Suisoft KitBase - User Guide
Table of Contents
© Copyright Suisoft Limited, 2008-2012
KitBase is a database application designed for scale modellers and collectors. The database records kits and accessories in a structured way so that you can keep track of them.
Please see the Suisoft KitBase website for the main features.
I developed an early version of KitBase a few years ago for my Dad, a keen modeller and collector.
This version of KitBase has been created from scratch to enable it to be installed and used by any modeller with
a reasonably modern Windows PC.
KitBase has gone through several phases of improvement following feedback from the modelling community.
If you have any comments and suggestions, please leave feedback: www.suisoft.co.uk/contact.htm
I can't promise to make all changes that are requested but I'll try to factor them in to future releases.
- Gary Marples, Developer - Suisoft Limited
If you haven't already, you need to download the KitBase installer from:
http://www.suisoft.co.uk/kitbase/download.htm
KitBase requires the Microsoft .NET Framework (v3.5). The framework is a set of standard
functionality that provides a robust foundation for building applications.
If you have Windows 7 or Vista, the framework should have been installed automatically.
Under Windows XP it is an optional update.
If you don't have the framework installed already, the KitBase installer will download and
install it from the Microsoft website automatically.
Open the KitBaseInstaller [.exe] file. First of all, the setup files will be unzipped into
a folder called KitBaseInstaller in the same location as the installer.
Click Unzip to do this.
Click OK to close the '2 file(s) unzipped successfully' message.
The Setup program will now start automatically
If you run windows as a User you may be prompted to login as an Administrator. Like most applications, KitBase requires administrative access to install the program in your Program Files folder.
Click 'Next' on the Welcome Screen.
Click 'I Agree' once you have read through the license agreement then click 'Next'
At this point, you can choose an installation folder. It is recommended that you leave this
as default. Only the program will be placed in this folder. You can choose where to store
your data later.
You can also choose whether to install for 'Just Me' or 'Everyone'. If you choose Everyone,
the desktop icon and Suisoft / KitBase Start menu folder will be set up for every user on
your computer. If you choose 'Just Me' the icons/start menu will only be present for the
user you are logged on as now.
Important: If you logged on as administrator (in the step above) you
will need to choose 'Everyone', otherwise your 'user' logon won't have icons/start menu options for KitBase.
Click next once you have set the options as appropriate.
Click next to proceed with installation.
Once the installation has completed, run KitBase by double clicking the desktop icon.
The first time KitBase starts it will check for an existing database in your My Documents folder.
If you have a database already, KitBase will use it automatically.
If KitBase doesn't find a database, the KitBase Database Setup screen will be displayed.
The default option is to create a brand new KitBase database in a folder called 'Suisoft KitBase' in
your My Documents folder. This is recommended as you should be backing up your documents folder regularly,
therefore KitBase files will be backed up as well.
By default, a new database will be created with some master lists already setup. For example, Kit Types such as
Aeroplanes, Vehicles etc. will be set up. Manufacturers will also be set up, for example Airfix. If you want to
set up your master lists from scratch, untick the 'Create Common Master Lists' box.
If you are happy with the default options, click the OK button to create your database.
If you want to create your KitBase database in a specific location, choose the 'Custom' option then
click the 'Choose Location for New Database' button. Browse to the folder of your choosing and click Save.
Note that you can create a new folder using the 'Create New Folder' icon at the top of the Browse window.
A file called "Kits Database" [.KitBase] will be created. When you start associating images and documents
with your kits, a folder called "Kits Database.KitBase_KitFiles" will also be created in the same location.
The 'Create Common Master Lists' option still applies, as described above.
If you have used KitBase before and created your database in a custom location, you will need to re-connect KitBase to the database. Choose the 'Existing' option then click the 'Browse to Existing Database'. Browse to the "Kits Database" [.KitBase] file that was created by your earlier installation and click OK.
If you would like to know more about the KitBase files, please see the FAQ.
The first place you are likely to start is by cataloging your stash of kits. When KitBase first
starts you will be shown the Kit List screen with 'Owned Kits' selected in the navigation bar
on the left hand side.
Click the 'Add' button to enter the details of the kit.
You can 'Edit' and 'Delete' kits from any of the lists (owned, wanted etc).
You can also enter a list of kits that you would like to obtain in the future. To do this,
choose 'Wanted Kits' from the navigation bar on the left hand side of the Kit List screen.
If you obtain a kit that is in your wish list, you can edit the kit and change its status.
Choose 'Wanted Kits' from the navigation bar on the Kit List screen.
Select the kit in the list and click the 'Edit' button.
Change the Status to 'Owned' and fill in any sales details that you have and click 'Save'.
If you decide to sell a kit, you should 'Edit' the kit from the 'Owned Kits' list and change its
status to 'Sold'.
