Sunday, January 29, 2017
Contents
Import > from NM Gun Collector Data
����� Group Items in a Collection Using Folders
����� Duplicate a Collection Type
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
nmCollector.Net LLC is
a New Mexico based company that was officially licensed in April of 2001 to develop
and sell collecting software over the internet. Our current efforts are
focused around a general product applicable to any collection which can be run
on any computer operating system. This product is called NM Collector
Software JE (Java Edition).
web
contact form: http://www.nmcollector.net/nmguncollector/contactForm/feedback.php
physical
address:
Clayton J. Pryor
C/O R.
B. White, P.C.
9007 Washington NE
Suite A
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113
NM Collector Software JE (Java Edition) is a
truly portable software designed to be run on any computer with any
operating system from a USB Flash drive. Although it can be installed on the
computer hard drive it is also designed to run entirely off of a USB flash
drive that can be plugged into any computer making it a truly portable
application.
It comes with templates for coin collections, knife collections,
Japanese sword collections, stamp collections, gem collections and others built
in. You can even define your own collection types from scratch if you
wish.
With NM Collector Software JE you can customize the following to
your preferences:
�
Look and Feel - pick and choose your
own fonts including style and size as well as foreground and background colors.
�
Field Headings - standard headings available which you can
modify and/or make your own.
�
Drop Down Values - many provided for each type of collection but
you can add and modify your own.
�
Collection Type Templates - many are provided and you can create
your own.
If you do not like the fields provided you can redefine them to
your own. You get over 32 fields that you can define.
�
Dates can be cleared by selecting �none� in the bottom right
corner of the Date Pop-up window.
�
Data can be sorted in any order in the Statistics Window.� You can then go directly to any item by
double clicking on it in the Statistics Window.
�
When exporting data, remember that you are selecting the
directory to export to.� Do not try to
specify a file name.� The program names
the export file in accordance with the collection type that you are exporting.
�
When importing data from another system, export the data from NM
Collector Software and then rearrange the data you want to import so that it
matches the fields in the exported file.�
This will help insure a successful import.
�
Backup!� Backup!
Backup!� Always back up your data before
any major operation, such as an import, so you can easily recover your data as
it was in case something goes wrong.� The
best way to backup is to copy your entire installation directory (generally the
contents of the USB flash drive or wherever you chose to place the application
on your desktop � generally �C:\NM Collector Software JE� for windows).
The NM Collector Software JE user interface is broken down into
two major components; a tree view and tabs.
The tree view provides your main interface to the entire
contents of your collection. Using the tree view you can add, delete, and
select items to view and update. You can also modify their location relative to
other items in the tree view.
The tabs provide a means for organizing, viewing, and updating
data specific to the individual item selected in the tree view. There is
room for a lot of data so the tabs provide a logical and intuitive organization
for that data.
The tree view is your main tool for organizing your collection
and selecting the items you wish to edit. Following the screen capture
below is a description of the tree functionality.
As you can see from this excerpt, we can view all or parts of
our collections in this tree view. Collection types are shown as a
special "NM" folder while items in the collection type are listed
under the collection type. Some items themselves look like folders while
others look like a simple sheet of paper. More on this
later under "Sub Folders" (below).
The buttons at the top are enabled and disabled as appropriate
for where we are in the tree. In this case we have a collection type (Firearms)
selected so only buttons that apply to an entire collection type are
enabled. At this point it makes sense to Find an
item in the collection or to Insert a new item in the collection. More on the buttons later.
In the picture above we have selected an item to edit. The
values for the selected item are populated in the tabs for easy viewing and editing.
Also note that all of the buttons above the tree are now enabled. All of
them make sense when an individual item is selected.
You can move an item to any location in the Tree view by simply
clicking on it and holding the mouse button while you move it in the tree then
letting go of the mouse button when it is where you want it.
