Author Topic: Visual CD is pretty incredible catalogue software (Read 38,921 times)

zridling · « **on:** October 20, 2005, 08:54 AM »

Make sure you check out BooZet's freeware Visual CD for listing files, folders, folder tree structure, file details and lots more. It has more than I ever would have imagined, including a File Splitter and a Duplicate File Finder that works well! It will export to an htm or text file, and you can even include thumbnails within the htm file of image files. Highly customizable throughout, you get a surprise when you open the Help menu > Registration option.

Its author, Budy Setiawan Kusumah, has three other programs listed on the BooZet's Free Software site. He just released Double Driver, which backs up every single driver on your system to separate folders. Really nice indeed. He loves feedback and even has a forum on the site for user responses to his software.

Nighted · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2005, 10:58 AM »

This looks great, I'm going to try it out today.

Not sure why I would need a file splitter in a cataloging utility though...maybe I do!

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2005, 11:19 AM »

looks quite interesting.

there are several nice free cataloging tools, and those who have lots of cds of their files stored and have trouble locating them would do well to investigate such programs, they can really be a life saver.

people might be confused a bit with the description of Visual CD since it seems to do a bunch of things, but the basic idea of a catalog tool is you pop in your cds, it saves an internal list of what's on them, and then later you can quickly search through this list whenever you wants without needing the cd in the drive - it will help you figure out the file you want is on cd #232 so you don't have to go searching one by one until you find it.

the bigshot tools for this is the shareware program WhereIsIt: http://www.whereisit-soft.com/

anyone can tell us experiences with other disk catalogers?

ps. this is definitely a category that could use a long thorough review.. anyone up for it?

Nighted · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2005, 11:57 AM »

I currently use Advanced Disk Catalog and have used Super Cat (I think that's what it's called).

ADC does exactly what I need it to do and fast....so I really haven't needed to look around for a few years now. I am going to try Visual CD though as there are some features I'm hoping it has and I like the idea of using HTML to enhance database files.

If anyone else it interested I'd be willing to go in on a co-op review...

brotherS · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2005, 02:28 PM »

Quote from: Nighted on October 20, 2005, 11:57 AM

I currently use Advanced Disk Catalog and have used Super Cat (I think that's what it's called).

ADC does exactly what I need it to do and fast....so I really haven't needed to look around for a few years now. I am going to try Visual CD though as there are some features I'm hoping it has and I like the idea of using HTML to enhance database files.

I'm looking forward to your review, even if it's a short one. I've been wondering for a looong time if I should use such a program... do these normally have an option to import/export the database from/to a different program?

Especially cool would be a plugin for the new, great Google Sidebar ( http://desktop.google.com/en/ ), that would allow Google to (locally) index the CDs/DVDs lying around by using the database of the catalogue tool.

Nighted · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2005, 11:27 PM »

I won't be reviewing Visual CD I'm sad to say...

This program keeps causing my machine to hard boot. I'm not touching it again....

elpresi · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2005, 11:43 PM »

VisualCD does not work on my PC either. I posted a note about my problem in the forum (now dead?) and never got a response...
For basic CD cataloging I use Cathy.

mouser · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2005, 12:11 AM »

Cathy is one of the freeware cataloging tools i was trying to remember the name of:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/cathy.html

(runs without install for those of you who care about such things).

clif_notes · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2005, 05:05 AM »

Great review Zaine. I'll take another nibble off the fruit of the tree of knowledge hosted here at DonationCoder. Hopefully it'll make a good apple pie for my readers.

With your permission: http://freewarewiki.pbwiki.com/VisualCd
I will publish this weekend.

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** October 21, 2005, 08:52 AM »

Cliff,

what do you think about adding to these dc-based reviews a nice prominent link to the forum post here discussing the review, from the wiki and any newsletter which might contain the review?

so maybe below one of the author lines or at the bottom or top of review, someplace where readers won't miss, something like this:

"Read the full review and join in an extended discussion of this program at the <a>DonationCoder.com forum</a>. "

or (has the advantage of making clear they are traveling to an explicit discussion of the program):

"For the full review and to read dissenting views on this program, see <a>this thread</a> on the DonationCoder.com forum."

i think it would be very useful for people to be able to take part in the discussion if they are interested in the program.

mouser · « **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2005, 09:04 AM »

another possible idea which would be fun is if someone could make a little fun looking button, maybe with pic of little funny creature speaking or something. that said like

"Read the full review and
"discuss it with others.."
"at the DonationCoder.com forum"

something that sites which link to our reviews could add whenever they excerpt a review from our site.. seems like it would be a good idea and be a benefit of the readers.

any graphic artist people want to give that a try? (we really need to find some gfx people to help out here on this site!)

mouser · « **Reply #11 on:** October 21, 2005, 09:11 AM »

Just to clarify my views in case people read them the wrong way:

I think it's fun and great to have the reviews on other pages, especially Cliff's since cliff has a great site and is exactly the kind of site we want to support

and because information should be shared.