Choose 'Owned Kits' from the navigation bar on the Kit List screen.
Select the kit in the list and click the 'Edit' button.
Change the Status to 'Sold' and fill in any sales details that you have and click 'Save'.
Note that you can directly 'Add' a kit into the 'Sold Kits' list if necessary.
Usually a kit will be in the 'Owned' list and you will change its status.
If you decide to trade a kit, you should 'Edit' the kit from the 'Owned Kits' list and change its
status to 'Traded'.
Choose 'Owned Kits' from the navigation bar on the Kit List screen.
Select the kit in the list and click the 'Edit' button.
Change the Status to 'Traded' and fill in any trading details that you have and click 'Save'.
Note that you can directly 'Add' a kit into the 'Traded Kits' list if necessary.
If you decide to give away a kit, you should 'Edit' the kit from the 'Owned Kits' list and change its
status to 'Gifted'.
Choose 'Owned Kits' from the navigation bar on the Kit List screen.
Select the kit in the list and click the 'Edit' button.
Change the Status to 'Gifted' and fill in any details that you have and click 'Save'.
Note that you can directly 'Add' a kit into the 'Gifted Kits' list if necessary.
If you decide to scrap a kit (for example if you have built it and it has fallen apart beyond repair),
you should 'Edit' the kit from the 'Owned Kits' list and change its status to 'Scrapped'.
Note that you can directly 'Add' a kit into the 'Scrapped Kits' list if necessary.
Accessories can be entered in two ways.
If you have accessories that you keep in the box with a kit, you should enter them via the 'Accessories (with Kit)' tab.
The tab is available on the main Kits / Accessories screen and also via the 'Kit / Accessory Record'. When accessories are
entered this way, they are automatically associated with the kit. Their Location is set to 'with kit' and 'Stored With (RecNo)'
field will contain the RecNo (unique record number) of the kit.
Kits entered in this way will be shown on in the 'Accessories (with Kit)' tab AND on the main list.
If you have accessories that are stored separately, these should be entered in the same way as kits, via the Add button on the
main list. You just need to select 'Kit Accessory' on the record form and choose an Accessory Type.
You can filter out accessories using the 'Accessory Type' column. Set it to '(blank)' to list kits only - i.e. without an accessory type
or '(non-blank)' to just show accessories.
KitBase allows you to import your own data from Excel or other applications. The data must be
saved in CSV (comma-separated value) format.
The import function can be accessed via the 'Import' button on the toolbar or via the
'Tools / Import' menu option.
A short import procedure is provided to enable you to easily transfer your data into KitBase.
The Kit / Accessory List screen (sometimes referred to just as Kit List)
is displayed automatically when KitBase starts up.
The screen can also be displayed via the 'Data / Kits' menu option.
KitBase can keep track of the kits and accessories that you own, as well as those that you want and have
traded, sold, given away or scrapped.
The navigation bar on the left hand side allows you to maintain kits and accessories at each status.
Click one of the buttons on the bar (e.g. 'Owned') to display the list in question.
For an introduction of each status, you should read the
getting started section.
Tip: You can change the size of the navigation tab area by clicking and dragging the thick grey
line between the Kit list and the navigation tab area. You can also hide/show the area by clicking the arrows
icon at the top.
The buttons on the toolbar at the top of the screen are used to maintain the lists of kits (and accessories).
| Add | Shows the Record Screen, allowing a kit or accessory to be added. |
| Edit |
Select a kit / accessory record and click Edit to show the Record Screen and change an existing record. Tip: You can also edit a record by double clicking the row or pressing Return/Enter. |
| Delete | Select a kit / accessory record and click Delete to remove an existing record. |
| Duplicate |
Select a kit / accessory record and click Duplicate to create a new record based on the details of the selected record.
The Record Screen will be shown to allow the fields to be reviewed and completed. Only those fields that will commonly be the same will be pre-filled. For example, the 'Built' status is not pre-filled. |
If you know a RecNo (record number) already you can quickly jump to a kit/accessory record in the list using the 'Go to RecNo'
box on the toolbar. Simply enter the RecNo in the box and press the green 'Go to Record No' icon (or press Return/Enter).
This is useful if you are working from a printout or if you write RecNo's on your kit boxes.
Tip: Press Return or Enter twice to automatically open the record for Edit.
You can also edit a record via record number using the drop down icon at the side of the 'Go to Record No' icon.
To quickly search for some text in the list (e.g. Spitfire) you can use the find box on the toolbar. Enter the required text into the box beside the 'Find' (binoculars) icon then click the 'Find' icon. This will find the first occurrence of the text in the list. To find subsequent occurrences, click the 'Find Next' icon.
The records in the list can be filtered using the drop down lists at the top.
