UPC database software and files 2

[keepingbusy]

Hi all

I have been doing some research and looking at software that collects data by UPC (Universal product code). One particular software application is Readerware. Websites such as Play.com (or Playusa.com) and Amazon.com store 10000's of music titles including the information that goes with them e.g. track titles and CD image so obviously when the visitor types in a title / artist etc it searches the site and displays the result.

I have a VFP9 software app that stores data including title, artist, UPC, price etc but at present doesn't store the image. I notice that using Readerware this finds all relevant information to a UPC number including CD image.

My questions are:

1. Does anyone know where the main UPC database is (web, company etc)
2. What application/system would Play or Amazon use?
3. Could any one suggest an alternative to Readerware for collecting music title data that can later be imported in to a VFP9 table? (there is nothing wrong with Readerware by the way, just looking for an alternative)

Sorry for the long quesitons and thread!

Merry Christmas / Happy Holiday

Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk

 

[Mike Lewis]

Hello Lee,

I'm not really qualified to answer your questions -- I hope someone else will help.

However, I can tell you that Amazon have a service called AWS (Amazon Web Services) that gives you programmatic access to their entire catalogue. You can either write your own code to call the relevant services, or use some of the available third-party code (most of which costs money).

I'm not sure how you qualify to use this service. I can access it myself because my company is an Amazon affiliate, although I have never taken the time to learn more about it.

This probably isn't much help, but you might possibly find it useful.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[keepingbusy]

Hi Mike

This probably isn't much help, but you might possibly find it useful.

Thank you for your reply which has been useful. At least I have some idea where to look.

However, I can tell you that Amazon have a service called AWS (Amazon Web Services) that gives you programmatic access to their entire catalogue..... or use some of the available third-party code (most of which costs money).

Where can I research about the third party software Mike? Do you have any links etc?

I'm not sure how you qualify to use this service. I can access it myself because my company is an Amazon affiliate, although I have never taken the time to learn more about it.

How do you access it? How did you qualify to use it?

Thank you Mike, this has, as I've mentioned been a useful post because I haven't been able to find out anything else.

Look forward to hearing from you

Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk

 

[keepingbusy]

Mike

I managed to find the Amazon Web Services you mentioned and signed up.

I'm still interested in the 3rd party software or any other suggesting if you can assist.

Many thanks

Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk

 

[JRB-Bldr]

There really is no such thing as a single "main UPC database"

The first number of the over-all 12 digit UPC-A number is a Number System code.
Next each manufacturer gets assigned a unique 5-digit Manufacturer Code by the GS1 US (previously called the Uniform Code Council).
Then manufacturer then gets to create their own 5 digit Product Code number which is then appended to the manufacturer number.
Then finally a over-all Check Digit is added to the end
(see:

http://www.barcodeisland.com/upca.phtml)

The next step manufacturers do is to publish their "catalog" to their vendors, etc. which are purchasing their product.

It is the manufacturer's responsibility to update their vendors when necessary.

Next each vendor will enter the UPC number into their own system(s) and attach information to it so that their in-house order processing & inventory control system knows what to do with the products. Depending on how the information is being used, the vendor-specific information that they append may include inventory quantity, price, product picture, etc.

I am not familiar with Readerware, but I am guessing that it accesses some specific vendor(s) database or that they have compiled their own to use when looking up UPC numbers.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[keepingbusy]

Hi JRB-Bldr

Thank you for the reply. The issue here wasn't with the UPC number as we already have code to work out the system code and make any changes as necessary. Our problem / issue is more related to the fact that we have a music catalogue database (about 600,000 titles) and we are trying to add images to those titles so when the user searches within our VFP9 app we want the image displayed as well as the all the related tracks etc.

If we were able to "extract" the necessary data including the image from somewhere like Amazon then this would be the answer.

