train inventory system for MAC

This app looks awesome.  I'll be using it.  I'd be happy to alpha test it.

 

As for manuals, getting them from online is nice, but could you also add an option to download the manual for local storage in case you are not online, or the ability to link to the manual if you have already downloaded it?

 

Also, perhaps a v2 version could include a wishlist such that you can add rolling stock you want to get.  And with that you could do an export, like the for sale does, so you can email people with the info when you get asked what you want for birthdays/Christmas/other time gifts.

Wow...looks great.  Now if we could just get an Android based version I would be in business!  Iphone is too small for my eyes, and I have an Android tablet.

 

Brian Yost

Good work on the desktop OSX app. I'll be checking it out.

Also an iPhone app would work just fine for my eyes.

Ooops, Bento is going away.

http://info.filemaker.com/Bento_Statement.html

 

Nick, good start on the program.  You should also include an export to Exel or comma/tab delimited text file.

Many good data field suggestions here, I will be adding a few to my FileMaker program ( now where near polished enough to distribute but is designed to fit my needs ).

I also have a bar-code field and have gotten most of the MTH bar code data files. 

Dan

yeah, sad about bento.  

Nick,

  Any updates? When will you have this available? I am very anxious to try it. Thanks.

Just was wondering if there are any updates???  Now that I have become addicted to trains I have begun to form a collection!  

I read the Bento statement and I am a bit sad and surprised. 

After reading the reviews of IOs Bento on the IPad, it seems folks are disappointed.

There is no print option.

Apache Open Office is available for the Mac OS X operating system:  http://www.openoffice.org/porting/mac/

 

By default it uses ISO 26300 Open Data Format file structures, but can open and save many others. It includes a spreadsheet called 'Calc' that can use Excel (.xls) spreadsheets and templates, and a database called 'Base' compatible with Access (.mdb) files. It can read .xlsx and .mdbx files, but not save directly in those formats.

 

You could very easily import a spreadsheet/database and templates, if any, into Open Office and save them in a format more suited to the Mac.

 

Best of all, Apache Open Office is free!

 

 

Yes, OOo is free and I use it all the time on my Macs, but it's no different then doing what some of are doing.  And trying to use a database like that is daunting for those that have never set one up, plus they don't do photos like most of us want.  I'm still waiting for what Nick is working on, but until then, I've started with Numbers.

If you don't want to go with a full blown 'Base' database, use the 'Calc' spreadsheet All you have to do for pictures is use the "Insert - Pictures - From File" function, or the "Insert - Object - OLE" to create a link to the picture, on the 'Calc' spreadsheet toolbar. There are already a bunch of MRR inventory templates for Excel out there that can very easily be imported into 'Calc', so you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

 

 

I talked to them at York probably the last time they had a booth. Discussed their tech approach in depth as I'm a software guy.  In my mind they were overreaching, particularly with the way they going after online valuations via eBay, etc.  My guess would be they underestimated the technical challenges *and* some of the business challenges in getting the valuation info, all leading to an implosion of sorts.  Pure speculation of course, but the attitude I sensed of "Yeah, we got this.  It's easy." during my conversation with them left me thinking "I'm not so sure you do."   Great idea and vision, but extremely hard to execute.

Looks like Nick and his proposed inventory program came and went. Too bad he seemed to have some good ideas

You know, I just ran across that today and tried to watch the videos. They seem to be gone also.

Though not a Mac guy, and perhaps not completely suited to this topic...I wanted to chime in about my Excel spreadsheet/database files that are the core of my MTH Product Reference Guides:

 

I've decided not to continue with the online .pdf e-books and the updating of them beyond this year.

 

I'm looking to see who would have interest in buying the full spreadsheet files that I've put together?  Each book file (RailKing and Premier) has over 13,000 lines of information keyed in (the Premier file is over 16,000 lines) and provides information on product numbers, cab/car #'s, catalog info, etc.

 

My presumption is that these files can be converted for use on a Mac platform, but not sure of this or how it's done.

 

My intention is to still update the files with current catalog and known uncatalogued information that has, or will be, announced through 2013 and those interested in buying the files would be able to do so after 2013.

 

If this MTH spreadsheet info is worth something to you, please send me an email and let me know your interest and I can provide further details of what I think I'll be doing and what will be available.  My email is in my OGR profile.

I'm still here guys started a new job as lead iOS engineer for Walgreens corp., been busy, but I plan on finishing this Mac app when things slow down soon. I won't let you guys down! Take care.

Cool good to hear, still looking forward to seeing what you develop.

Don't you hate when a job gets in the way of a side project?

I hate when life gets in the way of my trains.

I hope I am not high jacking this thread but I just started using the Woodland Scenics Train Inventory app for iOS.  They also have a version for android and a MAC and Windows version which you have to use in conjunction with Google Chrome.  I have only used the apple iOS version so far but it looks fairly good.

 

Also you can backup the information which sends the file to your email in .CSV format which can then be uploaded to any spreadsheet.

 

I ran across the app in the iTunes store when I was looking to see if MTH had a beta version of their new control system up.

 

 

Email sent!

I am going to try out that Woodland Scenics inventory app.

 

Nick, I would be happy to contribute to the UX of your Mac (& hopefully companion iOS) app.

 

Timmy 

Great Timmy! Been revamping it a lot these past 2 weeks. Will be ready for some feedback soon. I switched to a document based architecture, very slick stuff. Will post a beta on here soon.

Awesome to hear.  I'll keep an eye out.

OK finally had some time to write some code. Rewrote what I was working on to support a document model, like opening a word document in MS Word. So the video you will see is after a few days of playing around with ideas, recreating my project and base code, setting up data models, etc, and is in no way a final product. Will spend some time polishing it up this week  

 

Tell me what to add, remove, what you need. And again, this video is not a polished product, so little weird things will be fixed in final version.

 

 

 

 

Bento is the way to go, but if you want something simple like excel, Numbers is far better than Excel and easier to use.  It is now Free with Mavericks and it is Free online if you use it through iCloud.  

 

Those files should open up in Numbers as well as Excel for Mac.

Looks pretty nice. You may not want to call it Trainz since there is a well known train vendor that uses that name as well as a video game. They might complain later

 

I still would like to see a place for engine ID (for TMCC and DCS purposes) I noticed you have a spot for the Odometer which is only used by on manufacture but no place for engine ID used by all of them.

Great suggestions cbojanower, top of my list for changes/additions

Will it be able to import an Excel or Numbers saved file?  I like that you have drop down menus to select things, will those be user definable, like in case we have one from a manufacture that you didn't include in the software?  Can we tab between fields and type the 1st few letters of the items to select it from the drop down menu?  This will allow for fast keyboard entry.  Are you planning on an export to Excel or Numbers option?  Will it be able to use an attached/built-in camera to take photos to add to each entry?  Otherwise I can't wait to try it.

Right now everything you mentioned is in scope with the exception of importing. That will be added, but not for the initial launch. The sale list feature exports a csv with tabs and imports into excel nicely with headers and all. Will expand that feature as an overall export of all data too. Everything else you mention is planned in the polishing up phase I'll do this week thanks for your input!!

Not trying to be a pest, any update on this???  Only ask cause i am bored out of my mind and figured why not get into a project that will pass the time????  Thanks!

Id be very interested in this, I have several friends and family that could use a good inventory system and they all use Macs