Lost all my data

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Paper and pen.

[fredj338]

Yeah I am old school, I write mine down in a loose leaf binder. Probably harder to lose that way? Tech is great, until it doesn't work.

[Texas by God]

I'm old fashion... pencil and paper . Works every time

This- and I need one of those wallet size phone books because now I don't know anyone's # outside of my family.....

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[mdi]

What I'm seeing is not just worrying about digital info being lost, but what one is comfortable using and the importance of keeping records. I have a 3-rig binder and the the first load data is dated 1986. Pencil on lined notebook paper (I do need to erase sometimes). But basically I have the particulars and performance of the load on hard copies handy. I have lost data from my computer, had a crash (?) in '95, but I still had historical data. I've not had any problems keeping my load data on my computer since, but I prefer to look in my binder for loads I've used (along with good targets) and have an old school backup (a young friend asked if I used clay tablets or just a chisel and rock).

One benefit of a hard copy binder is I also have a SAAMI drawing of the cartridge and any "special/pertinent" data in the front of each section that I don't have to dig for (cylinder throat measurements, barrel dimensions, factory load data, etc.)...

[mdi]

Yeah I am old school, I write mine down in a loose leaf binder. Probably harder to lose that way? Tech is great, until it doesn't work.

Yep, I have a cell phone (somewhere?) that only makes phone calls. It may do other stuff, but I have no need for any and I prolly couldn't fins any anyway...

[GregLaROCHE]

I used to use note cards in a box. Now I use a spiral notebook with dividers in it, a section for each cartridge I load. I planned on putting it on Excel, don’t know if I’ll ever get around to it.
It’s nice to have a hard copy. Even on Excel I would print it out from time to time to be safe.

[Drew P]

I love this forum. So many responses thank you! I see this discussion has illustrated that there are pros and cons for digital vs paper. For me, paper would only be in one place. So, that’s it’s limitation. An app goes everywhere inlcluding the range where notes can be added and even photos of targets which is a fun feature. Heck with the right software we could computer analyze shots on targets for all kinds of things.
So in my case the cloud aspect of the app lent safety to the data, so I thought. But low budget apps from sub standard developers like this guy don’t have provisions to back up to disk or paper. SO that’s what we need!

[sparkyv]

I use Open Office spread sheat since i am too cheap to use Microsoft. I have note books i write in as i go. Then eventually every so often i convert everything over to digital storage. I have a spread sheet realoading long and text document diary. I keep like 3 copies of the digital data that all sync. One local drive, one cloud, one thumb drive and when it syncs to cloud it syncs rhe folders and files on my phone and second computer.

^^^This is my approach^^^

I have a hardcopy LoadBook and also keep all the data electronically in a spreadsheet that I sync in the cloud to ge able to access remotely. It's extra work keeping redundant records on two media forms, but it meets my needs, and serve as backups.

[Dieselhorses]

Just keep a few backups for digital records. Written logs can often be misplaced, damaged or all of a sudden look Arabic. I keep an updated binder full of what I print out from computer numbered by "lots". Soon I will have a labeling/scanning system (SKU's) set up.

[Rcmaveric]

Just keep a few backups for digital records. Written logs can often be misplaced, damaged or all of a sudden look Arabic. I keep an updated binder full of what I print out from computer numbered by "lots". Soon I will have a labeling/scanning system (SKU's) set up.

Yeah i have the Arabic problem. My hand writting is atrocious. It happens often.

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[HangFireW8]

It's your hobby, do it the way that makes you happy. But don't delude yourself that paper is immune from sudden data loss. One fire and its gone. Flood, mold, tornado, theft, repossession, vengeful Ex, etc.

OwnCloud replicates my file changes to my home server and from there to every OC client device. Takes about 2 seconds after I hit Save.

So I would have to lose all my PC's (and the server) at once to lose all my data.

Also, file versioning. If I accidentally save an empty file over a large one, or just mess up a spreadsheet or document, I just revert it.

Also, backups.

I have made Libre Office templates for each document I create frequently; Rifle Journal, Reloading, Inventory. If the format doesn't work for a particular case, I just change it.

I usually input in my shop, and then I can view or edit on any device. Often I run QuickLoad in the living room and save the loads to an OC shared folder, then pull them up on my shop laptop.

I still have my load books and old paper notes. The notes are all scanned in. It's really nice to refer to them while hanging out with the family and not have to drag them in from the shop. I can use them and QL to plan my reloading, then go to my shop later and reload, so I get more family time AND more hobby time.

I also photographed about 600 targets and have them cataloged and indexed, along with the range notes. It is a simple system using plaintext keywords, standardized gun names, shooting ranges, dates, and standardized load names. I am one command away from viewing targets for any query; targets of all loads for one gun, or one cartridge, or one bullet/mold, or powder, orany combination thereof.

