Game Collector Manual
for Windows edition
Welcome to Game Collector Download and Install Navigating the Main Screen Adding and Editing Games How to search your Collection Adding Games Automatically Adding Games Manually Barcode Scanning Importing from text Adding Hardware Managing your wish list Field Defaults Editing Multiple Games Editing Games List Items and more Find Cover Image Update File Links Adding a box set Managing Loans Customizing Game Collector Sorting your Collection Custom Field Names Custom Views Edit, Merge List Items Activating Connect Sync & Share Synchronize with Connect Linking your games for Connect CLZ Games for iPhone/iPod CLZ Games for Android CLZ Games HD for iPad Printing a Simple List Using the Filter screen Updating Game Collector The Statistics Screen Print screen Keyboard Shortcuts Creating a Backup Import From Text Data Submission Guidelines Validating Game Collector
Field Defaults
When adding games to your collection, you have probably found that for quite some fields you are always entering the same values.
For example, you may be setting the Owner field to your own name for every game you add. And what if you always buy your games online at Amazon? Do you keep setting the Purchase Store field manually for each and every game you buy? And what about the Read It field (for books) and the Seen It field for movies? And what about that new camera you're using for pretty much each new picture you're adding to your collection?
Setting Field Defaults will save you from having to do these tasks manually, as it will automatically set initial values for added games. This way you and save time and have your collection data up to date. Admit it: the more complete your information is, the nicer things'll look, right? Right.
Setting Field Defaults
Setting default field values is done in the Field Defaults screen. Open this screen by choosing Tools > Field Defaults from the menu.
Each value you set here will be automatically applied to all games you add from that moment on, using either the Adding Games Automatically or Manually feature.
For example, if you set the Country box to USA here, every future game you add will have the Country field set to USA automatically.
Also, note the special "Set today as ..." checkboxes for date fields. These can be used to have Game Collector automatically set the current date as the value.
Some useful tips
- Initially, while cataloging your existing collection, you are probably only adding games you have (in case of a movie collection) already watched. So during that phase, it probably makes sense to have the Seen it field default to YES.
However, after you have added your entire collection, you will probably only be adding movies you just purchased. From that moment on, it is probably better to have the Seen it field default to NO.
(the same holds for the Read It field in Book Collector) - If you buy all your games at the same store, I recommend to enter that store's name under Purchase Store in the Field Defaults screen. Game Collector will automatically fill the Store Field for every new game you buy and add to your collection.
(Even if you buy stuff somewhere else once in a while, this will still save time. You can always modify the Store field manually.) - If you always add your new games to your database immediately after purchase, then using the "Set today as the Purchase Date" will automatically result in correctly filled Purchase Date values.
Please note:
These Field Defaults will only be applied to new, future games that you add to your collection. It has no effect on existing entries. However, if you want an efficient way to change multiple values for games already in your collection, make sure to check out the Editing Multiple Games section.