(click to enlarge - Photoshop composite of sleeve and vinyl scans)

I have a lot of 45s.

I’ve always been a singles fan.

Back in the day, I’d save up my money, ride the bus (164, thank you) to the North Hollywood Licorice Pizza, and buy a 45. Sadly, due to a loss in time, I have neglected my 45s…until now.

With the shockingly cheap abundance of 45s around L.A. lately, I am starting to be buried under an avalanche of Bags Unlimited 45 boxes. Worse, I have started buying doubles (dammit!).

The solution? Filemaker, and a scanner.

I have a few databases hidden on the web site, that I use via my Blackberry, when I am out and about. For example, using an IDAutomation.com bar code scanner, an Amazon developer account, and a custom Filemaker template, I spent a day scanning my close to 1000 DVDs. Now, I can just go to the listing page, see details, and even cover art (via an extra click) if I need to confirm whether I have something.

Sadly, the UPC code wasn’t introduced until the early 1980’s. Because of that, if you want to database old records, you have to do a lot of typing…or do you?

Do you have a load of 45s, or other music formats, that you want to quickly database? Instead of typing every last bit of information on the labels, just scan them!

Sweet!