Creating a database

[Call_Me_Bob]

what happens then, when you have something that is in between x and y? just re write each one after x.5?

[RosieC]

A spreadseet should have an option to 'insert line', so it should not be a problem to add new ones in to the list.

I enter mine by an ID number which I give every orchid, but I then heavily use the 'Auto Filter' options in Excel. I don't know what features other spreadsheets have, but 'Auto Filter' in Excel makes this sort of thing really easy. I can quickly sort by location, by name, by last repot date etc. I can then also very quickly range the records to just one location, or just one genus or...

[cmb_in_pdx]

Originally Posted by Jeff9

What would it be like if we started an online orchid database project? We would all catalog our own collection online and be able to cross reference it with others and see how other people grow the same orchids under diffrent conditions.


-J

I've been working on designing a database using GoogleDocs -- I think this would be a great solution if someone wanted to start a project like that. A nice input form could be designed (sort of like this, only better: https://spreadsheets.google.com/view...Q0MwaUE6MA&ifq ), which would auto-populate a spreadsheet that could then be shared.

I have been thinking about creating a database for a few months now... I have a mac, and almost every option out there is for pc. I stumbled across a website, "OrchidGuru - Orchid recordkeeping in your browser." There's a lot I like about it, but I don't think you can export or back up your entries.

And if anybody else here has an iPhone... Let me just say, "There is NOT an app for that!!" Although I just found an app called Home Plants. I'm using that for notes and observations I make in the morning, then fill in the information while I'm on the bus during my commute. Again, no export capability...

Christi in Portland

[BobInBonita]

My excel spreadsheet got too complex to use. I had way too many individual fields, and I never got all of them filled in - it filled me with guilt every time I saw an empty field.
I now have a really simple sheet with a "comment" field for the little observations that don't warrant their own field.
With any spreadsheet you should be able to sort your data by any column, so you don't have to worry about alphabetizing the list or inserting lines. If you want your dendrobiums, just sort by your genus column and you'll get your dends all together and alphabetized.
I also assign an ID number that I stamp onto a stainless steel washer that I attach with wire to the basket. That way it never rusts or gets pulled out and dropped.
Works for me, but we all seem to need something just a little different (in orchids and in life).

[camille1585]

Before getting Orchidwiz I did have a spreadsheet. But I didn't want it to turn into a pain in the a** to fill out by having a zillion columns for each plant, so kept it down to Name, aquisition date, temps, light, humidity, last repot, blooming season, fragrance Y/N and comments.

But I was not very satisfied with it, because if I wanted to keep track of when a plant spiked or how long the blooms lasted I'd have to create multiple lines for one orchid, and I was soon getting overwhelmed. Face it, me and excel have never really gotten along! So I was pretty happy when Orchidwiz added a journal feature to the program. Saves me a lot of time, and I like that I can upload my own photos to it. All the same I have fallen behind in entering info, so have a huge amount of work ahead of me....

[RosieC]

I think you are right about the limitations of a spreadsheet Camille, I've got on well with mine but I'm starting to look elsewhere for the same reason. I want multiple records on certain fields for each one orchid.

[RosieC]

I've been trying tools like Access recently but have not yet come up with something I'm completely happy with and I'm still using the spread sheet at the momment.

I found a spreadsheet a good simple starting point, but you do have to keep the info you store more simple than other tools might be able to provide.

[Call_Me_Bob]

i think ill start with a spreadsheet, im not ready to spend $300 on orchidwiz. do you know how many orchids i can buy with that $300??????