Adding a new check-box option against sets - "used to own"

zipsforbananas

I've just had an idea that I think is worth sharing!
I wouldn't normally say something like that, but this seems quite simple, elegant, and attractive!

What would people think of a third check box option to go with "I own" and "I want this set" against sets:
"I used to own"

It would address a small issue where reviews you've written are no longer visible if you get rid of a set and uncheck it as owned (or at least that used to happen a year or so ago).

But more than that it would add instant nostalgia to the site, especially when most AFOLs have gone through a dark ages and may well have a very different style of collection now, and would be able to see/tell/share their story through their collection.

It was just a little thought that popped into my head, and the more I thought the more it seemed like a really simple but really worthwhile idea.
I know I'd love to mark down all the pirate, castle and space sets I used to own, and I'd like to be able to be honest about some of the sets I've got rid of but still have my reviews visible, with reviewing being kind of a big part of what I think of as my input to Brickset.
What does everyone else think? Would you like it? Why? Is it as simple a thing as I think in terms of the database, programming, etc?

(I'm off on holiday tomorrow morning for almost a week now too, I wonder where this might have gone when I get back.)

Huw

Not a bad idea... easy to implement but would it complicate the UI?

iplante

I would love to see this option implemented. Right now, those sets are in my want list, but I don't really want them again (at least, not all of them)

drdavewatford

Huw said:

would it complicate the UI?

It'd certainly add more clutter, and I have to admit that despite reading the rationale for adding it a couple of times I don't get it, apart from the review issue; why not just make reviews remain visible even if the set is longer owned? I didn't realise they disappeared when sets were disposed of until I read the original posting.

zipsforbananas

^I wondered about that as an easier option too, but I started to quite like the nostalgia of having a record of all the sets I used to own, I think it could possibly be a feature of Brickset that could become part of why people like to use it, something to make it personal to you and attach more of the fondness we have for our childhood Lego memories to the site.
I can't think it would be much more clutter, the check boxes are quite clean and unobtrusive, it would just mean one more down the side of each set screen and one more option on the My Sets tab, wouldn't it?

Glad to know it wouldn't be difficult to add, I'd be so excited to actually have contributed something substantial to the site too, Brickset is the only Lego related site I'm part of. But then I won't be surprised to come back and find it's a nice-idea-but-no either. :)

Huw

Are there any other tickboxes I could add at the same time?

[x] I used to own
[x] The kids own
[x] I don't want

Maybe the main two appear for everyone but others, like these, could be optional.

??

> I didn't realise they disappeared when sets were disposed of until I read the original posting.

Neither did I, actually! I'll see what that is and fix it.

CCC

[x] I want but the wife definitely will not let me have.

[x] I want and I could probably wangle it if the wife gets some new shoes.

Shib

^If we start going down that road we'd also need

[x] Bought at half price thinking it was a bargain but now wondering why the heck I bothered buying 5 of them.

I could see using the Used to own box, but the others seem unnessisary to me. Admittedly I don't have kids, but I think when/if I do I will consider any Lego in their collections to be lost to the sands of time - or more likely the hoover.

tedward

I like the "kids own" box idea. It keeps track of parts you can "borrow" - hey they "borrow" from me all the time so all is fair thank you very much. ;)

Renegade007cjh

I suggested "Own - Sealed" / "Own - Built" / "Own - For Sale" type options on my survey responses... interesting (and reassuring) to see others with similar ideas. Like the idea of having loads of them floating in the background and making them optional / user-defined (so everyone can pick and choose those that are most useful to them)...

plasmodium

If you had the two current options in full view as they are now, then a little menu or something where you could select other options? Just to keep it tidy, but make options available to people who want it?

Like so - please excuse the hasty 1 o'clock in the morning photoshop job:

sidersdd

Seems like the most flexible option would be to allow users to add whatever tags they want to their sets. Display the tags alongside the other "Your Collection" fields, and allow adding new tags with a popup similar to the ACM popup. Then allow querying by the tags. People could then organize/classify their collection however they want.

cody6268

There's another option I'd like to add.

I owned it as a kid, but lost most of the pieces a long time ago.

legogal

This is hilarious! How about "I own the instructions but for the life of me don't know where the heck the pieces went'?

