Loading Data and Range Results on Computer

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  • Last Post 01 April 2022
Millelacs posted this 04 January 2022

Anyone keep their loading data and range results on a computer?

 

There has to be a better way than recording in a book, and then paging through the book to see what you've tried that did or did not work.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 01 April 2022

Lee ..let me know if I can help ... looks as tho we have about two more weeks of cold before I can get back into my shop/toy store ...

ken

 

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Lee Guthrie posted this 01 April 2022

Most likely will be available through CBA.  I need to be able to get to my office for certain software first.  At present I cannot walk and there are two steep flights of stairs to get there.

 

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 01 April 2022

Lee ... this will be extremely helpful ...  i know how much time and effort that took ....

will it be available through the CBA ? ... or ?? ...

please put me down for one, and pm me with details when/if it is available.

thanks

ken

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Lee Guthrie posted this 30 March 2022

Last week I completed my Index to the Fouling Shot, Vols 1-275,  with increased cross referencing.  It now runs 60 typed single spaced pages.  No crash problems using MS Word, but there is no auto formatting/formulating such as with a data base software.

Somewhat labor intensive.

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mesonary posted this 30 March 2022

Not sure that it's the best option, but I am doing it when I get lazy. It happened to me that I lost some files in the past, but I am actually not afraid at all. I know that in the best case scenario, I can contact DATA RECOVERY service, and they will help me to recover all the files that have been lost. It happened to me 2 times in the past, and both of the times they managed to recover 100% of the files, and this is why I don't feel afraid about this, because I know that I have a backup if it happens again.

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hporter posted this 25 February 2022

It is probably a Mac computer thing.  Anytime I start up something that is graphic intensive (i.e. building a report) trouble lies ahead. 

For some reason, in the Report builder, opening the sorting and grouping levels dialog box is an instant and predictable crash on my computer.

But I won't complain, the Libre Office software suite is updated and maintained for Windows, Mac and Linux and it's free.  There is a lot to like about it right there.  In fact, I canceled my Microsoft Office 365 subscription because I just don't need it anymore.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 25 February 2022

fwiw, after this thread started, i downloaded the latest OL, and restarted my Fouling Shot indexing scheme ...  i used the older attempt data files and modified several existing input and report forms ... .. hey, so far no crashes !! ... but yes, i do backup constantly ...

i do remember most crashes were when i did ask for something forbidden ... but a good program would have caught and redirected most errors, not just crash.

ken

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hporter posted this 25 February 2022

I wanted to update this thread, in case someone decides to try out Libre Office's Base database program.

It works, but boy does it crash a lot.  I always back up my database before doing anything structurally, or build reports, which will crash the program every 10 minutes or so.

I tried splitting the database to protect the data tables, but ran into issues where I couldn't modify the table structure after doing the split.  I probably was doing something wrong, but it was very frustrating to me.

This week I worked on creating a new database to upload the sales report csv spreadsheets that eBay gives you. I wanted to be able to upload the csv's into a database table, and then run pre-written queries and reports to track my sales.  I got so sick of the constant crashes and data losses with Libre Office that I started looking for a solution that would work better.

The solution I settled on was to install a MySQL server on my computer to act as my database.  I then connected Libre Office's Base database program to the Mysql server using a JDBC connector.  So now I have full control over the tables, and Libre Office crashing can't harm the data.  The reason to connect Libre Office to MySQL was to retain it's query, form building and report functions, which would cost several hundred dollars to purchase an equivalent program in the software market.

It worked great. Libre Office still crashes occasionally when creating reports, but I just back it up constantly while working on the forms and reports.  Entering and modifying the data in the tables works great in Libre Office, and Libre Office never seems to crash with just data entry or running queries. Once the reports and forms are built, it rarely ever crashes again.  So to save a couple hundred dollars, I can live with the occasional crashing.

I know this will be of no interest to the majority on this board, but on the chance that someone decides to play with Libre Office's database program, I figured I would share what I learned this week.

