Question For Recipe Software Users

[RVcook]

My nutrition program finally died and I need a new one. I mainly use my program for recipe development and am interested in a program that has the ability to not only allow me to enter custom foods and create recipes, but also will figure the nutritional value of my recipes.

Additionally, I need to be able to see the breakdown of Carbs/Pro/Fats by the percentage of calories in the serving AND be able to print this info. (If this info was displayed in pie-chart format that would be great, but not necessary if just the %'s were provided.)

I have demo-ed several different recipe software versions and just can't seem to find one that does what I need it to do. I already have Diet Power and the flaw in that program is that it provides the %'s based on the USERS data and not JUST the %'s from the calories!...ughh....

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I was thinking about MasterCook, but need to find out whether it will do the things that I need.

Thanks to anyone who can offer suggestions.

[Jake]

*tag*

I'm in the market too. I currently have Big Oven, which does do what I need, but I'm always open to ideas. I also wish it could menu plan.

[DiamondDeb]

I'm not really clear on what you're looking for...

I have used Life Form for years and really like it. I can enter ingredients for a recipe and I can view the nutritional info for that.

It comes with a 2 week trial.

[RVcook]

Oh I just LOVED my LifeForm! But after having it crash two times on me and finding that I was unable to restore my data through backup, and the company does not respond to my emails, I suspect that the developers have most likely abandoned the software and the drivers are just out of date.

Too bad...the program was really excellent (except for the fact that I could NOT print out my recipes.)

So now the search is on to find a "suitable" replacement program that basically does everything that LifeForm does, but also prints, is updated regularly and allows for some user customization. (I don't want much do I?????) What a pain... .

Edited to Add: This last crash wiped out all my custom foods and recipes that I spent hours putting in and backing up so that I wouldn't lose all my data. Oh well...Fool me once, shame on you...Fool me twice, shame on me!

[Jake]

I used to use RecipeCalc, which would let you print, email, or save to the clipboard in HTML (for a webpage). It rocked. My computer died though.

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by RVcook

Oh I just LOVED my LifeForm! But after having it crash two times on me and finding that I was unable to restore my data through backup, and the company does not respond to my emails, I suspect that the developers have most likely abandoned the software and the drivers are just out of date.

Too bad...the program was really excellent (except for the fact that I could NOT print out my recipes.)

So now the search is on to find a "suitable" replacement program that basically does everything that LifeForm does, but also prints, is updated regularly and allows for some user customization. (I don't want much do I?????) What a pain... .

Edited to Add: This last crash wiped out all my custom foods and recipes that I spent hours putting in and backing up so that I wouldn't lose all my data. Oh well...Fool me once, shame on you...Fool me twice, shame on me!

I haven't had that problem. I have had LF for over 6 years... I've lost some stuff when I had to get a new computer. Never tried to print a recipe, but the stats print fine.

I have had contact with the LifeForm CS. He even sent me a test version when I had questions about %. That was a while ago though.

If you find something even better than LF please let me know.

Could the problem be with the computer & software compatibility?

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by DiamondDeb

I haven't had that problem. I have had LF for over 6 years... I've lost some stuff when I had to get a new computer. Never tried to print a recipe, but the stats print fine.

I have had contact with the LifeForm CS. He even sent me a test version when I had questions about %. That was a while ago though.

If you find something even better than LF please let me know.

Could the problem be with the computer & software compatibility?

I too have had the software since 1998 and it worked fine on my last 3 computers. It could be a software compatability issue, but considering that I've had it on the current computer for the past 4 years and it has only recently crashed (once last April and now just recently), I'm really thinking it's a software driver that is no longer being recognized.

I'm going to keep searching, but since the LifeForm was SO user-friendly, I think I'm going to have a tough time finding a replacement. Thanks for responding. If I find a comparable replacement, I'll be sure to post it.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by happy cricket

I used to use RecipeCalc, which would let you print, email, or save to the clipboard in HTML (for a webpage). It rocked. My computer died though.

I actually demo-ed RecipeCalc and liked it's basic functions, but its database is terribly out-of-date and it doesn't look like it's had any updates since it's initial development. In its' day, I'm sure it was great!

[Xcali]

CalorieKing Recipe Book is supposed to be excellent. I have their fitness/diet software and I love it, I haven't tried their recipe software yet, but it looks awesome.

Might be worth a look.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by Xcali

CalorieKing Recipe Book is supposed to be excellent. I have their fitness/diet software and I love it, I haven't tried their recipe software yet, but it looks awesome.

Might be worth a look.

I looked at their diet software and too thought it was excellent but I didn't know that they had recipe software. Thanks so much for the tip!

[Xcali]

You're quite welcome. I'm thinking about getting it myself.

[Yummy's_Girl]

I have Big Oven and I love it

[Kevinpa]

Cook'n is the one I use. It has all the features of all the other majors players plus it will import any of their recipes formats also. Its will allow you to add and customize any ingredient. They also have a try it first version that allows you to try it before you buy it.

