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35mm slide database software?


thebarnman

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I could use Microsoft Works Database, however I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions that might be better to track volumes of transparencies (and/or negatives for that matter.)

 

Something that would be easy to keep track of and look up keywords and/or any other pertinent information.

 

 

There's many for digital images, but not much for real tangible, images, pictures, negatives, transparencies etc.

 

Thanks,

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I use Picassa - I name the image files to point to the location of the original (e.g. Binder 2 - 47 - 17, takes me to binder2, page 47, 17th image on the page). Picassa supports captions, which I use as tags (e.g.Paris, Louvre, Mona Lisa). I can find any slide or negative in 15 seconds. Much simpler than Photoshop, and free including free updates.

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I use Picassa - I name the image files to point to the location of the original (e.g. Binder 2 - 47 - 17, takes me to binder2, page 47, 17th image on the page). Picassa supports captions, which I use as tags (e.g.Paris, Louvre, Mona Lisa). I can find any slide or negative in 15 seconds. Much simpler than Photoshop, and free including free updates.

 

 

Thanks! And for anyone else who was wondering, correct, my transparencies and negatives are not scanned and therefore, there are no thumbnails or image files.

 

Michael, Picassa sounds interesting and based from your example, it's exactly what I'm looking for.

 

Before giving Picassa a try, once downloaded; is the program based from only the hard drive? Or is this some kind of software that has cloud storage access? I ask because it states Google + Sharing and Tagging.

 

Personally, I prefer to keep it on the hard drive.

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Picasa

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fwiw, I use what was once called iView Media Pro. It's been around for a long time (even Microsoft owned it for a while) and is now called Media Pro and is owned by Phase One.

 

imho, it's very robust and with an infinite number of ways to tag and retrieve. It's compatible with almost any file type, including text files. It allows for locating a file anywhere (stored offline on DVDs, external stored drives, etc..) so you can work and check your files without being connected to the actual storage source. This works well for those who might have files stored on external drives they aren't using, or CDs and DVDs in safe keeping, etc..

 

Since it does support text, audio, and html files you could use a .rtf file as your place holder for a specific box (or however you store your transparencies) and with data in that file of all the details. Then tag that file the way you want for retrieval. Media Pro has excellent and extensive keyword/tagging capabilities. (You could also use a jpeg as place holder by taking a quick snap of the storage box (or binder, whatever) itself; I use Media Pro also as a library for books and manuals that way.) I imagine you could use a placeholder in Picasa that way, too (I'm not very familiar with Picasa.)

Fotomanagement-Software | Media Pro 1

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Since it does support text, audio, and html files you could use a .rtf file as your place holder for a specific box (or however you store your transparencies) and with data in that file of all the details. Then tag that file the way you want for retrieval.

 

 

Thanks. I see it has a free trial download I can try to see if this works for me. I'll give it a try in the next day or so and let you know how it went. If it turns out I really like it, (and I'd have to really really like it!) it's a $200 purchase.

 

It has built in much much more than I really need, however like you said; it's a really powerful tool.

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I just realized I need thumbnails or images to make Picasa work the way you describe. I don't have scans of my transparencies to make it work the way you talked about.

 

If I'm incorrect, please advise.

 

Yes, I was assuming that your images have been scanned and are in electronic form. Picassa is intended for digital images.

 

In my case, I have spent much time scanning my archive (I have been doing this since the Coolidge administration) so I can do all the things that digital allows. But I still shoot film and print on silver paper. Digital allows me to organize and find things, and see what I can get out of a negative when I final put the film into the enlarger.

 

Sorry to mislead.

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is the program based from only the hard drive? Or is this some kind of software that has cloud storage access? I ask because it states Google + Sharing and Tagging.

 

Personally, I prefer to keep it on the hard drive.

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Picasa

 

It stays on the hard drive but you can upload any file/folder to the web should you

Pete

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  • 2 months later...
I use a database, which used to be on Access, but is now transferrred to Open Office as its free :-)

 

Interesting. I already have open office and maybe I can find somewhere samples of how I would start such a database.

 

Any suggestions?

 

I found Microsoft Works has a database with pre-described listings in it such as "Photo / Negative list" with pre-inserted titles such as "Subject Matter:" "Conditions:" "Film Type" Film Speed:" and a list that starts with "Exposure 1" through "Exposure 36" including "Where Stored" and "Comments." I think the above is a "easy graphical way" to insert the information and then one can also toggle between two views. The other view in fact IS a spreadsheet with the very information inserted and displayed from the "Photo / Negative list" that was filled out. Evidently, they're tied into one another.