I just want to make sure there is always a nice clear link back to the original source of the review, and an inviting statement to welcome them to take part in the discussion thread on it.

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** October 21, 2005, 09:15 AM »

and let me also suggest, while we're at it:

that anyone who is writing more than one or two mini reviews, should get a paypal account, and add a link to it in their forum profile, which will then show as a little green Dollar Sign next to their name in their posts, just so that users (and the site itself!) can make an occasional donation to you to show appreciation for your work. see my post here for instructions: http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=1283.0

zridling · « **Reply #13 on:** October 21, 2005, 11:10 AM »

All right, the Google ads are quite relevant! And, thanks Clif!

zridling · « **Reply #14 on:** October 21, 2005, 11:15 AM »

Nighted, what are the URLs for ADC and Super Cat?

Let us know, as this could be a nice review for the site for someone willing to take it up. With today's massive HDs and the complex folder structures I create, cataloguing software is a great aid to my work, especially when I upgrade to a larger drive or do my annual big archive project for my photos.

clif_notes · « **Reply #15 on:** October 21, 2005, 11:30 AM »

Updated to include the link you suggested.
http://freewarewiki.pbwiki.com/VisualCd

Good idea. The more the merrier. So far, I haven't found any other way to get the readers involved. I did have my own forum, but even I didn't use it often. LOL

Nighted · « **Reply #16 on:** October 21, 2005, 03:39 PM »

Advanced Disk Catalog

Supercat

zridling · « **Reply #17 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:18 AM »

Great, thanks Nighted! And Clif, the Wiki site ROCKS.

mouser · « **Reply #18 on:** October 22, 2005, 04:21 AM »

this really is a category ripe for a full serious donationcoder.com review -
and there aren't that many candidate apps, so it shouldn't be nearly as painful as most of our reviews to write..

anyone want to take a shot at doing a guest review of this category?

remember our two part review system - first week the review preview lays out the category and candidate programs, second week is the full review and awards..

Nighted · « **Reply #19 on:** October 22, 2005, 01:19 PM »

I'd like to do it but I'd have to test out Visual CD to formulate my own opinion...unfortunately I can't as I have the problem mentioned before. A very serious problem. I'm going to have to put it aside until my next hard drive format.

Oh well, I have a couple cool little free apps that I'll be adding to the review section before Monday. Monday my power will be off all day as I'm having a new electrical panel installed in the house I rent.

brotherS · « **Reply #20 on:** October 26, 2005, 04:40 AM »

Which of those tools allows to give the CDs a virtual 'serial number'?

My CDs have abstract disk names and I wonder if I could label them 001, 002, 003 etc. in addition to that to more easily find them in the stack when I need them.

VSiAQ · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2006, 02:39 AM »

I've tried some disk cataloging software, but the best software I've ever used is CDBank Catalogue, which is developed by Qunom Development team. You can get the trial version of CDBank here: www.qunom.com.

Pros:
- Speed. CDBank is really fast when indexing your CD & DVD. Normally it takes you only 2 or 3 seconds to index a 700MB CD.
- Audio CD Support. I can easily get CD Info from CDDB by clicking mouse 3 times.
- Search and copy is powerful. You can perform simple search, advance search using operator like +, -, and, or... using their built-in Query builder. You can copy a list of files in search results, although they're in different disks.
- Thumbnail support. While indexing pictures, thumbnail creation is a option.
- Macro support. Easily perform usual task.
- Loan support. You get one disk from A, or borrow one from B? No need to remember it, CDBank help you store it in the database.
- Flexible database. You can exchange database with other user of CDBank.
- Multi-language support. More than 20 language files are available to download.
- Up-to-date. Qunom development team continuously upgrading CDBank to meet their goal. They truthly listen to what users want.

Cons:
I haven't found any cons so far. CDBank is really great and it worths a try!

rosario · « **Reply #22 on:** March 16, 2006, 11:44 AM »

Quote from: zridling on October 20, 2005, 08:54 AM

Make sure you check out BooZet's freeware Visual CD for listing files, folders, . . . . (CUT)

Hi, I'm using it from a couple of years, Win98 and Xp. It's easy, fast and full featured.
It's a pity when you move the *.vcs files. You need to re-build manually the Favorites List, damn.

Anyway, it's very good,

R.