Then the next comment could be the pieces....
got eaten... and swallowed by the baby,
the dog ran off with the pieces,
my spouse tossed them after seeing how much LEGO I had bought,
they got tossed in the wrong trash can by my ignorant ________ and went out with the regular Friday trash pick up,
they disappeared when our shed burned down due to the kids playing with matches,
the neighbors' unholy kid stole them while we were at church trying to be holy,
my parents gave them to my younger cousins who destroyed them...glad I saved the instructions,
my ________ put all of the old LEGO pieces in our church spring fling charity sale while I was out of town on business,
they were so filthy from us playing with them on the dirty floor with that my mother tossed them while we were at grandma's house,...

zipsforbananas

^This is why I suggested just the one extra and specific box. As most AFOLs have gone through a dark age of their own I would imagine most have a very different collection now to what they used to have, and even if they haven't might like to record which sets they no longer have.

What we have is simple and universal.
Open it up to anything and yes, it would get silly.
But adding that one option that would be useful to most seemed a reasonable and sensible suggestion to me. Sorry if even that seems preposterous to you. ;)

Huw

@zipsforbananas

It would address a small issue where reviews you've written are no longer visible if you get rid of a set and uncheck it as owned (or at least that used to happen a year or so ago).

I'm looking into this now. Where does it happen? I can't replicate the problem. Do you have an example?

zipsforbananas

I noticed it when I got rid of an old A-Wing after getting the newest one, and when I took it off my owned list I could no longer see my review either on the set page or under my reviews. The number of review I had written didn't change, it just didn't show up.
However I've just checked again, unmarked a couple of sets, and the reviews are still there.

It definitely was an issue, seems it's not any more. I wonder if you fixed it in with something else in an update somewhere along the way.
I'll go update my collection properly now! :)

Huw

OK, good!

playwell

I would love to have another list that could be used for what ever people want, like kids own set. I would also like to have a second wanted list once again for what ever people want like used to own or might want.

playwell

To be clear I would like two lists for sets I own and two lists for sets I want with the second lists having an editable title so we can each use it as we like for different things.

Redbullgivesuwind

Why would you want two lists for what you want to own. Surely you want to own it or not? For the sets you own there is the advanced collection notes option where you can state who owns it, missing parts etc.

plasmodium

I think the problem with the ACM is that very few people know about/can understand it. I remember when it was introduced, I was quite excited, but then I couldn't easily figure out how to do what I wanted with it, and I just wrote simple 'notes' on sets I used to own.

drdavewatford

plasmodium said:

I think the problem with the ACM is that very few people know about/can understand it.

You're not the first person to say this; while awareness is maybe an issue, I'm struggling to get my head round the accusation that it's hard to understand. You click the 'ACM' link on the set page or listing of sets, a pop-up box appears with the option to 'edit', and the details can be added as desired. And that's it. Seems pretty simple, assuming of course that you're actually aware of the feature in the first place, and I agree that awareness could certainly be improved.

plasmodium

You're quite right, actually. I've looked at it again, and I can't see why I thought it was confusing (the only thing that confused me at all was that the "edit" and "duplicate" links were right next to each other, making me think it read "edit duplicate", ie, 'edit the second one of these sets you own').

I think it's because it's not terribly well integrated (or it might be, again, correct me if I'm wrong) - ie, if I ticked to say I only owned the minifigs or instructions on the set would it then change the bricks I own if I exported it to Rebrickable? Could I sort by "sets I only own the instructions for"? And so on.

And awareness, yeah. I can't imagine a lot of people click on the tiny "ACM" text, which doesn't really explain what it is. I think I would use it a lot more if you say, enabled ACM in your settings somewhere, and then you just always saw all the extra columns in the sets list, and could sort by them, see at a glance which have minifigs, instructions, etc.

Redbullgivesuwind

^I would agree that it would be good to be able to sort by the notes. But also if it changed my collection to show this information so if I said I had the figures it doesn't appear in my set list. But I am unsure as to how hard that would be to actually do. My PC has an on switch and that is as far as my PC knowledge goes.

