[AccessD] Calculating mileage

But... I have database records already in a database.  This is not about defining a solution for 
data that does not exist and I would otherwise have to enter.  This is about defining a solution for 
data that I (and any other user) must enter into the database to use the inmate pass program.

*It is already in the database*

This is about building a small program to do these calculations about data that has and *is going 
to* accumulate in the course of doing business.

It appears that I am not able to get across to this list the fact that the records already exist in 
a database.

Forget that I am driving.  *Just please forget that fact.*   I never said anything about actually 
driving these miles, being in a car or anything else related to automobiles.

Now...

I have records in a database which have addresses in them.  I need to calculate driving distances 
between those addresses.

Pleeeeeeaaaaaaase, I do not want nor do I need anything related to logging miles driven in a car.

I need a function which takes two addresses and hands back miles between those points, actual miles 
that would be driven.

BUT I AM NOT DRIVING THOSE MILES.  The records are somehow just magically (poof) appearing in a table!

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com

On 9/27/2011 11:31 PM, Darryl Collins wrote:
> Can't add much value to your historical data issue John, but for your future
> records, well I guess it depends on how much effort and money you want to
> put into this.
>
> There are 'turnkey' solutions already out there for exactly this sort of
> reporting.  These folks will report on miles / kilometres travelled and way
> much more for about $40 a month.
>
> <<http://www.gpsinsight.com/low-cost-gps-tracking>>
>
> It actually looks like a bit of over engineering for what you are after, but
> the concept is exactly what I am talking about.  Let the GPS record the
> mileage for you and just download it to you PC.  You might find the service
> above is worth the $40 per month for your needs.  Dunno.  Anyway, that seems
> a lot easier than stuffing around with tracking online maps etc
>
> Although the cheapest and best solution I would have thought was the one
> already suggested. Use a smart phone app, or better still, an old fashion
> paper log book.
>
> Cheers
> Darryl
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
> Sent: Wednesday, 28 September 2011 12:36 PM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] Calculating mileage
>
>   >  I would have thought a standard GPS unit would do this for you pretty
> much automatically
>
> Do what for me?  A gps gets you from one place to another.  I need code to
> calculate mileage between
> two points.
>
> I have a database of trips I have taken, hundreds of existing records.  I
> need to calculate the
> mileage of those trips so that I can apply for a tax refund.
>
> Maybe I am missing something here.  How is a a gps or a smart phone or a
> paper log going to help me
> get mileage calculations for existing and future data records in a database?
>
> John W. Colby
> www.ColbyConsulting.com
>
> On 9/27/2011 7:17 PM, Darryl Collins wrote:
>> I would have thought a standard GPS unit would do this for you pretty much
>> automatically, although I have bugger all experience in this area.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of jwcolby
>> Sent: Tuesday, 27 September 2011 9:53 PM
>> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>> Subject: [AccessD] Calculating mileage
>>
>> Before tax time I need to add a module to my inmate checkout to calculate
>> mileage for all legs of a
>> trip with the inmates.  The database contains records of where we go - the
>> midpoints points - with
>> addresses, but the database does not have my start / end point (home).
>>
>> 1) Home to prison
>> 2) Prison to first destination in the db
>> 3) First destination to second destination (if any)
>> 4) Second destination to third destination (if any)
>> 5) Last destination to prison
>> 6) Prison to home
>>
>> I thought I would try to use Microsoft Streets and trips to do the
> mapping,
>> though I am open to
>> using Google Maps if there is a programming interface available to the VBA
>> language.
>>
>> I could of course manually enter the trips into Streets and trips, get the
>> mileage and build a table
>> of all the "legs" that I have ever done but that is error prone and forces
>> me to do the whole thing
>> manually.  Also this is in use by other people so it would be nice to
> build
>> a module that would also
>> calculate their legs, which I certainly do not want to do myself manually.
>>
>> If for tax purposes I just assume that we always start from home and end
> at
>> home I could use
>> something like Streets and trips (which I have) to calculate all of these
>> legs for each trip and
>> place them in a table.  At tax time I then have a mileage log for the IRS.
>>
>> I have never used Streets and Trips for this purpose.  I do know that it
> has
>> an API and VBA
>> available for it.  If anyone uses it for this purpose and has a library
> (or
>> a function) written to
>> do this that they would share that would be great.  Or a web or help
>> resource for this.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>