Now I have to migrate my reloading database once again to the new MySQL installation, but hopefully it will be the last time for quite a while.  Then I will work on a function to print out pre-made targets with my load data captured in the lower right corner for load testing at the range.  I sometimes can't read my own handwriting, so that would be very helpful to me.

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Pentz posted this 30 January 2022

Not if you have been doing it for 40 years. 

Too much damned information, just baffling with BS.  Said as an old curmidgeon.  I brought a fellow shooter into the military cast game and he went down the same path with powder this and that.  From the jump told him 210 gr bullet, alox and beeswax lube, and 17.8 of 2400.  Guess where he finally settled!?

Mike in Vancouver

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hporter posted this 29 January 2022

That is great news!

In the old days, I would do a clean install of windows annually.  It was a pain, but it helped with those types of issues.

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Buttersdad posted this 29 January 2022

After I posted about my computers, I was dealt a break. No, I didn't get a free new PC. My current desktop was crashing when on the forums I belong to, when I was typing a post in one of the threads. It would freeze and I would have to do a hard shut down, then start it back up. After looking on the internet I found 10 ways to repair the problem, the second one I tried fixed the problem. It was a registry thing and it took a bit but fixed the problem.

 

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hporter posted this 16 January 2022

I run a free collection of office programs called Open Office by Apache.

As I understand it, that is essentially the same software as the Libre Office that I have been trying out.  I recently canceled my MS Office 365 subscription as my wife doesn't use it anymore.  These free office suites have their limitations, but I am truly amazed at what they can do when they cost nothing to download and use.

I remember when I bought the WordPerfect word processing program when I was a student at the university.  It was a DOS version, and with the Russian Cyrillic keyboard package cost me close to $400, even with the student discount.  We have come a long way in terms of cost and quality since then.  Thank goodness we aren't working on the monochrome monitors of those days too!

 

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Buttersdad posted this 16 January 2022

i suppose i shouldn't let this secret out ... but i have my 3 already so here goes:

Dell 6420 Latitude laptop ... these are about a 2010 model, and i bot a used one for $50 in 2014 ...  still going fine, and i use it constantly and drop it daily.  i bot 2 more for backup and wife, they have outlasted any other unit by several times ... run W10 just fine, and have 3 usb and most have CD !   obsolete probably but i don't care.  so am I.

i don't need a Weatherby to kill deer in my backyard ...  and i am not embarrassed that my computer takes 5 minutes to load Window10 once a day ...

ken

 

I have two myself both HP's, a desktop and a laptop. Both are running Windows 10 and do it pretty well. For about a year the desktop would freeze randomly, but only when I was typing on one of the forums I frequent. I googled the problem and was given about 10 possible problems. I was one of the lucky ones, I tried the first fix with no joy. The second fix seems to have fixed the problem, don't ask me what it was cause I didn't make a hard copy of the procedure. Now the only problem I have with either is the laptop being slow to respond when it first "wakes up". The main reason I like my hard copies of my load data is that I don't have space on my reloading/gunsmithing table for a computer, either type. So I keep data in a small notebook I got for Christmas several years ago and it is more accessible on my table top. I run a free collection of office programs called Open Office by Apache. It is completely compatible with Microsoft Office Suite and functions the same.

I am, however, interested in creating my own spreadsheet to put it on my computer in my office, since reading the posts in this thread. So thank you to the OP and all who have replied to his post, y'all  gave me the kick in the butt.

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hporter posted this 13 January 2022

First run at a Range Report from the Libre Office database program.

I can simply fill out a few fields in the Range Report table through a data entry form, and since I reference the load number, the range report automatically populates the load data for me.  And I am linking the target photo, rather than embedding it. So it doesn't make the database bloat up as it would if you inserted the photos into the database.

Did I miss anything other than perhaps bullet sequence?  I am not sure how I would do that - unless I just annotated the target photo in a photo editing software.