But I think having it appear underneath a set, especially if you have detailed info could make the screen look really cluttered if you have a long list of sets. But if you clicked on a set picture would be good if that info appeared under the set.

playwell

Redbullgivesuwind said:

Why would you want two lists for what you want to own. Surely you want to own it or not? For the sets you own there is the advanced collection notes option where you can state who owns it, missing parts etc.

I would like a list for sets I will buy not matter what (price) and one for sets to keep an eye on if you can get them for the right price. Some people might want a list of sets they want and a list for the kids/wife so on, it could also be used for sets I used to own as then it would not add to your part count as you no longer have the parts. I think if there were two list for each people could use the second for what ever they wanted and if we could edit a title for the list that would be great.

hewman

Huw said:

Are there any other tickboxes I could add at the same time?

[x] I used to own
[x] The kids own
[x] I don't want

Maybe the main two appear for everyone but others, like these, could be optional.

??

> I didn't realise they disappeared when sets were disposed of until I read the original posting.

Neither did I, actually! I'll see what that is and fix it.

I love the kids own check box. I currently use my want list to maintain a record of all the sets I've purchased as gifts for people. This part of my want list is now as long as the sets I genuinely want. So I'd vote a big yes for this.

I wouldn't use the 'used to own' check box but that's just because I'd find it too depressing to be reminded of the now highly valuable sets I've since sold off or even worse, given away. But I understand why others would find it useful.

Redbullgivesuwind

^^again I think that you know what sets you would purchase at any price and what you wouldn't. And again the ACM notes field seems to be perfectly designed for adding that information. For the kids you could create them their own profile and add the sets. I'm sure they would love to sit down and tick off all the sets they own. To create a wanted list at Xmas.

While I have no doubt that some people would use the second list. I don't see it being enough in my opinion for the mods to make the change. Esp. as so few people use the ACM which to an extend does what you want.

playwell

^ I agree that by a long way brickset does what I want it to and it is great, yes I don't really need a second this but if it was added I would use it.

Aanchir

I think having a check box for "owned by family" (not kids specifically) would be better than "owned by kids". My twin brother and I divide sets up between ourselves, even though we generally share loose parts. Currently I never know whether to list a set my twin brother owns or wants as something I own or want, because for all intents and purposes we cooperate on building our collection, but we still identify certain sets as "his" or "mine".

playwell

^ Good idea more generic is better.

plasmodium

Again, this is why a custom or at the very least 'editable' field would be nice.

Don't get me wrong, Brickset is an excellent resource, and has all the features it needs, this is kind of a wishlist/brainstorm as far as I'm concerned. :-)

Huw

I am still considering this and what the best option is. It's probably

- add some 'unnamed' fields to the table that holds ownership data
- provide a means for people to activate as many as they want to give them meaningful display names
- show them beneath the current I own/want, labelled appropriately
- add them to the 'my collection' drop down list on the set listings

Not a five minute job but it should be possible.

parsom

[x] I saw in shop :)

mrfuture

I think may be some pre created and some custom fields had been nice.
But what I miss is an more easy way to see the ACM text. Since this looks like going to grow. Maybe the better option is to create another tab with ACM information. Everyone that have activated ACM see it but if not it is not showing? Option could be editing in this tab also. If possible?

Today i have to click the model and Click the ACM field if i want to read it.
If im not mistaken.

Si_UKNZ

I like the idea of a
[x] Previously owned
field.

When you own a lot of sets, actually owning it make little difference anyway since there's so much stuff, its not possible to display or enjoy it all, or even know where all of it is. Personally, I consider a set I 'used to own' as something I've experienced and enjoyed, which is what the check box would mean for me. Whether I actually own it any more is pretty much irrelevant in many ways.

I tend to use the 'owned by me' in this way already - for me it means 'currently or previously owned by me'. This does make 'my collection' pretty unusable for seeing what I currently own - but I have an excel sheet for that anyway.

Huw

I have implemented this now and I'd like you to test it before I announce to all.

As suggested above, I've

- added some 'unnamed' fields to the table that holds ownership data
- provided a means for people to activate as many as they want to give them meaningful display names
- show them beneath the current I own/want, labelled appropriately
- added them to the 'my collection' drop down list on the set listings

Four additional flags are available. You can activate them here (linked to from your profile page)

http://brickset.com/profile/flagpreferences

LMK how you get on.

