Ive issued the very first version of the master database last week with the first few copies of Ideas Genie Pro.
Its in a very "rough-cut" form at this stage, but refinement is the biggest project on the agenda after the release of IG Pro.
I'm inviting all members to contribute to this. Updates can be made available on a regular basis, but I will raise that in another topic for open discussion.
The first to receive it were our forum members MikeSanders (England) and Greenfinger (Belgium).
Also Stacy (Minnesota, USA) Karen ((Idaho, USA) and Sylvie (France)
Mike worked closely with me on developing the new Labels program.
First you must:
Install Ideas Genie or Ideas Genie Pro
Register using the licence supplied.
At any time:
a) In the "early days", the Master Database was supplied as a supplement on the IG Pro installation CD.
If you have the Master Database on your IG Pro Installation CD (names above, plus others)
Put the installation CD into the drive (Ideas Genie Pro).
The autoinstaller will present dialog boxes.
Click Cancel
The CD is now a Data source
b) Current distribution. The Master Database is supplied on a separate CD.
If you have the Master Database on its own CD, simply put the CD in the drive.
Having done either a) or b), Start IG or IG Pro
There are now a number of options to use the Master
EXPLORE - Use it in review mode (Explore the master database)Start ANY action program (e.g. GA027, GA004 etc in IG, FG037 in Flower Genie)
Click on the data source pop-up
In the list, Select "IGMaster"
Explore the database
If you wish to add a plant from the database to your database, do this:
Adding plants from the Master to YOUR database on hard disc
Method 1 - Whilst working on your own database
You are working on your own database and decide to add a new plant, preferably by importing it from the master database.
Heres how (IGpro only at present)
Start GA004 or GA037
Click Add a Plant button
Screen GA100S00 appears
Start typing the Genus name.
As you type, keep an eye on the two green fields immediately below.
The first green field is associated with YOUR database (the GF1 field)
The second green field is associated with your master database (the GF2 field)
Keep typing until the required Genus name appears in the GF2 field.
Click into GF2
A list of all plants in the master database for that Genus will appear.
If it says "New" at the end of the plant names, then, well, you?ve guessed it, its new to your database on hard disk.
To add, click on the required plant, and then "Add from Master" button.
The plant will be added to your database.
When the list is refreshed, it wont say "New" at the end of that plant name
Method 2 Adding plants from the Master to a SWAP database on hard disc (NOT your MAIN database)
A Copy this Plant button appears only you select an alternative database using the Data Source pop-up.
Incomplete at present, but you will soon be able to do this.
Start GA004 or GA037 (IG Pro only at present)
Click on the data source pop-up
Select "IGMaster Database"
You can now explorer the Master database.
You find an interesting plant.
Click to select the plant and click the Copy this Plant button
Method 3 - Whilst exploring the Master database
Adding plants from the Master to a SWAP database on hard disc (NOT your MAIN database)
(See instructions in another topic on the forum on how to create a SWAP database on your computer)
Start GA004 or GA037 (IG Pro only at present)
Click on the data source pop-up
Select "IGMaster Database"
You can now explorer the Master database. You find an interesting plant.
In GA004S01, click Add a Plant button
Screen GA100S00 appears
Look for the Show Masters/Show All radio button
Click Show all.
Select your own database on Hard disc in the Master databases found on this computer pop-up.
Start typing the Genus name and keep typing until the required Genus name appears in the (first) green field immediately below.
Lets call that "GF1" = Green field 1
Click into GF1
A list of all plants in the Master database for that Genus will appear.
If it says "New" at the end of the plant names, then, well, you?ve guessed it, its new to your database on hard disk.
To add, click on the required plant, and then click the "Add to Master" button
The plant will be added to your database which you selected using the show all button and pop-up.
More notes: It you look up Acer or Camellia, it can run into hundreds of plants.
Use the appropriate filter buttons to filter the list e.g. You can key a few characters with say "jap" to isolate the japonicas, or "A" to show cultivars beginning with A etc etc
More notes
Try this:
In GA100S00, Start typing the Genus name again
Since you added a plant from the master, you now have plants from both Genus in each database.
Keep typing until the Genus name (in full) appears in both GF1 and GF2
Click into GF1
Plants in YOUR database which are not in the master will show up as "new"
Click into GF2
Plants in the master which are not in YOUR database will show up as "new"
Thats all for now.
Comments please!!
