This is me ranting about my stupidity, which is why you are getting a double post (plus, the previous post was kind of lame). I've tried to explain my issues with the computer program I'm using as best as I can, but feel free to just smile and nod and pretend you know what I'm talking about. And send chocolate. I'm clearly upset by this, so if you are a true friend/family member/husband, you would send chocolate. My address is: Apartment building on the street with the bakery, next to the empty lot full of goats, but before the farm, Edfu, Egypt.
Ok:
Remember that FileMaker database I made and was so proud of? Yeah, I went to fill it in yesterday and realized that I'd done a lot of it wrong. See, when I told it I wanted 2 of a field on a sheet, I meant that I just wanted the same header twice. So something like:
Types Of Dessert I Wish We Were Having
Ice Cream (checkbox) Number [Number]
Chocolate (checkbox) Number [Number]
Candy (checkbox) Number [Number]
Simple, yes? Well what I didn't realize was that when I filled in one of those number fields, ALL of them get filled it. I have to create separate fields (ie "Number 1", "Number 2", "Number 3") and then once they are on the sheet, rename the field header (but not the data entry box) to remove the numbers. In other words, the edit sheet should look something like:
Number [Number 1]
Number [Number 2]
Ok, fine, it's stupid and takes forever, but I can fix that. Now I go to fill in the layout again, thinking everything is a-ok! Except that apparently, this stupid issue also occurs over multiple layouts (basically mini-databases) in the same database. So that means that every single time that I have a field to enter the date in all my different layouts, it has to be [Date 1], [Date 2], [Date 3]. GAAAAAAA!
So at this point, I'm fed up and decide I'll just scrap it and start over. It'll be cleaner and better and I'll just be a happier person, even if it means about 3 hours of work just got flushed down the toilet. So I start creating a new one and have a thought about how I might be able to combine 2 of my layouts into one. I can't decide whether or not it's a good idea, so I ask Kat and Tasha. Both of them have great suggestions on what I should do, but both of those require my database to do really complex calculations and scripts and what-have-you. Seeing as I'm basically at the point of knowing how to change the font to pretty colors, complex calculations are way beyond my scope.
Insert the internet. If my husband has taught me anything, it is that you can find the user manual of just about everything on the internet. So I've got the manual (I even made sure it was the correct version of the software, too, cause how annoying would THAT have been?!). I'm planning to read through the whole thing and figure out exactly what this baby can do. I'm going to read it, I'm going to understand it, I'm going to make an awesome database, and I'm going to teach Kat and Tasha how to make their databases awesome, too. I am amazing and talented and most of all, stubborn. This program will not defeat me, as it is inanimate. I will read this manual and learn ALL THE THINGS... starting tomorrow. After messing with this for 3 hours, I need to take a break.
How long do we think it will take before I completely give up and just find someone to pay to do it? If I give updates, will you guys help make sure I don't do that? Don't let me, ok? I'm a smart person and I can figure this out, even if the most complicated thing I've ever done with software is make Excel concatenate fields (which I don't even remember how to do any more). Oh dear.
Ok:
Remember that FileMaker database I made and was so proud of? Yeah, I went to fill it in yesterday and realized that I'd done a lot of it wrong. See, when I told it I wanted 2 of a field on a sheet, I meant that I just wanted the same header twice. So something like:
Types Of Dessert I Wish We Were Having
Ice Cream (checkbox) Number [Number]
Chocolate (checkbox) Number [Number]
Candy (checkbox) Number [Number]
Simple, yes? Well what I didn't realize was that when I filled in one of those number fields, ALL of them get filled it. I have to create separate fields (ie "Number 1", "Number 2", "Number 3") and then once they are on the sheet, rename the field header (but not the data entry box) to remove the numbers. In other words, the edit sheet should look something like:
Number [Number 1]
Number [Number 2]
Ok, fine, it's stupid and takes forever, but I can fix that. Now I go to fill in the layout again, thinking everything is a-ok! Except that apparently, this stupid issue also occurs over multiple layouts (basically mini-databases) in the same database. So that means that every single time that I have a field to enter the date in all my different layouts, it has to be [Date 1], [Date 2], [Date 3]. GAAAAAAA!
So at this point, I'm fed up and decide I'll just scrap it and start over. It'll be cleaner and better and I'll just be a happier person, even if it means about 3 hours of work just got flushed down the toilet. So I start creating a new one and have a thought about how I might be able to combine 2 of my layouts into one. I can't decide whether or not it's a good idea, so I ask Kat and Tasha. Both of them have great suggestions on what I should do, but both of those require my database to do really complex calculations and scripts and what-have-you. Seeing as I'm basically at the point of knowing how to change the font to pretty colors, complex calculations are way beyond my scope.
Insert the internet. If my husband has taught me anything, it is that you can find the user manual of just about everything on the internet. So I've got the manual (I even made sure it was the correct version of the software, too, cause how annoying would THAT have been?!). I'm planning to read through the whole thing and figure out exactly what this baby can do. I'm going to read it, I'm going to understand it, I'm going to make an awesome database, and I'm going to teach Kat and Tasha how to make their databases awesome, too. I am amazing and talented and most of all, stubborn. This program will not defeat me, as it is inanimate. I will read this manual and learn ALL THE THINGS... starting tomorrow. After messing with this for 3 hours, I need to take a break.
How long do we think it will take before I completely give up and just find someone to pay to do it? If I give updates, will you guys help make sure I don't do that? Don't let me, ok? I'm a smart person and I can figure this out, even if the most complicated thing I've ever done with software is make Excel concatenate fields (which I don't even remember how to do any more). Oh dear.
