Teach Soap

I've decided for my school project to create an Essential Oil / Aromatherapy database of sorts. Problem is, I'm stuck with what sort of software to use to make it happen. I've been googling and searching for database software, wiki software, CMS software, everything.

I'm getting frustrated as I can't find what I am wanting, and now I feel stuck.

All I really need is something that I can create fields for (name, extraction method, actions, uses, etc). But of course I have to get complicated in that I want to be able to use tags for things like actions so that you can jump between different essential oils easily. For example - I want 'Antiseptic' to be a tag / link that brings up it's own page, listing all the different essential oils that provide that quality.

I then want to be able to do the same thing for like, depression. So you then see a page that lists all oils good for depression.

And same again for oils that blend well with each other. Have tags that for example at the bottom that list other oils it blends with, and each oil name is a link to that oils page.

Does that make sense? I can see it in my head, but I'm so stuck on how to make a start on it as I don't know what sort of software I am needing to do it.

I don't need it to be online (doesn't need to be a website, but doesn't matter if it is) as it's a school project to reflect our individual strengths and knowledge together. I figured that would be better than making the teachers a gazillion bars of soaps ROFL

*Edit* I just realised for those that don't read my blog... I've gone back to school to become a qualified aromatherapist

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Congrats on going back to school! I took a 6 month Aromatherapy course and loved it! Have you thought of using Excel?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

So you want the whole doc searchable?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Yeah, but also linkable. Like Wordpress tags allow you to click on a tag and it brings up all posts with that tag attached to it.

I'm actually thinking the best way to do it will be to create individual web pages. Had just hoped there was some database software out there that would do it for me as that would work out to be a lot of individual web pages to create.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

A good example would be Swiftmonkeys blog. On the side she has the bath and body ingredients, and then link to each individual ingredient. I want to do something similar to that, but have multiple lists:
1. Essential Oil list
2. Action List
3. Ailment List

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I know how to do it with blogger - although I've been looking at Wordpress.

I've actually just realised that, although bloated, the e-commerce software I use may be able to work. I had hoped to find something offline that would be more suited, but so far I've not found anything all week.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

What about a database program such as access? I am not well versed in it but i think you can build what you need then search through it....you can do that with excel but have to know all sorts of fancy formulas/macros etc. which i have no patience for. You may be able to find a free version on the "open office" site if you want to play with it to see if it's for you.

good luck!
e

I don't think I can use Access on a mac can I?

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

it looks like the program called Filemaker is the mac equivalent.

I downloaded the demo of that, but it's hurting my head lol. I'm more familiar with CMS, eCommerce, Forum software etc. But I will keep plugging away at it. At least I know I can use the ecommerce as a back up if needed as it does what I want - just with a lot of extra fluff.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

I'll ask my SO when they get home. This is really their area of expertise.

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Just call me "Apo"

Years ago my hubby used Filemaker Pro to turn a paper form into a database with searchable fields. He highly endorses it! I have tried using it myself and it makes my head spin - it's definitely made for techies rather than lay-people like myself. But I think it will do the type of functions that you are talking about.