[Rockhounds] Access mineral database

[rik.dillen at skynet.be]

IMHO Access would be an ideal platform for a mineral collection database, but they made is so complex to fulfill the most exotic and unimaginable possibilities, that the learning curve to produce something decent is indeed VERY steep.
As I am a chemist, not an IT-person, I experienced that in person.

I created my primary database in dBase2 (somewhere in the early nineties - almost 30 years ago). That took about 4 weeks full time, but most of that time was study time to get familiar with all the statements and possibilities and philosophy of dBase2. Later on I upgraded the database to dBase4, imported it in Access 2.0, Access 6.0 and upgraded gradually to all next versions of Access, up to Microsoft Office 360. As the complete approach did not satisfy me anymore (and there where potential safety issues), by the end of 2019 I decided to build a completely new Access database. That took me almost a year (not fulltime, of course, and with special thanks to the corona pandemic that kept me home during many months anyway)! The problem is that for any action there are many possibilities to reach the goal, one more complex than the other, and SQL and its logics (or the lack thereof) is not at all easy for a non-professional like me. The most risky  part was importing faultlessly the old data into the new database. Therefore I started with the making of the new database with the full set of the original (filled with all the data) tables with updated and verified relationships. Eventually, with much blood, sweat and tears (and 'with a little help of my friends' - I used to be a fan of 'The Beatles'), I reached my target: a smoothly running more or less state-of-the art Access database for my collection (almost 10 000 specimens, 2500-3000 or so species). A professional looking at this home-made database would have lots of comments, I suppose, but eventually I experienced the joy of reaching a challenging target, with a well running user-friendly database as a reward.

So once it's finished a tailored Access database is a splendid tool, but as mentioned, the learning curve is extremely steep, and setting it up is time consuming and sometimes very frustrating for a non-IT-er. You have been warned :>)
Just my 2 (euro-)cents...
Greetings,

Rik Dillen
rik.dillen at skynet.be
Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen - www.minerant.org
Lid worden van de MKA ?  www.minerant.org/MKA/lidworden.html
MINERANT 2021 - ATTENTION : NEW DATE!
25-26 September 2021 - Antwerp Expo

-----Original Message-----
From: Rockhounds <rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com> On Behalf Of Axel Emmermann
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2021 23:53
To: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors' <rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com>
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Printed Mineral Labels

OK, my middle name is Pinocchio, but once you get the hang of it... no more fuzz! Just tick the selection boxes of the specimens you want to label and it's done!
Even for a fluorescence collection. 
I print the labels in black on slightly yellow fluorescent paper. 
My next experiment will be writing them with a fluorescent pen attached to a CNC. That's one label at a time but should produce great results.
I already tried cutting fluorescent plastic. 
My CNC also has a beats of a 10 Watt blue laser... maybe cut out text from wooden labels and glue those to fluorescent paper... But that stinks up the place.  Works only outside making fair-weather-labels.
 Axel

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Rockhounds <rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com> Namens Tim Fisher
Verzonden: zaterdag 20 maart 2021 20:05
Aan: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors' <rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com>
Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] Printed Mineral Labels
Anyone who calls Access easy is a liar :D 
Tim Fisher
Http://OreRockOn.com 
Email nospam at orerockon.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Rockhounds [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com] On
Behalf Of Axel Emmermann
Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2021 9:28 AM
To: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors'
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Printed Mineral Labels

The easiest way imho is to have a database in MS ACCESS and print the labels
directly from there...
Axel

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Rockhounds <rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com> Namens Gene
Hartstein
Verzonden: zaterdag 20 maart 2021 15:25
Aan: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors
<rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com>
Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] Printed Mineral Labels

I use Microsoft word to make mineral and fossil labels. You have a huge
selection of fonts, colors and font sizes. With some knowledge of the
program, you can customize label size, for example making labels for perky
boxes. You can also print on standard Avery labels, for labels to stick on
gem box edges or coin holders. You can also add images and print on various
paper weights, from ordinary paper to card stock. 
And you can save the label file in case you get more of the same stuff.
Gene Hartstein 

> On Mar 20, 2021, at 9:43 AM, hammerron <hammerron at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I have been handwriting onto poster board (is that the right term, or
perhaps card stock) to make labels for the mineral specimens for my
collection.  You can see how I typically have done it in the third picture
here:
> 
> http://hammerron.com/minerals/cataloging.htm
> 
> Or here:
> http://hammerron.com/minerals/cataloginglabel.JPG
> My question is this.  I am considering using a printer in the future
rather than writing by hand.  My thoughts are that it will be easier to
read, and I can use a smaller font when it suits me.
> Would anyone have any thoughts on how I should best go about this?  Any
thoughts on the best paper stock, printer, printer ink, etc?  I am also
wondering if it is advantageous to print stick on labels and then stick them
onto cardboard stock.
> regards,
> Ron