NM Collector Software Graphic

NM Collector Software JE

Discontinued. Please see NM Collector Cross Platform

Import Data From My Collection Explorer

Recently I was approached by a former customer of the now defunct My Collection Explorer software to see if I could help him recover his data and import it into NM Collector Software. After investigating his situation I determined that I could help him.

This procedure requires that you have a working copy of My Collection Explorer. If you no longer have one, get a working copy of My Collection Explorer. I found mine at: http://www.archive.org/details/tucows_333804_My_Collection_Explorer (tucows is a reputable source but I cannot speak for www.archive.org so make sure you run it past a virus scanner – my copy came out clean). This is a 15 day evaluation version that is enough time to get your data exported. I found that I could only start it in Windows 7 by double clicking on a backup file saved by the program at an earlier date.

NM Collector Cross Platform USB

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step instructions with pictures of how to import data from the now defunct My Collection Explorer into NM Collector Software.

NOTE: all misspellings in the My Collection Explorer screen captures are what I found in MY Collection Explorer. Any misspellings in the text or data fields are mine.

  1. Since My Collection Explorer does not export column headings with its data I suggest that you create a sample collection with each field name in the data so you can see where the fields are in the spreadsheet. Otherwise you can inspect the data that is exported to determine the title for each column based on the contents. Screen shots of die-cast collectibles in My Collection Explorer

    My Collection Explorer Data

    My Collection Explorer Price

    My Collection Explorer Annotate

  2. Export the catalog with sample data from My Collection Explorer. Take note of the field locations in the resulting spreadsheet. NOTE: You have to pick an actual item in your collection or the export will not work! Even though you select a single item it will export all of your items in your collection and more. Screen shot of exported sample data from My Collection Explorer

    Export 1

    Export 2

    Export 3

    Export 4

    Export 5

    Spreadsheet

  3. Export the catalog with real data from My Collection Explorer. Use the sample data export with the field names to decipher the real data that was exported. NOTE: You have to pick an actual item in your collection or the export will not work! Even though you select a single item it will export all of your items in your collection and more. Screen shot of exported real data from My Collection Explorer – If pictures are exported I could not find them. Also, I could not find an exported sale price.

    Exported spread sheet

  4. Create a collection type in NM Collector that matches a catalog in My Collection Explorer. Please see this Home Inventory Tutorial for how to create a new collection type in NM Collector Software. Screen shot NM Collector Software die-cast template matching My Collection Explorer.

    NM Import Identification

    NM Import Description

    NM Import Receipts

    NM Import Disposition

    Note that I placed “Price History Comment” in the “More” tab because I did not have a place for it in Receipt or Disposition.

    NM Import More

  5. To see what format NM Collector Software expects for import simply export some sample data. Unlike My Collection Explorer, NM Collector Exports the headings for each column. Screen shot of sample data export from NM Collector Software

    NM Export 1

    NOTE: When you export you select the folder only. You do not provide a file name. The file name is generated automatically based on the collection type.

    NM Export 2

    In this case, the resulting exported file name is JEDie-Cast.csv

    NM Export File Name

    Resulting Excel Export – Note that the first row consists of coulumn headings. Since there was no data exported all we see are the column headings. There will be blank columns for fields in the database where no column headings are defined.

    NM Export Spreadsheet

  6. Convert the exported My Collection Explorer Excel Spreadsheet into the format Expected by NM Collector Software. I found it easiest just to start with my NM Collector Software Column Headings Export (from above) and copy columns from the My Collection Explorer Export spreadsheet and paste them into the appropriate location in my NM Collector Software spreadsheet (from above).

    NOTE: Please do not paste the format into the NM Collector Spreadsheet as that will break the import. For example, the purchase price for My Collection Explorer is $ but it has to be plain text or number in the NM Collector Software spreadsheet.

    Instructions for copying and pasting cells in Microsoft Excel can be found here. Instructions for other spreadsheet tools can be found in your favorite internet search engine.

    After data has been rearranged ensure the first row is blank or column headings because the NM Collector Software Import skips the first row since it expects to see headers not data in the first row.

    Screen shot of My Collection Explorer data in NM Collector Software format. The actual spreadsheet has more columns to the right.

    Spreadsheet

  7. Import the rearranged My Collection Explorer spreadsheet into NM Collector by selecting Import > from JE CSV. Screen captures of import.

    Import 1

    Import 2

    Import 3

  8. Verify that your data was indeed imported correctly. You will have to add your pictures manually. Screen capture of results

    Verify Result 1

    Verify Result 1

    Verify Result 1

    Verify Result 1

    Verify Result 1

    Here is the result as viewed in the NM Collector Software “Satistics” screen which is a way to easily view all fields for all items in your collection.

    Verify Stats

From nmCollector.net LLC