The drop down lists will be restricted to the data displayed in the grid, rather than entire master
lists. For example, if you filter on Aircraft (Kit Type) first, the Real Manufacturer drop down will only list
aircraft manufacturers and only those for which you own kits.
Press the Clear Filters button to reset the lists to '(All)'.
The records in the list can be sorted by clicking the column headings (e.g. Kit Type).
The 'Current View' section on the Navigation Tab (top left) allows you to choose different perspectives on your kit data.
There are several built-in views and you can switch between them by clicking their names (e.g. 'By Product Manufacturer').
You can change the default view by clicking the 'Set Default View' link after choosing the view. This view will be selected automatically every time KitBase starts up.
Views can be added, customised and removed using the other links. See View Customisation for more information.
If you have changed some of the master data (through the Data menu), some of the
names displayed in the grid may be out of date (e.g. if you changed "Aircraft" to "Aeroplanes").
Click the Refresh button to reload the data.
KitBase allows you to import your own data from Excel or other applications. The data must be
saved in CSV (comma-separated value) format.
The import function can be accessed via the 'Import' button on the toolbar or via the
'Tools / Import' menu option.
A short import procedure is provided to enable you to easily transfer your data into KitBase.
You can export data in Excel-compatible CSV format.
Click the 'Export' button on the toolbar to export the current filtered view. You will be prompted to for a filename.
The CSV file that is created can be opened in Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet / database applications.
If you click the down arrow icon on the Export button you can choose the 'Export Current View (All Records)'.
This exports all of the records at the status, regardless of the filter choices.
Important Note: Because Excel incorrectly converts scales and some product codes into dates or ratios
(e.g. 1/35 becomes Jan 35, i.e. 01/01/1935), all of the exported text values have an invisible TAB character added to the end of the text.
This does not affect operation of filters and the like in Excel but may be confusing under some circumstances.
The gallery tab shows images that you have added into KitBase. You can add images againt your kits via the
Documents and Images tab (see below).
The 'All' box on the right hand side of the tab shows all associated images. Click the image to zoom and
flip through the images using the >> and << buttons.
From the Zoom window, you can also rename a file using the 'Rename' button. The Rename screen shows you
the naming conventions you need to follow to show the images in the other boxes of the gallery (i.e.
prefixed with "Box", "Ref", "Parts", "Build" and "Finished", for example "Box001.jpeg").
Once you have suitably named files showing in the gallery, you can flip through them using the >> and << buttons
and also zoom by clicking the image.
The Accessories (With Kit) Tab should be used when you want to add accessories that are stored in the box with a kit.
When accessories are entered this way, they are automatically associated with the kit. Their Location is set to 'with kit'
and 'Stored With (RecNo)' field will contain the RecNo (unique record number) of the kit.
You can add kits this way if they are kept with another kit. Usually accessories are kept with kits but in some cases
another kit such as a set of generic figures may be associated this way.
| Add Accessory | Shows the Record Screen, allowing an accessory to be added and automatically associated with the current kit. Many of the fields will be defaulted to match the parent kit. |
| Add Kit | Shows the Record Screen, allowing an kit to be added and automatically associated with the current kit. |
| Edit |
Select a kit / accessory record and click Edit to show the Record Screen and change an existing record. Tip: You can also edit a record by double clicking the row or pressing Return/Enter. |
| Delete | Select a kit / accessory record and click Delete to remove an existing record. |
| Duplicate |
Select a kit / accessory record and click Duplicate to create a new record based on the details of the selected record.
The Record Screen will be shown to allow the fields to be reviewed and completed. Only those fields that will commonly be the same will be pre-filled. For example, 'Amount Paid' is not pre-filled. |
The first three tabs at the bottom of the screen display notes related to the currently selected record.
Data cannot be edited via the tabs to avoid accidental changes.
To edit the data click the Edit button.
Tip: You can change the size of the detail tab area by clicking and dragging the thick grey
line between the Kit list and the detail tab area. You can also hide/show the area by clicking the down arrows
icon at the top right of the tab area.
Use the 'Documents and Images' tab to view and maintain files associated with the selected kit.
The Easy Way:
You can add files for a kit by clicking the 'Import Files' button. This allows you to browse for the
files much as you would when opening a file in Microsoft Word.
You can select multiple files in the standard way by holding down CTRL when clicking additional files,
or by holding down SHIFT to select a range.
Just click OK when you have selected the required files and they will be copied into the KitBase files area for the kit.
The Advanced Way:
The 'Documents and Images' tab is an Explorer-like view onto the associated files. You can Drag & Drop
or Copy & Paste files into the folder from another Explorer window.
You can show the folder where the Kit's files are stored by clicking the 'Show in Explorer' icon on the toolbar.
This is useful if you want to use features that aren't supported in the KitBase file view, for example directly creating new files.
