I'll throw a different idea out there.

A WordPress website, secured with username and password access and create custom post types using Pods for the fields you want to enter.

You can then incorporate a search/filter that will allow you to "narrow" the scope of the results based on the fields.

If you use something like Beaver Themer, you'll also be able to display the layout in different ways.

You could also use something like Gravity Forms for entry and Gravity View to display different views of the information.

I simply inserted a table, then set up exactly for what I need. The table allows me to move complete lines and modify as needed. The form is oriented landscape with .5 inch margins.

I have been using this password protected table since 2012, and is currently 19 pages long. Many or the items are also color coded.

I also indicate guns by (DNS)- Do Not Sale, with explanations for my sons as to these are family guns, or guns with historical or personal interest.

It gives me an incredible flexibility not found with data sheets, etc.

This is the order of the sections:

Handgun Ammo is broken down by: "Caliber,Bullet wt./type, Rounds,Manufacturer, Location, Case #(size), Other, Date, Notes."

Rifle Ammo follows the same format.

Shotgun Ammo: same as above.

Reloading material is listed as follows:

Brass: "Caliber, Manufacturer, New, Fired, Plated, Primed, Notes"

Primers: "Type, Manufacturer, Total Number, Dates, Notes"

Powder: "Type, Container Size, # of Containers, Total Pounds, Date, Notes"

Bullets: "Caliber, Weight, Type, Amount,Manufacturer, Notes"


Magazines: "Caliber, Type, Capacity, Total, Manufacturer, Date, Misc., Notes"

Handguns: "Caliber, Manufacturer / Model (includes barrel length data), Serial No., Notes"

Rifles: "Caliber, Manufacturer / Model, Serial No., Notes"

Shotguns: same as above.

Flare Guns: same as above.

Scopes / Optics: "Manufacturer, Model, Serial No., Notes (This includes what rifle the unit is mounted on and the mount.)

And no, you have to make your own table, you lazy busturds.

.

quote:

Originally posted by Cobra21:
We are trying to re-catalogue my father-in-law's inventory of over 400 guns into a more user friendly database. Many WWI, but mostly WW2 weapons (30+ M1 Carbines with different mfg or configs), etc.

Anyway, we have it all in an exhaustive spreadsheet, but I'd like to upload fields (or data entry) into a more robust database with a GUI of some sort that would allow him to search, sort, etc.

Anyone know of a program, or short of that, maybe even a programmer who could assist?

I would approach this with a sqlite database and a C# gui app

You could likely do it with a sqlite database and a free database tool to get started , then add gui later.

Advantage is Zero installation required and free

I just use Excel and can sort, filter, and search any way I wish. I have tabs for pistols, rifles, and ammo.

Thanks all. Lots of good ideas.

Dang, I need to buy more guns. I can keep track of my few with a simple (one page, sparse) text file that tells where they are in the safe. Clearly, I do not have near enough guns.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: slosig,

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
Dang, I need to buy more guns. I can keep track of my few with a simple (one page, sparse) text file that tells where they are in the safe. Clearly, I do not have near enough guns.

That's a simple problem to solve--just spend more money!

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
Dang, I need to buy more guns. I can keep track of my few with a simple (one page, sparse) text file that tells where they are in the safe. Clearly, I do not have near enough guns.

That's a simple problem to solve--just spend more money!

True, but while it isn’t that hard to put one more gun in the safe past the much better looking half, I don’t think I can sneak another safe past her.

With that many guns good thing Texas is your home.

Since there are no IT folks making any serious "gun" database tracking apps, I would suggest you start researching entry level type retail inventory/sales applications, the kind you can purchase for cheap or download from the internet for free as freeware that are supported and widely used. When you think about a "Gun" database it is not really about guns from a technical standpoint, so just get the "Gun" out of "gun database" application and start thinking about what small on-line retail people use - like some very small retailers use. The only difference is you would not put it on the web with all the required security. I would give that a shot if I were you. Some of them are going to be more turn key than anything you could accomplish with Microsoft Office tools like word/excell/access etc. even if you were an IT pro or windows/linux power user. So look for some "inventory" or "product sales" freeware applications that are known to retailers in that market space. If I were a betting man I'd wager you might find quite a lot of supported freeware you could use complete with a small file based or real database complete with data entry screens and configuration and layout screens on how you would want to pull up and display your guns. Think Amazon without the steroids, that may be a good analogy. Based on all of the banter I've seen on gun forums with people like us wanting this type of software, it's obvious there are no serious IT people or software companies willing to fill that space. It may be small but it's real, and nobody is filling it. If I were retired I might do it myself (and it wouldn't be a hack like everything else out there for so called "gun collection" databases, what a crock).

wright, that's a good idea. I'll explore that option a bit also.

I wrote Shot Works Pro several years back and have always gotten good feedback for it. It's free text entry for all the fields, tracks guns/ammo/accessories/maintenance/trips to the range.

Everything is highly encrypted.

My "Winner" user was a customer with about 1400 firearms tracked, with photos, etc. Son of a very famous gun writer who was cataloguing his father's collection.

https://shotworkspro.com if you'd like to check it out.

I like to think of myself as an IT professional interested in gun collecting who has developed some useful gun collecting software. Granted, I have full-time job so my collecting software development time is limited.

bjor13, zoom6zoom, and flashguy, thanks for posting links to my software.

You all might be interested in a blog post about myself I wrote yesterday.

https://www.nmcollector.net/blog/

Hopefully the link is allowed.

Thanks,

Clay