Cataloguing my collection...

Discussion in 'Open Forum' started by David Shouksmith, Apr 30, 2012.

  1. David Shouksmith

    David Shouksmith United Kingdom Founder Member

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    I'm finally getting around to making an index of my lamps and lanterns and using Excel to do it.

    Apart from the usual columns, I want to add one which contains links to my various posts in the Lamp Reference Gallery, the idea being to click on the link in the spreadsheet and have the thread appear.

    I think I managed to achieve this some years ago when I first attempted the exercise on an earlier 'puter, now sadly demised. This time, I'm sticking it on a 1TB external hard drive (should be just about big enough, I think ;) :lol: )

    Anyway, I can't seem to remember how I did it all those years ago. Any spreadsheet whiz-kids out there who can point me in the right direction..?
     
  2. Matthew92

    Matthew92 Subscriber

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    Hi David, I myself don't use spreadsheets very often, although having only left school a few years ago and having done a GCSE in IT, I may be able to help a little. I'm sure you will find it fairly simple entering the data about the lamps you need, so I gather it is the links that you are looking for help with? Assuming that this is the problem I shall try my best to help you. Now I am using Appleworks on an Imac so things may be different but I imagine the principles are the same with Excel.

    After selecting the writing that you would like to link to a certain thread, you need to find the following drop down menu. When you find it (or the Excel equivalent) you need to click on internet. This should bring up a box which asks you to enter the web address that you would like it to access. Copy and paste the address into the URL box and click OK. All being well it should work [-o<

    Alternatively, and I don't want to confuse things. You may have a shortcut to this function in the tool bar at the top of the screen. If you look at my first picture, to the right of the larger menu there are two buttons with chain links on. The second is the one you want.

    In this picture you can see the drop down menus.
    1335824355-Spreadsheet1.jpg

    Here you can see the box. You can name the link and enter the web address in the box below.
    1335824763-Spreadsheet2.jpg

    Repeat this several (Hundreds or Thousands) of times and hopefully you will have you database. I HOPE :oops:
    Let us know how you get on and I will have another look if it doesn't work.
    Best regards Matt
     

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  3. WimVe

    WimVe Subscriber

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    Hi David,
    Started such a project several years ago too.
    As a database, with pictures, dates, prices :oops: etc. etc.

    I must admit that the lamps come and go faster then me keeping the database up to date....
     
  4. David Shouksmith

    David Shouksmith United Kingdom Founder Member

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    Thanks Matthew,

    Your spreadsheet and mine don't have the same features - I can't find any chain icons and 'Create Link' isn't there either. But in looking for those, I did find 'Create Hyperlink' which was what I think I used last time. Unfortunately, AOL appeared to have 'issues' last night so I made no progress, but I'll battle on a bit today. Cheers...

    Just like you, Wim, lanterns come and go - mainly come, so my collection is still growing, unfortunately. So I've decided to limit it to 50 (so that'll probably work out to be 100, then... :roll: ). Without wishing to seem xenophobic, I'm henceforth concentrating on, primarily, British lamps and lanterns followed by some older examples from English-speaking countries. I'm shedding anything produced in a country where they don't speak English - mainly because I never seem to get those bu&&ers running properly. :evil:

    The logic of that means I'll not be buying anything that won't go in my 'top 50' (i.e. top 100). Hence, the spreadsheet won't include anything I'll be selling on. Having said that, it's taken me exactly 10 years to amass this pile of junk, so logically, it's going to take that amount of time to get rid of the majority of it.

    Bloody hell - I'd better start soon... :whistle:
     
  5. iwoo

    iwoo Subscriber

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    I have Excel 2010 but should be similar for earlier versions.

    Hyperlinks are the things to use

    1335862263-excel1.jpg

    Should end up with details of the page and an editable link.

    1335862373-excel_2.jpg 1335862494-excel3.jpg 1335868148-excel4_opt.jpg
     

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  6. David Shouksmith

    David Shouksmith United Kingdom Founder Member

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    Thanks, Ian...

    Mine's a much earlier version of Excel, though somewhat similar to yours. I eventually beat it into submission. :clap:

    What I did was to visit the appropriate page here and then click on 'Browsed Pages' on the 'Insert Hyperlink' dialogue box. The link to the appropriate page comes up and I clicked on that to insert the link into the appropriate cell of the spreadsheet. It works a treat!

    Since I'm now buying fewer lamps and lanterns, I'll add each one to the spreadsheet as it arrives. Eventually I'll get round to posting images here and I'll link to them at that point.

    The stuff I already have will be added as it comes to the surface, or disposed of. That's Plan A, anyhow... [-o<

    Early days yet, but:-

    1335868589-My_Collection_Spreadsheet_modified.jpg
     

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  7. iwoo

    iwoo Subscriber

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    No problems David, glad you managed.
     

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