Redline Pricing Guide

Hot Wheels Collection Manager - Standalone Executable
====================================================

VERSION: Hotwheels_Manager_StxChange.exe
CREATED: 2026-01-25

HOW TO RUN
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Simply double-click "Hotwheels_Manager_StxChange.exe" to launch the application.

IMPORTANT FILES
---------------
- Hotwheels_Manager_StxChange.exe  -> The application (71MB)
- Redline_Hot_Wheels_Collection.xlsx -> Your collection database

REQUIREMENTS
------------
- Windows 10 or later
- NO Python installation required (everything is bundled)
- NO additional dependencies needed
- The Excel file must be in the same directory as the exe

FIRST TIME SETUP
----------------
1. Copy both files (the .exe and .xlsx) to a folder on your computer
2. Double-click Hotwheels_Manager_StxChange.exe
3. The GUI will open and load your collection automatically

FEATURES
--------
- View and search your Hot Wheels collection
- Add new cars to your collection
- Update single car prices (automatic or manual)
- Batch update all prices
- Real-time statistics (investment, market value, profit/loss)
- Automatic backups on every save

TABS
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1. Collection - Browse, search, view details, delete cars
2. Add New Car - Form to add new purchases
3. Update Single - Update one car's price (manual entry recommended)
4. Update All Prices - Batch price updates with progress tracking

AUTO-SAVE
---------
The application automatically saves when you:
- Add a new car
- Delete a car
- Update prices

Backups are created automatically with timestamps.

TROUBLESHOOTING
---------------
Q: Application won't start
A: Make sure the Excel file is in the same folder as the exe

Q: Can't see the Excel file
A: Windows might show it as just "Redline_Hot_Wheels_Collection" without the .xlsx extension

Q: Price updates fail
A: eBay scraping is unreliable due to dynamic content. Use Manual Price Entry instead:
  - Research prices on eBay.com manually
  - Enter the price in the "Manual Price Entry" section
  - This method always works

Q: Where are my backups?
A: In the same folder as the exe, named like:
  Redline_Hot_Wheels_Collection_backup_20260125_183000.xlsx

TIPS
----
- Keep the exe and Excel file together in the same folder
- Regular backups are created automatically (no action needed)
- Use Manual Price Entry for reliable price updates
- The progress console in "Update All Prices" shows real-time status

SUPPORT
-------
All features from the Python version are included:
- 4-tab interface with improved organization
- Separate progress consoles for single and batch operations
- Auto-save with automatic backups
- Manual price entry feature (recommended)

For detailed usage instructions, see GUI_GUIDE.md in the source folder.

WHAT'S BUNDLED
--------------
This executable includes:
- Python 3.11
- pandas (data manipulation)
- openpyxl (Excel file handling)
- requests (web requests)
- beautifulsoup4 (web scraping)
- tkinter (GUI framework)
- All other required dependencies

Total size: 71MB (one single file, no installation needed)

DEPLOYMENT
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To share with others or run on another computer:
1. Copy the entire "dist" folder OR
2. Copy just the .exe and .xlsx files together
3. No Python or other software installation required
4. Just double-click the exe to run

Enjoy tracking your Hot Wheels collection!