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survey database program

PostPosted: May 5, 2014 2:27 pm
by gindling
I was told to move this here for better topic enjoyment.

I was wondering what program people use for their cave surveys. The Montana Cave Survey is on Excel, though I feel it could be better, and I am about to compile all of our Peru points and descriptions which are just a word doc right now.

So is there a program you all use or recommend? I like the one line system of the TCS for quick reference but I would also like to have embedded links for an image of a map, entrance photo, detailed narrative, etc. And if it was searchable that would also be a bonus, for instance, all caves that have a hundred foot pit in Missoula County.

arcGIS would have many of these features I would think, but its an expensive program from what I've seen.

Thanks!

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 5, 2014 3:42 pm
by trogman
AL uses Excel, although all the data is on the website in searchable format, not sure what. Excel works good for me; allows me to manipulate data easily and then convert to CSV as POIs, which I load in my GPS. If you want to know all the 100'+ pits in Jackson County, you can simply use the data filter.

Trogman :helmet:

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 4:12 am
by batrotter
The Indiana Cave Survey uses some sort of SQL. Our last database was in MS Access.

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 6:33 am
by Leclused
I use Speleobase. a speleo application written and maintained by P de Bie, a caver from Belgium..

Everything you need to know can be found here : http://www.scavalon.be/avalonuk/software/speleobase.htm

I think most of your requiremens will be fullfilled and much more.

Have fun.

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 8:20 am
by Martin Sluka
I hope, Jeff will be not very angry. ;)

Everything is accesible after export from Therion to SQL database. It is standard export feature.

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 10:56 am
by Chads93GT
Assuming all of the caves are mapped?

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 11:30 am
by gindling
I'm liking the SpeleoBase Leclused. You're right, it has all that I asked for and more, thanks for the link.

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 2:03 pm
by Leclused
gindling wrote:I'm liking the SpeleoBase Leclused. You're right, it has all that I asked for and more, thanks for the link.


No problem to help other cavers is the moto of P de Bie :-) Feel free to pass the info in your speleo community.

Dagobert L'Ecluse (aka Leclused)
Antwerp-Belgium
www.scavalon.be
scavalon.blogspot.Be

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 6:54 pm
by rlboyce
Check out Google Forms (http://forms.google.com/). You can setup a generalized questionnaire with inputs (Cave name, length, county, etc), and when the form is submitted it can upload the data into a properly organized Google Spreadsheet. Completely customizable. Shareable with anyone (or no one, if you prefer). Accessible from any device connected to the internet. Kind of cool. I am seriously considering doing this for myself.

If you know how to copy and paste, it sounds like you may be able add additional functionality to the Google Form with user scripts, such as uploading images as part of the questionnaire process (map, photos, etc.). It's not standard though.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1546 ... 2#15474002.

Here's something else that isn't quite the same thing, but is somewhat related:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/receive- ... ive/19697/

Sounds like there are some online database tools (not free) that incorporate image uploading as well. Could make it a little easier for you... for a price. Several services are mentioned in this thread: https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... rhneYXs6sJ

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 6, 2014 8:48 pm
by gindling
Is this a correct format to import into SpeleoBase Leclused? There is no length as it is just a pit.
Waypoint|cave name|depth|length|entrance type|coords|elevation|founder|surveyed?
BIRDAY|Birthday Pit|46.1||vertical|12 M 208701 9218946|4145m|Jim/john|Y

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 7, 2014 1:06 am
by Leclused
gindling wrote:Is this a correct format to import into SpeleoBase Leclused? There is no length as it is just a pit.
Waypoint|cave name|depth|length|entrance type|coords|elevation|founder|surveyed?
BIRDAY|Birthday Pit|46.1||vertical|12 M 208701 9218946|4145m|Jim/john|Y


Hi,

Can you sent me a PM explaining what you are trying. Perhaps with some screen shots or sample data file ? Then I'll take a look at it tonight at home. It's a while ago that I did an import in Speleobase myself.

But when I look at the structure above I would think it's ok. Now back to the office work :grin:

Dagobert L'Elcuse

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 7, 2014 1:01 pm
by Leclused
Gindling

I've tried the import starting from your sample data and had no problems.

First a few hints !
- Take a look in speleobase to the names of the fields that can be imported and the sequence. The sequence doesn't matter but if you make your text file in the same sequence as the standard import sequence from speleobase the ordering for import goes a lot quiker.Open "Text conversion wizard" in "import function", click on "ok" and you will see a screen with the coversion steps, in step 1 you see the list of all fields that can be imported.
- Try it out with a file with one or two caves in it and you will see that it is not difficult at all.

Now the import proces

step 1:
make a txt file from the data that you want to import divided by pipe. Try to match your columns already with the fieldnames from speleobase. That will make following step easier.
Now go to "import functions" in speleobase
step 2:
Use "Text conversion Wizard" to convert the txt to and import dBF file via speleobase. Follow the steps in Speleobase it is very simple
Step 3
Use the "Import Wizard" to load the import dbf file into speleobase. Follow the steps in spelobase, again very simple.

And finish


BR

Dagobert
Sc Avalon - Belgium

Re: survey database program

PostPosted: May 9, 2014 12:20 pm
by gindling
Thanks! I appreciate your help.

Unfortunately I don't have access so I am having to put in all the pipes by hand and delete unwanted data from when I exported the waypoints from Garmin Basecamp program, and there are @400 waypoints... but at least I dont have to enter all the coords by hand!

And I found the Replace function on the text program. Speeds things up considerably.