As noted above, some items look like folders while others
don't. You can create sub folders to associate items with other items or
to collect items for whatever reason that makes sense to you. To convert
an item to a sub folder simply select it and click the "Ins" button
to insert a new item to be associated with it.�
Another approach is to "Demote" (Arrow Pointing to the Right)
the item located directly below it. Now you can add other items to the
folder by inserting new items in the sub folder or dragging and dropping other
items to it. Notice that the sub folder still retains its identity as an
item so you can manage information about it.�
In other cases there is no information to manage at the folder level.� An example of a folder that would not require
any data would be a location folder (such as bedroom safe) created simply to
contain items stored in that location.
If the sub folder is an actual item with other items associated
with it, you will want to include it in reports.� However, if the sub folder is simply a
holding place for other items then you will not want to include it in
reports.� Make the appropriate selection
for the �Include in Reports� filed to determine whether or not to include the
selected item in reports.
Find -
locate any item in the tree based on a text value in one of the first
Identification fields. This is particularly useful for large collections.
Copy -
create a new item based on the currently selected item. All relevant ID,
Description, Receipt, and Disposition data will be copied. This is particularly
useful if you acquire many similar items at the same time. Be sure to
change something immediately after the duplication so as to distinguish the
items one from another.
Insert -
create a new item from scratch. If a collection is selected when the
Insert button is pressed, the new item will be inserted as a member of that
selected collection. If an item is selected when the Insert button is
clicked the currently selected item will be converted to a folder and the newly
inserted item will be automatically associated with that item. If this is
not your intent you can use the Demote button below to make the newly inserted
item an equivalent to the selected item.
Delete - delete
the current item. Be careful with this as there is no recovery unless you
recover your database from backup.
Promote (Arrow
Left) - promote (shift left) the selected item.
Demote (Arrow
Right) - demote (shift right) the selected item.
The tabs contain data for the item selected in the tree
view.� There are so many available fields the tabs provide a logical way to organize them.
Captions can be changed to meet your needs on any tab simply by
checking "Edit Captions" and making your changes. Uncheck
"Edit Captions" when you are done.
There are buttons at the top of each tab. The actual
buttons vary by tab. When a button is not enabled that means it does not
apply to the current situation. �
The buttons also vary depending on whether or not you have
selected to automatically apply changes.�
If this option is selected there will be fewer buttons since your
changes are saved automatically.
Even though changes are automatically applied, you still might
feel more comfortable telling it to save your data manually once in a
while.� That is what the save button is
for on this screen.
With this option you get to choose when to save your changes or
not. Buttons are present to support this additional functionality.�
The actual buttons vary by tab. When a button is not
enabled that means it does not apply to the current tab or data condition (data
changed or not changed since last save).
The function of the buttons is as follows:
Clear -
clears the contents so you can start from scratch.
Revert - if
changes have been made on the current page, this button is enabled. It
allows you to revert your data to the last saved
values.
Apply - if
changes have been made on the current page, this button is enabled. It
saves the current values in memory.�
Note: the changes are not stored to disk until you properly close the program.� You may save date to disk at any time by
clicking the Save button.
Save - this
writes your current data which is loaded in memory to disk including all of
your changes since the last write to disk. �
Statistics - this
takes you to the Statistics page.
Close -
closes NM Collector Software JE and save your data to disk.
This tab is used to capture identification information.
Captions are initially populated based on the collection
template selected. These captions can be customized to your
preferences. Of course, changing a caption within a collection type will
apply to all items within that collection type. More on
that under Edit
Captions.
All fields are editable so use them as you wish.
Where there are drop down lists an existing item can be selected or new items
can be added simply by typing a new value in the drop down field. The
next time you need the item it will appear in the drop down and can be
selected.
The bar code field contains an automatic conversion of the
Unique ID into a bar code. This field can be used to quickly locate an
item based on a scan of the bar code. For example, you can print bar
codes to hang tags and tie them to each of your items. While inspecting
an item you can scan the bar code into this bar code field and the system will
immediately locate and make that item current.
