Free Form Waybills

Hi Bob-

I've been thinking about something to spice up operations and it would be nice to be able to create free form waybills that could be put into cars to create a little complexity.  Things like bad order cards or even special instruction waybills (i.e. "all cars shipping from XYZ industry must move together") would be nice. 

They would be smaller than a regular waybill to let the operator know they are different/special but would have the same look and feel of the waybills that the program already creates.  I'm probably not explaining this very well but I've seen these a lot on railroads using waybills.  If someone has a better example of what I'm trying to explain I'd welcome their help in trying to explain this.

Thanks again for a great piece of software!

~rb

Are you talking about a

Are you talking about a program to record what you have and the value of it?

We are:

Click on the link below my name, Easy Model Railroad Inventory, to go to the web site.

Enhancement requests 3-7

To date, we've had two enhancement requests:

Enhancement #1 - Wish lists.  See separate thread.  Checkbox added to parts list included v4.3

Enhancement #2 - Free form waybills.  See top of this thread.

I'd like to suggest a few more enhancement requests, numbered to simplify reference.

Enhancement request #3:  End date.  A new field in addition to the build and rebuild dates.  This could be used to note when the item was sold or scrapped. included v3.4

Enhancement request #4:  Option to filter reports by date information.  Currently, there's no way to filter reports for items built before, after or within a specific date range.  The current report filter fields don't support this.  My train club holds ops sessions based on certain roads and time periods, the ability to provide a list of cars I have within the criteria would be nice. included v3.4

Enhancement request #5: Structure sub fields.  This would be similar to the service type drop-down list in the freight/passenger/MOW/nonrev maintenance screen.  Currently, I have all my buildings, autos, scenery, etc. listed as structures, filtering would be appreciated.  Freeform "type" field included v4.3

Enhancement request #6: Electronics Maintenance renaming & sub fields.  This enhancement would:

• rename "Electronics" to "Equipment" to track all my equipment related to model railroading (airbrushes, spray booths, hand tools, etc.) - there's a significant investment there as well.
• Add a sub field similar to the service type drop-down list in the freight/passenger/MOW/nonrev maintenance screen.  This would help differentiate track equipment, DCC, hand tools, etc. by user defined categories. included v3.4.

Enhancement request #7:  Add image field to library maintenance.  This would be only to make the library  maintenance document similar to the others, because I never, ever put my books down where they don't belong and then can't even remember what they look like when I need 'em. 

Again, thanks to Bob for the wonderful database.

Enhancement request #4 does exist

Keven,
The build and rebuild dates are in the report designer query fields for both rolling stock and locomotives. Are there other reports where the build and/or rebuild dates are not?

Enhance #4:Begin/End dates not present in "Report with Pictures"

Apologies; I should have been more specific:  date fields aren't present in "report with pictures".  I usually default to that report to allow folks to review my rolling stock for ops nights - not everyone in the club knows what an XM is, a picture of a boxcar goes further.

Also, the omission of an end date field (enhancement request #3) makes selecting cars in a date range tricky.  If my club wants to have a 1960s night, I can filter out the cars built 1970s+ easy enough, but there's nothing to allow EMRI to filter out steam engines that were scrapped in the 1950s. included v3.4

Enhancement requests 8 - 12

Most of these are variations of a "copy" enhancement, I made separate entries to simplify Bob's prioritization.

Enhancement #8 - Copy Functionality: Library.  EMRI currently allows users to make copy prior rolling stock and locos records with the option of adding a new road number.  It would be nice to have this functionality for the Maintain Library form as well.  Although infrequently used, it would help record multiple volumes of a subject, or individual items from a set. included v3.4

Enhancement #9 - Copy Functionality: Structures (Scenery).  EMRI currently allows users to make copy prior rolling stock and locos records with the option of adding a new road number.  It would be nice to have this functionality for the Structures function as well.  As implied in enhancement #5, I'm using the Structure table for all my scenery items, and I have duplicates of cars (taxis) and some with only color variations. included v3.4

Enhancement request #10:  Copy Functionality: Electronics (Equipment).  EMRI currently allows users to make copy prior rolling stock and locos records with the option of adding a new road number.  It would be nice to have this functionality for the Maintain Electronics form as well.  I'm only in the planning stages of my layout, but I imagine I'll have several identical switches and tortoise machines. included v3.4

Enhancement request #11:  Copy Functionality: Operations/Cosignee.  EMRI currently allows users to make copy prior rolling stock and locos records with the option of adding a new road number.  It would be nice to have this functionality for the Update Cosignee/Destination form as well.  I'm modeling passenger stations, and location is the main difference.  A way to copy station info (including associated product / shipper info), it would be very helpful.

Enhancement request #12:  Update Cosignee/Destination: Specific yard types.  Prototypical railroads can have separate freight and coach yards; currently EMRI yard selection allows all (as a workaround, one can deselect the yard indicator and input each AAR mechanical type allowed).  A one click solution  for freight or passenger would be nice, maybe separate check boxes for the four service types?

Thanks for your consideration.

Enhancement requests 13-14

Enhancement request #13:  Import capability for tools/misc. table.  EMRI currently allows users to import data for equipment, scenery, etc; the tools/misc. table is excluded from the import menu.

