RANFFT Database is down!!

[LittleWatchShop]

Some say Dr. Ranfft has passed away.  Others say the database is moving to another server.  I do not know.

Someone has reposted it here.

Last year, worrying about this possibility, I scraped the site so I have the entire database on my PC.  I dont have the search engine, however.

[Kalanag]

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/dr-ranfft-is-back.5406496/post-57002023

https://www.abschied-nehmen.de/traueranzeige/roland-ranfft

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by Kalanag

[dadistic]

Also a thread here -

https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/rip-dr-roland-ranfft-26-6-1950-19-03-2023.200499/

Someone has made a web page of the database available here - 

https://xchwarze.github.io/ranfft-db/app/

The search works well. 

Edit: Yikes. Just noticed this is the same as the link @LittleWatchShop posted. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by dadistic

[rehajm]

Kaput, but yes, a dedicated soul is reconstituting the important bits…

[LittleWatchShop]

59 minutes ago, rehajm said:

Kaput, but yes, a dedicated soul is reconstituting the important bits…

I have thought about building my own advanced search engine, but it would be a lot of work.  Just building a web page with all the data like the github solution would be relatively easy, but redundant.

[rehajm]

19 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

I have thought about building my own advanced search engine, but it would be a lot of work.  Just building a web page with all the data like the github solution would be relatively easy, but redundant.

Yes, I briefly considered introducing the project to a local ud school as a challenge to some enterprising students. I think if someone were to make the effort, the good news is the data lends itself to search, yah? I rarely needed more than two or three inputs to find what I was searching for…

[mikepilk]

I just hope someone can get it back and working. I feel at a loss without it.

[LittleWatchShop]

1 hour ago, mikepilk said:

I just hope someone can get it back and working. I feel at a loss without it.

The github link works although he is doing a refresh right now...will need another day to complete.

I have the database in an excel spreadsheet.  I think I can convert it to html and host it on my domain.  But, if the github works, this would be a redundant effort.

[JohnR725]

17 hours ago, mikepilk said:

I just hope someone can get it back and working. I feel at a loss without it.

yes the withdrawal symptoms of I want to see a picture of a watch because nobody will post their watch the working on as usual and?

but apparently it's been archived at this address. I did have the home page but I was like entering here with the complete list

https://web.archive.org/web/20200216123958/http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk

 

 

[LittleWatchShop]

2 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

it's been archived at this address.

Nice find, but the server is SLOW

[mikepilk]

19 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

The github link works although he is doing a refresh right now...will need another day to complete.

I followed the link, and it seems to be working https://ranfft.org/

[JohnR725]

1 hour ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Nice find, but the server is SLOW

yes I was noticing the same problem but the same individual who gave me that gave me another link which I see as already been posted. sso apparently this is the new improved site to replace the other one  that is no longer in existence. It's one of the unfortunate problems the Internet one minute it's there in the next minute could be gone  and certain sites like this are extremely useful.

31 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I followed the link, and it seems to be working https://ranfft.org/

 

[Darthkram]

Hi @LittleWatchShop would you consider uploading the database you scraped somewhere so I could download it?

I'd love the opportunity to play around with the data and try to recreate the advanced search (possibly with extra features)

 

Thanks!

[JohnR725]

the website seems to be up and running again?

 

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&

 

 

 

 

[Kalanag]

Great news! 

[LittleWatchShop]

8 hours ago, Darthkram said:

consider uploading

Looks like the problem went away. RANFFT is back up now.

[Darthkram]

11 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Looks like the problem went away. RANFFT is back up now.

I'd still be interested in a copy, partially for playing with, partially in case it goes down again!

Only if it's not too much of a hassle though

[Kalanag]

The Ranfft datebase seems having a new location:

https://ranfft.org/

Edited December 19, 2023 by Kalanag

[LittleWatchShop]

2 hours ago, Kalanag said:

The Ranfft datebase seems having a new location:

https://ranfft.org/

Glad the guy has taken this up, but I liked the old advanced search better.

[RichardHarris123]

I don't like the new site at all. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

10 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

I don't like the new site at all. 

I noticed that a couple of days ago. Have you got a link to the new one please Rich.

[RichardS]

31 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

I don't like the new site at all. 

Same here. I miss being able to see all the information and photos at a glance. Also the calibre family information is missing - this was really useful for learning about all the variations that existed.

[rehajm]

The about page shows the moniker of who is doing this. This is a work in progress so give it some time. Says there the goal is to merge data sets including the original which isn't currently running...

Edited December 19, 2023 by rehajm

[ColinC]

I have filled in the contact form and hope to get in touch with the owner.

Reading through the About document - this looks like a great initiative and I would be keen to contribute to a site that is open source and contains copyright free content.

Imagine if we had a site where you could submit a photo of your movement and it could identify it for you and tell you all about it.  Or one where you specify the movement you are working on and the part you need and it will tell you all the other movements that used the same part?

Edited December 20, 2023 by ColinC

[RichardHarris123]

Also you could submit the make and and the movement, it would help with obscure brands.

Edited December 20, 2023 by RichardHarris123
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