Software Problem SOLVED!

[Maj Bob 0]

I sat over on my wife's computer answering email and browsing for a good tutorial to tie a March Brown. IThe other day I tied the worst ever March Brown. My wife used my computer to use MasterCook, a recipe database program, to develop her meal plan for next week, along with a shopping list. "Viola! Why not use MasterCook to enter patterns/materials into a database??", I asked.

 

I entered several fly patterns, and now I can do exactly what I have been trying to do for several weeks now. I can enter the fly patterns that I plan to tie next week, and it will create a plan, and a list of materials needed to tie them. Then I can just verify that I have everything before I start, and buy what I don't. And it isn't too difficult to enter the patterns - there is an import assistant that really helps.

 

I think this will work out well.

 

Cheers!

Bob Hendry

[notenuftoys 0]

That makes a lot of sense. I've been playing around with FlySource, but there's no cross-reference from required (or alternative) materials to my inventory. I'll download MasterCook and play around with it.

 

Thanks for sharing!

[wayneb 0]

Hi Maj Bob;

 

Do you know how MasterCook compares to FlySource??

 

 

 

Wayneb, your Southern MD neighbor

[Maj Bob 0]

Hi Maj Bob;

 

Do you know how MasterCook compares to FlySource??

 

Wayneb, your Southern MD neighbor

Mornin', Neighbor,

 

I'm not really very familiar with Fly Source. I just recently downloaded it. It wouldn't connect to the P2P server, so I contacted the author, and he replied that the server in not running, and would stay down until at least November, when he releases the next version.

 

Consequently, I have only a couple flies in my Fly Source database, and haven't really tested it. But a major advantage of Master Cook is it's query capability. I don't think Fly Source will match it. For example, in MC I can search for all patterns using elk hair and gold wire, and it will spit out a list of links to everything using those materials. Then, after I select the flies I wish to tie (I have to plug them into a 'meal plan'), it will generate a "shopping list" of materials needed to tie them. As far as I can tell, Fly Source won't do that for me. A major drawback, IMO.

 

Another hypothetical advantage is when my wife asks "why are you spending so much time on the computer?", I can honestly reply " oh, I'm just working on some meal plans . . ."

 

I'm a beginning tier - I don't have the patterns memorized like my instructor does. Name off 5 or 6 flies, and he will spout off everything you need to tie them. Not sure I'll ever get there. We're up at

Walter Reed 3 days a week; one of the staff pediatricians teaches fly tying to the Project Healing Waters participants (my son is a left leg amputee, he's now an outpatient) on Tuesdays. Sean tells me that during his deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, he has tied many hundreds of files - guess the Army doesn't have much need for pediatricians in combat zones?? But I digress. If I run into any issues with MC, I will be sure to post them.

 

Do you ever get out on the Port Tobacco River (Creek?)? Heard 'about the killer shark they caught down near Buzz's Marina near Point Lookout State Park?

 

Take care. Cheers!

 

[sandflyx 0]

You should really check out the mustad (fly2000) program. http://www.fly-2000.net/

[Maj Bob 0]

You should really check out the mustad (fly2000) program. http://www.fly-2000.net/

Thanks Bob,

 

I tried to order it, but ran into snag after snag trying to arange payment via "moneybookers". I can't believe the torture they want to inflict on me in order to setup an account. I gave up.

 

Do you know if there is another way to pay for this? I'd love to try it.

 

Cheers!

Bob Hendry

 

[smokinprice 0]

I dont use a fly database but I should. I cant remeber what I need half the time either. I live in Frederick County so thanks for the link on the killer shark. Great reading!

[FrequentTyer 0]

You can get Master Cook cheaper through Amazon, and they have some older versions for $5-7.

For what it's worth, I have been playing with Google Docs and made a really simple hook database. The cool thing about this is I can pull out my smart phone at the fly shop and check if I have a particular hook. I have thought of doing this with material too, but then data entry becomes more of a hobby than tying. I did keep a simple wiki on my computer for a while that let me write up patterns with links to web pages and pictures, but I rarely use it. I might just be a Luddite, but index cards work and the learning curve is great

[redquill 0]

I sat over on my wife's computer answering email and browsing for a good tutorial to tie a March Brown. IThe other day I tied the worst ever March Brown. My wife used my computer to use MasterCook, a recipe database program, to develop her meal plan for next week, along with a shopping list. "Viola! Why not use MasterCook to enter patterns/materials into a database??", I asked.

