What is CINEFAN (a.k.a. CINEPHIL in french) ?

CINEFAN is a movie database.

Introduction
CINEFAN is made up of some 6.200 files, sortable in alphabetical order of Directors, or any other order of your choice.
It covers films from all over the world, though with a majority from the American, French and English cinema.
It is presented as a shareware, created by Pierre VERNAY, on a Psion 3A (2Mo) between May 97 and May 99. Its rights are reserved.
The version distributed usually is not a trial version, but just the first third of the database, including the Directors from A (ABBOTT George) to F (FURIE Sidney J.) only. Those interested in the complete version, from A to Z, should read the chapter "How to register" of this text.
It can be used on any type of computer (Mac and PC, Psion 3, 5, 7 or Revo, etc.), as long as you order me the right version and have a database program.
 
Presentation
This database is also distributed in French under the name CINEPHIL, since "Cinéphile" means "Moviefan".
In its present and future states, my database will not attempt to be a complete or universal reference, since it is based mostly on films I have seen myself.
It only corresponds to a need I've had since the beginning of my "CINEPHILie" : to structure my memory and retain the contents in using a less volatile medium...
The job's now done... What are three years of work compared to 30 years of "cinéphilie" ???
This database does contain a number of errors (typing, spelling and probably incorrect names), and it is far from being complete for some films.
Now it's up to everyone of you to use it in such a way you choose.
There remains the problem of my personal findings (for those who are interested in translating them from the French original, of course...), which will undeniably annoy some readers, and be paradoxical to others...
You must understand that, having made it for my own personal use, it is more than anything a mirror of my own analyses, evolving through the years, and it does only satisfy my criteria. It is up to you to eliminate whatever bothers you.
One must also understand that it is the result of a "cinéphilie" of some 32 years, and that my "critical filter" has had largely the time (and the need) to narrow, by viewing lots of good and bad movies (a necessary discomfort), and by watching again many of the good ones... as well as the bad.
This is to explain the sometimes surprising differences between my first-time appreciation and the next, and to recognize that my appreciation "Bon" ("Good") often encountered in the database, hasn't much in common with my present vision : most of the time it would be replaced by a definite "Very poor" for "Bon" or by "Appalling" for "Bon -"... and if I haven't made this adjustment, it is due to incertitude, laziness or leniency...
 
History and statistics
I began my work in 1997, and released :
- Version 1 of CINEPHIL in October 98, on the Psion French Club site (<http:/www.cabuzel.com/psion/index.html>, look for "Téléchargements"),
- Version 2, in May 99 with an equivalent English name : CINEFAN. Then available in Mac or PC format, with many corrections and additions within various fields.
- this version 3, released in May 2000. Huge enrichment of the french movie files.
As it is, this database counts about :
- 3400 US films,
- 1750 French films,
- 450 British films,
- 350 Italians films,
- 45 Japanese films, etc.
On a next version, I will provide some keywords to replace my French abreviations with their equivalents in English, replacement to be made with JBData.
 
Installation and working with the "base" on a Psion
You should have found the base in a zip-compressed format, and if you are reading this text, you must have already expanded it !
You just have to put the "base" CINEFAN into the DAT directory of your Psion S3 (a, c or mx), or in its SSDFlash (if necessary, create there a DAT directory).
Here is a view of what you should get.
Owners of a S3 might be handicaped by the original Data application, which is much too limited. They might find an interest in installing software like Dataview Pro and/or JBData into their APP directory (either in the Psion itself or in one of its SSDFlash), in order to open the base from one of those applications.
Each option will have a specific and complementary efficiency on this base :
- Dataview Pro (commercial software from Purple Software, site at <http://www.3lib.ukonline.co.uk/dvpro.htm>) offers a good list presentation, secondary groups and a good sorting.
- JBData has the huge advantage of being freeware (a very big and respectful "Thank you" to John Boyce, its prolific and dedicated "father" ; site at <http://www.3lib.ukonline.co.uk/~jbsoft/programs.htm>). It allows an interesting "Save as" function on a Text format, plus good "Replace" and "Merge" functions.
Those with a S3mx, will enjoy the new processor enhancements for search and sorting functions.
But all S3 users will however have to use JBData to ensure a complete exportation in .txt of each file, in order not to lose any information (because some of my files use more signs than authorized by the original application).
Now, about this translation to a Text format, in order to use my base on a bigger computer (Mac or PC) through such softwares as Access, FileMaker or 4D. You will use the JBData "save as" function :
a) Give a name.txt
b) Leave "Text", put "Tab" on the next field, insert or not your labels with "Labels : first record", and if you have used "Psion-Enter" to make new paragraphs within fields, put "Leave" on the bottom line. You should also refer to the JBData manual.
Considering the present size of this CINEFAN (or CINEPHIL) base when complete (at least 2,6 Mb in .dbf psionS3 format), direct management from the hard disk is unfortunately impossible on a S3. Hence, one must work from a 4 Mb SSD Flash at least, while hoping that Psion offers us a model with a more consistant hard disk soon...
S5 owners will not have that problem, and what's more they have at their disposal the new Power Base program (from Purple Software), which should provide very flexible management of this base. 
 
