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Forum: Using Your Computer Software As a Prep Tool

20 September 2006

Irene – at 17:27

I use my computer software in a number of different ways to prepare for a possible pandemic. I thought I’d share (see next 3 posts). I’d be interested in hearing of other ways that I haven’t thought of yet.

Irene – at 17:28

Microsoft Word

I’ve created my own Recipe book of storage foods and add to it as I come across new recipes. The following format has worked best for me as I can use MS Word’s Outline View to quickly navigate to specific places in the large document:

- title page

- index page which is automatically generated to list recipes and the pages number where the recipe can be found (MS Word picks up all the words in the document with Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles)

- Heading 1 style for each main food group name (e.g. beverages, meat, beans, etc). I use a page break to start each heading 1 name on a new page.

- Heading 2 style for each recipe name

- Normal text style for the recipe itself

Each page has recipes in two columns. I use 2 columns because the font size I’m using is very small and much easier to read in narrow columns

Irene – at 17:28

Microsoft Excel

I have my inventory listed in 3 worksheets on one file in Excel.

Worksheet 1 is Food and contains the following headings: x Food Group e.g. meat, fruit x Location x Quantity (numeric) x Type (cans, pkge, jars) x Description x Purchase Date x Expiry Date (if printed on the packaging) x Notes (additional comments)

Worksheet 2 is Food Supplies such as condiments and baking supplies. It has the same headings as Worksheet 1

Worksheet 3 is Non Food Supplies x Type e.g. paper, lighting, cooking, cleaning, medical x Location x Quantity x Description x Notes (additional comments)

I used an Excel’s database feature to allow me to filter each of the above lists e.g. Using an automatically created dropdown box for each column, I can filter Worksheet 1 so that only certain inventory items are visible e.g only Meat items or only items which expire in a particular month

That function is found here on the Excel menu: Data > List

Irene – at 17:29

NoteTab

NoteTab is my favorite freeware software of all time. I’ve been using it about 6 years for various purposes:

http://www.notetab.com/ntl.php

When I am visiting bird flu forums, I copy bits and pieces of useful information to my NoteTabl. It’s a text editor mainly intended for programmers but I have found that it’s great as a database for keeping notes when using a file type called File Outline.

From the NoteTab menu: File > New Outline

This type of file has 3 vertical windows. Ignore the left window – it’s not relevant for this birdflu purpose. The center window is where the user creates headings. The right window contains contents of that heading.

For example, headings might include things such as: canning, fuel, gardening, caring for ill

Say I found some useful information on-line on canning meat. I would click on the “canning” heading and paste that information into the right window. I’d add new information to that particular right window as I found it.

When I have enough information on a subject and have condensed and played with the wording, I copy the information from NoteTab to MS Word and print it, and delete the heading from NoteTab.

NoteTab is a great way to organize small bits and pieces of information into one place so you can find it easily again.

28 September 2006

DemFromCT - close thread – at 21:45
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