Web based build logs

[Bryan Cotton]

Has there been any discussion on pros and cons of various build log sites? Or has anybody already done a trade study and come to a conclusion? I want to get something set up as I slog through inventory.

[Brad Strand]

I too would be interested in reading about builders experiences with computer based build logs. Years ago I bought a copy of KitLog Pro. Unfortunately I installed it on a computer that was not connected to the internet. It worked for 30 days and then locked me out permanently. Apparently It needs to send data back to the company or it quits functioning. I called the company repeatedly and everyone I talked to cared, but no one could help me. That sort of soured me on the whole idea of computer logs.

[Sonex1517]

If someone wants to write up a comparison or analysis we'd love to post it on the Foundation's web site!


Robbie
Sonex 1517

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[rizzz]

I started with expercraft but switched to kitlog after someof my pictures on expercraft were lost. This hapened to a few people. The expercraft owner was able to recover some but not all. Luckely it were just pictures and not complete log entries.

Because expercraftis completely online and you have no local cy of the log unless you manually download a print, you're not in charge of the backups etc. of your data.
If something were to wrong on the expercraft server and for whatever reason it can't be restored, that's it, your log is lost.

With kitlog, the master data is kept local on your computer (in form of an access database) along with a nice application to edit your log. You then choose to upload your log changes to the website but the website is the "slave" the master data is with you.
This way you can make sure you back up your logs yourself, after loosing those pictures on expercraft, I realized the importance of this.

[daleandee]

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[rizzz]

One thing I did like better about expercraft is that it does not scale your pictures.
Kitlog will make your pictures smaller to fit the website format, with expercraft the original size pictures are maintained and can be seen when clicking on the smaller ones in the log, this is better for showing small details.
I thing I remember not liking about the expercraft system (apart from not being the owner of the data) was that the categories (wings, fuselage, engine,...) were pre-determined, with kitlog you can have as many categories as you like and name them whatever you like.

[BK9977]

I use expericraft. To get over the log being lost in the cloud thing I just simply go to the print log, then click to print it, but instead of actually print it out, I print it to a PDF writer (there are free ones you can download), which then saves a handy pdf copy on my desktop. That way I have the log saved in PDF in case something would happen to the online version, also I can just email it to the FAA inspector come inspection time rather than send a huge book in the mail.

[corton]

In 2008 when I started my build, looked at both ExperCraft and Kitlog.

The things I didn't like about Expercraft were that they owned the data (yes, other responders posted how to get around this point), and, at the time, (and this may be fuzzy), after you made your first flight, you would have to pay an annual fee to retain your data on the website. No pay, the data goes away.

I liked Kitlog because:

- the main database remains on your own system.
- you only pay upfront. Data remains on website forever
- your license key is good for two systems. In my case, desktop and laptop.
- variety of export options: PDF, Crystal Reports, Web, etc.
- support. I've never called on the phone, but all emails were answered within a day. This came in handy in 2010, when my main system drive decided to self-flagellate. I lost the emails containing my registration key and all of my database. Fortunately, after each log update, I always upload to the web, but I had about a month's worth of updates were not backed-up on my removable drive (hint: don't remove your backup drive to let your wife copy files from it and then not reinstall it). The owner sent my registration key AND also sent me a complete dump in excel of all my data entries, along with a complete zip file of all my pictures. I was able to load most of the Access files from thebackup copy I *did* have, and rebuilding the database doing a cut and paste from the provided data was better than losing it all.

Drawbacks of Kitlog:

- about the only thing I'm not crazy about is that you're limited to 3 pics per posting. After a productive day, I'd frequently have more pics that I'd want to post. Workaround: You can have multiple entries per day, so I'd just add more entries, each with 3 pics, and just refer the reader to entry #1 for that day.