Creating software?

Rich08

jinx_uk_98 wrote: »

are you thinking of reselling this software? or is it just for your own use?

reselling is nt really the prime motivator and in truth id probably happily share it around my collegues free....but if in time it became a sellable product then why not!

Its a project thats been on and off the back boiler over the years but recently when planning on buying one of the applications dedicated to chefs food cost control i was left disappointed in the software available and frankly whats out there only pays lip sevice by comparison to whats really needed for it to be worthwhile
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so short answer for now id call it a work related hobby and see how it develops.

Rich08

ingresman wrote: »

As you've got hold of the express VS tools you wil be able to use the express SQL Server database. It's free, no licence stores up to 4gb of data and supports just about everything its grown up brothers will do. It's also very well intergrated into the other microsoft tools.
Gird your loins though you'll need to get up to speed on database design, database implmentation, program design, userinterface design then do the actual coding. This all while your doing Chef work ?
Here's my radical idea. It seems what you want to is fairly simple when you boild it down. I presume you have a local technical college (6th college near you ???). They will be teaching A level computing, get in touch with the head of department and see if he can advertise a short programming job for one of the students for over the summer. Give them a few hunderd quid to do it. Everyone wins, you get to chef/run your business - student gets some money and experience.
hope this helps !

Thanks for the info and i take your point on the day to day work pressures on top of learning a plethora of new skills .

It has crossed my mind to hook up with a college student that could do the programming whilst i take care of the practicalities of communicating the idea across and if i dont grasp the programming i do want to build on this as i have a food costing course i wrote that can be incorporated also(example: if the correct profit margins are nt achieved then maybe a pop up that lists the actions to rectify poor profitability or analysing where stock holding is too high etc leading to wasteage etc etc.)

Thanks again for your input and much appreciated....Rich

Rich08

be_alright wrote: »

isofar has hit the nail on the head in all of his posts on this.

You could do this for yourself in Microsoft Access, so if I were you I'd go to the local library and get some books on SQL (Structured Query Language) and Microsoft Access and sit down and allocate time each day to work through the tutorials and learn the programs, then when you start to build up and understanding of the applications you can start applying this to starting this project.

I ve just had a quick look at access and ill download the trial version later on tonight after work and see how i get on with it.Im also kind of looking forward to playing with vb again later on also...but the more ideas the better

thanks ...Rich

[Deleted User]

Personally, i'd hack something together with mySQL, php and run it on an apache server using a web front end. You could locally host the box (i.e. install it all on the PC you plan to use) so that it would be nice and fast. It wouldn't technically be 'on the internet' but run locally. You would be able to access that PC remotely (via the web) and check stats and things.. You can download 'all in one' php/apache/mySQL installers for windows and get them set up very quickly.

If you wanted to ever sell it, it would be far more viable than an access database. It doesn't sound like a 'small job' though. Often translating things from spreadsheet to application aren't

Note: I'm an IT consultant on a national multi-billion pound project and I specialise in messaging services

buglawton

If you are very clear about what functionality you need but no strong on programming, you could have a freelancer write the application. You could use screen print s from your own spreadsheets and from that trial program to describe the design in a 'like this but with these extra bells & whistles added on" sort of way. A freelancer can even build a licensing system into the finished result (there are kits to do everything). Just double check that nothing too similar already exists.

rmg1

From what you've put as a the software requirements, Excel could quite easily be made to do what you want. I could create a system which you could enter the invoice details into, it would work out the prices, give you various percentages and even do the stock taking.

It would take a bit of time to sort out the exact requirements/outputs, but it would have the advantage of being portable as most office PC's now have Windows and a version of Office on them. You could even pass on a "blank" copy to various colleagues for them to create there own tables.

Rich08

buglawton wrote: »

If you are very clear about what functionality you need but no strong on programming, you could have a freelancer write the application. You could use screen print s from your own spreadsheets and from that trial program to describe the design in a 'like this but with these extra bells & whistles added on" sort of way. A freelancer can even build a licensing system into the finished result (there are kits to do everything). Just double check that nothing too similar already exists.

Hi
On one hand im really keen to have a go but on the other i think it could be asking too much to learn and then create an application which is very complexed, when i begin to list all the features that i see in my mind going into this it is daunting.

It has crossed my mind to team up with someone with the required skills but im not sure if im asking that person to take more to the table than i would be doing as everything tht i would want put into the application ive been doing for years but in a variety of spreadsheets,reports and using a simple calculator and pen,so not sure its a balanced split of labour.

On the commercial front theres no doubt theres a market for a tool that removes hours of stocktaking,foodcosting etc etc so on that front perhaps it could be tempting for someone to come on board.

For now im going to play with a few applications and see how i get on

thanks for your thoughts...Rich

Rich08

rmg1 wrote: »

From what you've put as a the software requirements, Excel could quite easily be made to do what you want. I could create a system which you could enter the invoice details into, it would work out the prices, give you various percentages and even do the stock taking.

It would take a bit of time to sort out the exact requirements/outputs, but it would have the advantage of being portable as most office PC's now have Windows and a version of Office on them. You could even pass on a "blank" copy to various colleagues for them to create there own tables.

Alot of what ive mentioned i do have up and running and working on adding to the spreadsheet now but where i keep feeling restricted is in the database facet of what i see in my mind.

Another concern i have is that chefs are not renowned for their computer skills and in turn to allow easy updating of prices etc alot of the sheet has to remain unprotected and its amazing how often i have to correct a simple stocksheet because someones messed up the formulas by adding items without updating the sheets formulas and other similiar mistakes....I need something thats tamper proof and easy for the end user to find mistakes they have made when inputting.

In saying that im keen to keep developing my spreadsheet as a proto type for whichever way i take it forward,

thanks ...Rich

Rich08

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Personally, i'd hack something together with mySQL, php and run it on an apache server using a web front end. You could locally host the box (i.e. install it all on the PC you plan to use) so that it would be nice and fast. It wouldn't technically be 'on the internet' but run locally. You would be able to access that PC remotely (via the web) and check stats and things.. You can download 'all in one' php/apache/mySQL installers for windows and get them set up very quickly.

If you wanted to ever sell it, it would be far more viable than an access database. It doesn't sound like a 'small job' though. Often translating things from spreadsheet to application aren't

Note: I'm an IT consultant on a national multi-billion pound project and I specialise in messaging services

Hello Ringo
I appreciate you taking the time to suggest the above but in all truth you lost me at apache server:o.

i think for now ill look into the ideas of developing it on excel,learning vb and microsoft access and i might put the feelers out via nieces and nephews at uni to see if they know anyone that would want to come on board for a percentage.(websites straight forward enough as ill get my daughter to put one together and i can link via some pro chef frums im a member off here and in the states

thanks....Rich

[Deleted User]

Well, i never like to baffle people.. so here's the terms

mySQL - a database
php - a programming language commonly used to develop website applications
apache server - a web server - the software that runs on a computer that enables it to host websites

If I was in your position, i'd leave it all in the hands of Excel. Re-design what you have to make it look nicer (hide all the 'working mechanisms') and don't focus on the commercial aspect of it. If it works in Excel, keep it there. MS Access isn't good enough for creating a commercial product, nor is VB. If you feel like expanding your knowledge, go for it, but it'll be quite a learning curve.