The associated files are stored in a subfolder located in the same folder as the KitBase database.
You can view the folder via the 'File / Show Database Location' menu option.
IMPORTANT:You should ensure that you back up the .KitBase_KitFiles folder,
as well as your .KitBase database, otherwise you will lose your data if something goes wrong,
for example a hard disk failure.
If you name your files according to the standard naming conventions, they will appear automatically in the
gallery. For example, naming an image 'Box', 'Box01' or suchlike will allow it to be shown in the Box area
of the gallery.
The valid prefixes are: box, ref, part, build, finished.
Previewing Images
If you click on an image in the list on the left, a preview will be shown on the right hand side.
The Kit / Accessory Record screen allows a kit or accessory to be added or edited. Whether in Add or Edit mode
depends upon the button pressed on the Kit / Accessory List screen.
Note the [Edit] buttons next to the drop-down lists. These buttons allow you to quickly
add a row to the master list (e.g. Kit Type) if the choice you require isn't present.
You can also Edit and Delete records in the master lists, allowing easy correction of mistakes.
Some of the drop down list selections are mandatory, indicated by a bold label above the list.
If you need a field to be optional
(for example Real Manufacturer), you can use the [Edit] button to add '(n/a)' or something
similar to the list. Use brackets to force the item to the top of the list - '(' comes before
'A' in the sort order.
If an accessory is being entered, the Kit Type, Real Manufacturer, Type Number and name fields
should be filled out according to the kit that the accessory is intended for. For example, if
you have an etched brass cockpit for a Spitfire, the Kit Type should be 'Aircraft' with
Real Manufacturer set to 'Supermarine', Name set to 'Spitfire' and the Type Number set accordingly.
The main fields on the screen are as follows:
| Kit (Scale Model) | Choose this option if you are entering a kit. The Accessory Type field will be hidden. |
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| Kit Accessory (Aftermarket) | Choose this option if you are entering an accessory. The Accessory Type field will be displayed. |
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| Accessory Type (required for accessories) | Only displayed when 'Accessory' is chosen. See Accessory Types for details. |
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| Kit Type (required) | See Kit Types for details. When entering an accessory, this is the type of kit the accessory is intended for. |
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| Status (required) | Choose the status of the kit or accessory:
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| RecNo | This field is not editable. It represents the record number of an existing record. It will be blank if you are adding a record. |
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| Nation | See Nations for details. |
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| Real Manufacturer | See Real Manufacturers for details. |
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| Type Number | The type number of the real subject, e.g. "F16 A" for a model of an F16 A Falcon. |
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| Name | The name of the real subject, e.g. "Falcon" for a model of an F16 A Falcon. |
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| Product Manufacturer | See Product Manufacturers for details. |
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| Product Number | The product manufacturer's product code, e.g. the Airfix kit number for a Supermarine F22 Spitfire is 07105. |
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| Product Media | See Product Media for details. |
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| Scale (required) | See Scales for details. |
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| Location | See Locations for details. If an accessory (or kit) is stored in the box with a kit, choose '(with kit)' and enter the RecNo of the kit in the next field. |
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| Location Number / Stored With (RecNo) | If you store your kits in numbered boxes or drawers, the Location Number field can be used. If an accessory (or kit) is stored '(with kit)' as above, this number will be the RecNo of the parent kit. |
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| Date Started | The date when the build began. Can be used to monitor the kits that are in progress. |
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| Built | Tick the box if you have built the kit. |
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| Date Finished | If the 'Built' box is ticked, you can enter the date the build was finished. |
The details tab at the bottom of the form contains the following additional fields:
| Date Issued | The date that the kit/accessory was first made available (by the product manufacturer). |
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| Original Retail Value | The retail value of the kit / accessory. This could be used to record the retail value when first
made available or the retail value when you acquired a kit if you prefer. |
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| Current Market Value | The current value of the kit / accessory. |
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Acquisition fields (not displayed for 'Wanted' kits) |
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| Acquisition Type | Choose how you obtained the kit / accessory:
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| Date Acquired | The date on which you obtained the kit / accessory. |
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| Acquired From Trader | The person or organisation you obtained the kit / accessory from. See Traders for details. |
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| Amount Paid | The amount that you paid for the kit / accessory, excluding shipping. Only available if Acquisition Type is 'bought'. |
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| Shipping Paid | The amount that you paid for the shipping. Only available if Acquisition Type is 'bought'. |
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| Total Paid (calculated) | Displays the total amount that you paid for the kit / accessory. |
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Disposal fields (not displayed for 'Wanted' / 'Owned' kits / accessories) |
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| Date Disposed | The date on which you Sold/Traded/Gifted/Scrapped the kit / accessory. |
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| Disposed To Trader | The person or organisation you Sold/Traded/Gifted the kit / accessory to. Not displayed for
'Scrapped' kits / accessories. See Traders for details. |
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| Amount Received | The total amount that you received for the kit / accessory.
