[Healeys] FileMaker - was Parts Database

[BJ8 Healeys]

The BJ8 Registry uses Excel, although it is not a pure Excel spreadsheet.
It is sort of a Word document in Excel format, but I would call it a
database.  Outside of BMIHT's archives, it probably has more data on BJ8s
than anyplace else -- original manufacturing data as well as current
configuration and ownership history for 7,859 cars.
Excel provides all the search capability necessary for the registry, and
some sort capability, although to produce statistics a lot of manual final
sorting is required.
As of today, the BJ8 Registry occupies 139,106 lines of Excel and has served
my purposes quite well for 14 years now.  If I were just starting it, I
would go with a relational database format like Access but there were more
good reasons to use Excel in the beginning than any other program.

I have used Filemaker Pro, and it is pretty simple to use.  Simpler than
Access, but maybe not as powerful.  For lists of parts, Excel should work
just fine.

Steve Byers
HBJ8L/36666
BJ8 Registry
Havelock, NC  USA

-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Al Malin
Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2012 12:25 PM
To: Healey List
Subject: Re: [Healeys] FileMaker - was Parts Database

Three points: 1) Excel is OK for flat (non-relational) lists, 2) calling it
a database is a stretch, and 3) it is not on all computers including any of
mine.

Before anyone gets their tale in a knot --- Excel is OK if you got it on
your computer and need to keep a simple list.

Al Malin