Installation and working with the "base" on a Mac or a PC
You should have found the base in a zip-compressed format, and if you are reading this text, you must have already expanded it !
° With a Mac : the database is delivered in .TXT format. I include with this a FileMakerTemplate.zip (layout) . When it is opened, you can "Import" the file, choosing a "Tabulation" format. 
° With a PC : same method as above.
For those who can't use my FileMaker (V.3) template, here is a list of fields to be created : Original Title, French Title, Director, Colour/Format, Year/Country, Seen * times/ Producer, Actors (2 lines), Actresses, Notes (3 lines), Scenario, Based on, Cinematographer, Music.
Here is a view of what you should get.
People will certainly want to insert their own files and reviews within my base : and indeed that should be the aim of the game... Considering the up-dates and improvements I'm planning to implement on the base, I would advise that you make a kind of parallel and distinct file for your own list, so you will not lose anything of your own base when replacing mine with a new version.
 
Registering, to get the complete version of this shareware
The creation of such a database has taken, as one might imagine, a lot of work often enjoyable, sometimes fastiduous. It is now available as shareware, at a symbolic level of 12 Euros.
Until 2002, every buyer will have to translate that figure into their national currency, unless they already have a Euro cheque-book. Among the countries who will use the Euro in the future, the rates are approximately :
12 Euros = 78 french francs= 24 deutsche marks = 160 austrian shillings = 500 belgian francs = 2000 spanish pesetas = 70 finnish marks = 23 000 itali an liras = 10 irish pounds = 500 luxembourg francs = 26 dutch florins = 2400 portugese escudos .
Anyone interested in my complete database should send me the money in the form of a cheque to my name, paid in your own national currency. I will not assume any responsibility if you send cash, because it is theoretically forbidden by French law, it is not always safe and I can't guarantee reception ; however, should you choose this method, please round up the sum to the nearest amount above the price in your currency (in order to send banknotes only), and choose an easily exchangeable currency in Europe e.g. DM, US $, UK pounds, Francs suisses, Lira Italiana, etc. After receiving your payment, I will then send you the complete and latest version of my database (in compacted zip form) through E-Mail (don't forget to give me the right address when you pass me the order). I can also send you the database on a floppy, if you provide the floppy itself and your address. You will also have to specify if you want it in a one-piece database, or in a three part segmented form (for slower Psions), in .dbf (for psion), .dbf (for Macs or PCs, but in that case it will not stand on one floppy), .txt format, or even in FileMaker format with, as a free bonus, a special layout. I will only be able to provide .dbf or .txt versions to S5 owners, because I don't have yet PsiWin to convert my base to the correct S5 format.
 
Distribution
The integral database may not be distributed freely, for its rights are reserved.
On the other hand, the first part of the base (from A to F, the shareware section) may be distributed freely, through an on-line service, on a CD compilation or on any other future medium, under the express condition that this "Read me first" text file is kept attached to the base.
Any commercial diffusion cannot be made without my express authorization.
Updates to come will be found regularly under the name "CINEPHIL", in a Psion format, on the French Psion Club site : <http://www.cabuzel.com/psion/index.html> under "Programmes à télécharger",
or on my personnal site at 
<http://cinephil.cinefan.free.fr>
where we also speak about Greece and a beautiful Alpine Refuge.
 
Contacts
You can contact me by E.mail : <cinephil.cinefan@free.fr>
 
Warranty
This database not being a program technically speaking, should not in any manner affect the running of your machine. It is however obvious that, as the usual formula goes, I cannot garantee any hardware or software trouble that it might cause (highly improbable !!!).
 
Documentation
° Sites dealing with the Cinema :
- Internet Movie Database : 140 000 films: <http://www.imdb.com> (belle exhaustivité, mais faible ergonomie)
- Première : <http://www.premiere.fr>
- The Movie sound page : <http://www.moviesounds.com/>
- All Movie Guide : <http://www.allmovie.com/>
- American Movie Classic : <http://www.amctv.com/>
- Alfred Hitchcock : - <http://hitchcock.alienor.fr/>
- <http://www.primenet.com/ mwc/>
- westerns. com : download westerns on Internet : <http://www.westerns.com>
° Encyclopaedia on computer :
- Hallywell Film Guide  on CD-ROM (works on Psion Série5) : the only one that I know and use occasionally in its paper form.
- All Movie Guide, on CD-ROM, from Corel
- Cinemania, on CD-ROMfrom Microsoft
- Le Cinéma Français de 29 à nos jours (The French Cinema from 1929 till now) : on CD-ROM, from Canal+/ Havas.