For the bar code field to render properly, you must download and
install a free Code 39 bar code font from http://www.idautomation.com/fonts/free/
This tab is used to capture descriptive information that is in
addition to identification information.
As with the identification tab, captions can be changed and all
fields are editable.
This tab is used to capture detailed pictures of the selected item.
This tab should be self-explanatory. Depending on the
picture option selected (Options > Pictures) the picture is either saved in
the database (Save in Database) or in the file system (Save in File System).
If the pictures are too large they can affect the performance of
the application and may not load properly or show up in reports with images.
Please keep them as small as reasonably possible. I have successfully
loaded pictures as large as 2048 x 1360 pixels (1,400 KB) with no problems but you
may be able to load even larger or perhaps smaller pictures depending on the
memory you have available on your system.
Use the �Include In Reports� option to
select what pictures will appear in reports.
You can drag and drop individual or groups of pictures from your
file system directly into this tab.
This tab is used to capture information on your acquisition of
the item.
There can be multiple receipts for any item since an item can be
disposed of and then brought back into the collection for one reason or
another.
This tab is used to capture information on your disposition of
the item.
There can be multiple dispositions for any item since an item
can be disposed of and then brought back into the collection for one reason or
another and then disposed of again.
This tab is used to capture maintenance and repair that has been
performed on the selected item.
The intent of the Increment and Units field is to identify the
interval (other than date) at which the operation was performed and is to be
performed next. For example, if you were to change the oil in your car
every 3 months or three thousand miles, your Completed Increment would be the actual
miles at which the oil change was performed and the Units would be miles.
The Next due date would be three months later and the Next Due increment would
be the current increment plus 3000 miles.
This tab is used to capture events such as shows and outings
with the item.
This should be self-explanatory.
Some advanced collectors, particularly with regard to many U.S.
military firearms, require extensive detailed documentation of the components
found within an item. There is no way to capture these details other than
through the use of a Data Sheet designed specifically for that item. Images
of data sheets can be captured in the pictures section. However, this tab
allows a person to enter textual data sheets that can be reviewed and updated
as appropriate.
Here is an example of a blank M1 Garand Data sheet.
Capture even more descriptive information here. Many more fields
are provided for your customization.
Please note the pre-defined field types including Text (with
drop downs), Currency, Date, and Notes. These field types come with
certain pre-defined expectations for that field type so please use the appropriate
field type for your data.
Capture just about any document, web-site, or folder of
information associated with this item.�
Drag and drop documents, images, or files and they will be automatically
added to the table.� You can also click the
�Add Link� button to manually add a link.�
The table starts out with a placeholder in order to enable drag and
drop.� Use the �Delete� button to delete
the Placeholder or any other row.
Select a row and click the �Open Link� button to open the item
with the appropriate application on your system.� PDF files are opened with Adobe, Word files
are opened with Word, html files and urls are opened
with a web browser, ect.� If you chose to open a urls in your Links table this is one of the only times the software
will connect to the internet.� The other
is if you choose an item from the help menu.
If you resize the window the Description column will adjust to
fit the text in it.
This feature can be your best friend if you have a large collection.
It is also extremely useful if you track purchase, sale, and appraised values
as it will summarize total cost and values for you.
Make changes here or double click on an item in the table to go
to it in the main window. Export the data in various forms including
HTML, XML, and CSV (for importing into Excel). The Refresh button is used
to update any changes made here in the main window.
This should be run occasionally to clean up the database and make
it run more efficiently.
This option opens a window that tells you how to backup your database.
This option opens a window that tells you how to recover your
database.
Use this to export most of the data into an Excel compliant CSV
formatted file.� You select the directory
to export to and the software names the csv file in accordance with the
collection type you have selected.� It
also creates sub-folders to hold the pictures for each item.
