Need database program

Subject: Need database program
From: John Hindsill
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 10:40 AM

I do not want to reinvent the wheel, and am not nearly capable of it even so. What I am looking for is a program that would allow to convert my card file of albums, songs, genres, etc to a flexible database. If you know of such please let me know. It needs to be usable on w/ Windows 98@, and reasonably priced is a +. Thanks 'Cats---John

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: campfire
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 10:52 AM

John - Do you have Microsoft Access in your program package? I haven't taken the time to enter my own collection into it yet, but it LOOKS like it might be what you want.

campfire

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Susan of DT
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 11:50 AM

The digital tradition is in AskSam, which is really a DOS program, but can be run thru windows. It permits both the full text search you use here and also defined fields, which I used on my book file

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: j0_77
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 12:12 PM

Hi Susan - now that we are talking bout the D T - please post the instructions for getting it to work in w 95

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 06:36 PM

Hi, j0 77 - click here for instructions on how to install the database in Windows 95/98.

John Hindshill, I suppose Microsoft Access would do a good job for you, but I don't have the patience to learn it. I learned Word and Excel almost automatically, but I guess I'll actually have to think if I want to learn Access. Since I prefer not to do that, I use Microsoft Works for databases, and it works just fine for me. You can also make simple databases quite easily in most major spreadsheet programs like Excel, and I think you can even make a database in Microsoft Word if you can figure out how.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: John Hindsill
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 07:26 PM

Thanks guys and gals, but I guess I wasn't clear [in fact upon re-reading I know I wasn't. There are specialty programs for , amongst others, stamp collectors; what I am looking for is a prefab data base for record collections which I could install and use. I don't want to start one from scratch...at my age I might not last long enough.---John

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Helen
Date: 21 Aug 99 - 08:30 PM

This is a site with hundreds of shareware programs you can download. It's worth checking to see if there are any database programs which suit your purpose.

Simtel.Net Shareware DistributionNetwork http://www.simtel.net/simtel.net/

This is the section in Win95/98 on

databases software http://www.simtel.net/simtel.net/win95/database.html and there are a few music collection cataloguing programs.

While you are at Simtel have a look at their other software categories. I like the Theremin program.

Helen

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Susan of DT
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 11:18 AM

jO 77 - I did answer you yesterday, but I don't see it here - about using the run function on the start menu and asked just where you got lost.

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 11:50 AM

John...and others..YES! here...sorry I missed this earlier...wonderful program...enter everything you have in almost any configuration you want...

http://www.dlcwest.com/~sorev/ cost a WHOLE $8...in Canada, I believe

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 11:52 AM

ooops...reversed ONE little> and look what happened...here you go..

http://www.dlcwest.com/~sorev/ cost a WHOLE $8...in Canada, I believe

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: JedMarum
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 11:55 AM

I am sure that whatever specialty program you purcahse, or obtain through freeware, will force you to do quite a bit of clean up work to the data you already have collected and are hoping to convert. I am not trying to discourgae you, just stating the facts. Once you make your choice, you will spend a lot of time learning how to use the new program, how to set up the conversion, and preparing the data to convert.

You may find that using a combination of the three Microsoft products already mentioned: WORD, Excel and Access - is your best bet. You already have some level of skill, and both WORD and Excel have features that make data cleanup relatively easy and straight forward (FIND and REPLACE, SORT, cut and paste, etc, etc). Then it is a simple matter of laying out the database (Access has some easy learn tools for this) and importing the cleanned up data.

While it may seem a daunting task at the outset, once you decide to go this way, and once you begin the work - you'll see that is it fairly straight forward, and simply a matter of plucking away at it until the task is complete.

Best of luck to you, no matter what way you choose to go!

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Aug 99 - 11:56 AM

well, he has other stuff on the page, but I'm sure you'll see MusiFindPro down a ways....(this is SPECIFICALLY designed for entering music collections.... tapes, records, CDs...by date, artist, name..etc...enter all the songs and authors and search on any parameter you wish...)

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 03:55 PM

refresh...

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: John Hindsill
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 04:11 PM

A big thanks to all.

I downloaded three programs to look at from your suggestions. The MusicProFind suggested by Bill D looks like the easiest to use as well as offering good flexibility. I note some seeming shortcomings such as crossreferencing titles, eg matching Tarrytown to Wild Goose Grasses. But even that maybe I'll figure a way to do.

At any rate, I'm going to give it a try for the next 2 or 3 weeks and if it works VOILA!---John

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 04:26 PM

Yep, Jon...I suspect the author was thinking about modern, pop music where there usually IS only one title..not us folkies who have 400+ years of change and public domain to fret over...still, I suspect the judicious duplicating of certain resords/entries could work around that limitation. Glad it looks useful for you...and the price is right!

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 07:32 PM

John, I don't believe that Wild Goose Grasses is in the DT. I've only ever heard it once a long time ago, but was impressed by its beauty. I may be taking you too literally, but are you able to submit the ltrics/tune? Regards, John

Subject: Lyr Add: IN TARRYTOWN / WILD GOOSE GRASSES
From: John Hindsill
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 08:52 PM

For John in Brisbane:

"In Tarrytown" sung by Pete Seeger, and "Wild Goose Grasses" sung by the Weavers are the same song lyrically and musically-at least to my untrained ear. This is an Americanized version of the earlier British song, "The Butcher Boy", a longer and richer air. The Kingston Trio recorded a wholly different song, "When I Was Young", utilizing the basic melody of BB. There probably are other permutations of this theme and melody that others may have.

I would like to tell you I can send you the melody...I'd like to, but I can't as I don't know how to do all that neat stuff. But here are the lyrics:

In Tarrytown [Wild Goose Grasses]

In Tarrytown there did dwell
A handsome youth I loved him well.
He courted me my life my life away
And now with me he will no longer stay.

CH
Wide and deep my grave will be
With the wild goose grasses growin' over me
(repeat)

When I wore my apron low
He'd follow me through ice and snow
Now that I wear my apron high
He walks right down my street and passes by.

CH

There is an inn in Tarrytown
And there my true love sits him down
He takes another upon his knee
For she has gold and riches more than I.

Glad to help as far as I could---John

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: John Hindsill
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 09:13 PM

Actually the last line should be---He takes another upon his knee, for she has gold and riches more than ME.

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 11:39 PM

Thanks John, I love the words even though I haven't a clue what wild goose grasses are. At the risk of embarrassing myself I'll try to notate the tune in the next week or so, but I suspect that my memory based on one hearing 20 years ago might accelerate the folk process somewhat. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Need database program
From: emily rain
Date: 24 Aug 99 - 02:16 AM

john-

MS Access does include quite a few pre-fab databases-- addresses, recipes, etc., and while i don't specifically remember it, i think it probably has a record collection pre-fab, too.

access requires a good deal of thinking if you're planning to take full advantage of it's flexibility... the original programmers couldn't quite make the leap to smooth user interface. however, the advantage of access is that there's always the possiblity of tweaking the pre-fabs *just a little bit* to make them perfect for _you_. the shareware dealies are generally not so useful.

i wish you luck, which ever tool you choose.