Only applicable if the kit status is 'Sold'. |
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| Shipping Paid | The amount that you paid for the shipping. May be zero if the recipient paid. |
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| Net Received (calculated) | The amount received less shipping. | ||||||
Allows data to be maintained in the custom fields that you have added via the Custom Fields screen.
Works in the same way as the tab on the main kit / accessory list screen. Accessories (or kits) cannot be added this way until a new record is saved via the 'Save' button displayed in the tab.
The remaining three tabs allow notes to be added as follows:
| Accessories | Intended to be used to record a list of kit accessories that you own, e.g. brass gun barrel. Multiple lines can be entered by pressing Return/Enter. |
| References |
Intended to be used to record a list of references relating to the kit, e.g. FineScale Modeller, July 2009, p23. Note: if you enter or copy in a hyperlink (e.g. http://www.hyperscale.com/) it will be recognised and can be clicked to go to the specified web page. |
| Paint References | Intended to be used to record a list of paint references, e.g. FS numbers. |
Works in the same way as the tab on the main kit / accessory list screen. Documents and Images cannot be added this way until a new record is saved via the 'Save' button displayed in the tab.
Once the fields are filled in, click Save and Close to write the new / updated record or changes to the database. Press Cancel to abort and lose the new record or changes.
If you think there's a field missing or you have any comments, please leave feedback: www.suisoft.co.uk/contact.htm
I can't promise to make all changes that are requested but I'll try to factor them in to future releases.
- Gary Marples, Developer
KitBase comes with several built-in views, allowing you to display your data from different perspectives.
You can select a view via the 'Current View' list on the navigation bar on the left hand side of the Kit List screen.
Views can be customised via the links under the 'Current View' list:
| Add New View | Allows a new view to be created. You will be asked whether you want to use the current view as a starting point. If you choose 'Yes' the fields from the current view will already be chosen in the view customisation screen that follows (See Choosing Fields below). If you choose 'No' you wil need to choose all of the fields you require from scratch. |
| Customise Current View |
Allows the current view to be customised or renamed.
(See Choosing Fields below). |
| Remove Current View | Deletes the currently selected view, after confirmation. Note that you will not be able to delete the last view. You must create another view first, or customise the last view to match your requirements. |
Note: Views cannot be customised in the Trial Version of KitBase.
The view customisation screen allows you to specify the fields that you want to see, along with their sort direction.
Note: Each Accessory Type has a column available, e.g. for the accessory type 'Tracks' there will be a 'Has Tracks' column.
To add a field to the view, choose the field you require from the 'Available Fields' list on the left then click 'Add'.
To remove a field from the view, choose the field in the 'View these fields' box then click 'Remove'.
Tip: You can also move fields between the boxes by double clicking them.
To help you find the fields you need, the 'Available Fields' box can be sorted in two ways. By default the fields are
in the same, familiar order as the 'Kit / Accessory Record' screen. You can change this to an 'A to Z' sort by choosing the
'Alphabetical' option above the 'Available Fields' list. Choose 'Kit Screen Order' to change back.
You must specify the name of the view via the 'View Name' box.
Other Buttons:
| Move Up Move Down |
The 'Move Up' and 'Move Down' buttons can be used to reorganise the fields in the 'View These Fields' box. |
| Toggle Sort | Changes the sort order of the field selected in the 'View These Fields' box. By default, data will be sorted in
ascending (Asc) order in the Kit List grid. You can toggle the order to be Descending (Desc) to sort
in reverse order. This is particularly useful for dates and the RecNo field as you can show the latest records first. |
Once you have selected the required fields, click 'Save' and the view will be automatically displayed in the Kit List.
KitBase allows you to add your own custom fields to the database. For example, you might want to have an
'Era' field so that you can differentiate between 'World War I', 'World War II' and 'Modern' categories.
To add custom fields, go into the 'Tools / Custom Fields' menu.
From the 'Custom Fields' screen you can Add, Edit and Delete fields using the buttons on the left. You can also
change the order that the fields are displayed using the Move Up and Move Down buttons.
You can maintain the data in your fields via the 'Custom Fields' tab on the Kit / Accessory Record screen.
A preview of the 'Custom Fields' tab is shown underneath the list of fields.
Custom fields can be added to views in the usual way (via the View Customisation screen.
When creating or changing a custom field, the following details are required:
Data types are as follows:
Note that editing a custom field and changing the data type may result in some data being lost (for example changing Currency to Integer will drop the decimal places, i.e. 10.50 becomes 100). If data already exists in the field and it is not compatible with the new type, the change will fail.
