Using Technology to Create an Inventory

No one has done that yet, most just use excel and write things done.

Don't dig too deeply, don't want to find the missing hamster

Actually many moons ago I wrote some software that would do that. It use a 3rd party product from LeadTools it would OCR the text and if there were barcode(s) it would write that to the db as well. The problem was that the barcodes have no meaning without a reference between the code and the product. It could recognize the sku on the box (Lionel and MTH) have more or less unique sku structures and combine that with the ocr and full text indexes and searches it was pretty cool tool. If I were to do it today it would tie to a mobile app as well mobile web pages

I'm in the process of inventorying my collection using a freeware application called "RRTrains 2000". So far I'm up to 360 records from an early paper inventory written on ancient fan-fold paper.

Then a few days ago, I found the most recent re-inventory records from 2007 in a spiral notepad tucked in a neglected corner of a bookcase, showing in excess of 700 pieces . This is going to get scary. I have to match up the existing digital records with their corresponding entries in the newly-found book, then start making placeholder entries for all the new additions not yet recorded. Then start adding whatever i bought since 2007, which doesn't appear in any inventory I've done

Oh yeah--that part about placeholder entries...Most of the pieces I've recorded so far do not contain full info, so I have to come back and add missing catalog numbers, UPC codes, purchasing info (if available), and researching that info for pieces that came without boxes. (or, like the uncatalogued Weaver OGR tour caboose-boxes without numbers)

Then there is photographing the pieces--which has to take place on a "stage" set up in my bedroom during the middle of the day (weekends only, natch) when the most sunlight is coming through for even lighting. I have 65 pieces photographed so far, and those pieces are marked with Post-its indicating they've been photographed. Then I'll start linking the photos with their respective database entries.

As for the tech, I sure wish I could point a scanner at a piece and let a computer do the rest--but boy would that be a job setting up the data that a computer would need to perform the cross-referencing. UPC's are another idea, but not all manufacturers used them (and some still don't). Then there are those obscure special-run items...some of them have numbers (MTH, Lionel), some don't.

---PCJ

There is an app that does it for Wine Labels, - hold your phone up to a bottle in a store and in seconds get the info and average price for the item. sure it can be adjusted to do it for train boxes if someone puts their mind to it. The key is the data base with the info - like greenbergs, i guess