FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Carles Millan]

Hi!

It wouldn't be difficult to develop an import from dBase III (DBF) if this file has a strict internal structure of fields that matches with the Paradox files used by my software. The negative points are (1) Very few people know now how to create or manipulate dBase files, and as the time goes they will be even less, (2) Although it's not difficult it does require a certain amount of time to develop. I can promise nothing so stick for now to you old program.

Good luck!

[GneissWare]

If you are importing from an Excel file (via a CSV file), it is only simple if the target database is a fairly simply flat file system. If you have a relational database, with multiple linked tables, the importing becomes much more difficult.

There is also a problem if the spreadsheet is not broken into fairly distinct fields. For example, many spreadsheet would have a simple locality field,"Red Cloud Mine, Silver District, La Paz County, Arizona", but a relational database may have distinct fields for Mine Name, Mining District, Nearby Geographic Features, County, State, Country and Continent. Parsing the simple field into multiple fields is not trivial.

One might argue that a database would be fine with simple fields, but then one cannot produce reports for all specimens on a Continent, or within a State, or within a Mining District. The more resolution in the database fields, the more neat reporting one can do.

[Carles Millan]

Hi, GneissWare!

You're right about importing complex databases. It's a work that almost always must be customized in a case by case basis. I'm saying it also to James for his previous messages.

I don't agree with you, however, about the limitations of a database file with simpler fields. The program I'm distributing does manage a file with those simple fields but includes a useful function to define complex filters. It doesn't matter that you write the mine, the town, the county, the state, and so on, inside the same field "Locality". You always have the possibility of setting a filter that say, for instance, "locality contains Arizona and locality does not contain La Paz", to extract only the records coming from that Western state but not from La Paz.

Many thanks for your interest and suggestions.

[Carles Millan]

New version released (1.2.1) with the following features added:

- A function to obtain a backup of the user's data files, with the option of making it automatic every time the program is closed.

- The species name can be forced to be always in uppercase as before, or just let it the way the user writes it.

- Text autocompletion when entering the species name.

- Includes a separate file with more than 600 species names that can be edited by the user. Those names are displayed in a combo box that can be dropped to facilitate the selection of the species when adding or editing the data of any specimen record.

- The fields 'original cost' and 'current cost' show now the currency symbol.

- There is a 3-month calendar available in the main screen.

- A separated configuration screen to centralize the setting of the user's parameters.

- A new screen will gradually show more links to interesting sites on the net.

- The shortcut to open the program offers five icons for the user to choose from.

This new version can be downloaded here as usual.

[Carles Millan]

New version released (1.2.5) with the following features added:

- Text autocompletion when entering the fields "Locality" and "Source" based on the previous existing entries.

- Both fields "Locality" and "Source" have in the edit screen a combo box attached than can be dropped to choose from the items entered ahead.

- A button next to the field box "Species" allows the user to directly search information about the species into a public and well known database.

- The user can disable the display of the bubble hints that pop almost everywhere (if he/she gets tired of them or simply doesn't need them anymore).

- The shortcut to open the program offers now up to seven icons for the user to choose from.

- Links to open the program home web page to check for new versions.

This new release can be downloaded here as usual.

[Carles Millan]

New version 1.4.0 released, with the following features added:

(1) Function to browse sequentially all the pictures included in the database like in a photos album, printable with the basic data of the specimen in the foot.

(2) Information about the record species can be directly looked up in seven database search engines (Mindat, Mineralogy Database, Athena, MinMax, MineralienAtlas, Google, and Wikipedia) with just a click on a button.

(3) An elementary help system based in Q&A (questions and answers), available online, can be accessed from inside the program.

(4) The full screen of every record, inside a horizontal band in the header, can optionally display the name of the collector or any text you like, with font, background and gradient color user configurable.

(5) A column with the field 'List price' has been added to the main data grid (it had been forgotten in previous versions).

Over 1,400 complete downloads registered in the last three months.

Please, report in this forum any bug you might find.

This new release can be downloaded here
Installing an update over your older version does not overwrite your data, which is kept unchanged.

[Xavier Martinez]

Hi Carles,

You are really overcoming yourself, the hyperlinks that you have created to other bases (mindat, athena, mineralogy dates base.), it is very well. In forms the folders is very useful
He looks that I have created myself with the Access my own base and I am questioning it to me to leave to yours.
With the only spirit of giving you my opinion:
In the "-v(dot)cat" where it should allow me to put my name or collection, except for error, it doesn't allow it to me
In my opinion to be perfect should can to add lashes and to modify some fields for the own user, not being left so closed.
In my collection, I like to put the name in Spanish, Catalan and English, as well as the etymology of the same, debatable or not and acceptable or unacceptable for other collectors, but each one has our likes.
In short, to be appreciated your wonderful effort and more keeping in mind that it is a " freeware ".
I aim that, there would surely be enough people willing to finance a soft, that yes that allowed to adapt it some small variations of fields to our personal likes.

[Carles Millan]

Please, go to Q&A from inside the program for an answer to your question.

Thanks for your interest,

[Carles Millan]

Last August 27 the number of full downloads of the program reached the figure of 2000, and counting, from all the 7 continents (except Antarctica).

Just to send many thanks to all the collectors who spent some of their time to install the program and test it. I have evidence that many of them are already using it in an everyday basis for cataloging their collection.

The program most recent version is 1.5.4 and can be downloaded, as usual, here.

[Xavier Martinez]

Hello Carlos and congratulation, the work very fact has the whole future. You should feel proud of your software that arrives to so many places.
Happiness,
greetings

Xavier Martinez Esquius

[Druid]

this is briliant. i have been looking for something like this for ages. it is going to make my life so much easier. thank you very much for this.

if you dont mind i will tell the folks at the club about this im sure there will be plenty of folks interested.

thanks :)

[Carles Millan]

Hi Druid!

>if you dont mind i will tell the folks at the club about this im sure there will be plenty of folks
>interested.
>_________________
>Member of the South African Gem and Mineralogical Society


No problem, go ahead.

Thank you!

[Druid]

cool thank you very much

[Carles Millan]

Hi again!

should u ever find a bug please let me know, thanks
_____
Carles

[Druid]

will do. I have let the club secretery know and she will be publishing the link in our Dec newsleter.