Model Engineer cross reference between year and Volume number
Model
Engineer's Workshop Index and Engineering in Miniature Index
(Link to Colin Ushers web
site)
Don't forget these files require a database program
to allow you to access the data. A number of people have used these
files to create on-line index searches. Use your favourite search
engine to find them.
History
This project started as a small attempt to index my own copies of M.E. There is not much point in having a collection of magazines if you can never find anything. As the files grew I found they became an essential tool to search out articles, helpful hints etc. They also showed the value of an organised storage system. Some of you may be lucky enough to have bound copies but if not find yourself some other way of keeping the mags in order. I use cardboard magazine files. Normally three volumes fit in each file so it is very helpful to mark each file with its volume numbers and years.
Contact with other model engineers both in
the UK and abroad proved that there was a need for a web based
electronic index. Various people have produced indexes before, on
paper, CD and available via email. As far as can be ascertained most
of these are now unobtainable or incomplete. Hence this web page was
started. Initially the files were an index of those issues of M.E.
which I had on my shelves. The records for the few missing copies
were kindly supplied by Dave Hoskin and some corrections added. This
was way back in 1998.
As time went on other people contributed
files and corrections and the links to Model Engineer's Workshop and
Engineering in Miniature files became available. Not all the new data
was compatible so we had to keep several different databases running.
Then along came Chris Orchard from Northamptonshire. He volunteered
to add in the missing volumes. No small job as there was about 120
volumes missing at that time. Not only has he completed that task but
he has also revisited all the original work to correct errors and
omissions and add in the things I didn't include like letters and
book reviews. This gives a consistent style
and content to all the files. A big thank you to Chris and also to
the Northampton SME Ltd for allowing Chris to use their library
copies of the earlier volumes to produce his files. Chris does not
currently have a web site but can be contacted on "quiltedsteam at
talktalk.net" (please substitute for the " at ").
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Note that we have changed the files to include 60 volumes as from Jan 2009. They will still fit in with the 65,000 line limit of some programmes.
ME Index Notes
We have tried various formats to publish the data but find that most databases can import the comma separated ASCII text files. A spreadsheet can also be used to view the files. They can be imported into a word processor but this will be a very unwieldy way of looking at them.
The files are encoded as .ZIP archives. This makes the files much
smaller but more importantly your browser is more likely to recognise
the file type and save to disc rather than try to display the
contents. Most home computers whatever the operating system should be
able open the ZIP archive.
If you are using a database to view the files then you will be able to import all four files into one big file, which makes searches easier. Those using spreadsheets may have trouble with this as they generally have a 65,000 line limit and the combined file is bigger. You will have to import them as separate worksheets and search the individual sheets. Colin Usher is hosting the Excel version of these files on his site here together with several other index's.
Chris has provided some notes to assist those who wish to use the data files in Microsoft Access or Excel.
If you have Microsoft Access on your machine but are unsure how to use it to search these files have a look at this page.
If you want an online search engine that uses these files try this page.
Disclaimer
I retain the right to be wrong and offer these files for personal, non-commercial use. You may copy and distribute them freely as long as their origin is acknowledged and no charge is made for them.
Copyright Notice:- Please note that the ME Indexes available from
this site are copyright.
All rights unless specifically released reserved Bill Phillips and
Chris Orchard 1998-2009
This is also
available as a comma separated file
(2Kbytes) for adding to your database or
spreadsheet
and just to complete the set there is another comma separated file (77Kbytes) which
cross references the magazine number to its issue date
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Text Copyright © Bill Phillips 2009