So for "Voyna i mir" (War and Peace) this was 1968.
I have looked at two other lists of Academy Awards, and they both list 1968 for Bondarchuk's film.
The back of the English language Ruscico release that I have says "Mosfilm, 1965-1967" . This seems to have caused some confusion. Of the 32 profiles for War and Peace, five have 1967 as production year. The Criterion releases (both DVD and Bluray) state 1966-1967 on the back cover. The Bluray is listed as 1965, the DVD as 1966. All others have 1965 (including mine). Thankfully, none have 1968. | Posted: Topic Replies: 707, Topic Views: 78761 |
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I looked at the data file for the Academy Awards to see if there is any obvious connection to the movies release year, and I find that there is not. So I'll have to agree that it would be logical to show the award year.
If you want Tom to do anything about it, I guess it would be best to post a request about it in the official thread. | Posted: Topic Replies: 6, Topic Views: 1417 |
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| Since you seem to be logged in, you should be able to find your registration key under Registration / My Registrations here on the web site. | Posted: Topic Replies: 2, Topic Views: 825 |
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| I assume that the Awards Tool lists the year of the movie's release, not the year of the award. The Academy Awards are always given for films released in the previous calendar year only. | Posted: Topic Replies: 6, Topic Views: 1417 |