Click the 'Save' button when you have filled in the field details or cancel to discard the new field or changes.
The master lists are used to provide standard choices from the drop-down list boxes, for
example Kit Type.
All of the screens work in the same way as the Kit / Accessory List.
The master lists can be maintained via the Data menu or by clicking an [Edit] button next to
one of the drop-down lists on the Record Form.
| Add | Shows a record screen allowing the new list item to be added. |
| Edit |
Shows a record screen allowing the selected list item to be changed. IMPORTANT: If you change a list item name, this will affect all associated kits. Normally you will only change a list item to correct spelling or formatting. |
| Delete |
Select a row and click Delete to remove an existing record. You will not be allowed to remove a list record that has associated kits or accessories. |
Please see below for specific details of each list.
Accessory types allow categorisation of accessories, for example Tracks.
Note that adding an accessory type makes a new column available via the Customise View
feature, e.g. for the accessory type 'Tracks' there will be a 'Has Tracks' column.
Kit Types are a high level category, for example Helicopters, Aeroplanes etc.
Locations is used to indicate where the model is stored or displayed.
For example: 'Back Bedroom', 'Display Cabinet' etc.
The Nations list is intended to represent the subject nation, for example a Hasegawa model of Supermarine Spitfire will have a nation of 'United Kingdom' (the real manufacturer), rather than Japan (the home of Hasegawa, the model manufacturer).
Product Manufacturers are the makers of the models or accessories, rather than the subject.
For example, an Airfix model of a Supermarine Spitfire will have the Product Manufacturer of 'Airfix'.
Product Media is used to indicate the material that the kit or accessory is made from, for example Resin.
Real Manufacturers are the makers of the subject of the model.
For example, an Airfix model of a Supermarine Spitfire will have the Real Manufacturer of 'Supermarine'.
In the earlier versions of KitBase, scales had to be entered as a ratio (e.g. 1/72).
To allow for non-ratio scales (e.g. 25mm) the field is now free text.
Traders are the people or organisations that you can obtain kits from or sell/trade/give kits to.
The options screen is accessed via the 'Tools / Options' menu.
The colours tab allows customisation of the colour scheme used on the Kit / Accessory List and Master List screens.
Simply click one of the coloured boxes and choose a colour from the standard Windows colour selection box.
A preview of the colour scheme is shown on the right hand side.
Once you are happy with the new colours, press OK and they will be saved
Press cancel to abort any changes you have made.
To reset the colours back to their defaults, press the Default button.
The startup tab contains the following options:
| Always choose database on startup |
This option is provided to allow you to have multiple KitBase databases. When ticked, KitBase will show the Database Setup window every time it is started allowing you to create more databases and switch between them. |
There are many reports built into KitBase. They are accessible through the Reports menu.
Each Kit / Accessory Status has a separate set of reports. See below for a description of each report.
All reports have filters at the top of the screen and are automatically previewed. Note that
'Date From' and 'Date To' filters will only be displayed for reports ordered by a date, such
as the 'Sold Kits by Disposal Date' report.
Choose a report from the Report menu.
Hover over the icons on the toolbar to see their names. The functions of the icons are as follows:
| Show or Hide Document Map |
Not presently used in KitBase. |
| First Page / Previous Page |
Allow navigation backwards through the pages. |
| Current Page | Allows you to type in a page number. Click on the box and change the number. |
| Next Page / Last Page |
Allow navigation forwards through the pages. |
| Back to Parent Report |
Not presently used in KitBase. |
| Stop rendering | Cancels the report. |
| Refresh | Refreshes the report. Can be used if you have changed the data then switched back to the report screen. |
|
Not Available in the Trial version. Buy a license to enable printing and export. Shows the Print dialogue box, allowing you to print the report or change printers and settings. |
|
| Print Layout |
Not Available in the Trial version. Buy a license to enable printing and export. Switches to a preview layout, showing the report as it will be printed. |
| Page Setup |
Not Available in the Trial version. Buy a license to enable printing and export. Allows the page layout to be adjusted, e.g. paper size, margins etc. |
| Export |
Not Available in the Trial version. Buy a license to enable printing and export. Allows the report to be converted into a PDF file or Excel Spreadsheet. |
| Zoom | Enables you to zoom in and out. |
| Search Text / Find / Next |
Enables you to search for a term in the report text. |
Tip: To return to the Kit / Accessory List screen or another screen use the 'Window' menu.
Reports for Kits at 'Wanted' status are available through the Reports / Wanted Kits menu.
| Wanted Kits / by Kit Manufacturer (with Values) | A straightforward list of all wanted kits from a kit manufacturer perspective.
