csv files, you can open those files in a spreadsheet.Ģ) In the File Type list of the Open window, select Text CSV (click in that list and type T four times).įigure 2: Selecting the Text CSV file formatģ) Select the CSV file and click Open. You’ll want to have it set up to look something like this, with field labels across the top, and with each piece of data separate. You either have your data in a spreadsheet already, or you can get it into a spreadsheet pretty easily. It acts as a middle man saying “The data’s over there, with these fields – go get it.” Getting Data Into a Spreadsheet The spreadsheet doesn’t have the power to do mail merges, but the database file pointing to it does. This process creates an database file that points to your spreadsheet of information. This is simple and if you don’t need advanced database features, it’s all you need. Get your data in a spreadsheet, then create a database file that can read the spreadsheet.
If you want the most results for the least trouble, here’s what I recommend. If you’re a database god and enjoy spending time deep in a database—well, you can do anything you want.
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You can download and install from Once you’ve got the program installed, you’ll complete these steps. Even better, it’s free, since you can use the free open source office suite to do everything. Putting together a database and creating the forms to print what you want takes more than a couple steps, but it’s not that difficult. You could also print out a record of all your movies or music, if you keep notes on them such as summaries, who you’ve loaned them to, and anything else you track. What’s the point of doing a database when you can just type it all into a spreadsheet, for instance? Well, a spreadsheet is a good start but with a database you get a lot more features, including easily printing custom labels for all those legal backups you’ve made.
This might seem like more of a pain than you can stand.
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The box full of index cards has served its purpose it’s time to move on to storing information about your CDs and DVDs in a database. If you’re serious about music or DVDs, at some point you cross the threshold of having more than you can keep track of easily.