[mehavey]

It's called a $1.99 student composition book for each weapon, a #2 pencil, the loadspec strip cut from a running-record WORD doc printout . . . and scotch tape.






With cast, of course, records can get more . . . "interesting"

[tazman]

It's your hobby, do it the way that makes you happy. But don't delude yourself that paper is immune from sudden data loss. One fire and its gone. Flood, mold, tornado, theft, repossession, vengeful Ex, etc.

OwnCloud replicates my file changes to my home server and from there to every OC client device. Takes about 2 seconds after I hit Save.

So I would have to lose all my PC's (and the server) at once to lose all my data.

Also, file versioning. If I accidentally save an empty file over a large one, or just mess up a spreadsheet or document, I just revert it.

Also, backups.

I have made Libre Office templates for each document I create frequently; Rifle Journal, Reloading, Inventory. If the format doesn't work for a particular case, I just change it.

I usually input in my shop, and then I can view or edit on any device. Often I run QuickLoad in the living room and save the loads to an OC shared folder, then pull them up on my shop laptop.

I still have my load books and old paper notes. The notes are all scanned in. It's really nice to refer to them while hanging out with the family and not have to drag them in from the shop. I can use them and QL to plan my reloading, then go to my shop later and reload, so I get more family time AND more hobby time.

I also photographed about 600 targets and have them cataloged and indexed, along with the range notes. It is a simple system using plaintext keywords, standardized gun names, shooting ranges, dates, and standardized load names. I am one command away from viewing targets for any query; targets of all loads for one gun, or one cartridge, or one bullet/mold, or powder, orany combination thereof.

Very thorough. I like that. I don't do the cloud(that I know of) but the rest I can accomplish. I have my own file server at home, and that works for me.
Short of a fire that destroys everything, or a police confiscation, I should be covered.

[Mr_Sheesh]

A good backup option -

I plug a SanDisk Cruzer Fit (https://www.sandisk.com/home/usb-flash/cruzer-fit) into each of my better computers; You can get these up to 64GB in size. They're just BARELY larger than the USB plug. So hard for my Yeti hands to get at that I add a split ring to them so I can remove them easily, and next time I find my Paracord 1A baggie (I keep 100' of that around at all times, if not more) I'll put a short loop of that onto each ring, so I can grab these. Really nice to back up your critical files onto each time you think of it, and pretty cheap.

I'd buy them from a US seller, sadly some overseas sellers have occasionally sold counterfeit goods and I don't like supporting theft.

(If moving to another computer for a while as my "Primary", I do a backup, swap the Cruzer Fits, then restore onto the other hard drive and edit those. Better plan's in the works but isn't quite "Soup yet")

Also you could pretty easily put a couple large capacity USB Thumb Drives in your wallet and carry around 2 copies of your most critical files, just in case you have one go bad the 2nd will likely still be good; Probably smart to encrypt those in case of theft though.

[KenT7021]

I still have a large number of data sheets I printed out with a mimeograph machine during the 80's.More recently I've gone to using the Lyman data book.They both work well.I don't trust computers.

[dragon813gt]

Very thorough. I like that. I don't do the cloud(that I know of) but the rest I can accomplish. I have my own file server at home, and that works for me.
Short of a fire that destroys everything, or a police confiscation, I should be covered.

If you have your own server you can set up backups to a cloud service like Dropbox. This is how mine is set up. Dropbox is encrypted. But for certain files I encrypt them before uploading. Makes it so I can’t access them on my phone or tablet. But this wouldn’t be a concern w/ load data. You could also backup your sever to a portable hard drive periodically and keep this offsite. Could be as simple as an out building.

[ukrifleman]

I keep load data on individual spread sheets for every rifle I load for on computer and also the same data written down in my reloading log which is kept by my loading bench.

When a sheet has enough hand written alterations/entries, I enter them onto the computer and print off an updated sheet.

I would never trust just electronic information storage, sheets of paper don't crash!

ukrifleman.

[waco]

I have an old recipe box full of index cards that I keep all of my load data on. It sits on the loading bench where it's easy to access.

[dragon813gt]

I started to play around w/ a database tonight. Man am I in over my head. Tables, forms, queries. I created a simple spreadsheet in about five minutes. But attaching targets would be awkward. Then I started watching tutorials on databases. I may get it figured out. Lots of power in them but I’m not sure I need it. Needing multiple tables to keep it so you can read everything w/out scrolling is annoying. But I’d be able to tie everything together. Would be very convenient to have inventories, firearms and load data all in one spot.

[woodbutcher]

A friend in Fl has a huge set of index/recipe cards in file boxes dating from IIRC 1922 that he inherited from his Grand Father and Father.Has data on everything that you can possibly imagine.From first generation SSA and 1873 Springfield to .460 Wby.
Last that I knew the file boxes numbered 88.His back up is microfilm stored in his safety deposit box at his bank.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo