new Collection-database application; help design it!
 

hello
last time i was watering my orchids, I wondered how to keep track of which type of orchid I owned and how many of them.

I happen to have some basic programming skills, so I thought, ''why not make an application that can organize my orchid collection?'' This program should be able to give an overview of my orchid collection.

Attachment 82437
on the lower left you should be able to add or delete orchids from your collection database.
on the upper left you can load and save your data.


this is how i want the program to become:
Attachment 82438
on the right you will be able to see additional information of your orchids in the list on the left(when you click them). this information can be edited by the user. pictures of each orchid can be displayed when it is clicked.


what do you think of a program like this? can it be usefull? would you like to use it? what features would you like it to have?

thanks for the feedback,
- Bart

Hello Bart, this looks something I would be interested in acquiring. I could not tell what platform this will reside: iOS? Android? MS WIN8? I would like to have a database that would allow me to break down my plants into their family, for example Phalaenopsis, Dendrochilum, Oncidium, Catleya, Pragmipedelium, Bulbophylum. (And have my spelling auto-correct!)

Plus I would like to have a folder for Amaryllis. (Or any other plant I want to track.)

I'd like to be able to drill down further in each sub group by plant, for example, Phalaenopsis Jaiho's Girl (P. Schilleriana x Zumo's Pixie). For each plant I'd like to keep track of when I bought it, from whom I bought it, observations of cultural/environmental experience, and when I repotted it. And I would like to be able to take a picture of the plant when I bought it, and follow up each year or bloom event, etc with another picture.

I would like a section for Wish List plants with same ability as if I owned it, so that I can, when I acquire the plant, easily migrate to the "owned" list with all data intact but with updated information, i.e., when acquired and from whom.

Finally, a third category of when I lost the plant. It's the ability to make observations on what happened to the plant.

The journal portion of OrchidWiz has all of that and more, such as what it is potted in, what size pot, location, temp & light, and a whole bunch more. You can also journal individual plants and keep track of when they were last repotted, when they started a spike, when then started bloom, when they ended bloom etc. There is also a place for comments for each journal entry. That's where I keep track of flower count and size.

OrchidWiz isn't available for Mac is it? This application looks like it's for Windows as well, anyone know of one for Mac?

I believe there is a program you can buy for Macs that allows you to run windows based programs. Not ideal, but I know there are folks here running OW on a Mac.

Yep, there's even a free software available from Oracle (acquired when they bought Sun) call Virtual Box. Problem is that you still have to to buy a copy of Windows, besides OrchidWiz itself.

Sheesh!!! I really feel like a neanderthal now. I have trouble just typing!!! :bowing

In my response to Bart, I should have included my criteria that his application be usable on a tablet. Ideally, Bart's app would enable me to use my tablet while I'm at orchid shows looking for potential purchases--since his app would enable me to capture that vendor's information, allow me to capture the plants image and even record my conversation with the vendor to add to my notes.

Yes, there is OrchidWiz. BUT the full blown application is US$295.00. You can get a free 30 day trial for Orchid Wiz Express or buy it for US$75.00. The biggest draw back I see with this application is that you have to run it on a PC. I would like a tablet version. Right now I am using Numbers on my iPad to keep track of my plants and all the information regarding each plant. The second biggest drawback of Orchid Wiz is the price. I'd rather spend the $295 acquiring more plants. http://www.orchidwiz.com/servlet/Detail?no=2

I have Virtual Box which is an open source program for Macs that lets you create a virtual PC where you can run Windows or other platforms but I only use it when I really have no other choice. There's a reason I switched to Mac, and I would much rather have a program that's designed for it rather than have to run a virtual PC... If they had Orchid Wiz for Mac I would definitely buy it. Ah well, maybe someday...

I'm in the same boat as you. I suspect that OW can't easily be ported to MacOS. My best guess is that it is actually built with the Microsoft Access database, which is not available for MacOS.