[Dottie]

Master Cook gal here 100%. I've been using it for a long time. Pretty much any version 5.x and up will work up through Windows XP. Not sure about vista though.

[jackieba]

I have Master Cook also. Love it.

[crazywoman-n-wy]

[COLOR=red]I have an older version of Master Cook (6). I really like it. I'm sure the newer ones are even better, and they also now have a Low Carb version.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#ff0000]Yep, it allows you to add your own recipes, add your own ingredient info, print the nutrition info and the recipe. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=#ff0000]It is from ValuSoft.[/COLOR]

[Xcali]

Master Cook looks awesome too, unfortunately, no version for Mac users

[RVcook]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I'm just so picky about what I want in software, I tend to overthink the whole thing.

I think I'm going with AccuChef. Their demo version looks very promising and is completely customizeable for my needs.

I appreciate everyone's input. Thanks again!

[Jake]

AccuChef DOES look good! I like this part of their description:

AccuChef recipe software also allows you to print out cookbooks (with a table of contents, headers, footers, page numbers and pictures), create web pages and print out your shopping list in store aisle order.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by happy cricket

AccuChef DOES look good! I like this part of their description:

Did you also see that you can update the food database? This is very important for me. And I tried out their import wizard last night...worked like a charm which means that I can go into all my typed recipes that I have organized in my computer and import them directly into the program without having to re-type them! Of course, I'll still have to enter in the custom foods, but since I have 1000's of my own recipes, this single step should save me HOURS of work!

So far, it's really the best program I've seen OR tried!

[Jake]

Sweet!

[theislandgirl]

I have been running MasterCook for YEARS, and still do, though I refuse to go past version 7 and sometimes wish I had stayed with version 6 (but my customized ingredients list is not "reversible" in version, my fault). Sometimes the improvements are the ones that I wanted, like the rounding that occurs in the grams...all that being said, I have an enormous investment in both recipes and ingredients (i.e., time) in my MasterCook, and have passed the learning curve. The default Nutrition Summary information in MasterCook has the % of calories from fat, but not the rest, on the screen/printed recipe -- yes, the bias is kind of built in. The recipe and cookbook print formats ARE customizable, though, and you can get a Nutrition Facts style panel, and customize the print style AND select items for print as desired. Frankly, I've found this a not-user-friendly aspect, if you have experience in publisher software and a very fast machine, it's highly do-able, though.

That being said, I cruised this same question a year or so back, and ended up with a copy of AccuChef (eBay, gotta love it) that I have never quite had the time to start up. I'd be very interested to hear your comments on it, Donna.

ps: just out of pure nosiness, if you had your LifeForm all backed up, why did it "expire"? Did you misplace the install disk, or choose not to renew/upgrade?

[Jake]

Since this thread started, I've actually renewed my love affair with Big Oven. Upon restarting it, it updated to the latest version, and I find that I CAN menu plan after all. Plus, I forced myself to sit down and RTFM, and I'm really enjoying it now.

The support is AWESOME too... I had a problem on SATURDAY and got it resolved via e-mail in under an hour.

I still wish I could print a cookbook (FUN) but I was cruising their websites support forums, and it sounds like that may happen in a future release.

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by theislandgirl

I have been running MasterCook for YEARS, and still do, though I refuse to go past version 7 and sometimes wish I had stayed with version 6 (but my customized ingredients list is not "reversible" in version, my fault). Sometimes the improvements are the ones that I wanted, like the rounding that occurs in the grams...all that being said, I have an enormous investment in both recipes and ingredients (i.e., time) in my MasterCook, and have passed the learning curve. The default Nutrition Summary information in MasterCook has the % of calories from fat, but not the rest, on the screen/printed recipe -- yes, the bias is kind of built in. The recipe and cookbook print formats ARE customizable, though, and you can get a Nutrition Facts style panel, and customize the print style AND select items for print as desired. Frankly, I've found this a not-user-friendly aspect, if you have experience in publisher software and a very fast machine, it's highly do-able, though.

That being said, I cruised this same question a year or so back, and ended up with a copy of AccuChef (eBay, gotta love it) that I have never quite had the time to start up. I'd be very interested to hear your comments on it, Donna.

ps: just out of pure nosiness, if you had your LifeForm all backed up, why did it "expire"? Did you misplace the install disk, or choose not to renew/upgrade?

Hi Jude,

I did wind up downloading the trial version of Master Cook. Funny thing...it took longer to download it than it did for the 30 minute trial!!!!! I did see where it was customizeable...from the little I remember, but it didn't impress me enough to want to purchase it. Any program that doesn't give me at least a one week trial doesn't really want my business anyway...I mean really!

