solutions wanted any recommendations, please?

[Trevor Fife]

I run an equipment room at a film shcool and we are tyring to make the change from paper to computer for our equipment tracking database. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions of available templates for FM6 that would be ideal for our needs. Basically, students come in and check out equipment, fo off and shoot their projects, and then return a couple of days later Its similar to a video store tape check out. So we need something that will allow us to track the whereabouts of a given piece of equipment and determine if it is available or out with somebody. We also need to integrate a bar code reader with it , so we can scan each inventoried item. Anybody have any suggestions of specific templates, just as a starting point? I'd dislike have to create a formatted database from scratch that didn't work. Many thanks for any ideas.

-trevor fife

[Fenton]

This is a little example file I posted recently to do check out and in. It was done for a "library" type checkout, books, etc.. But the process is much the same. You would obviously need different and more fields for the objects.

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/download.php?Number=156683

[stanley]

Trevor:

Welcome to the Forums.

FileMaker has some quasi-useful templates on their website, one of which is a Lending Library template, available here:

http://filemaker.com/solutions/starter_solutions.html

It is by no means a complete solution, but can help point you in the right direction. As far as barcoding goes, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. A barcode reader works just like a keyboard, so you've got to get the cursor into the right field, then scan the barcode, and it will put the data in the field.

2. Barcodes can be used to launch scripts, so you can have a set of barcodes (scripts) mounted on the wall (or whatever) which start the check-in or check-out process, send you to the right field, and let you scan your items in.

3. Get a good barcode reader. I recommend the HHP 3800 series - they're rugged and dependable, if a bit ugly.

For details, you can post a question in the barcode forum (once you're at that point) & I can give you more specifics.

-Stanley

[Beatrice Beaubien]

Hello Trevor,

I am developing a web FMP 7 solution to track equipment, location shoots, and milestones for teams of filmmakers. I will give you a shout when it is ready to view.

Biti

[ribena]

hi. I too run an equipment room at a film school and have also been looking for something like this (minus the barcode scanning).

As my request for help is much the same as trevor's i hope he won't mind for me to chip in with a few more feature requests... If anyone can help with advice or an open-source solution, I would be most grateful.

I have tried playing around with the Lending Library template but my limited FMP7 knowledge is restricting my ability to modify the template.

Here are some of the things I'm looking at, if anybody has any ideas:

- I would like for the lending library to be accessible online with a login system (would not need to be super secure).

- Users should be able to check for availability on multiple items rather than just one at a time.

- Users should not be able to book items out for more than 3 days at a time though an administrator should be able to extend the booking.

- A calendar view would be great to let the users know when the equipment the want to book will be available next.

- Database should be able to read an XML (or similar) file to determine which students are enrolled in which subjects and to thereby only make the relevant equipment available to them.

- Some users should be able to have priority on booking out certain items.

Cheers!

Trevor, if you come up with a working solution let me know - and I will do likewise...

[ribena]

Biti,

Keep me in touch too please!

Fenton,

Your database looks less daunting to modify than the FMP Lending Library. Thanks! I'll play around with it and see what i come up with...

[FMDuck]

A developer named David Ness in Orlando has written a very clean solution like this for a specific customer. I don't know if would give it away as a template or sell it or what but you can get him at [email protected]

[David Ness]

This week I am putting the finishing touches on a solution for a large University media department to do exactly this. This is a very feature rich solution which can track equipment within classrooms, equipment loaned to students, and to faculty. It handles the moderately complex task of projecting availability based on current rentals and future reservations. It tracks rental histories, accounts for service history, and computes rental fees and fines.

It's not a template, it's a completed solution, that I would be happy to modify for your specific needs, then provide you, for a substantial yet fair price, the unlocked solution for your ongoing customization and maintenance. Using this solution as a starting point will save you months of development time. Screenshots available upon request. Contact me at [email protected] or visit my website at http://www.David-Ness.com

PS: This is a FileMaker 7 solution

Edited August 21, 2005 by Guest

[ribena]

Making progress on my Lending Library solution (FMP7 not as daunting as I intially thought). If anyone wants to collaborate with me on this, that would be great.

[strangeluck]

also trying to set up a database for a film school. has anyone made any progress or have any new solutions? i need something similar to lending library but with the ability to lend an item to multiple contacts (the students shoot in groups).

thanks for any help.