All data is exported except:�
Maintenance and Events.� Only the
latest Receipt and Disposition records are exported.� The following table lists examples of the
names of the exported csv file for each collection type.
|
JE
Collection Type |
Exported
CSV File Name |
|
Firearms |
JEFirearms.csv |
|
Knives |
JEKnives.csv |
|
Home Inventory |
JEHome
Inventory.csv |
|
Nihonto |
JENihonto.csv |
|
Stamps |
JEStamps.csv |
|
Coins |
JECoins.csv |
|
OtherCollectionName |
JEOtherCollectionName.csv |
Export your data for later import into the appropriate Android
NM Collector application.� You select the
directory to export to and the software names the csv file in accordance with
the collection type you have selected.�
It also creates sub-folders to hold the pictures for each item.
Be sure to copy the pictures directory as well as the csv file
to your Android SD card for import into the appropriate Android NM Collector
app.� The export function determines the
appropriate Android collection type to export to based
on the currently selected collection type as follows (NOTE:� If you change the name of one of the
collection types listed below they will be exported to NMItems):
|
JE
Collection Type |
Android
Application |
Exported
CSV File Name |
|
Firearms |
NM Guns |
AndroidNMGuns.csv |
|
Knives |
NM Knives |
AndroidNMKnives.csv |
|
Home Inventory |
NM Home |
AndroidNMHome.csv |
|
Nihonto |
NM Japanese Swords |
AndroidNMSwords.csv |
|
Stamps |
NM
Stamps |
AndroidNMStamps.csv |
|
Coins |
NM Coins |
AndroidNMCoins.csv |
|
All Others |
NM Items |
AndroidNMItems.csv |
This menu item has one purpose - to facilitate the migration of data
from NM Gun Collector Software to NM Collector JE. Additional information
can be found at https://www.nmcollectorsoftware.com/support1/Import.htm.
Use this to bring data in from your Android NM Collector
apps.� It will bring in new items, update
existing items with data captured in the Android apps and add pictures from the
Android.� Whatever csv file you pick will
be imported into your currently selected collection type so be sure to pick the
correct Android file for the collection type you have currently selected.
This allows you to bring in data from other NM Collector JE
users or from other applications such as Gunsafe.� To bring data in from other applications, 1)
export NM Collector Software data to see what fields are available, 2) use MS
Excel (or other compatible spreadsheet application such as Open Office) to arrange
the data from your other application to match the data format exported from NM
Collector Software, and 3) import the data.
This writes your current data which is loaded in memory to disk
including all of your changes since the last save to disk. �
Covered earlier in this document.� Select to automatically apply changes.� Deselect to manually apply changes.
Chose Save in Database to save pictures in the database � the actual pictures themselves are stored in the database.�� Chose Save in File System to store pictures in the file system � only a path to the picture is stored in the database.� Saving pictures in the database makes it easier to backup and restore your data but can significantly slow down NM Collector Software.� Storing pictures in the file system makes NM Collector Software run much faster but makes it more difficult to back up and restore because you must manage the pictures separately from the database and make sure they are restored to the exact same paths as they were originally in when added to the Pictures tab.
You can set a password and enable security to prevent others from using your copy of NM Collector Software. Be sure to put the password in a safe place for you will need it to use NM Collector Software after you enable security!
Manage your activation here.
There are many Paste options to simplify entry of the activation
information.� Of course, you must copy
the information before it is available to paste.� J
Use this functionality to change, add, delete, import, export,
print and change Collection Types.�
Hint:� to create a new collection
type based on an existing collection type, export the existing collection type
and re-import it as the new collection type then make your changes to the new
collection type.
You can edit values (other than the ID which is set for you and
maintained by the system) by clicking a value within the table and typing
within that cell. The "Show in Tree" checkbox determines
whether or not the Collection Type will be displayed in the tree.� The following is a description for each
button:
Resynch - used
to update the main tree view with your changes. This will also happen automatically
when you close the Collection Types window.
Export - use
this button to export the selected collection. You select a collection
for export by clicking the name prior to clicking the Export button or from a
drop down after you have clicked the Export button. This can be used to
share your collection type definition with others.