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hporter posted this 13 January 2022

Ken,

Your secret put a smile on my face.

 

My model is a 6410.  But it has an i7 processor and still runs Windows 7 like a champ.  I was a dummy and upgraded from that one to the new Dell Tablet laptop thing that has a detachable keyboard.  I hate that one, but it is the only machine that I have Windows 10 on.

For all my Windows needs at home, I run Win XP in a virtual machine on my Mac.  It works great, and is all I need.  I tried to install Windows 2000 in the virtual machine, but there was a problem with the chipsets in the new computers that wouldn't run with it.  I always thought Windows 2000 was the best OS they ever made.  It was robust, didn't crash and ran business type software with great reliability.  But it wasn't a multi-media platform - so it went the way of the dinosaurs.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 13 January 2022

i suppose i shouldn't let this secret out ... but i have my 3 already so here goes:

Dell 6420 Latitude laptop ... these are about a 2010 model, and i bot a used one for $50 in 2014 ...  still going fine, and i use it constantly and drop it daily.  i bot 2 more for backup and wife, they have outlasted any other unit by several times ... run W10 just fine, and have 3 usb and most have CD !   obsolete probably but i don't care.  so am I.

i don't need a Weatherby to kill deer in my backyard ...  and i am not embarrassed that my computer takes 5 minutes to load Window10 once a day ...

ken

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hporter posted this 13 January 2022

Buttersdad,

I have had a few computers die an untimely death as well.  Especially the one my wife spilled a glass of wine on.....

In the Apple world, the Mac computers come with a feature called Time Machine.  If you attach an external hard drive to your computer, it backs it up incrementally throughout the day - 24/7.  You can go back through "time" and retrieve versions of files from days before and even farther back.  You can also restore a brand new computer to be an exact copy of your old machine if your current computer bites the dust.  I have restored a Mac laptop that way, and it does work well.

I also have 2 different external drives that I use to do mirror image copies of my current machines hard drive. I rotate the back up every other month.  I store these in my gun safe where the golden rod device keeps the humidity in check.

Even with all that, you can still lose data.  But that is how I mitigate the risk.

I hear you on the expense of new computers.  I have been experimenting running Linux Mint in a virtual environment on my Mac. It is free to download and use so I figured I would try it out. I think Linux is the way forward in my future.  Eventually Apple will do something that will be the last straw for me, and I need to be ready to jump to another platform when that day comes.  I have been pleasantly surprised at how much quality software is out there for free in the Linux world.  In fact, playing with Linux is how I stumbled on Libre Office in the first place.

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Buttersdad posted this 13 January 2022

I have been keeping mine on paper, first because I haven't taken the time to create a data base for it. Second, I have had computers crash permanently in the past and my computers are older. I run Windows 10, but now Windows 11 is out and I don't know how long 10 will be supported. I don't have the money on hand to buy new.

 

However, looking at and reading about the ones here I may have to get modern and try it.

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hporter posted this 12 January 2022

Ken,

I have often wondered how you can record shot sequence accurately?  A five shot or ten shot group, sure. But I have seen targets posted on forums where they record more than that?  I can't see across the room, and even with a good spotting scope I would be pressed to record the sequence accurately in groups of more than 5 shots.

Thank you for the heads up on the fugal computer guy. I just bookmarked all of his Base videos.  Although I have a functioning reloading database, I still have much to learn.  I see he has a tutorial on adjusting paper size and orientation, so maybe I can get my ammo box labels to print straight from the database.  That would be the cats meow.

Thank you for your thoughts.

I

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 12 January 2022

hporter:  oh, your post on embedding/linking jpegs reminded me that * thefrugalcomputerguy * has a great tutorial on you-tube on specifically officelibre base ... about 50 of 10 minute vids ... dated but still outstanding.  

and he mentioned he got greedy and crash deleted his entire database... heh, gotta like that guy ...

btw, you have shamed me into re-starting to build up my base of all the FS articles ...  beats daytime tv ...

ken

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