I've been modelling for years and have often bumped into the situation where you can't seem to lay your hands on a particular reference because you can't remember where you found it. Now, I'm not saying that I have solved this problem, but I have found a way to keep track of all references relating to a particular subject which works for me.

Evernote is a cool piece of software which runs on most platforms and allows you to arrange notes in "notebooks" and give them "tags" which are searchable. It also syncs between all of your devices. So I can surf the 'net for key references/photos on my mac or PC, clip them to an Evernote notebook, tag them with keywords and sync them to the Evernote server and hey presto they're now available for viewing and editing on my iPad and iPhone. The same is also true for books. If I find a good reference in one of my books I'll note the page number and book (or scan the relevant image) and send it to Evernote. All of my kit instructions, decals, resin upgrades instruction get the same treatment. These all get sync'ed to the cloud and become available on all my devices.

If you're like me and don't have a computer near where you do your modelling then this is a godsend. I can call up the relevant references using Evernote on my iPad, I can zoom them to see more detail and annotate them to my hearts content. It's particularly good for enlarging a section of kit instructions to make them clearer to my eyes

An added benefit is that I can also use the iPad camera or my digital camera to take "in progress" pics, upload them to the cloud and use this to compile supporting documentation for competition entries on the fly.

I'm not saying that this will work for everyone, but it's worked so well for me that I thought I'd share.

What approaches to keeping track of references do you take?

Beelzebub.

Having worked in oil and gas and managing my own, as well as company leases I find spreadsheet programs work very well. I group my references and enter the title and information contained on a spreadsheet telling me where they are located. Most computers have a basic spreadsheet as part of their os. Works great.

I use Excel, but that’s only partially OK, as I have never yet finished, and may never finish updating the list. It is searchable though, and that’s a plus. I use 26 alphabetized tabs, as well as individual tabs for non aviation related subject matter, armor, railroading, ships, etc. (The overwhelming majority of my references are aviation related.)

My method is to swear a lot, throw things about and finally decide I didn't really need that reference after all.

Works a treat.

I really hate it when I fake something because I don't have detailed information handy, only to discover the book in the stash afterward that had all the appropriate data in it.

I accumulated a lot of stuff over the years and what I usually do with new kits is comparing it with all the ref I have and then decide which area's need work. Then I copy or scan the pages of my refmaterial and print it. Which I then put in the box of the kit. Sometimes it is a lot and sometimes it are only a few sheets. But that way I always have the most important references at hand when i open the box. Can't beat good old fashioned paper.

I have all my references in a database that I've been keeping for almost 30 years, moving it from platform to platform as software changed. I'm currently running it on a 10 year old copy of Lotus Approach, a flat file database, but it would run just as well on MS Access.

I'm seldom all caught up, but 99% of my magazines & books are all laid out in there. Heaven help me if I lose the main file & back-ups.

Paul

I use a simple Excel sheet. As well as having a list of the items I have at hand when I find a bargin (I have bought items before where I thought they were a steal only to find I already have the book, AM item or kit), its so easy to add a sort filter when you´re looking for something special.
Its free as I have it on the computer, easy to use and effective (well this depends on how thourough you are when including items).

I just downloaded the APP, Love it.

Thanks mate.

Windows Slate and the OneNote for Windows. Plus a bookshelf near my workspace. Works just fine using the Q550 that recently replaced the less than satisfying couch tablet(s) here.

Writing a nice JAVA Application with database backend, REST-middletier and a Rich Client UI might be an alternative. Using Apache Lizence so those who must use a Webclient (Fandroids, CoJ members) can build one based on the middle tier

I'm going to check it out, Thanks