Import - use
to import an exported collection type. If the name of the imported
collection type already exists it will be renamed prior to import so as not to
over write your current definition.
Insert - use
to create a new collection type. Once created go to the main tabs to set
the headings.
Delete -
delete the selected collection type.
Print - print
the table of collection types.
Close - close
the Collection Types window.
Use this functionality to edit drop down lists on each tab.�
Select the Collection Type from the drop down and then the list
you want to edit from the other drop down list. These lists are
automatically populated as you add new values to the drop downs on each
tab. Sometimes you will unintentionally add an item that does not belong
or need to correct the spelling. Use this tool to make those corrections.
Use the Format menu to change the default formats for buttons,
captions, and fields. Here is an example for fields:
You can change the font type, font color, and background
color.
You can also change individual items by double right clicking
the item and selecting the appropriate values to change form the pop up
menu. Here is an example of a special format applied to a key identification
field:
There are many reports available. You can select them
through this menu item.� If you store pictures
in the file system rather than the database you would choose the �In File
System� version of any report with pictures.
If you need a report that you cannot find, please let us know
what that report is so we can develop it for you and others.
Various links to help are provided in this menu item.� These
links will open a browser and connect to an external site to retrieve the
requested information.� This is one of
the only times the software will connect to the internet.� The other is if you have urls
in your Links table.
Nothing helps understanding of a system better than
examples.� Here are links to some useful
examples.� Please give them a try before
asking for help.
�
Migrate Pictures - (Demonstrates: Migrate Pictures from database to file
system, migrate pictures from file system to database, consolidate pictures
spread throughout a file system to the NM Collector Software directory)
�
Home Inventory - (Demonstrates: Creation of new Collection Type,
Creation of new Field Labels, Creation of new Drop Down Lists)
�
Group Items in a
Collection Using Folders - (Demonstrates: Creation of folders within an existing
collection)
�
Create a Wish List - (Demonstrates: Creation of folder to track wish list
and then moving items when wish list item acquired)
�
Duplicate a
Collection Type - (Demonstrates: Creation of a new collection based on
an existing collection)
Question: How do I start NM Collector
Software on the Custom USB Flash Drive?
Answer: Run in accordance with computer
as listed below:
Question: Why can't I enter data? All of
the fields appear to be disabled.
Answer: You need to select a collection
type and then insert an item or edit an existing item already in the
collection. Please see the Create a Wish List example to see how this works.
Question: How do I install and run NM
Collector Software on my Mac?
Answer: I created the following step by
step instructions.
Please carefully follow them! Thanks.
Question: How do I copy NM Collector
Software from one computer to another?
Answer: You can copy your entire NM Collector
Software directory to any computer you want to run it on - no need to install
it on the new computer. Then, to update the data only from one system to the
other just copy the database (nmcswDB) between
computers. Please be careful not to overwrite more recent data with older data!
[Note -
you must use the USB version of the software to run on multiple operating systems
using the method described above]
Question: How do I import my data from NM
Gun Collector software?
Answer: Please see Import Data From NM Gun Collector
Question: Will NM Collector Software meet
the approval of a BATFE C&R FFL inspection?
Answer: Given the new BATFE requirements
for alternate records (found here) the answer is "no". However, given the BATFE definition for a
"Bound Book"(found here) you can print a C&R report from NM Collector Software and assemble
the pages to make up your bound book. Further, the rulings listed above may
change at any time. It is up to you to keep track of the latest BATFE rulings
and make your own decision as to the suitability of this software for your
purposes.
Question: When I use my USB flash drive in
a computer other than the one I originally stored my pictures on the pictures
go away. I store my pictures on the USB flash drive. However, the drive letter
changes on different computers.
Answer: You can manually set your USB
drive letter so that it is the same on any computer. Search for "assign drive letter" to find instructions on
how to do it for your operating system!