Hi guys,

recently I noticed a few update submissions that requested the removal of a profile, e.g. due to wrong locality. What happens if such a removal request is approved? Can a profile just be deleted even if some people have it in their collections? I'm all for keeping the database clean, but I rely on the online profiles (e.g. to be able to review my collection via the iOS app) and I don't always have time to review all the submitted updates, so I might easily miss removal requests. Do I have to be concerned that some profiles might simply be removed one day?

Although I've seen profiles removed, I can't remember any legitimate ones being deleted.

But, like any profile, mistakes can happen despite "no" votes that are supposed to alert the screeners.

Do you know that you can lock any/all the data in your local database?

If you are concerned that a legitimate profile will be deleted, lock your local database and resubmit the DVD if that occurs.

Quoting Pirx:

Quote:
Also, is there any way to tell when profiles have been removed? Is there a warning when you update the local profiles or something like that?

This first thing that will happen is the changes to the profile (typically changing the title to "Incorrect Locality; Please Remove from Database") will show up as a normal update ie. the title will indeed be changed to "Incorrect Locality; Please Remove from Database" when you run the update.

This is usually pretty easy to spot and often the profile itself is not actually deleted from the online for some significant time afterwards gving you time to do something about it... at least that's been my experience.

Also, so long as you have your collection uploaded you will know what is in the offing because you will be asked to Vote on the profile change (the request to remove it) and at that point you can either mentally note that if you see an update for it in the upcoming week or so it has probably been approved for removal (or you can tag the profile with a 'Voted for Removal' tag, or lock the profile so you will see the offered 'update' day after day until you manually 'ignore this update' which should give you reason enough to check the contents of the update)

One other thing - if the deleted profile is wrong, look for the legitimate profile in the database via the UPC or disc id.

In most cases the correct profile is in the database and all you need to do is download it.

I know that when I have requested a profile be deleted, and the correct profile is not in the database, I contribute it.

Quoting Voltaire53:

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Also, so long as you have your collection uploaded you will know what is in the offing because you will be asked to Vote on the profile change

The problem is that I don't always have the time to review all the pending submissions before they are approved.

Quote:
This first thing that will happen is the changes to the profile (typically changing the title to "Incorrect Locality; Please Remove from Database") will show up as a normal update ie. the title will indeed be changed to "Incorrect Locality; Please Remove from Database" when you run the update.

This is usually pretty easy to spot and often the profile itself is not actually deleted from the online for some significant time afterwards gving you time to do something about it... at least that's been my experience.

Quoting KinoNiki:

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No, your online collection will always contain your own personal data, minus cover scans. However, the profile will be deleted from the central database, meaning you can't download it again if you delete it from your collection. So at most you will lose nothing more than the online cover scans.

Thanks guys! This answers my concerns. Basically I just need to keep my eyes open whenever I run an update and, if a profile is being removed, find a correct alternative (or create it myself if necessary).

I can sleep better now. 

Quoting Exiled:

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So there's hardly any negative effect to your collection when a profile is "deleted". I think this is a very sensible approach by Invelos as determining whether a profile is valid is not always clear-cut and there will be differences of opinion.

Or not, depending on how you view it, if these invalid "ghost" profiles still affect the CLT. Who knows what other erronous data they might contain...