Freeze Dry Tracker

A web application for tracking freeze-dried food batches. This tool allows you to manage the entire process, from batch creation to packaging and inventory management, with features like water removal calculation and label generation.

Features

• User Interface

  • Thumb-friendly design for use on smartphone
  • No need for a full desktop setup in your food prep area
  • Web based app can be used on almost any device

• Batch Management:

  • Create, view, edit, and delete batches.
  • Record trays in each batch with contents and weights.
  • Automatically calculates water removed during freeze-drying.
  • Mark batches as complete when weights are stable.
  • Attach photos and notes to each batch

• Tray Management:

  • Add trays to batches with detailed information.
  • Update tray weights to track progress.
  • Edit or delete individual trays.

• Bag Management:

  • Package contents from trays into bags.
  • Track bag contents, weights, storage locations, and notes.
  • Print labels with QR codes for each bag.
  • Mark bags as consumed.

• Inventory Search:

  • Search batches, trays, and bags by keywords.
  • Filter consumed or unopened bags.

• Lightweight

  • Can be run on a Raspberry PI or other small computer.
  • The author runs the app on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W

• Backup / Restore

  • Download your data as a simple .zip file for safe keeping
  • Restore database from any previous backup

• Snapshots

  • Create backup files on server without having to download them
  • Restore database snapshots from a previous point in time

Technologies Used

• Backend: Flask (Python)
• Frontend: Jinja2 templates with Bootstrap 5 CSS
• Database: SQLite or MySQL
• Other Tools:
  • QR code generation
  • ReportLab for PDF label creation

Installation

To quickly install and try out the app, follow the instructions below. For a more comprehensive guide to setting up the app on a Raspberry Pi, see the Raspberry Pi Setup Guide.

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/mkrzywonski/fdtracker.git
   cd fdtracker

2. Set up a virtual environment:

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate   # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Run the development server:

   python app.py

5. Access the application in your browser at:

   http://127.0.0.1:5000
   

Usage

1. Create a Batch:

   • Navigate to the "New Batch" page and fill in the required information.
   • Add trays to the batch, specifying their contents and initial weights.

2. Update Tray Weights:

   • Monitor tray weights during freeze-drying.
   • Keep track of tray weights to determine if you need more drying time.
   • Enter the final weights when the process is complete.

3. Package Contents:

   • Split tray contents into bags, recording their weights and storage locations.
   • Create and print labels for bags with QR codes linking to batch details.
   • Scan QR Code on bag label to quickly pull up batch on smart-phone and mark bag as consumed or view batch details
   • Print bag inventory reports by food storage location

4. Manage Inventory:

   • View and search through batches, trays, and bags.
   • Mark bags as consumed or update their details.
   • Print inventory reports for single or multiple batches

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Happy freeze-drying! 😊