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| | | Author: | mrjensmeister  | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 11:16 | | Subject: | Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 156 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
In our current system, items are put into a file, and though those files may
continue to get more and more specific, they are still filed. For that reason
we create duplicates for such things that have distinct uses. EG http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4908
and http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4908dup. I understand that us
collectors have to use such a system since we cant have all our parts in multiple
locations, but for the sake of buying and selling the tag system seems more appropriate.
The tag system would allow us to select key words that link it to specific folders.
Things like "hinge" or "windscreen" would allow half of our windscreens to be
placed in two places rather than forcing us to choose just one. In this way we
could look at every use of the "hinge brick" which at the moment is near impossible.
In this way instead of mirroring a buyers organizational structure, it becomes
an aid to their structure when it fails. This system would allow us to look for
all modified bricks and pick up hinge bricks and technic bricks as well.
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| | | | | Author: | leggodtshop | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 11:31 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 56 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| The Catalog itself is hierachical including the items, which is the main cause
of items being put into one place/category only. It is plain top-down.
There should be a division between Items and the Catalog. Items are just put
in a big list/file, each with their own ID. The Catalog is to catagorize, a hierarchical
or network-like structure. Items should be linkable to one or more catagories,
depending on the items specific function or usage. The function or usage should
be a feature of the link, not the item itself.
(In short)
It is just a matter of thourough data analysis, e.g. using UML. Which is probably
not (or just some) done building the current system, but not all through.
In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
In our current system, items are put into a file, and though those files may
continue to get more and more specific, they are still filed. For that reason
we create duplicates for such things that have distinct uses. EG http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4908
and http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4908dup. I understand that us
collectors have to use such a system since we cant have all our parts in multiple
locations, but for the sake of buying and selling the tag system seems more appropriate.
The tag system would allow us to select key words that link it to specific folders.
Things like "hinge" or "windscreen" would allow half of our windscreens to be
placed in two places rather than forcing us to choose just one. In this way we
could look at every use of the "hinge brick" which at the moment is near impossible.
In this way instead of mirroring a buyers organizational structure, it becomes
an aid to their structure when it fails. This system would allow us to look for
all modified bricks and pick up hinge bricks and technic bricks as well.
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| | | | | Author: | Timothy_Smith | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 12:11 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
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You want to re-create the Catalog?
Monumental task. I don't know how many hours have gone into the current one,
but it's a lot.
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| | | | | | | Author: | Brettj666 | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 12:14 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 46 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Timothy_Smith writes:
| | In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
|
You want to re-create the Catalog?
Monumental task. I don't know how many hours have gone into the current one,
but it's a lot.
|
and does the results of such a change warrant the change.. Improved search results?
There would have to be something much more to come out of it than that to task
not only the database, but all the voluntary admins to manage that.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | QCBricks | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 16:26 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Brettj666 writes:
| | In Suggestions, Timothy_Smith writes:
| | In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
|
You want to re-create the Catalog?
Monumental task. I don't know how many hours have gone into the current one,
but it's a lot.
|
and does the results of such a change warrant the change.. Improved search results?
There would have to be something much more to come out of it than that to task
not only the database, but all the voluntary admins to manage that.
|
I think that it might be tough just to chase down all of the issues without actually
rebuilding it from the ground up. (e.g. an Apple is in "Food" in the catalog,
but is just considered an "Apple" in inventories and on invoices rather than
"Food, Apple") I think that the tag system may be useless without correcting
some of those issues first.
Scott
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | mrjensmeister | | Posted: | Feb 15, 2013 11:40 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 26 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, QCBricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, Brettj666 writes:
| | In Suggestions, Timothy_Smith writes:
| | In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
|
You want to re-create the Catalog?
Monumental task. I don't know how many hours have gone into the current one,
but it's a lot.
|
and does the results of such a change warrant the change.. Improved search results?
There would have to be something much more to come out of it than that to task
not only the database, but all the voluntary admins to manage that.
|
I think that it might be tough just to chase down all of the issues without actually
rebuilding it from the ground up. (e.g. an Apple is in "Food" in the catalog,
but is just considered an "Apple" in inventories and on invoices rather than
"Food, Apple") I think that the tag system may be useless without correcting
some of those issues first.
Scott
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The result is a massive tool for every builder to use. To be able to search BL
for all heads from Star Wars, or all pieces with an axle hole or hinge or both
for finding that perfect piece.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | DagsBricks | | Posted: | Feb 15, 2013 11:55 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 24 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
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| | | | | | | Author: | therobo | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 17:31 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Timothy_Smith writes:
| | In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
|
You want to re-create the Catalog?
Monumental task. I don't know how many hours have gone into the current one,
but it's a lot.
|
Hi,
I don't think that the task would be monumental to add tags to each item.
I don't know much about database structures but I assume another data field -
"Tags" - could be added to each item very easily by using automated database
functions.
In a first step the category names could be simply copied to the tag field. More
tags could be added through the catalog add/change form, either from a given
list (drop-down), or by free text. Then items such as windscreens with hinges
could have tags like "Windscreen", "Panel", "Hinge" etc. and could be found better.
Although there are almost 30,000 parts in the catalog I think that the majority
doesn't need additional tags.
The last addition to the database was for Part Color Codes. Meanwhile more than
20,000 color codes have been added.
Don't underestimate the power of the community - and the catmins of course 
Ronald
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| | | | | Author: | DagsBricks | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 16:12 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
|
I suggested this a while ago but forum posts get purged. The idea was not to
get rid of the heirarchical system altogether. Rather I wanted to augment it
by putting tags on all the parts items. Monumental task? Yes. Perpetual?
No, it would be finished eventually. My biggest argument was this piece here:
Which is hidden in the boat category. See, I would like to call it Plate, Modified
6x6 Octagon with hole and 2 clips on 2 sides. A tag system would allow these
individual features to be searchable. The uses for this part far outweigh the
boat designation to which it has been resigned.
Similarly several of the boat bow plates are nothing more than double angled
wedge plates. But you'll never find them there.
Brian
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| | | | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 16:22 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Tags would be great for minfig parts too. Type in a name, and all the parts for
the minifig (in it's various incarnations) come up.
In Suggestions, DagsBricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | I couldn't find any other suggestion in the forum but I apologize if I missed
it.
|
I suggested this a while ago but forum posts get purged. The idea was not to
get rid of the heirarchical system altogether. Rather I wanted to augment it
by putting tags on all the parts items. Monumental task? Yes. Perpetual?
No, it would be finished eventually. My biggest argument was this piece here:
Which is hidden in the boat category. See, I would like to call it Plate, Modified
6x6 Octagon with hole and 2 clips on 2 sides. A tag system would allow these
individual features to be searchable. The uses for this part far outweigh the
boat designation to which it has been resigned.
Similarly several of the boat bow plates are nothing more than double angled
wedge plates. But you'll never find them there.
Brian
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| | | | | Author: | legomadsteve | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 16:15 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 36 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Could you have tags added by the users like Wikipedia? That way you would have
two avenues of searching.
You'd need say +10 feedback before you got permission, and a malicious user could
have all there tags removed if they we're erroneous.
I presume tags are synonymous with keywords.
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| | | | | Author: | mnementh | | Posted: | Feb 5, 2013 16:18 | | Subject: | Re: Tag Vs Hierarchy System | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, mrjensmeister writes:
| | My suggestion is that the catalog be setup in a Tag system rather than a hierarchy
system.
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This has been suggested numerous times before.
It has even been implemented temporarily in the distant past.
Troy
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USA, Illinois
Netherlands, Overijssel
Canada, Ontario
Germany, Berlin
United Kingdom, England