 

Regardless, I think I'll go with the OpenOffice spreadsheet. I'm not familiar with how to sort yet (for example, if I want to search for a name.) If there were five or more names included within one column, would one of those names be searchable?

 

Or is it better to list one name per column?

 

I'm also looking for suggestions on what the column titles should be. I think "Subject Matter" "Film Speed" "Film Type" "Where Stored (or maybe better yet, the Volume number of the folder)" "Page Number" "Names" "Objects" "Place/Location" "Date" etc. might be a good start.

 

Once everything is listed, I hope to be able to search for a a name, a subject and or place and get a good quick result.

 

I'm also thinking it may not be a good idea to list what is Exposure 1 through 36 is separately, since I'll simply label what ever is on that image and that will result with a Volume and Page number where that image is stored.

Edited by thebarnman
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Its easy to set up a database as a table, just decide on the names for your 'fields' which equate to the headers for the columns on a spreadsheet.

A database is MUCH better for lists of things than a spreadsheet which is designed to do calculations,

In a database table the 'rows' are tied together in a 'record', in a spreadsheet it is relatively easy to move data in a column up or down in relation to the neighbouring columns, if you do that you have destroyed the relationship of the items in that field to the others. There is no data integrity within a spreadsheet table, you might as well use a table within a word processor document.

Even if you just use a database as a table, you can easily sort entries into a new order, with much less chance of the data getting scrambled. If you want to go on further and design forms and reports at least it gives you wonderful display opportunities, and is not much more complicated than using a desktop publishing programme.

 

Gerry, who did database design as part of an IT qualification many years ago, and found them a marvellous management tool.

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Your ideas for 'column titles' are on the right track, just use them as names for the fields. Separate things into as many fields as you can, it will be simpler to find and sort things later, you might have

Film Number

Date

Subject

Film Type

Camera

etc etc

 

It will depend on whether you are recording films (or groups of digital photos taken at the same time), or individual photos.

Best get a book such as 'Access for beginners', or there might be one for the Open Office database, I am away from home at the moment and on a dodgy connection so dont want to do too much searching.

I also cant see a way of attaching a file to a forum message to show you what I do, but the first principle is to sit down and think about what information to store, this should be approached from the back end if you like, ie what information are you going to search for, this will then pretty well make it obvious what your field names (or column headings) will be, and above all keep it simple!

 

Gerry

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Your ideas for 'column titles' are on the right track, just use them as names for the fields. Separate things into as many fields as you can, it will be simpler to find and sort things later, you might have

Film Number

Date

Subject

Film Type

Camera

etc etc

 

Gerry

 

Hi Gerry,

 

I've decided to work with the Database (as opposed to a Spreadsheet.) It took me a while to decide between the two, however your explanation (and further study) really helped.

 

Currently, I'm using OpenOffice for the database and using about 20 columns. Some of the fields I have are set to default automatically to a common answer (or value.) And, currently I'm working on creating drop down menus for a couple more fields such as for "Lens" so I can quickly pick from 90mm, 60mm etc.

 

Setting it all up (particularly trying to figure out how to create the drop down menu) has been frustrating. Though at least I'm past the first part of the learning curve.

 

I actually don't have the drop down menu mastered just yet, though I feel like I'm getting closer. If I'm not able to figure out the drop down menus within the next day, it might end up taking me weeks to get that straightened out. (You know how it goes!)

 

 

Thanks for the help.

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Update:

 

I spent more hours trying to figure out how to make drop down menus in OpenOffice. I'm burned out, so I've decided on Access 2013.

 

I happen to have a database from Microsoft Works, but it does not allow for drop down menus.

 

The free database from OpenOffice is good and can do drop down menus, but I've racked by brains out for hours trying to figure out how to create a drop down menu.

 

Hence, I finally picked Microsoft Access. Easy like OpenOffice and SIMPLE to create drop down menus! For example, in some columns, I might want to choose what brand of film I was using. Instead of having to type it all the time, I can select from a drop down menu to choose from Kodak, Fuji and Rollei etc.

 

The drop down menu design was a make or break for me. Also, Access allows me to add a new column anywhere in the top row right where I want to place it...just in case I might have forgotten something.

 

OpenOffice does not allow that (at least where I would like to place it) and Microsoft Works database program does allow for that but doesn't allow for drop down menus!

 

By the way, no need for a book about Access, with so many places to learn about Access, and my experience with OpenOffice, I'm sure there the learning curve will be very minimal.

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Pick lists, aka drop down menus, are useful to limit data entry to prescribed options, in Access they are done using a form for data entry, and the option for a field is limited to a list in a separate table. I haven't tried such a thing with Open office yet!

 

Gerry

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