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Plant tracking program

  • Thread starter elgecko
  • Start date

elgecko

I've got a magic window!
For a very long time I kept track of all my plants (who I got it from, date, re-potting, etc.) in a program called CP-GrowList, which I liked.
I decided to update my computer to Windows 10. Well you guessed it, Windows 10 broke the CP-GrowList program.
So What I'm wondering is what are most people doing to keep track of your plants?
 
It looks like the developer changed the program to track animals.

CritterWare

All you have to do really is add the CP families in as groups (e.g. Nepenthaceae) and away you go. Whether or not the datafiles are compatible I couldn't tell you never having used it.

AFAIK CPGrowlist used the .Net framework so it should work. Have you tried the compatibility modes?
 
I use a notebook..lol im not very tech savy :)
 
It looks like the developer changed the program to track animals.

CritterWare

All you have to do really is add the CP families in as groups (e.g. Nepenthaceae) and away you go. Whether or not the datafiles are compatible I couldn't tell you never having used it.

AFAIK CPGrowlist used the .Net framework so it should work. Have you tried the compatibility modes?
I did try the compatibility modes, Still didn't start.
I thought about checking out the CritterWare program.



Tags in pots
That does not help with all the info I keep for my plants. Different notes on how plants grew in different media, who I got it from, when, last time re-potted and what soil mix, etc, etc..



I've used Excel for single straight rows. How would it work if I wanted to keep every entry of when I re-potted the plant? I don't think I can explain what I mean properly.... not sure excell would make the cell the way I'd want. I may have to play around with it to see if I can get it to do what I want.
 
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For the amount of data you intend to keep on your plants I would recommend creating your own database. The first one that comes to my mind is Microsoft Access; but not many people have it because you usually have to buy the more expensive version of MS Office in order to get it. I have heard great reviews about Firebird, which is a completely free open-source database program. Firebird: About Firebird

I'm no database expert; but with a little bit of "training" from google & youtube you can probably develop the structure of what you want quickly; and add to it as you go. Each plant can be assigned a "unique ID number" for easy retrieval. Upon clicking on a plant you can create a seemingly infinite number of categories such as information as it relates to media, repotting, fertilizing/feeding dates, trades, growing conditions, etc.

Whichever you decide to do, good luck!
 
The StockMan / Critterware runs under Win10. You might need to run CPGrowlist as an Administrator - right click on shortcut - run as administrator. I find a few of my older programs need to run as Administrator. You can set this in the properties too.
 
Old fashioned pen and paper for me. I have a nice notebook that I track everything in. I don't keep as much information as you though. I would think that you could probably use excel for that though. You can manipulate excel a lot if you know how.
 
  • #10
Once upon a time I used CP Growlist as well, and then fell back upon just tags when the data entry became tedious.

However, as a suggestion, you could try Scrivener. Even though it's primarily a word-processor software, it has a lot of functions related to keeping resource materials and notes close at hand to streamline the writing process. Each "project" creates it's own folder, and with the software open, you can add subfolders, notes, hyperlinks to both web pages and hard-drive files, and even imbed photos. I could see how you could easily create a CP database from it.
 
  • #11
Tap Forms db: https://www.tapforms.com/

Database can be exported as CSV files, etc, so its not locked in to the TapForms utility. I will no longer use a utility that locks you in to a proprietary file/data format, since we've learned how poorly most of these fare when it comes to long term preservation of data. If the utility cannot export to something like a CSV file, its not going to find its way into my toolkit.
 
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  • #12
On a different note, has anyone upgraded to Win 10, and had some slowdown issues, the blue swirly circle thing?
 
  • #13
Some time ago I created an MS Access database to track my collection. You're welcome to use the template (i.e., the structure minus my data) if an Access solution interests you, or just for getting ideas on structure.
 
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  • #14
Given my occasionally antagonistic relationship with electronics (the weasels at the local Apple Store were impressed that I managed to destroy two Powerbook hard drives, in short order), I have maintained physical notebooks for years; though have scanned them from time to time, to insure against loss . . .
 
  • #15
I keep a record in Word of every new plant I get, the sender and the date. I will at some point get round to moving it into Excel but this one's easier for me to update to the forum I use all the time.
 
  • #16
I keep track of everything too, including germ/dates fert/schedules etc. I use ms OneNote now. It makes a backup ever time you close it, and syncs that backup to all devices with your ms account.
 
  • #17
I keep track of everything too, including germ/dates fert/schedules etc. I use ms OneNote now. It makes a backup ever time you close it, and syncs that backup to all devices with your ms account.

OneNote is a proprietary utility that does not allow exporting of your data in anything but other "locked in" file formats, such as Word and PDF. The long term accessibility of .ONE files is far from ideal.
 
  • #18
OneNote is a proprietary utility that does not allow exporting of your data in anything but other "locked in" file formats, such as Word and PDF. The long term accessibility of .ONE files is far from ideal.

Well, "word" and "pdf" files aren't exactly proprietary. There are many applications now (such as OpenOffice / LibreOffice and TurboPDF) that can both open, and save in those file formats. Freely, I might add. Those file extensions aren't going away anytime soon.
 
  • #19
Critterware is using xml files. Perhaps CPGrowlist too. XML is tne new CSV. They are actually better because the data schema is contained in the file and quotation marks, single quotes, tabs and commas embedded in the data don't cause problems as they do in CSV files.
 
  • #20
Thanks for all the ideas......

WHT!.... CP-GrowList opened. LOL

I tried the compatibility modes several times yesterday. Reinstalling the program. Restarting the computer......and now for some reason I tried one more time just now and it opened. Didn't re-start the computer since yesterday, when I tried that after re-installing and such.
Crazy.
 
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