[Rockhounds] Access mineral database

Sun Mar 21 03:47:56 PDT 2021

Sounds like a labour of love... and hate...

My main problem with access is it tends to be a Windows only solution. I'm
not sure if it works well as a back end to a gui in general (thinking
websites specifically)

(it also does not scale to enterprise levels, but that'd be a nice problem
to have for a collector... :-D.)

On Sun, 21 Mar. 2021, 20:09 , <rik.dillen at skynet.be> wrote:

> 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
>
>
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