Excel for seed/plant database and landscape layout

I'll start this as requested and perhaps Dave or Terry can Xfer the chat about it from the Lessons Learned thread to here.

Here's a section of the landscape layout worksheet:

How does Excel draw?

I have version 10 from 2002 and I don't see where there are any tools to do anything like you have!

Suzy

That's what I was wondering. Excel is a spreadsheet application. You must be using another program for the landscape plan.

Go under Tools and click Customize. Select Toolbars and check Drawing. That will give you the drawing toolbar. There are many other options besides the defaults.

I'm just starting to play with the Excel drawing feature. I have cut and pasted the instructions on my Office Excel 2003, which apply once you do what Katy said in the previous post. Then I added, in all caps, my comments.

*****
On the Drawing toolbar, click AutoShapes, and then point to Lines.

CLICK ON "LINES" AND IT GIVES YOU SEVERAL DRAWING OPTIONS IN THE FORM OF ICONS. LOOK AT "SCRIBBLE" AND "FREEFORM" FIRST.

ONE OF THE ICON IS A SCRIBBLY LINE. IF YOU HOLD YOUR CURSOR OVER THE ICON, IT WILL SAY "SCRIBBLE." TRY THAT ONE. "FREEFORM" (DESCRIBED BELOW) LETS YOU MIX STRAIGHT AND CURVED LINES. SCRIBBLE WORKS MORE LIKE A PEN. SCRIBBLE IS DESCRIBED BELOW AFTER THE DESCRIPTION OF "FREEFORM."

TO USE "FREEFORM":
Click Freeform to draw a shape that has both curved and straight segments.
Drag to draw a freehand segment. To draw a straight segment, click, move the mouse, and then click again.
To end a shape, do one of the following:
To leave the shape open, double-click at any time.
To close the shape, click near its starting point.

TO USE "SCRIBBLE":
Click Scribble and drag to draw a shape that looks more like it was drawn with a pen, or to create smooth curves.

Tips
Increase the magnification in the Zoom box. It's easier to draw details at 200 percent.
Set the pointer to the slowest speed available in Control Panel. You have greater control when you draw at a slower speed.
Change the pointer speed

In Control Panel, double-click Mouse.
Note If you are using Control Panel Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Mouse.

In the Mouse Properties dialog box, click the Pointer Options tab, and then, under Motion, drag the slider all the way to the left.
Adjust the shape of freeforms to make them look smoother. First select a freeform shape. On the Drawing toolbar, click Draw, and then click Edit Points. Now drag one of the vertexes that outline the shape.

I'm trying this now . . . .

This message was edited Sep 9, 2006 3:12 PM

Katy: How is your landscape layout worksheet tied to your plant spreadsheet? Because if they are not tied together, it might be as easy to draw the landscape in a drawing program. But I am guessing you have the two worksheets tied together somehow.

happy, I have my landscape "drawing", ID worksheet, perrenial records and seed starting records all in one "book", each a separate worksheet. I periodically "snapshot" the landscape layout and copy it to another folder to track the evolution of my plans. I will start a new worksheet for 2007 WSing and move the 2006 worksheet to an archive folder. I can link between the worksheets if I choose but I got pretty lazy doing it. It seems just as easy to me to click on the relevant sheet.

It seems to me you've got a good handle on where you want to go with this and I believe in learning by doing. Good job!

How do you size the drawing? Do you expand one cell or draw over many?

You can draw over many. Use the cells for overall size of your layout. IE. one cell = one foot or whatever you choose. In my layout example the cells are too light to show up. Begin by specifying the row width and column height for the entire sheet in Format.

Katy: It's really lovely. If you aren't linking individual cells in the garden design sheet to the list of individual plants, it might be easier (for me at least) to use a drawing program. What I am trying to find out is why you found it easier to use a spreadsheet program than a drawing program to do that drawing? Maybe because the plant icons you have chosen can be identical? Are the icons hot-keyed so they go right to the relevant plant information on the separate plant information worksheet?

Happy, yes some of the are. I use it so often that many I know without having to look them up. I used Excel because it's familiar and comfortable for me. I used it a lot in business because it's easy to export to other MS Office programs such as Power Point and Word. It's just one option among many, many.

This is all facinating, I am going to put my dh to work setting it up for me. It would take me hours and hours and he will sit down and do it. Thank you for this thread. I will keep lurking.

This is amazing - I have used Excel for years and years and never knew it could do this. Thanks for the instructions. Sometime when I can I'm going to delve in and try it.

I especially liked KatyMac's image. If we are allowed to email each other, I wonder if she would be kind enough to email her image as an attachment? That way everyone else could get a start of her style of format. It would more or less automatic when it is opened.

If you do dmail/email that please send it to me.

Pauline

You can also open the image in this thread, right click on it and do a "save picture as" to a folder on your computer. Or if you like I can email the actual Excel spreadsheet. I have Office 2003 so that might not work if you have an earlier version.

Katy

Please email me too!!

So Katy - if I understand correctly - you don't link the symbols to a plant picture and description on another sheet. Probably wise unless you have a really established garden.

I for one would really like to see a live copy of your landscape plan if you truly don't mind sharing it. I'm already stuck on drawing over the gridlines. When I put in a box, it whites out the underlying grid so I'm losing my count of the measurements. And did you set your gridline box sizes to a perfect square so that you have a square foot for example?

alyrics, Some are linked and some aren't. Dmail your regular email address and I'll send the worksheet. Of course, the links won't work then. If you want to see the grid lines through your shape choose "no fill". But you should have the Row and Column Headers visible to measure your shape sizes. And yes, the grid boxes are set to squares... In my case each square = 2 sq. ft. That is your option of course.

Katy

I would love to have the actual spreasheet emailed if you have a chance. What a wonderful idea! Thank you!
Andrea

Hi Katy, am I too late to ask to be emailed a copy too? Without Excel, I'm creating a series of documents based on Clothiers' germination techniques and codes, but there's a possibility I might be able to acquire Excel again, so yours would be a huge help.

Whether I aquire the software or not in the near future, will post my data when I finish in another thread - hopefully by mid-February. I think the various databases that have been shared on this forum have been very useful. Maybe the form that mine is in now will be helpful to those without Excel.

KatyMac, I knew Excel had those tools, but haven't used them much. That's very impressive. Nice job indeed!!

gram

I've received a couple requests this last week for the WinterSow spread sheet. I need your ISP email address to send it to you as an attachment. Click on my DG name and go from there.

Katy,

thanks for the sheet.

I should be able to get it all figured out....

Question on Column "F" - what do the symbols mean.
Some I think I can figure out -- and I didn't see a "key" anywhere.

TIA,

Terese

Ah Terese, those cross reference my landscape layout sheet above.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/p.php?pid=2697207
I just play with them on the cold, dark days when I'm making big plans for spring. lol

gotcha!! Thanks.