Databases

[jimmillho]

How about pencil and paper....just a thought

But the pencils will wear down to a nub

Seriously, a legal pad and pencil is a great way to get started. Once one has a system all worked out with the pad and pencil then transferring it to a spreadsheet app (like all the ones mentioned above) would be the next logical step. Once the spreadsheet no longer fulfills the need a true database application can fill in the void.

The trick is to develop a system that works best for you. The computerized part is only a mechanized way of replicating the paper and pencil system.

Jaime

My first attempt at listing all of my stuff was on 3 X 5 index cards written by hand (using ball pen instead of a Pencil ) then transfering the info to a Lotus 123 spreadsheet.

Jim

[jsiekirk]

How about pencil and paper....just a thought :D

For those of us that have lived with computers all our lives excel can do anything we need to do in model railroading. Candy has a great point though - in the Engineering CAD (Computer Aided Design world) we refer to a sketch with a pencil as a CAD version 1.0 design. My train budget will not get me to the point where I need a database program to keep track of my toys. I keep most of my designs and notes in a logbook using CAD version 1.0.

[gnatshop]

[quote="jsiekirk"]For those of us that have lived with computers all our lives excel can do anything we need to do in model railroading. /quote]
I totally agree = Excel can do everything we need and much more that we never expected. It all depends on the user's experiece and knowledge
of Excel.
I've used Excel in business and personally for years and considered myself proficiemt. NOT!

When I installed a Chevy 400 small block with TPI with a Camaro computer in my 1994 GMC Sonoma, I dowmloaded a program to record all the
computer info while driving in order to burm new chips for the Camaro computer.
My son came up and pulled the file into Excel and created amazing results to help burn new chips for it!

Things I never knew where possible in Excel - more possibiites than you can ever imagine!

[deemery]

Of the 'big 3' MS Office products, Excel is the best. Of course, that's not surprising, since it started out (pre-Microsoft) as a Mac product Word is the worst (and I write this as someone who spent several months once evaluating word processors.)

dave

[Vettelover7]

Looking for something totally unrelated last night on MRH's chat board, ran across a free download for Train Inventory. It was linked and I didn't copy the link, but I suspect you can Google Train Inventory and it will come up.

[Rail and Tie]

Looks like an interesting app. Have not tried it, but should probably go in this thread.

http://www.modeltraindb.com/


Darryl

[Chris4GL]

Hi Darryl,

Thanks for posting the link to our app. It is currently on sale for 40% off regular price, so I would encourage you to check it out!

I developed Model Train App for model railroad collectors to help track their inventory.  I was tired of using Excel spreadsheets, and most of the other available options out there were older, outdated PC based programs.  I really liked the fact that I can have my inventory and purchase history with me as well when I am out at a train show or the local hobby shop.

[NEMMRRC]

Hi Darryl,

Thanks for posting the link to our app. It is currently on sale for 40% off regular price, so I would encourage you to check it out!

I developed Model Train App for model railroad collectors to help track their inventory.  I was tired of using Excel spreadsheets, and most of the other available options out there were older, outdated PC based programs.  I really liked the fact that I can have my inventory and purchase history with me as well when I am out at a train show or the local hobby shop.

Welcome to the forum !

Jaime

[datadok]

Just discovered this thread. Interesting discussion.
I too started off with pencil and 3x5 cards. Then I discovered computers.
I have used Excel for, what seems like, decades. Started off with Lotus 1-2-3 eons ago.
I also use Filemaker Pro. Started using it when it first moved off the Apple platform to Windows.
Either one works for me - and I used both.
The interesting thing is the newer versions communicate almost seamlessly. You can create a list inExcel and import it to Filemaker, or export a specifice find query straight to Excel, which makes inclusion as an e-mail attachment more attractive. You can even set up photo buckets in Filemaker Pro to hold any pictures you want.
Years ago I started catalogng the Narrow Gauge Gazzette indexes, but it became too cumbersome and interferred with building kits.
So whatever works for you is what should be used. Guess the most important thing to me is that I can find the article, thread or photo whenever I need it.
Terry

[deemery]

My brother [the carpenter] and I were putting up some railings in my mother's house. He said, "If our father [civil engineer] were here, he'd have drawn 3 blueprints on where everything had to go." I said, "If our brother [architect] were here, he'd have us try it 3 different ways to see what way was most artistic."

dave