For anyone interested, here is how a UPC is worked out:

USE MYTABLE
DO WHILE NOT EOF()
  STORE SPACE(15) TO mupc
  STORE UPC TO mupc
  STORE UPC TO morig
  @ 16, 6 SAY "Records:    "+LTRIM(STR(RECNO()))
  @ 18, 6 SAY "UPC Number: "+morig
  @ 20, 6 SAY "New UPC No: "+mchanged
  m01=0
  m02=0
  m03=0
  m04=0
  m05=0
  m06=0
  m07=0
  m08=0
  m09=0
  m10=0
  m11=0
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,1,1)) TO m01
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,2,1)) TO m02
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,3,1)) TO m03
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,4,1)) TO m04
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,5,1)) TO m05
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,6,1)) TO m06
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,7,1)) TO m07
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,8,1)) TO m08
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,9,1)) TO m09
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,10,1)) TO m10
  STORE VAL(SUBSTR(mupc,11,1)) TO m11

  modds=0  &&	Odd Numbers
  mevens=0 &&	Even Numbers
  mboth=0  &&	Odd and Even Numbers Added
  mupto=0  &&	Round To next 10
  m12th=0  &&	12th Digit to be added to UPC Number

* Add together the value of all of the digits in odd 
  positions (digits 1,3,5,7,9 & 11)
* Then Multiply that number by 3

  mbodds=0
  mbodds=m01+m03+m05+m07+m09+m11
  modds=mbodds*3

* Add together the value of all of the digits in even 
  positions (digits 2,4,6,8 & 10)
* Then add this sum to the value of the odd position 
  numbers total

  mevens=m02+m04+m06+m08+m10
  mboth=modds+mevens

* Round off the number/variable (mboth) to a multiple of 
  ten
* For example if mboth=116 the next number would 120.
* The 12th digit therefore would be 4 (120-116=4)

  mupto=CEILING(mboth/10)*10  &&  Gives Rounded No To 10

  m12th=mupto-mboth

  REPLACE UPCOLD WITH mupc
  REPLACE UPC    WITH SPACE(15)
  REPLACE UPC    WITH TRIM(mupc)+LTRIM(STR(m12th))
  STORE UPC      TO mchanged
  
  SKIP
ENDDO

An explanation can be found here:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/upc1.htm

Many thanks
Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk

 

[Mike Lewis]

Lee,

If you have signed up as an Amazon affiliate, follow these steps:

1. Go to Amazon and log on as an affiliate.

2. Choose Performance Tips / Amazon Web Services / Getting Started with Web Services / Amazon Web Services for Associates / Third party solutions (that last one is near the foot of the page).

You'll see a list of free and commercial products that use AWS. Also, somewhere in those pages, you'll find technical info on using AWS. I'm not sure exactly where it is, but it's somewhere around there.

Note that the above links apply to the US Amazon affiliate site. If you registered as a UK affiliate, the same information is available there, but the links might not be the same. In any case, the actual products are the same.

I hope this helps. The idea of linking AWS with VFP opens up all kinds of interesting possibilities. Let us know how you get on.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[keepingbusy]

Mike

Thank you for supplying the above information and for taking the time to reply. I will post back to this thread and let you know how things progress.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you

Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk

 

[keepingbusy]

Mike

Regarding the Amazon affiliate. I don't think this is what I signed up to. I did a Google search and found

http://www.amazon.com/affiliate

but this seems to be for signing up to show links to Amazon for books etc.

Am I looking in the right place or what link do you use?

Many thanks
Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Is this where you went?

https://aws-portal.amazon.com/gp/aws/developer/registration/index.html/002-5610094-0484037

It appears to be where you register to become an Amazon Web Services Developer

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Mike Lewis]

Lee,

I directed you to the link on the Amazon affiliate site because it is mainly affiliates who use AWS. But, as JRB-Bldr rightly points out, you can register separately to become an AWS developer. However, I can't see any references to third-party products on the AWS site.

If I could, I would send you a link to the actual page on the affiliates site that contains the third-party information, but I don't think it would let you go there without you logging in.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My sites:
Visual FoxPro (www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk)
Crystal Reports (www.ml-crystal.com)

 

[keepingbusy]

JRB-Bldr
No! Thank you for providing the link for which I'm grateful.

Mike
Thank you for your reply. You should receive one from me soon.

Many thanks to both

Lee

Visual FoxPro Versions: 6 & 9
Operating System: Windows XP

http://www.customsoftware.co.uk