 

I entered several fly patterns, and now I can do exactly what I have been trying to do for several weeks now. I can enter the fly patterns that I plan to tie next week, and it will create a plan, and a list of materials needed to tie them. Then I can just verify that I have everything before I start, and buy what I don't. And it isn't too difficult to enter the patterns - there is an import assistant that really helps.

 

I think this will work out well.

 

Cheers!

Bob Hendry

 

That sounds like an ERP system but cheaper, much cheaper. Does that come with inventory management section?

Cool idea.

[Bryan Wright 0]

Why don't we colloborate and write our own database in Access that will do everything you guys want. I could write in-fact I would enjoy it. I am a Data Analyst now for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska but I come from a Database Development background. I think it would be fun.

[FrequentTyer 0]

Bryan,

That is an interesting idea. Out of curiosity, would that run as a stand alone application or would it have to run in Access?

Mike.

[Njardar 0]

I sat over on my wife's computer answering email and browsing for a good tutorial to tie a March Brown. IThe other day I tied the worst ever March Brown. My wife used my computer to use MasterCook, a recipe database program, to develop her meal plan for next week, along with a shopping list. "Viola! Why not use MasterCook to enter patterns/materials into a database??", I asked.

 

I entered several fly patterns, and now I can do exactly what I have been trying to do for several weeks now. I can enter the fly patterns that I plan to tie next week, and it will create a plan, and a list of materials needed to tie them. Then I can just verify that I have everything before I start, and buy what I don't. And it isn't too difficult to enter the patterns - there is an import assistant that really helps.

 

I think this will work out well.

 

Cheers!

Bob Hendry

 

If your wife is not paying attention it could make for some interesting meals

[Bryan Wright 0]

Bryan,

That is an interesting idea. Out of curiosity, would that run as a stand alone application or would it have to run in Access?

Mike.

 

You would have to have Access. But... we could do a real product if I can rope in a developer friend of mine to write the front end in something like .NET I could write the database portion still.

 

The easiest would be to do it in Access. I don't think there is anyway to run an Access database without having Access installed. There might be a way but I haven't done Access programming in a few years.

[JRG 0]

Bryan,

That is an interesting idea. Out of curiosity, would that run as a stand alone application or would it have to run in Access?

Mike.

 

You would have to have Access. But... we could do a real product if I can rope in a developer friend of mine to write the front end in something like .NET I could write the database portion still.

 

The easiest would be to do it in Access. I don't think there is anyway to run an Access database without having Access installed. There might be a way but I haven't done Access programming in a few years.

 

You'd have to have Access as far as I know too. I'm working in one now, if you have any suggestions make it. The inventory part is easy, it's the patterns everyone wants that will take some working to get it set up right for pictures etc.. but once it set up it should be easy for it to check if you have all the materials etc... Commercial tiers if you want to work in costs per fly that would be straight forward as well as trackings orders etc... and it can be tied into outlook as well to send emails. And if you have any cool sound files for fishing I could add those in as well.

[Bryan Wright 0]

Bryan,

That is an interesting idea. Out of curiosity, would that run as a stand alone application or would it have to run in Access?

Mike.

 

You would have to have Access. But... we could do a real product if I can rope in a developer friend of mine to write the front end in something like .NET I could write the database portion still.

 

The easiest would be to do it in Access. I don't think there is anyway to run an Access database without having Access installed. There might be a way but I haven't done Access programming in a few years.

 

You'd have to have Access as far as I know too. I'm working in one now, if you have any suggestions make it. The inventory part is easy, it's the patterns everyone wants that will take some working to get it set up right for pictures etc.. but once it set up it should be easy for it to check if you have all the materials etc... Commercial tiers if you want to work in costs per fly that would be straight forward as well as trackings orders etc... and it can be tied into outlook as well to send emails. And if you have any cool sound files for fishing I could add those in as well.

 

Awesome JRG. Hey if you want can you send me what you have so far I can take a look at the design and see if I have any suggestions that might help. Have you thought about allow video? Maybe something as simple as embedding youtube into a form? Might be good so you could have the step by step and also watcy technique.

 

One of the other ones that were talked about here also tracked fishing spots. That might be a good thing to do as well. That way you could put in where your going and it could report back what flies to for that spot and even as techincal as that spot and that time of year. We could make it very very robust. Even just staying in Access. Of course if it did get too big and combersome for access we could easily move the DDL to something like MySQL and slap on a Java front end.

 

OOOH getting that tingly feeling...