| Home | Manuscripts | Top-10 Lists | e-World | Site Index |
|
The Best of Sherlock Holmes |
By Randall Stock, 25 October 2009
My review of The Complete Baker Street Miscellanea on CD-ROM is based on Version 1.1 of that product. Currently you can only purchase the first release (version 1.0) of The Complete BSM. This addendum describes the differences in version 1.0 and 1.1, and explains how users may be able to modify their 1.0 copy to match the 1.1 release.
Both versions have exactly the same content. They include the same page images and converted text. They both have the same author/title indexes that were originally produced for the printed BSM.
The differences between the versions involve usability and search features. The revised 1.1 version includes a number of enhancements that, taken together, make it much more efficient to do extensive searching and note-taking.
A key difference is the inclusion of an Acrobat PDF Catalog Index file. This offers a much faster full-text search across the entire set of issues. It also allows you to perform a single search that includes other Sherlockian products you own such as the BSJ on CD ROM or the e-SHJ.
Version 1.1 also uses an improved file-naming scheme. That approach enhances using the Catalog Index search results, and it simplifies recording citations when taking notes.
Overall the 1.0 release is a very good product and an excellent value. It has lots of great articles that are well worth reading. Because it's so difficult to find original printed copies of BSM, I highly recommend The Complete BSM 1.0 for all Sherlockians.
The 1.1 version may never be released commercially, so I would not wait for it. However, if you or a friend has the software to make the changes noted below, buy the 1.0 version and revise it for an even better experience.
| Category | 1.0 Rating | 1.1 Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | Very Good | Excellent- |
| Value | Excellent- | Excellent |
| Content | Excellent | Excellent |
| Search / Navigation | Good | Very Good+ |
| Review / Note-Taking | Very Good+ | Very Good+ |
| Usability | Good+ | Very Good+ |
It's possible for users to modify their 1.0 copy to add the usability and search features found in version 1.1. This involves two steps. Anyone can do the first step since no special software is required. Even if you don't have the software to do the second step, the first changes will modestly improve usability.
Step 1: Rename Files
The first step is to revise the filenames of the PDF files. You simply copy the files to your hard disk and rename each file. See my tips for copying the BSM CD to your hard disk.
a) Create a folder on your hard disk for your new 1.1 version
b) Copy all the files from the CD to that folder on your hard disk (You can keep the issues in the yearly folders, or move them all to the top folder.)
c) Rename each issue's filename to include the issue date and number as follows:
"BSM 1.pdf" becomes "BSM-01 -- n1 -- April 1975.pdf"
"BSM 21.pdf" becomes "BSM-21 -- n21 -- Spring 1980.pdf"
Using the format above insures that sorting the files in order by filename will also put them in chronological order. It clearly identifies the issue number (BSM did not have volume numbers), and the publication date. Note that the BSM date structure changed over time, sometimes using months and sometimes using seasons. You can find the publication date in each issue, typically on the table of contents page at the end of each issue.
d) Rename the other top-level PDF files as follows:
"BSM An Introduction.pdf" becomes "BSM-00-0 -- An Introduction.pdf"
"BSM Index 1-50.pdf " becomes "BSM-00-1 -- Index 1-50.pdf"
"BSM Index 51-60.pdf" becomes "BSM-00-2 -- Index 51-60.pdf"
These last three name changes are helpful when you use the PDF Catalog Index described in the next step.
Step 2: Create a Catalog Index
The second step requires that you have a full version of Adobe Acrobat (not just Adobe Reader software). You need to have at least Acrobat version 7. In this step you create an Acrobat PDF Catalog Index file. That Catalog Index allows you to search through the Complete BSM much faster. It also simplifies doing a single search that includes other products such as the BSJ on CD-ROM and the e-SHJ on CD.
See your Acrobat help files for details on creating a Catalog Index. When you specify the material to index, select the top-level BSM folder on your hard disk and include all subfolders. That will create a Catalog Index covering all the individual issues and the author/title indexes.
I suggest you name the Catalog Index file "BSM-index" and save it in the BSM top-level folder (the same place where the Introduction and Author/Title index files are located). After Acrobat is done creating the Catalog Index file it would then appear as "BSM-index.pdx" (assuming you have enabled Windows to show file extensions).
Acrobat may offer the option to give the catalog a name/title and description. I suggest "BSM Index" as the title and "The Complete BSM (Baker Street Miscellanea) on CD-ROM PDF catalog index" as the description.
Using Your Revised BSM
Once you have renamed the files and created a Catalog Index, your working copy should be comparable to the Version 1.1 release in my review. You can then also take advantage of my other tips for using the Complete BSM..
Review of The Complete BSM version 1.1
Tips on Using the Complete BSM on CD
Errata for the Complete BSM (including some tips and workarounds)
You can buy the Complete BSM direct from Donald Pollock, the publisher.
Review of the Sherlock Holmes Journal on CD
Other Electronic Sherlockian Journals
Vers. 2.0ax-RN Original work
Copyright ©2009
Randall Stock. All Rights Reserved.