Variants support

[tcawe]

A very much desired feature is now implemented on Colnect - VARIANTS. When an item has variants on Colnect you will see a clear indication of it and will be able to see a list of all variants on the catalog.

We may introduce changes to this feature based on feedback we'll soon receive.

The following information is meant for editors and coordinators.

EDITORS MUST BE IN SYNC WITH THE COORDINATOR about what is defined as variant and what isn't. This is a complicated issue and the important thing is to have one clear line that all editors of a category follow in the same manner.

Quick editing explanation:

To mark item 123 as a variant of item 333 you go to either of them and click the edit button supplying the ID of the other item. So if you're viewing item 123, you enter 333 there. Now both these items are in the same variant group. You may refresh the page and then click "Click to see variants" to verify it.

To remove an item from a variant group, you edit its variant group and supply 0.

Detailed explanation about variant group number:

When two items not in any variant group are marked as variants, they'll get the variant group number equal to the lowest ID. So items 123 and 333 above will be in variant group 123.

Now if you see item 444 is also a variant of both these items, you can edit either 123, 333 or 444 and supply ANY number of another item in that variant group. So if I'm editing item 333, I can write 444 there. All these 3 items will still belong to a variant group named 123 (after the first item).

Let's say item 555 and 777 have been marked as variants (variant group is 555). Now we see they are variants of 444 and edit either item adding one of the others. The variant groups are MERGED so ALL the following will be in group 123: 123, 333, 444, 555, 777.

To remove item 123 from that group we edit its variant group and provide 0. All the other items in the group (333,444,555,777) are now assigned a new variant group based on the lowest item ID: 333.

Please feel free to ask questions here and provide some feedback about the feature so it can be fine-tuned to suit all your needs.

[DarioDeSantis]

Great feature, thanks!

I have just tried it on a dozen of stamps.

What do we do with the former Similar tagging?

[tcawe]

Was waiting for this question If the variants feature seems satisfactory, I guess the [similar] indications can be manually removed. Adding a filter /description/similar at the end of a link such as https://colnect.com/en/stamps/countries will filter out items that have the word "similar" in their description. Currently 549 stamps, 51 coins, 87 phonecards..

[DarioDeSantis]

Well, if we all agree on what is really a variety of a stamp, then I assume we will still need the Similar feature.

A simple example: stamp AB 123 has been overprinted a few years later (and became stamp AB 234). AB 234 is NOT a variety of AB 123, yet it should be tagged as similar, so that the user may press the link and easily jump to AB 123 (and back).

Similar also applies in many other cases where two or more stamps are not varieties (currency symbol or denomination has changed, design has been completely resized, etc...).

So, if the present Similar tags actually refer to a variety of a stamp, they can be removed and replaced with the new feature. Otherwise we ought to leave them where they are.

[tcawe]

I believe such decisions should be made by the coordinators of each category, setting proper guidelines for what is considered a variant and would may be marked as similar.

[selofan]

I believe such decisions should be made by the coordinators of each category, setting proper guidelines for what is considered a variant and would may be marked as similar.

For me:

VARIANT - The same stamp, with slight changes of perforation, printing "aliens" or color changes

SIMILAR - The same stamp, but overprinted, differente printing period (for instance, oiginal printed in 1890, new one printed in 1945...)

[selofan]

I believe such decisions should be made by the coordinators of each category, setting proper guidelines for what is considered a variant and would may be marked as similar.

For me:

VARIANTS - Original stam, with slight chages in perforation, colors or printing "debris"...

SIMILAR - Original stamp, reprinted in different year, overprinted, or surcharged...

For me.... :P

[mats63]

Could the ID be seen more easily when you have list view or single item view? Now (at least for me) the ID is not seen on screen. It can be found though, but if it would be seen on screen, it would help.

And personally I don't see any problem if the similar feature would be deleted. On overprints the face value is different, isn't it? Or the currency is different. The only reason why I'd see similar feature reasonable is if the stamp is same but size is different. This is only my point of view.

[BrunosapiJens]

Thanks for implementing it!

Also it's easy to manage after reading your hints.

My suggestion:

Replace the text "Click to see variants" with the catalogue codes (3 letter short cut + code of first catalogue) of the variants. (Don't display more than 5 in list view).

Of course there are other - bigger - suggestions pending. I remember many times it was asked to add the years of coins. We have to state: the beginning is done.

Now (at least for me) the ID is not seen on screen

Mats: I see it when I hover with the mouse over the link of an item. It then shows me the link of the item (including its ID) in the bottom left corner (at least in Firefox and Chrome).

And personally I don't see any problem if the similar feature would be deleted

I agree. The similar tool also is not very userfriendly. Either delete it or improve it.

And I agree that coordinators should announce rules regarding the variants. The best would be to discuss them in the appropriate collectors forums and then add them here:

https://colnect.com/de/help/collecting/ ... guidelines

[DarioDeSantis]

Jens, what about all the stamps being issued in your country? I am referring to all those many, many stamps issued either on ordinary paper (gum) and self-adhesive (booklet or coil stamps). Are they varieties with each other? Nope! Despite being user-little-friendly (for the editor, not for the user), the Similar feature is the only way to try not to have the other stamp (usually the self-adhesive) sent during an exchange... and it often does not even work!

[BrunosapiJens]

If you ask me I will say, yes they are variants. They are varying in their material (gum) but have the same image.

However, it's better to ask a stamp collector and you will know some here.

As I said either delete the similar feature or improve it. Improving would be to add it to all items by default (empty) and having just a field for entering the IDs (such as with the variants feature).

[tcawe]

Here we go again What is a variant and what isn't differs between collectors. That's why coordinators should set strict guidelines and ensure editors follow them. These will then be listed on https://colnect.com/en/help/collecting/ ... guidelines in a new section about variants. I've opened a ticket about it.

Jens - thanks for explaining about IDs, we should probably include it in the guidelines as well.

[Daendels]

I believe it is a more or less semantic discussion. It is a useful feature to alert collectors that there exists a stamp much like the one listed. And it is very easy to edit. As an example, have a look at the Austrian stamps of the year 1901! :-)

Best regards, Geert

[Landerstorm]

I think its very good feature.

[SerdarAkar]

I think, this is a really good option and I've started to use this option on TCG catalog... also if there is any problem about ID, I hope we can controll it ...