Huw

I've just seen errors being logged that prevented the new flags being set for sets that were not already owned or wanted. I think I've corrected it now.

zipsforbananas

Fantastic! Thanks Huw!
I've gone through and made a couple of lists, "used to own" and "childhood sets" to keep track of how my collection's changed as well as what I used to have. It worked just fine getting the check boxes up and checking them.
I can't see where to go to view the collection though, they're not showing in my collection. Should I have checked them as owned as well with these as flags modifying it?

I love it, I can't quite believe an idea I had has made it into something of how Brickset works, I hope it does work well and people appreciate and use it enough to make it worth it. :)

zipsforbananas

^^Ah, would that be why I couldn't see it and a refresh will sort me out then?

snowhitie

It seems to work very well. I made 4 categories, just to try it out, then cleared two of them, and it all went smoothly - great addition to the database, thanks!

I've added: kid owns, kid wants, it is usually quite clear who owns what but this way I can prove I am not spending to much money compared to my son ;)

In that light, and I am probably being greedy here, but is there a way you can also see this in your collection summary? Or would that make the table to long? (maybe you can check an extra box if you want it shown or not?)

Huw

Good point -- the My collection summary page will need updating to show them.

Also, maybe for the future,

- Show them in the CSV export lists
- Ability to change colours, and those of owned/wanted
- Means of clearing a specific flag down if you want to repurpose it

I'm glad to hear it's working OK so far, though, thank you.

@Zips, the error was fixed at 11:30ish, I see you were causing errors before that time so any tests you did before then will have failed.

Huw

The My collection summary page has now been updated to show the extra flags.

aldredd

Brilliant feature, and well implemented - like it

aldredd

Just a thought - and probably not worth bothering with unless there's demand for it - but will these additional fields be available in the query builder at some point?

Bosstone100

@Huw - I like the feature. I'll probably use one to seperate my son's sets. Now, I see that even if you uncheck the item in your profile, it still keeps the data that is alrady entered.

Would it make sense to add a macro next to each level to "zero" out all data for that item? Otherwise, if we wanted to change it, we'd have to manually undo all of the checks we put in there.

zurno

Huw: Any chance of having quantity added for all of the rest of them? It would even be handy for wanted as I could then say that I want 6 of some set if need be.

Also any chance of getting the auxiliary lists to interact with Rebrickable and possibly be configurable? I would love to have a parted out list that I could use on here and have it synchronize with a set list on there for the same purpose. Actually multiple parts lists can cause issues as it is last time I checked.

Edit: And also maybe an option to let them be displayed at the same time as certain lists. Maybe just make a way to have the list be able to display whichever you select at the time and allow it to change the url so you can link it.

Huw

@aldredd, yes, I should be able to add that tomorrow.
@Bosstone100, I will add a clear facility in due course
@zurno, I want to avoid that if possible. One reason being that it would inflate the size of the database table considerably. It has 12 million rows and is already 1.5Gb in size, about half of the total size of the database. Adding 4 more integers would more than double it which has knock on effects like increasing the time taken to backup, download the backup and so on. I'll have a think about Rebrickable integration.

zurno

@Huw Is there any way you could meld them into the ACM to get the added functionality. Maybe one integer for each set, but derive the displayed numbers by how each entry in the ACM is checked. So if I owned 3 of a set, but wanted to part out 2 of them and have them be in a separate custom list for that I would just change it.

Hmm, just realized that it would probably end up with losing any ACM data for those two sets when changing the amount in owned from 3 to 1.

What about an option to make the custom ones act like the owned sets lists does and be included in the ACM? Guess this isn't an easy request.

Huw

You'd need to define whether you wanted that behaviour or not, some people will use the flags as 'not wanted' and so on.

So, it starts to get complex and messy quickly!

zipsforbananas

^Good point. I'd still like to see overall stats like on the summary page for each collection. I'd love to see how many bricks I had as a kid!

And if you had a list of sets you didn't want, say if you were trying to own all of a certain theme but only sets that meet a personal standard, so long as you could see the totals separately you could finally get an accurate figure on %owned.