partdb is an electronic parts inventory manager.

usage
=====

Once the service is installed, there is a single page to search, add, delete, or update parts.
The only aspect not handled by the web frontend is the attachments.
Just add the files directly on the server under `public/attachments/<part_name>/`.

Distributors also need to be managed directly in the database.
Since this does change very often, it isn't too much of a hassle.
An example is in `populate.sql`, also with some other entries.

To import an LCSC part, simply go to the `/import/lcsc/Cxxxx` page and the part will be added to the database.

goals
=====

I wished for a part manager with the following properties:

- self hosted: I do not wish to rely on an external service (which could become unreachable or simply disappear)
- web interface: this removes the need of yet another window running while designing boards, and just integrates well with the remaining part searching activity (e.g. on manufacturer and distributor web pages)
- customizable: simply because everyone has a different designing work flow, and wants to optimize their tools according to it (particularly myself)

One matching solution I found is [PartKeepr](https://partkeepr.org/).
I used it for several year, and it could still be OK for my needs.
But some aspects are just not that optimal anymore:

- it is not developed anymore since 2018 (a docker image keeps it runnable)
- logging in, and searching for parts is slow
- customizing it is really hard (views, features, ...)
- you always have to edit the part and click several times to copy any kind of value

I recently also discovered [Binner](https://binner.io/).
It does not allow to add custom part properties, or third parties distributors.
But it's a young project and seems promising.

Because they did not fit by power user demands, I decided to implement my own solution.
partdb is very crude, but it works, particularly for me.

components
==========

Part information is:

- stored in a MariaDB/mySQL database
- retrieved using a sinatra HTTP/REST server
- displayed using minimal HTML+JS pages

installation
============

install software dependencies (here for Arch linux):

~~~
sudo pacman -S mariadb
sudo pacman -S ruby-sinatra ruby-webrick
pikaur -S ruby-mysql2
~~~

configure database

~~~
sudo mariadb-install-db --user=mysql --basedir=/usr --datadir=/var/lib/mysql
sudo mysql
CREATE DATABASE partdb;
CREATE USER 'partdb'@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON partdb.* TO 'partdb'@localhost;
exit
mysql --user=partdb --password=password --database=partdb < schema.sql
~~~

put the database access information in `credentials.json` and run `server.rb`.
now go to http://localhost:4245 and you are ready to use it.
the port is defined in `server.rb`.

use a proxy web server to handle the authentication, TLS, compression, ...