I am working on a new program. Suggestions needed.

[Marcel Poots]

I am working on a new program that I will share with the rest of the world free of charge. This is for people with moderate collections that would love to keep track on their animals.

First the collection enter frame. For each animals you can insert a picture, add comment etc.

Than there is the place where you can insert the data.

A graphical representation of the data entered.

Egg management. No need to calculate hatching dates. The program will do all that for you. You can enter comments on each 'Egg' entry.

And of course the Genetic wizard.

What I need now is suggestions. What would you like to see in my program? What don't you like? Can I change anything? After hearing suggestions I will make a Beta version for the people who are willing to be a tester for me. The program is based on a TClientDataSet which does not require any huge DLL install or any Database driver. I am planning on making a XML export function to make the data portable for you when you choose to take the data out and work on a let's say a Linux system.

 

[Neumann]

Wow Marcel! Great job so far!!

How does the DATA section work? Can other fields be added by a user to the DATA section or is what I see, what we get? I tend to record other aspects of husbandry for our critters such as eating, pooing, cage cleaning, behavioral events etc.

Fantastic looking tool...

Jason

 

[Azruial]

wow... I need a bigger collection so I can make use of this tool......
I use others of your programs and this looks to be the best of all. You could throw that thumbnail generator into the program so users could quickly export html files of their favorite snakes.
Other than that, I agree with Neumann. Thanks for making programs for us free of charge, who dosen't love free stuff, especialy with such quality as your work

 

[Flygning]

It looks awesome! I love how it has both the tracker type of stuff and the genetics calculator. I couldn't think of anything else that could be added to make it more useful.

 

[Marcel Poots]

Wow Marcel! Great job so far!!

How does the DATA section work? Can other fields be added by a user to the DATA section or is what I see

Yep, what you se is what you get. It is hard to make a generic solution where users can add their own columns. That is why I need suggestions now while I am still working on it. If you need fields now is the time to name what you really would love to see. For example do you want a 'Fed' Boolean. So you can just check a check box which makes your record have a Yes or No on Feeding or do you want a string field of let's say 30 characters where you can insert info like 'Ate two small bunnies'?

 

[Marcel Poots]

You could throw that thumbnail generator into the program so users could quickly export html files of their favorite snakes.

I have thought about that and did not add it untill now because it is only slight herp related. But I might add it just for you.

 

[pcar]

I second either the ability to add fields to data or to have the program display untitled fields so that the user can define them. Maybe a way that you can enter multiple pictures of the snake so that the user can visually follow growth paterns. Exporting to XML is a great idea. What about printing out tracking cards that the user can give to buyers?

Looking forward to trying this out...I would be interested in Beta testing.

 

[pcar]

A string related field for the following would be nice...Shedding size/date, feeding Date, bowl movement date. Boolean fields for feeding and BM's would be ok, as long as they still recorded date on them

 

[Marcel Poots]

Maybe a way that you can enter multiple pictures of the snake so that the user can visually follow growth paterns.

I could insert a picture field in de DATA section. That way you can add pictures to your DATA records which have a record date. That way you can see growing patterns. Your database will ofcourse grow quickly if you use a lot of images. But I think with the current computers with big harddrives that will be no problem at all.

 

[pcar]

Yea, and the user can make the pictures smaller either taking them on a smaller resolution or by shrinking them in a photo editing program.

 

[Marcel Poots]

A string related field for the following would be nice...Shedding size/date, feeding Date, bowl movement date. Boolean fields for feeding and BM's would be ok, as long as they still recorded date on them

I can add extra fields but they all will relate to the record date. Other date fields would be obsolete. Do you understand? If your snake poops and sheds in one week you will have to enter two records. In one you will check the checkbox 'Shed' and in the other you could insert info on the bowelmovement. But I need suggestions on those fields. For now I am thinking about:

Feeding Info ( a 30 character string field)
Bowel info (ditto)
Picture field (for keeping track on growing visiually).

 

[Marcel Poots]

Yea, and the user can make the pictures smaller either taking them on a smaller resolution or by shrinking them in a photo editing program.

I am already resize them to a suitable format in the database. The user will not have to worry about that. You choose a large picture and it will be resized into the database.

 

[pcar]

Sounds like you have everything thought out and the bases covered. :cheers:

 

[Azruial]

Currently I use excell to keep track of my one snake, this method will get pretty obtuse if I ever reach my goal of five and start breeding. That's a long way in the future but your program looks like it beats out my system regardless of number of animals. I can't wait.

Just out of curiosity, what language do you write in and do you use an Integrated Development System (not sure if that's right) like visual studio?

 

[starwarsdad]

I really liked the suggestion that a record be printable to provide for a buyer.

 

[jzal8]

You could make it have report functionality so that if you were selling a snake, you could print out a formatted record of sheds, feedings, offspring etc.

Also what are you writting this in and in what development enviroment (just curious)

 

[Marcel Poots]

Just out of curiosity, what language do you write in and do you use an Integrated Development System (not sure if that's right) like visual studio?

In Pascal (Delphi 7). Delphi is a Visual studio.

 

[Marcel Poots]

I really liked the suggestion that a record be printable to provide for a buyer.

It is already implemented.

 

[Marcel Poots]

You could make it have report functionality so that if you were selling a snake, you could print out a formatted record of sheds, feedings, offspring etc.

Also what are you writting this in and in what development enviroment (just curious)

In the data section you have a print button. When you print you are being asked if you want to print all records or a selection on one snake.

 

[CornCrazy]

I can add extra fields but they all will relate to the record date. Other date fields would be obsolete. Do you understand? If your snake poops and sheds in one week you will have to enter two records. In one you will check the checkbox 'Shed' and in the other you could insert info on the bowelmovement. But I need suggestions on those fields. For now I am thinking about:

Feeding Info ( a 30 character string field)
Bowel info (ditto)
Picture field (for keeping track on growing visiually).

What about a section for illnesses and medication?