Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Access or any other software?

Jun 10, 2004 5:13PM PDT

I have asked this question in the "old" forum as well, but hope to get an answer that is more satisfying now.

I have a lot of CD's of different artist, mostly by one artist. Does anyone have a good suggestion how to organize my CD's thru Access?

Thanks,

C. Thunell

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:Access or any other software?
Jun 10, 2004 5:59PM PDT

As this is the MS Office forum, I can only advise on the use of MS Access. Even in Access 97 the "new database wizard" has a 'my music collection' database to start with, and I don't expect later versions to be less equipped.
Better try another forum for advice on dedicated application software for this purpose.

I hope you find this answer satisfying enough.

Kees

- Collapse -
Where?
Jun 10, 2004 7:36PM PDT

Where would I find the answer to my question? I have MS Office 2002...
Thanks again

- Collapse -
A or B?
Jun 10, 2004 8:32PM PDT

It's up to you to decide.

http://www.google.com/search?q=access+%22new+database+wizard%22 tells you more on the Access new database wizard, but you have to try it somewhere to see if the 'Music Collection' database is what you need and like.

OrangeCD (http://www.firetongue.com/) is one of the dedicated applications for this. Check it out, or find an alternative using google, shareware sites, music periodicals or ask for recommendation on our PC Applications or Digital Music forum.

Hope this helps.


Kees

- Collapse -
Re: Access or any other software?
Jun 12, 2004 4:34AM PDT

I guess the problem is 'how'...

Identify the entities:
- artists
- songs
- songs on CDs
- CDs

See the relationships:
one artist - many songs
one song can be on many cds
one cd can contain many songs, which makes it a many-to-many relationship

Build the relationships, then create the forms, queries and reports.

I believe you will have to dive into the database design jungle, be it Access or any other db system.

It is not an easily comprehensible subject, but if you're in computer business, it's absolutely worth the effort.

Dan

- Collapse -
Re: Access or any other software?
Jun 12, 2004 5:27AM PDT

Danny,

Might I add that artist-song is also n:n (one song, may artists): there's one who did it first, others can 'cover' the same song later (if 'cover' is the correct American term). Or even make a purely instrumental version, although you might argue if it is still the same song then (like in a library, is Harry Potter as a book and on DVD the same 'title' or a different one?).

Then we have the 'Best of the sixties' or 'Concert for Bangladesh'-type problems. Multiple artists on a CD.

And the translation problem, like in 'Do I have an English version of Edith Piaf's "La Mama"?'

And the duo's. You would want to be able to relate Paul Simon solo to the Simon of 'Simon and Garfunkel', so that Scarborough Fair turns up if you search for songs of Paul Simon.

And the CD-boxes. Multiple CD's in a box, so the number you're interested in is on CD #3.

And you might well be interested not only in the artist, but also in who (sometimes plural) wrote the text and composed the music (if known).

And, of course, the classical music problem. There must be lot of composers having written a Symphony #1, or an Etude in C or an Ave Maria. So title of a 'song' is not unique.

You might even have different recordings (with different conductors) by the New York Philharmonic of the same symphony. Do you consider that the same 'song' (or 'title', or however you want to call it in your data model)?.

All of this is far from trivial, I'm afraid.


Kees