Collections and collection status

Collectarr provides a clean separation between Named Collections (containers for different physical locations or sub-libraries) and Collection Statuses (the ownership state of each collectible).

1. Named Collections

Tabs along the bottom bar represent distinct collections for the active media kind. You can create separate collections to isolate different physical locations or collections:

• Main Collection: Your primary active music library.
• Vinyl Vault: High-value vinyl records kept in special protective storage.
• Living Room: Frequently played CDs and records next to the turntable.
• Digital / Bandcamp: Digital lossless purchases.

Clicking any tab along the bottom switches your entire library view to that collection instantly.

2. Managing Collections

To customize your collections:

1. Click the Manage Collections button at the bottom-left of the window, or select Manage Collections from the main navigation menu.
2. The Manage Collections dialog opens:
   • Add Collection: Click the + Add Collection button, type a name, and press Enter.
   • Reorder Tabs: Click and drag the handle beside any collection row to change its tab position in the bottom bar.
   • Rename: Click the edit icon on any row to rename the collection.
   • Delete: Click the trash icon to delete a collection.
3. Safety Protection:
   • Collectarr enforces that at least one collection must always remain.
   • If you delete a collection that contains albums, Collectarr prompts you to choose another destination collection. All contained albums are safely relocated to the destination collection before the old collection is removed; entries are never silently discarded.

3. Collection Status (Ownership Lifecycle)

While a Collection defines where an item belongs, Collection Status defines how you own it:

• In Collection: You physically own the copy. It appears in collection statistics and valuations.
• Wish List: Items you do not own yet but want to buy or track.
• On Order: Items you have purchased online or backordered that have not yet arrived.
• For Sale: Copies from your collection that you have listed for sale or trade.

Filtering by Status

• The Status Dropdown in the main toolbar allows you to view In Collection, Wish List, On Order, or All.
• When a non-default status filter is active, the status pill displays an accent outline to alert you that the view is filtered.

Changing Status

• In Inspector: Select an album, open the status dropdown in the details panel, and pick a new status (e.g. change Wish List to In Collection upon receiving an album).
• In Editor: Open the album editor and adjust the Collection Status field on the Main tab.
• In Batch Edit: Select multiple albums and use Edit Multiple to change their status all at once.

4. Comparing Organization Methods

Collectarr offers four distinct ways to organize your albums:

Method	Type	Best For
Named Collections	Explicit, stable sets	Dividing physical listening rooms, storage units, or formats.
Group By Folders	Dynamic attribute trees	Browsing albums by Artist, Format, Genre, Decade, or Location.
Collection Status	Item lifecycle states	Separating owned albums from your wanted Wish List items.
Search & Filters	Ad-hoc queries	Finding specific barcodes, catalog numbers, or year ranges.

5. Locating Missing Entries

If an album you added does not appear in your library, verify that no restrictive filters are active:

1. Check the Bottom Tab: Ensure you are in the correct named collection.
2. Check the Status Dropdown: Switch to All or In Collection.
3. Check the Alphabet Bar: Click All to clear any active letter filter.
4. Check the Left Folder Panel: Select the [All Albums] folder at the top of the tree.
5. Check the Search Field: Click the X button in the search bar to clear any search terms.