SMC Discussion Areas

SMC Folks,
   I have what I hope to be a recommendation that is not too difficult to do and might be appreciated by many researchers.  I have seen on more than one occassion, to include myself, where someone has posted a picture of a machine and are usually looking for help with identification.  Obviously, it's a pretty daunting task to work one's way through all the manufacturers to find the machine in question unless we're lucky enough to have someone readily identify it for us.  So here is my recommendation....provide a link that assembles all photos within the database so that someone may search the photos, which in turn would lead to the specific make, model and information.  All the photos are already in the database, I just am not familiar enough to realize how difficult if may be to do a "reverse" search by picture rather than by name as it is currently set up.  I think if the visual search were made available, it might be easier to identify machines much faster.  Just a thought and recommendation.  Anyone else have any thoughts on it?  Perhaps it has already come up in the past and is just not doable, but thought would bring it up anyway, just in case.  Thanks for "listening"!!

Ken

Buy Classic Soda Machines by Jeff Walters

Sorry, some effort is required on the inquirer's part.   Look for a mfg plate, look for a name plate on the machine, or ask the seller.

The technology isn't available to  produce a database by image lookup. Cola-machines.com went the opposite of Jim, list pictures instead of names under the Manufacturer.

I know there's some effort required on the part of the inquirer, but sometimes that info is not available.  Like I said, I just thought I'd ask about it.  Thanks!

I've had the same thoughts at times, ID'ing a machine can be tough when you only have a photo.  The tech nerd in me would build a database that could be searched/sorted by machine attributes (chest/standup, round/square, single/multiple flavors, etc.).  But, it's kind of like old cars, the knowledge comes with time.   

Would be a great feature. Jim will need to add input but I suspect the core database does not contain that level of attributes.
I'd be willing to take a small chunk and add info/meta data etc... Big task, any helpers?
Need to have admin approve project and determine format first.
Creighton
 

I'll help.  It could also help me in the computer classes I'm taking. Let me know what I can do.

Everyone is on the correct methodology as to incorporating some form of a search; however, search via image is not even computable at my level of nerdness...
I did at one time begin to experiment with a form field that could search by manufacturer, model number, height, width, or depth, vend capacity, and year(s). This means the database would have to have a data field/column for each searchable attribute. With this said, not all this information can be had or documented thus resulting in inaccurate search results...

It is a daunting task attempting to identify a particular manufacturer/model, but as knowledge grows so does the ability to narrow down a search...

And lastly, I have added some cool models from Arnold (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=128&Itemid=14), Automatic Products (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=129&Itemid=14), a Crosley (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=23&Itemid=14) Model 157, Frigidaire (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=127&Itemid=14) will be updated when the newly acquired brochure arrives, Graham (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=130&Itemid=14), 4 new models from Hurty-Peck (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=33&Itemid=14), Peninsular Stove Company (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=2&Itemid=14), A few early models from Progress (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=48&Itemid=14), S&S (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=52&Itemid=14) model 2D-21, Sethness (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=131&Itemid=14), United (http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=97&Itemid=14) models HC-4 & 2450/2600 and soon I'll be adding Southern Iron & Equipment Company...

Sad to say, but I am truly computer illiterate when it comes to programming, etc.  I know it is not an easy task to do something like this.  I guess what I meant by "searching by picture" was the idea that a picture would have a link tied to it so that it would be a "clickable" field when the mouse pointer is placed on the picture.  The link would provide the information as currently listed on SMC, perhaps just a link to those pages that already exist.  My thought was to merely take all the photos on eacy model and place them on a single page, but each picture would have this link that would take it back to the page that already exists.  This way, perhaps someone could just browse thru the pictures and see the machine they're looking for and click on it to see what it is.  I thought perhaps this would be a simpler task than to try and build a whole new page, etc.  Again though, I'm pretty illiterate in this regard and what may seem "simple" to me may be way, way, way more complicated than I can imagine.  It was just an idea I thought I'd bring up for the smart guys to see if it is even possible with as minimal effort as possible.

Jim, if you're the one adding the models, if you want pics of a V-216 rather than the pamphlet pic, I can send you a good one, just let me know.  It's in original condition.  I think the real pics look better than pamphlet pics, but perhaps can be posted alongside them as well.  BTW, check messages for response from the other day if you haven't already seen it.

Ken

What you are talking about is very easy but would be terribly time consuming.

If I were to go about it I would make a pdf consisting of a page with thumbnails on it of every machine in the database, making them large enough to distinguish details. Then make each thumbnail a hotlink to the page in the database that contains the information about said machine. All you'd have to do is click on your machine's thumbnail and you'd be directed to the appropriate page.

I might segregate the thumbnails into a few larger groups, like have a pdf with buttons on it that say, "Round Top Machines", "Square Top Machines", "Sliders". And each button directs the user to another level of the pdf that contains thumbnails of the machines that fall under that category. Then you find your machine and it works like mentioned above.

Like I said, technically a piece of cake, time consuming as hell but easy to do.

Steve

I would just have a form with drop down dialog boxes.
First, select whether it is a round top or square top.
Second, select upright or chest type
Third, coin or no coin
Fourth, vend type - slant shelf, belt, etc.
and so on until the database narrows down what it might be and gives you choices

Sounds like we've all got some great ideas on how to do it, but is it something that can be done easy enough without too much hate and discontent?  Sounds like a lot of work still.  Perhaps more work than it's worth?

On the Home Page, there's a random thumbnail image that displays soda machines/coolers. This small snippet of code may be able to be modified to display thumbnails of every soda machine/cooler in the DB that has an image, grouped by their respective manufacturers and link each thumbnail to the current page for each soda machine/cooler.
Additionally, to keep server load reasonable, each page generated would only display, possibly selectable, 50, 100, 150, or 200 models with "next page" navigation at the top/bottom...

I'm not a programmer by any stretch of the imagination, I can copy/paste code to add functionality when necessary, but this code would have to rewritten to set an array for the directory names, manufacturers essentially, set another array for images names within each manufacturer, which poses another question... My images names will not be the best caption for each thumbnail so that would suggest this may need an XML file to store all the data... It can get complicated quickly!

I'm leaning toward a solution that would display thumbnails grouped by manufacturers, link to current page info for each thumbnail, allow for multiple page navigation...
An experienced PHP programmer should be able to handle this easily enough...

Not sure how I can help, but if there's someway I can assist, please let me know.

Ken

Worthy project but a ton of work. Regret haven't taken the time to learn PHP. Best I could do would be try a custom import script into Access and populate from there.
Defining linked arrays is the way to go but Yikes! One bad call and it is a mess to sort out.
Creighton

 

I can work on it but it would be between work and school.  I think that I can get it to work. And you are right it will take some time. I can use the pages that we have now and just create a thumbnail page for each type(i.e. Round top/Square top/Slider) and just link that thumbnail to the correct page.  I would need access to the pictures that we have now and any others that we would want to use.

Or do just like most people do on here.. post a photo of it.. and most likely within a short period a member on this site will know what it is.. as there are several very knowledable and wise collectors on the site...

I think signguy's idea is easiest and the best approach.It also makes people new to the hobby post something and get familiar with the group.