Collector's Problem / Dilemma ??

[BuddyK]

Hello All !!

I have a problem / dilemma I would like share ...
... And to hear any input / comments other Collectors might have.
Many of you may be in a same / similar situation.

I would love to be able to stop having to use / maintain an Excel spreadsheet of what models I have / don't have in my collection.
I have put in many, many (too many) hours of effort into maintaining these spreadsheets.

(I will try to attach my Delta spreadsheet to this posting.)

I know the database in any of the Forums (fora ?) will keep a listing of what models I have currently.
But what I want to know is ... Of the models currently available, what models do I NOT have / need in my collection ?
(How do I know what models I currently DO NOT have in my collection ?)

To illustrate the problem ...
... As of this moment, I believe there to be 178 "1:400 Delta Air Lines"-related items.
154 for Delta Air Lines
3 for Delta Chicago & Southern Air Lines
4 for Delta Connection - Atlantic Southeast Airlines
1 for Delta Connection - Chautauqua Airlines
3 for Delta Connection - ComAir
1 for Delta Connection - Chautauqua Airlines
1 for Delta Connection - Mesaba Airlines
1 for Delta Connection - Shuttle America Airlines
1 for Delta Connection - SkyWest Airlines
5 for Delta Express
2 for Delta Shuttle
2 for Song

I have in my collection 162 of these items. (16 items are "needed").

Once I finish inputting all 162 of these items into the DiMA database ...
... Is there a function / way in DiMA to get a listing of these 16 models I do NOT currently have in my collection ?
I do not see an easy way to currently do this.

As a Programmmer / DBA I can write the SQL script to produce the desired list of 16 models
(Using multiple SELECTs with an EXCEPT operator).
But ... How do I design / program a web user interface to enable AVERAGE Users to use / make sense of this feature ?
I don't recall ever seeing any existing website (of any kind) that offers this comparison of Subset to Set feature / function ...

Have any of you out there seen or know of a website that has implemented this kind of User feature ?
It would help me greatly to see how "they" have implemented this featue / function. (The User interface)
If you know or suspect a website that offers this feature / function, please let me know.

Thanks for letting me babble ...
Buddy
J

[Robert Wycoff]

Under Collections, there is a link on the left for Wanted, which is what I use.

[BuddyK]

But don't you have to put them in that Wants list ?
What I want is for the system to tell me which Delta's I do not have in my collection ...

Buddy

[BuddyK]

If I could tell the system what I want to have in my collection ... and I tell it what I already have in my collection ... It should be able to tell me what I do not have ...

Buddy

[Ops Manager]

You haven't seen it because its extremely complex. We have no idea what you want to collect, aside from you asking a 100 question survey, one missed model suggestion and users would rip our heads off.

[daveyator]

You'd have to make a Dima database of the models you do have. Assuming your collecting 1:400 you'd then do a Dima database search of say Delta 1:400. As you scroll through the results any models you have would be marked as "I've got it". The ones not marked are the ones you wouldn't have. I don't see a way of getting out of having to enter your models into Dima first though.

[Transnat]

I have the list of the models I want in my head. If I forget them then I figure I really don't need them.

[BuddyK]

You haven't seen it because its extremely complex. We have no idea what you want to collect, aside from you asking a 100 question survey, one missed model suggestion and users would rip our heads off.

Yes ... Agreed ... The complexity would be in the User describing what they want to collect.
While I can say "all 1:400 Delta" ... but that would inadequately describe:

Delta Air Lines
Delta Chicago & Southern Air Lines
Delta Connection - Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Delta Connection - Chautauqua Airlines
Delta Connection - ComAir
Delta Connection - Chautauqua Airlines
Delta Connection - Mesaba Airlines
Delta Connection - Shuttle America Airlines
Delta Connection - SkyWest Airlines
Delta Express
Delta Shuttle
Song

I understand the complexity ...
I was hoping someone had a solution / answer that I had not seen.
Buddy

[BuddyK]

You haven't seen it because its extremely complex. We have no idea what you want to collect, aside from you asking a 100 question survey, one missed model suggestion and users would rip our heads off.

Yes ... Agreed ... The complexity would be in the User / User interface describing what they want to collect.
While I can say "all 1:400 Delta" ... but that would inadequately describe:

Delta Air Lines
Delta Chicago & Southern Air Lines
Delta Connection - Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Delta Connection - Chautauqua Airlines
Delta Connection - ComAir
Delta Connection - Chautauqua Airlines
Delta Connection - Mesaba Airlines
Delta Connection - Shuttle America Airlines
Delta Connection - SkyWest Airlines
Delta Express
Delta Shuttle
Song

I understand the complexity ...
I was hoping someone had a solution / answer that I had not seen.
I'm not certain I agree that "Users would rip out heads off" though ...

Buddy

[BuddyK]

You'd have to make a Dima database of the models you do have. Assuming your collecting 1:400 you'd then do a Dima database search of say Delta 1:400. As you scroll through the results any models you have would be marked as "I've got it". The ones not marked are the ones you wouldn't have. I don't see a way of getting out of having to enter your models into Dima first though.

I'm not suggesting that I don't have to create a database / listing of what models I do have.
I would like it to tell me of any new releases that I am not aware of .. and do not already have though ...

Buddy

[BuddyK]

I have the list of the models I want in my head. If I forget them then I figure I really don't need them.

How do you get the list of the models you want into your head ?
Don't you consult a known list / set / subset of all available models ?

:surprised:

Buddy