Regarding the LifeForm...it is actually a health management sotware program. It was designed to track food, exercise, health info, etc. It was never really a fully-customizeable recipe management program. As far as the program crashing, I'm not exactly sure what the problem with the software is. The program's code was written in 1995 and the last update was in 1997. Microsoft...being as bloated as it can be, can only support certain software drivers for a certain amount of time. Heck...they don't even support their own software after a while! Anyway, while my OS is currently Win XP Pro, I suspect that there is a "bug" in the program that seems to activate when I begin inputting more data than the program was originally designed to handle. Without getting too technical, the code was probably written with a ram limit of about 256mb...it WAS 1995 after all! This was done to protect the entire system from crashing, basically, the software sacrifices itself to protect the computer. Gotta love the geeks!

As far as the backup goes, I should actually have known better and used my MS backup utility instead of the one resident in the software program. I actually went to a LifeForm users board and 'perused' the questions regarding the program. It seems that I am not the only one with backup/restore issues either and nobody is able to get any answers. I have the original install CD with activation code (which I don't seem to need...for some reason) along with the users guide in book form. Like you, I have a serious amount of time invested in both using the software and more importantly, in the data contained in the program. Certainly, I feel the worst about the lost data.

Anyhow...(boy this post has gotten long!)...since there is nothing I can do about the lost data, no sense whining about it anymore. So what I have decided to do is to use the AccuChef software with the intent of managing my recipes. The good news is that after the first crash, I was smart enough to actually type out every single one into MS Word so now I can import them. Then, when I'm working on recipe development, I'll use the LifeForm because it does offer me some screen comparison options that I can't get in the AccuChef.

I do have to admit that after each crash I have gotten a little smarter about the software itself. Just yesterday, even though the software doesn't support printing the recipe entry, I actually figured out how to do it .

Thanks for jumping in with your thoughts on the MasterCook. This little "detour" has put all of my development on hold while I figured things out. And trust me...I'd rather be working on recipes than having theoretical discussions with my DH on why my MS operating system isn't optimal for my older software apps!!!

Edited to Add: The company did not offer any upgrades after the first one in 1997...

[theislandgirl]

I'm not exactly sure what the problem with the software is. The program's code was written in 1995 and the last update was in 1997. Microsoft...being as bloated as it can be, can only support certain software drivers for a certain amount of time. Heck...they don't even support their own software after a while! Anyway, while my OS is currently Win XP Pro, I suspect that there is a "bug" in the program that seems to activate when I begin inputting more data than the program was originally designed to handle. Without getting too technical, the code was probably written with a ram limit of about 256mb...it WAS 1995 after all! This was done to protect the entire system from crashing, basically, the software sacrifices itself to protect the computer. Gotta love the geeks!

Has your DH discussed installing/running the LifeForm in compatibility mode for Win95? It's somewhere there in the install or properties for .EXE(s)...can't remember, it's been a while since I was a daily practicing geek!

I've had a few issues with WIN95 and believe it or not DOS-based stuff. Compatibility Mode almost always clears up the problem (reserves RAM in a secure space, a virtual 256 or whatever "box", to run in. So stop typing so fast, already.

Also, I misspoke myself; I really HATE the rounding of grams of this and that, which suddenly popped up in Version 7, as I recall. I'm a developer and a LCer, and those fractions are important to me!

As for the lost backups/restores, I'm guessing you've already worked out whether the files themselves or the underlying hard disk might be a touch, um, "corrupted"? I find a regular defrag exceedingly helpful in this department. Just maybe.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted, eh?

[RVcook]

Originally Posted by theislandgirl

Has your DH discussed installing/running the LifeForm in compatibility mode for Win95? It's somewhere there in the install or properties for .EXE(s)...can't remember, it's been a while since I was a daily practicing geek!

I've had a few issues with WIN95 and believe it or not DOS-based stuff. Compatibility Mode almost always clears up the problem (reserves RAM in a secure space, a virtual 256 or whatever "box", to run in. So stop typing so fast, already.

Also, I misspoke myself; I really HATE the rounding of grams of this and that, which suddenly popped up in Version 7, as I recall. I'm a developer and a LCer, and those fractions are important to me!

As for the lost backups/restores, I'm guessing you've already worked out whether the files themselves or the underlying hard disk might be a touch, um, "corrupted"? I find a regular defrag exceedingly helpful in this department. Just maybe.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted, eh?

Oh yeah to all the above . DH, now considers himself "dinosaured" 3 times and is about fed-up with MS...now installing Linux as we speak...oh good another OS to learn! Anyway, it is entirely possible that the HD on my current computer is corrupted, hence the new computer with re-partitioned disk and two OS's. But...we do regular maintenance on the drive including defragging and evidently it hasn't helped...sigh... .

I'm going to work with the AccuChef a while and see how it handles. As for typing too fast...you're really not too far off. Sometimes I think I "confuse" the program when I switch from entry to entry...which is actually how I got the floating point error which crashed my program in the first place . So now I guess I have to 'dumb-down' a bit so that the software can keep up...pretty cool .