Enhancement request #14:  Replace Library OR/RE field with Out of Print checkbox.  The Original / Refinished checkbox seems out of place for the Library table; Out of Print seems a better fit. included v3.8

Thanks for your consideration.

Enhancement requests 15-16

Will add to future release

Structure reports with pictures

I can add a report accessing the structure file including the photos. Will have a query too.

Cross module reporting

Regarding "cross module reporting" that will take some thought. There are some identical fields that might be utilized to build a temporary file that could be used to generate a report. Because of the size of some users databases I think it would be best to limit the number of records using the the date added. The user would enter a date and the report would include the rolling stock, locomotives and structures purchased on or after the date entered.

Enhancement request 17

Best I can do

I have released version 4.3 of Easy Model Railroad Inventory. It does include some of your requests, library and structures.

4.3 is OUTSTANDING!

Thanks for the tweaks - it's really appreciated!  I've updated my prior comments to indicate how responsive you are to these requests.

Keven

Picture is worth a 1000 words

Do you use the Projects section? If so would you like to catalog pictures of your project? Project steps?

Question

Bob, is there possibly a version for Mac computers?

Thanks,

Gary

No MAC version

There isn't a MAC version but there are emulation programs that can be used to run Windows programs on a MAC. I have a number of customers using the Windows emulators.

New version in testing

We have just started to beta test Easy Model Railroad Inventory version 5

Got a request

I have had a request to add an inventory parts list. Much like the parts detail used by the project steps. The biggest difference is a quantity field and multiple locations. I could add these fields to the parts list. Anyone see the need?

Version 5

Version 5 will be released soon. Maybe today or tomorrow if Charter Cable can get there act together.

Inventory parts list - Quantity OK, Enhancements 18-20

Quantity in the inventory report would work for me (beats changing title to reflect number on hand, e.g. "Kaydee #5 couplers - 27")!

I also have a couple more enhancement requests:

18.  Selecting "Purchase Date" from the Electronics spreadsheet creator will include a column labeled purchase date, but lists "Purchased As" data, not "Purchase Date" data.  Could this be corrected?  Included v5.4

19.  I included waay too much data in my notes - Paypal notes, Walthers catalog info, etc.  When I print out structure report with pictures, I sometimes get over a page for some structure entries because of this stuff.  Is there an easy way to deselect printing the notes field, or maybe only the first few lines of each notes entry?  Included v5.4

20.  I have very long lists of vendors and merchants at this point, and have fallen into the habit of double clicking to edit them.  Unfortunately, sometimes a rapid double click causes the data list to shift to the top - so I end up selecting a record I didn't intend.  I'm slowly learning to single click then click on edit - so I guess this is more of a warning to other users than an enhancement request, unless it's a no brainer.

Keven

Next version has:

1. Corrected some spelling mistakes throughout.
2. Corrected electronics spreadsheet column captions.
3. New 2 column structure report with picture.

For # 20 try right clicking.

This version is not yet available.

Parts List vs Parts Inventory

In response, I have an interest in a Parts Inventory as well as a listing of parts. I have several dollars tied up in parts for planned projects but do not include them into the value of the specific inventory item until the project is done. Who knows, I may change my mind on a project and not use the parts but they would be available for another project. Therefore, I would find it beneficial in tracking the parts and their value that I have in an inventory.

Tracking quantities is a major change but there is a new version

of Easy Model Railroad Inventory 5.4. 

Version 5.4 03/01/2012
1. Corrected some spelling mistakes throughout.
2. Corrected electronics spreadsheet column captions.
3. New 2 column structure report with picture.
4. New 2 and 3 column Favorite Picture report.
5. Added Wish List check box to Tools.
6. Part name can now be duplicated.
7. Added Retail name to part record.
8. Added hyperlink to part record.
9. Added Copy button to part file window.

If you have missed any past upgrades it is NOT necessary to be concerned. The current upgrade has all of the prior changes included. Someone could have downloaded the initial beta over a year ago, then installed this upgrade without causing a problem. If you would like to see the complete history of the development of [[Program]] please click: http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/history/history.htm

Please remember to make a data backup and a copy of your RCLTRAIN folder just in case. Also remember that the default installation is C:\RCLTRAIN. If you changed drives or folder names you must select the changed names. If not Easy Model Railroad Inventory installation will install to the default and you will think you have lost your data when it is really in a different folder and/or on a different drive. I do test these installs before the release on my own personal data.

You may download it from http://easy-model-railroad-inventory.rclsoftware.com/download/download.htm.

Items 5 through 9 were all added as a result of feedback.

Enjoy

Email problems

I forgot to mention that some folks who asked to be notified for news and upgrades did not because Comcast has rclsoftware.com black listed. My ISP has requested my sites IP be removed but if the Comcast members would contact them too, it would be a help.

In addition to Comcast:
earthlink.net,
netcom.com,
roadrunner.com,
carolina.rr.com,
woh.rr.com,
new.rr.com,
socal.rr.com, and
mindspring.com

These all may be related to Comcast, I am pretty sure mindspring.com is. But it would not hurt to make a request.