I believe most data base apps today provide for accessing graphic files as part of the item entry. Initially entering the data is always a very significant issue with record keeping, whether you do it with file cabinets or computer databases. That's why using software that will EXPORT all your painstakingly entered data in a common digital format so you can then read it automatically into that new application you just bought is a very important consideration.
Devon sounds like a good document handling app, but I haven't personally used it. It does not sound like a databse - you can't customise input forms or design/create output reports tailored to your needs,right?. For purely graphical (eg photo) files, the two best values I know of are digikam and faststone - gwenview is also a lightweight fast cataloger but only for the linux crowd. They are not sophisticated databases, you can't design the input forms and output reports; they are specifically for viewing and managing thousands of graphic files. They have very limited text fields, usually consisting solely of "tags", "comments", "rating" and "file name", plus those fields which cameras add to the pictures (camera name, exposure, GIS location, etc); however, they offer excellent search and categorization based on these fields and provide a very convenient display to view lots of graphics at once. Rufus > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Bill Steer > Sent: 08/02/11 08:17 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] Inventory Software > > A document management system is not really a database, though it does take a > couple of hours of learning curve. After that, you just click to add a pdf, > or scan a document. "Devon Think" has OCR that works well, so even with > pictures & scans, you can search on the text of the drawing or picture. > After you add, you might type in a few tags, such as "boat" "plumbing" > "2011". hit return and you are done. I do this with every piece of paper > in my life, and trash the paper after scan. You can locate it in just a > few seconds years from now. > > bill > > > On Aug 2, 2011, at 7:02 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > > On Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:15:47 +0000, you wrote: > > > > I think this is one of those things that take more time to set up and > > maintain than it is worth. Once you've got all the written notes > > then you have to put it into the database software (and I agree about > > Access of maybe the equivalent in Open Office which is free), and then > > every time you use something you have to update. > > > > If you are only concerned with tools and not with supplies and other > > consumables, I would think a written list would suffice. With > > replacement things like belts, every time you use one, you'd have to > > update the database. It is easier IMHO to store things so you will > > remember where they are, and then when you use something up, put it on > > a list to replace > > > >> Database software usually works better than spreadsheets - easier > >> reporting and screen design, more flexible fields (eg muliple entries for > >> a particular field type). Access should work fine. There's a learning > >> curve but it's plenty powerful for a "retail" app with a few thousand > >> records. > >> > >> There are many similar out there. If you use one with a SQL "back end" > >> you'll be able to move your data essentially onto any system anywhere for > >> the next 50 years and use any of hundreds of "front ends" to define your > >> database and produce reports. But Access s/b more than sufficient; I don't > >> think it's a native SQL app, but it can probably access SQL databases. And > >> it's common and relatively easy to use. > >> > >> > >> Rufus > >> > >> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: Lee Huddleston > >>> Sent: 07/20/11 08:47 PM > >>> To: [email protected] > >>> Subject: [Liveaboard] Inventory Software > >>> > >>> I recently inventoried every tool on board s/v Truelove with hand-written > >>> notes. I would like to find a good program for recording and sorting the > >>> information. Would Excell or Access work? Or are there dedicated programs > >>> that you have been using and with which you are pleased? > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> Lee Huddleston > >>> > >>> s/v Truelove > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Liveaboard mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> To adjust your membership settings over the web > >> http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard > >> To subscribe send an email to [email protected] > >> > >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > >> The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ > >> > >> To search the archives > >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > >> > >> The Mailman Users Guide can be found here > >> http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Liveaboard mailing list > > [email protected] > > To adjust your membership settings over the web > > http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard > > To subscribe send an email to [email protected] > > > > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > > The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ > > > > To search the archives > > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > > > The Mailman Users Guide can be found here > > http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html > > > _______________________________________________ > Liveaboard mailing list > [email protected] > To adjust your membership settings over the web > http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard > To subscribe send an email to [email protected] > > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ > > To search the archives > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > The Mailman Users Guide can be found here > http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html > _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
