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Entering bird data
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Table of Contents
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Many of our clients ask how they should begin entering bird data into PLO. For a person who doesn't work with
computers everyday even the simplest functions may seem complicated and our manual still leaves some users with
questions. In this summary, I will provide some easy steps to get started using PLO that I hope you will find
helpful.
1) After the installing PLO using your personal Unlock Code that was given you by e-mail, double click on the
PLO program icon on your desktop, go to File menu and select User.
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2) In the User window your loft name will be visible. Click the Edit button and enter your personal
information into the data fields. Remember that in all reports and pedigrees printed by the program, your loft name,
address, phone number, and e-mail address will be seen. If you want your name and surname to be seen on the
reports and pedigrees, do this:
a. In first User name field enter your name and surname
b. In second and third address fields enter your address
After saving all information click Save and close User window.
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3) From File menu choose Settings to preload information such as the color of birds, strain, loft name, hatch year,
etc., that you will be using frequently. Below are some examples which you can use. Personally I recommend
using the abbreviations for bird colors I’ve provided below; however, it is your decision. After giving listing
possible colors for birds you will later enter using PLO, choose the currency and data format that you want to use.
Bird colors, strains, eye, eye colors etc., are chosen from drop-down pick lists. To add a new value to the pick list,
click the radio button and enter the new value in the entry field. Click Add to save your entry. Click Edit to change
and entry and click on Save to store your changes.
To delete a value, click on it in the grid then click the Delete. You will be asked to confirm the deletion and you
will not be allowed to delete a value that has already been used for any bird that you have entered earlier.
To choose the currency click radio button for Select Currency then click Edit and choose the currency from pick list
and finish with clicking Save.
To choose the date format click the radio button, click Edit, choose select date format from pick list and click Save.
To choose Distance Unit, click the radio button, click Edit, select distance unit (miles or kilometers), and then click Save.
Note:
Each entry under Settings can easily be removed by selecting it and clicking Delete. After completing all your
entries, close the Settings window by clicking the Close button.
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4) From Breeding Menu choose Bird to start adding your birds into the database. If you are entering a pigeon
which already has its sire and dam in your database then you may select them from a pick list. This will link
related birds in your database and is used by PLO to produce pedigrees.
BIRD STATUS
There are three options to designate bird status (i.e., RACING, STOCK, and ARCHIVE). To view the birds listed
in any category click the check box next to the desired status. The following are our recommendations for defining
a bird’s status; however, each user can define them in any way they choose.
RACING
Within the RACING status we recommend keeping those birds that are in your race team. It is likely that this list of
birds will be the list that is most often referred to when you are using Pigeon Loft Organizer. It deserves being
noted that all youngsters from the breeding pairs within the database will be added automatically to the RACING
status.
STOCK
Within the STOCK status we recommend keeping those birds that are in your breeding team. It deserves being
noted that all youngsters from the breeding pairs within the database will be added automatically to the RACING
status.
ARCHIVE
Within the ARCHIVE status we recommend keeping a list of those birds no longer in your loft or are no longer
breeding. You may also want to use the Archive database store the parents of birds which you have purchased and
the only association that you have with these birds is that they are in the pedigree of the bird you purchased.
You can edit all features like color, strain, hatch date, and ring number. If you save a wrong ring number you can
change it in any time.
You will find it helpful if you first enter all your breeders and birds that are not in your loft but are pigeons that you
will want displayed in pedigrees. Although you can enter birds on you race team first, but it is more time
consuming to link them to their parents and grandparents they are not already in your database.
Below is an example of a quick way to enter a full pedigree for a bird. In this example, I will present the steps to
enter the sire, dam, grandsire, and granddam to produce a pedigree for AU 04 NPC 22345
AU 00 NPC 24500
AU 03 NPC 23400
AU 00 NPC 23100
AU 04 NPC 22345
AU 99 NPC 22100
AU 02 NPC 23401
AU 98 NPC 22600
If you do not have the grandparents of AU 04 NPC 22345 in the loft and its parents are in the stock loft you would
do the following:
1/ From the Breeding menu, click Bird to enter the pigeon AU 00 NPC 24500. Fill in all the fields in this
window and choose its status as Archive and click the Save bird button. Next click the New bird button to
add your next pigeon.
2/ Enter the Ring Number for the pigeon AU 00 NPC 23100. Fill in all the fields in this window and choose
its status as Archive and click the Save bird button. Next click the New bird button to add your next
pigeon.
3/ Enter the Ring Number for the pigeon AU 99 NPC 22100. Fill in all the fields in this window and choose
its status as Archive and click the Save bird button. Next click the New bird button to add your next
pigeon.
4/ Enter the Ring Number for the pigeon AU 99 NPC 22600. You fill in all the fields in this window and you
mark its status as Archive and click Save bird button. Next click the New bird button.
5/ Enter the Ring Number for the pigeon AU 03 NPC 23400. You can now choose this bird’s sire and dam
from the pick list because you have already entered them into PLO in the steps above. After marking the status of 23400 as Stock, click the Save bird button. Next click the New bird button.
6/ Enter the Ring Number for the pigeon AU 02 NPC 23401. You can now choose this bird’s sire and dam
from the pick list because you have already entered them into PLO in the steps above. After marking the
status of 23400 as Stock, click the Save bird button. Next click the New bird button.
7/ Enter the Ring Number for the pigeon AU 04 NPC 22345 and you choose its parents from the pick list like
before. Mark its status as Racing or STOCK. You can now produce the pedigree in PDF and JPG format by clicking the Pedigree menu and selecting AU 04 NPC 22345 and Print Preview followed
by Print.
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If while entering data of a new bird you find out that there is no appropriate color or race on the list, on the right of
each field you have an Add button so you can use it to add additional information that you need - you do not have
to go to Options menu.
If the bird that you are entering was bought, mark Check Box Purchased and choose the name of the breeder that
you bought the bird from. If there is no name on the pick list, click Add Breeder button and enter data of the
breeder. Then give the date of transaction, the purchase price for the bird, and save it to the database. When you sell
a bird, you have only to choose the new owner.
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After entering new birds and before closing the program, be sure to do a data backup. Remember that this step is
critical because with a backup of your data, your birds can always be recovered should a virus damage your
hard disk. It is best to backup your data both on your computer’s hard disk as well as on a CD. When you have
finished entering your birds, close Bird window.
5) From Breeding menu choose Birds to view all birds saved in your database. You can sort birds in your database
by sex, hatch year, and may other attributes. All birds participating in races and breeders can be found in the Birds
list window. To learn to use the program more fully, test all possible options of creating lists of birds. After
clicking the Archive birds radio button you will find all birds that are not in your loft but that are saved in your
database. Remember that if you sell a bird or if it dies, you should edit its data and change its status to archive. If
you want to remove a bird from the list, select bird, click Delete bird button or press the DEL key and confirm its removal.
Remember that deleting a bird removes it from the database and it won't be visible on any list. To use the Bird race
information option, in the Races window in racing menu you have to enter all information concerning
your bird races.
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