Includes the Retail and Market cash values you have recorded for reference. |
| Wanted Kits / Quick Reference Sheets | A compact, detailed list grouped by Kit Type. Perfect for taking along to a model show or shop. |
Reports for Kits at 'Owned' status are available through the Reports / Owned Kits menu.
| Owned Kits / by Kit Manufacturer | A straightforward list of all owned kits from a real manufacturer perspective. |
| Owned Kits / by Real Manufacturer |
A list grouped by kit manufacturer. |
| Owned Kits / by Location | A compact list grouped by Location plus Location Number. Note that location number will be a kit RecNo (record number) if a kit is stored in the box with another kit (i.e. '(with kit)'). |
| Owned Kits / by Nation | A list grouped by nation. |
| Owned Kits / by Kit Manufacturer (with Values) | A straightforward list of all owned kits from a real manufacturer perspective.
Includes the Retail and Market cash values you have recorded for reference. |
| Owned Kits / by Acquisition Date (Bought) | A list of Owned kits ordered by and filtered Acquisition Date. Only owned kits where the Acquisition Type is Bought are shown.
The Amount Paid, Shipping and Total Paid (Amount Paid + Shipping) values are shown for reference. |
| Owned Kits / by Acquisition Date (Traded) | A list of Owned kits ordered by and filtered Acquisition Date. Only owned kits where the Acquisition Type is Traded are shown.
The Amount Paid, Shipping and Total Paid (Amount Paid + Shipping) values will always be blank for traded kits. |
| Owned Kits / Quick Reference Sheets | A compact, detailed list grouped by Kit Type. Perfect for taking along to a model show or shop, so that you don't buy the same kit twice! |
Reports for Kits at 'Sold' status are available through the Reports / Sold Kits menu.
| Sold Kits / by Disposal Date (Date Sold) | A list of Sold kits ordered by and filtered Disposal Date (the date sold).
The Amount Received, Shipping and Net Received (Amount Received - Shipping) values are shown for reference. |
Reports for Kits at 'Traded' status are available through the Reports / Traded Kits menu.
| Traded Kits / by Disposal Date (Date Traded) | A list of Sold kits ordered and filtered by Disposal Date (the date traded).
The Received/Shipping cash values will always be shown as blank for Traded kits. |
Reports for Accessories at 'Wanted' status are available through the Reports / Wanted Accessories menu.
| Wanted Accessories / by Accessory Type (with Values) | A straightforward list of all wanted Accessories from an Accessory Type perspective.
Includes the Retail and Market cash values you have recorded for reference. |
| Wanted Accessories / Quick Reference Sheets | A compact, detailed list grouped by Kit Type plus Accessory Type. Perfect for taking along to a model show or shop. |
Reports for Accessories at 'Owned' status are available through the Reports / Owned Accessories menu.
| Owned Accessories / by Location | A compact list grouped by Location plus Location Number. Note that location number will be a Kit RecNo (record number) if an Accessory is stored in the box with a Kit (i.e. '(with Kit)'). |
| Owned Accessories / by Accessory Type (with Values) | A straightforward list of all owned Accessories from an accessory type perspective.
Includes the Retail and Market cash values you have recorded for reference. |
| Owned Accessories / by Acquisition Date (Bought) | A list of Owned Accessories ordered by and filtered Acquisition Date. Only owned Accessories where the Acquisition Type is Bought are shown.
The Amount Paid, Shipping and Total Paid (Amount Paid + Shipping) values are shown for reference. |
| Owned Accessories / by Acquisition Date (Traded) | A list of Owned Accessories ordered by and filtered Acquisition Date. Only owned Accessories where the Acquisition Type is Traded are shown.
The Amount Paid, Shipping and Total Paid (Amount Paid + Shipping) values will always be blank for traded accessories. |
| Owned Accessories / Quick Reference Sheets | A compact, detailed list grouped by Kit Type plus Accessory Type. Perfect for taking along to a model show or shop, so that you don't buy the same Accessory twice! |
Reports for Accessories at 'Sold' status are available through the Reports / Sold Accessories menu.
| Sold Accessories / by Disposal Date (Date Sold) | A list of Sold Accessories ordered by and filtered Disposal Date (the date sold).
The Amount Received, Shipping and Net Received (Amount Received - Shipping) values are shown for reference. |
Reports for Accessories at 'Traded' status are available through the Reports / Traded Accessories menu.
| Traded Accessories / by Disposal Date (Date Traded) | A list of Sold Accessories ordered and filtered by Disposal Date (the date traded).
The Received/Shipping cash values will always be shown as blank for Traded Accessories. |
If you think there's a crucial report or field missing or you have any comments, please leave feedback: www.suisoft.co.uk/contact.htm
I can't promise to make all changes that are requested but I'll try to factor them in to future releases.
- Gary Marples, Developer
It is extremely important to perform regular backups of your KitBase database and associated files.
