Wayne, Log-winded, but I hope this helps. Works for me and is bullet-proof.
I've never used a program designed for data storage, as I've always used the
Explore program in Windows to organize all of my files. Before Explore, it was
PC Tools, and it only allowed 8 characters.
Really nice being able to have short sentences now as file folders.
What I've experienced:
a.. The fewer the 3rd party programs I use- the better. I do more with
what's there. 3rd-party programs can also be buggy with other devices, like the
printer. And they may conflict with other programs. 3rd party support is
often hard to get- if not impossible. If you have to dump the program, you
start over. Explore is the base file-management program for your pc and can't
go anywhere, and updates automatically with Windows updates. Third party
programs are someone else's idea of how things should be.
b.. WE (Windows Explore) is very versatile, and the data is easy to retreive
and back up.
c.. I can store photos, videos, or Word files with photos, urls, videos,
brought into them.
d.. If I just want a photo or video stored, I just copy-paste it to a
sub-file folder- an existing one or a new sub-folder under the appropriate
catagory that I create for the photo(s) or videos.
e.. WE shows what type of file it is (using 'list details'), the size, date,
etc. If it's a Word file, not a photo, a double-click opens it in Word. If
it's a photo, a double-click opens in in a photo program. But if I want to
modify the photo, I just open Adobe Photoshop and open that photo to modify &
print if need be. This is needed to re-size photos to post in emails and on
websites. If you click on 'view' you can choose what size thumbs you'll see
photos as. Mousing over the photos will give you the file data also as a
little pop-up.
f.. If a fly catagory needs to be tied to websites, I find it easier to
create a sub-folder titled, say 'house-flies web-sites'. Then in Word, I
create a document with copy-pasted photos and copied url's so that I can
reference the few websites that I found that I want to keep. Then later, if I
find another related site, I can save it to that 'houseflies Word file' and any
other specialty fly that it would relate to. I can also put You-tube urls in
the Word doc. I copy-paste pertinent portions of emails to these Word docs
also.
g.. My 'Favorites' file is a mess. Why? I don't spend the time working with
it because it's not as user-friendly to organize as WE is. My files go back
15+ years and many sites are no longer there. That being said, I do have
hundreds of Favorite websites saved. I have many files, but also many
independent ones to scroll down. A Google search is sometimes faster.
h.. WE is great because of the thumbs and slideshows. It's easy to find a
fly photo by just eyeballing the thumbs.
i.. WE transfers over to new Windows operating systems or 2nd computers.
j.. Sub-files don't show up until I expand that file. Keeps the list short
and simple for main catagories.
If someone doesn't know how to run WE, get a little tutoring. Your master
program files are in there and you can mess up your pc. Back up the whole
drive on an external drive and save it somewhere. This will re-create your pc
operating system.
Example: I needed to find my photo of a needlefish I tied for Gary & Robin
Edwards (Vacations on the Fly TV show) 10 years ago for a website photo for
Darren. My C-drive opens automatically, so I went to 'Master Fly File',
'Saltwater Flie's, 'Inshore Flies', 'Flex-O patterns', and there it was. I
hadn't accessed it for many years, but found it in a few seconds among 5,000
fly photos, and you can see that needlefish on my website. If you'll notice,
my website files are set up the same way, as are many sites now- folders
(menus) and sub-folders (sub-menus). 'Saltwater', 'Inshore', photo thumb-
click. Whenever I have guests over to tie, we research photos and it takes
little time to find just about any photo.
One last thing. I have one more data-source to log, and that's scans of my fly
designs. I'm planning to create a sub-folder in each cagagory for 'Design
Scans', and will save the files as JPEGs so I can modify them. For the ones
that don't fit catagories, like 'hook designs', I have a 'Flyfishing Flytying
Technical Info' folder. Create a sub-folder named 'scanned hook designs', and
all of my hook design sketches will be there, along with the word files
supporting them. If I find a close sub on the net, I can add it to the Word
file, or create one to associate with the design.
For my website, I created a whole new set of folders/subfolders so I could
import just the photos I wanted, resize them smaller, and crete the thumbs. I
never mess with them unless I'm messing with the website.
Whew...hope this helps.
DonO
----- Original Message -----
From: Wayne Blake-Hedges
To: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 5:42 AM
Subject: Re: [VFB] RE: fly pattern database/scrap book
Hi Don;
Are you creating fiolders and subfolders and then placing pictures in
them? Or are you using some type of software to creat a pattern template of
sorts?
Wayne
--- On Tue, 11/9/10, Don Ordes <f...@tribcsp.com> wrote:
From: Don Ordes <f...@tribcsp.com>
Subject: Re: [VFB] RE: fly pattern database/scrap book
To: vfb-mail@googlegroups.com
Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 9:06 PM
Wayne, It depends on what format you are going to store your files in.
Using the Explore program, create folders and sub-folders based on
catagories that you define.
Each sub-folder is files in that catagory. And under those are
sub-files for that catagory and so on. I have files as far as 6 steps deep,
but they are still easy to find.
The trick is to be disciplined when you file and make sure you name
everything descriptively. That makes retreival simple.
Sample:
My photos- All Flies
All Fishing Flies
Saltwater flies
Inshore patterns
Shrimp pattrns
Kinky-fiber patterns
Swap-flies- shrimp swap 2009
This is just a sample, and each folder and subfolders can number as
many catagories as you want. I have about 300 catagories between Fantasy
Flies, Fishing Flies, Web-site files, DVD files, etc. I have over 5000
photographs stored.
DonO
----- Original Message -----
From: Wayne Blake-Hedges
To: virtual flybox
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 6:27 PM
Subject: [VFB] RE: fly pattern database/scrap book
Hi All;
I recently acquired a Pansonic toughbook CF-18 computer and
plan on using it for hobby stuff, primarily fly tying/fishing.
Anyone store patterns on their computer? If so, how do you
do it and what software do you use?
One idea I have is creating a pattern book for events I
visit, such as Sow Bug. My wife recently made a cookbook of my daughter's
college soccer team tailgate recipies and had it published as a spiral cook
book. It worked really well and was well recieved by others.
Wayneb
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