> I have thought about a something like dBase or Access but want > something that is software independent? > > Keith nuttle <keith_nuttle@sbcglobal.net> Software independent? Perhaps you really mean PLATFORM independent. Both dBase and Access fit that bill. So does FileMaker Pro. More to the heart of the matter, the choice of software depends on what you expect to accomplish. If you are simply making an index of your original documents, then Excel would work well, If, OTOH, you need (or want) to be more aggressive in searching that pile of raw data, you will need a database application ---- dBase, Access, or FileMaker Pro. Be aware, however, that using a database involves considerable effort to create a truly effective record keeping system. And if you are not conversant in database design, you will have a fairly steep learning curve. That said, a project like this can be done, and done well. The key to making such a DB useful is to NORMALIZE the data as much as possible so that the search engine has a chance to find all of the entries it should! BTW, NORMALIZE means to make all data within a field conform to a specific list of possible entries. Not that ALL data has to be this way, only the fields you expect to search most often. The list of possible source types in Reunion's list of sources is a perfect example of normalization. As a final note, both dBase and Access are expensive and have very steep learning curves. FileMaker Pro is not quite so expensive and is somewhat easier to learn. Regards, Arnold <><><><><<><><><><><><> Arrowhead Images <surveyor999@a-znet.com> <><><><><<><><><><><><> Here lyies the bodie of John O'Groats. Him as was has gone from we, Us as is must go to he. AE Palmer <surveyor999@a-znet.com>