By default, the database and files will be stored in My Documents. You need to make a copy of the
"Kits Database" (.KitBase) file and the "Kits Database.KitBase_KitFiles" folder
to removal media, for example a USB Memory stick.
You can navigate to the folder where your database lives via the 'File / Show Database Location' menu option.
Over time as records are modified and deleted, the KitBase database file will become fragmented and less efficient in
much the same way as your file system in Windows. The majority of databases work in this manner so that they are not reorganised
every time a record is updated or deleted resulting in a very slow experience.
The Compact and Repair option (in the File menu) is provided to clean up the database and should be used periodically
to keep the database size as low as possible
The Compact and Repair option can also be used to fix a corrupted database, for example after a PC crash or unexpected
power loss. It is vital to back up your database and files, as the repair may not work if the database is too damaged.
If you need to start again with a clean database, the 'Clear Down Documents and
Images' function can be used. This is found in the File menu.
Important: You should back up your database and images before clearing
down.
After you have confirmed the clear down, the _KitFiles folder and database file will be renamed making them unavailable to KitBase. A suffix containing the current date and time (ddmmyyy_hhmmss) will be added to the _KitFiles folder and database name.
When KitBase is first run, you will be able to choose a location for your KitBase database. The default will be in "My Documents\Suisoft KitBase\Kits Database.KitBase".
A folder containing files associated with kits will also be created in the same location after you create your first kit record. The name of the folder will be "Kits Database.KitBase_KitFiles". A folder will be created for each kit, named according to the system-assigned RecNo (record number) of the kit.
You can navigate to the folder where your database lives via the 'File / Show Database Location' menu option.
IMPORTANT: The kitbase database and associated 'kit files' folder should be backed up regularly.Settings are stored in the standard Windows location. They are specific to the PC User.
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\-user name-\Local Settings\Application Data\Suisoft\
Windows Vista / Windows 7: C:\Users\-user name-\AppData\Local\Suisoft\
Note that the files may be hidden by Windows.
You can start again by clearing down Kitbase. See the Backup and Maintenance section for more details.
If you need to maintain multiple databases, for example a Modelling Club database and your own, you can switch on the 'Always choose database on startup' option. This can be found via the 'Tools / Options' menu, under the 'Startup' tab.
For more details, please see the Options section.
You can also manually start from scratch. Close down KitBase and rename or move the folder containing your database. When KitBase is started up again the Database Setup screen will be displayed, allowing you to create or choose a new database.
Note that you can navigate to the folder where your database lives via the 'File / Show Database Location' menu option.
You will need to close KitBase before renaming or deleting the database or files folder.
IMPORTANT: Before changing any files you should make a backup of your database(s).
To move or copy the KitBase database to another PC, you will need to transfer the KitBase file (called ‘Kits Database’ by default) and the '_KitFiles' folder (‘Kits Database.KitBase_KitFiles’ by default).
Note that you can view the location of the KitBase database file and associated ‘_files’ folder (containing images and documents) via the ‘File / Show Database Location’ option in KitBase.
If you have already created an empty database on the other computer, you will need to overwrite the KitBase file and _KitFiles folder.
See the Data and Settings section for more details on file locations.
Below is a step by step procedure for transferring your files to a new computer:
If you want to swap your database between computers, one option is to place the database (.KitBase) and images (..._KitFiles) folder onto a pendrive or removable hard disk. The procedure for doing this is the same as transferring to another computer, except that files will be placed on the pendrive.
You will need to plug in the drive on each computer and configure KitBase to point to it, as per the switching databases section.
KitBase will need to be installed on all computers that need to access the data files.
IMPORTANT: Ensure that you make regular backup copies of the database and images in case the drive fails. Also, do not remove the drive with KitBase running or remove it without following the best practice or ejecting the drive first otherwise the database may be corrupted.
As with removable drives, you can place the database (.KitBase) and (..._KitFiles) folder on a network share. You will need to move the files into a shared folder then configure KitBase to point to it on both machines. See the transferring to another computer and switching databases sections.
IMPORTANT: Ensure that you make regular backup copies of the database. If the network drops out the database could become corrupted. Always close KitBase before shutting down the PC that is sharing the database. KitBase was not designed to be multi-user, therefore you shouldn't access the database from multiple machines simultaneously.
This may happen when switching in and out of 'Print Layout' due to a quirk with the Microsoft Report Viewer control. To re-enable the report filters, click the 'Refresh' button.
For general information about Suisoft products, visit: www.suisoft.co.uk
For information specific to KitBase, visit: www.suisoft.co.uk/kitbase
KitBase has gone through several phases of improvement following feedback from the modelling community.
Please let me know if you find a problem or have suggestions.
You can leave feedback via: www.suisoft.co.uk/contact.htm
- Gary Marples, Developer