Need advice on documenty database.

  • Thread starter Thread starter axioms1
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A

axioms1

We are looking for a way to catalog all of our documentaries into an
editable database and hoping to use Excel if possible.

We want them available in an alphabetical list, be able to add new titles as
we get them in and have it automatically file to the correct location in the
list without reediting.

We also would like to be able to output the list in HTML format and add it
to our website so other members can view it, click on a link to see the
synopsis, request the video if it is available and track which titles are
checked out or in stock just like at the library.

Eventually we would like all our chapters in the other areas of the state to
be able to log onto the database and add their titles as they become
available as well and have the new data show up on the site in real time.



So my question is this.

Is this something that we could do with Excel or are we going to need to
have a commercial program do it for us?

If so, is there a template that anyone is aware of that we could customize
for our needs?



I am not familiar with Excels capability since I have never really used the
program much other than inputting data a few times here and there for work
orders and receipts. Then it was just a matter of typing the correct
quantity, price per item and hours expended into the correct fields while it
did the rest except for the printing. Other than that, I have no experience
in creating the actual documents or templates in Excel but do know basic
HTML and some Java script.



Excel was our first choice since all the folks that would have permission to
update the list all have Excel and this would save us from having to buy ten
or so separate copies or license of a particular program that we really don'
t have the funds to purchase at this time.



If anyone has any ideas on this or a suggestion as to a different way to
accomplish our goal, I would be very interested in your input and most
appreciative of your time.
 
Excel is perfectly capable of functioning as a database in and of itself, or
connecting to external data (like from an access or sql database). Excel
pages can be published as web pages, but if you're thinking about using it
to automatically generate the html and hyperlinks to a database of info,
you're gonna need some scripting. An Excel macro could be used for this,
although it might not be the easiest way. Any way you look at it, it's safe
to say that setting up what is basically the equivalent of a small
e-commerce site is gonna involve a lot more than just pounding a few lines
of info into a sheet and hitting the "publish" button.
 
Hey thanks.

I actually have Access and I noticed there is already a template in there
for my ATI AIW card that list out the programs I have recorded with the Tivo
features of the multimedia package that came with the card. When the library
is brought up it displays what shows have been recorded, the time, date and
source. This is sort of what I want to do but instead of listing TV shows, I
want to list documentaries that our group owns.

How is this data sent to a website and displayed?

I know some basic HTML and a little bit of Java script but this is way over
my head and I will definitely need some help. Do you know any good sources
online for learning how to do this? Is it very difficult?

I thank you for your reply,

Jeff
 
Thank you Kert.

Thats is what I am trying to figure out, as I know I will need more than one
program to accomplish this goal.

I am trying to find out what the rental places use and see if we could use
something like that.

You are right that automatically producing links might be to difficult a
task and might be going a little too far. I have pretty much concluded that
it might just be easier to have a generic form that could be submitted from
the website for lending request instead. My main want though is to have that
list automatically update in alphabetical order anytime we or the other
chapters add a new title.

Thanks again,

Jeff
 
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