Using HanDBase to record events on-the-go
16/02/2009 22:34 Filed in: FAQs
A quick follow-up on the iPhone app support question.
Having already coded the Logbook to import from some Palm OS general database apps I decided to see what was available for the iPhone [and I also mean iPod touch when I say iPhone]. HanDBase is a long-time Palm OS DB manager application and has now been migrated to the iPhone, as it was a name I knew and supports the data types I need I decided to pay-up and try it out. The iPhone app is $9.99 (£5.99) and, if you need it, the HanDBase desktop app is $9.99.
Having created a database, with pop-up lists and a few different views, I found that its built-in web server was an easy way to export CSV files of the data, and that these were ready to be imported by the Mac Logbook. Further investigation revealed that this wasn’t a 100% successful solution, as while my UK format iPod works other iPhones with different region settings may not.
My iPod touch is setup with UK format date, times and decimal mark so the default HanDBase export format is handled by Logbook X. However, other iPhone region settings change the decimal mark to a {comma} and the HanDBase surrounds any exported field data with {quote} characters: “12,5”. These region settings may also use {comma} in the time format too.
The current (v1.4.9) import rules for {comma} delimited files include:
Dates
The date's year may be either 2 or 4 digits long, for example 07 or 2007.
Times
Time formats with {comma} separation are only supported when {tab} delimiting is used:
The time format from HandDBase includes seconds. The import into Logbook X handles this format and strips off the seconds.
Numbers
The current version of Logbook X doesn’t fully handle interpreting "12,5" style number fields during import, yet. Though I have a fix being tested that it seems to resolve this.
So, as of now, HanDBase can be used to record event data and it can then be imported as follows:
The current Logbook X code will strip {quote} characters but it is rather strict and looks for either {quote}{comma}{quote} or {quote}{tab}{quote}. Changing this, using the mentioned fix, to be less strict fixes the problem.
Anyway, that is where I've got to. I hope to test further, but in the meantime if anyone wants a beta version of Logbook X and/or the HandBase database template file just use the Support form to contact me.
There are other database apps available, but I picked HanDBase first because the online documentation and supporting information indicated it could do the job. I didn't want to buy three or four apps only to find that they don't export data easily or that the database template file cannot be shared with others. I also tested the database template file, created on the iPod, on a trial version of the Palm OS app and it worked. I also see that HanDBase has database apps for other mobile devices too.
Having already coded the Logbook to import from some Palm OS general database apps I decided to see what was available for the iPhone [and I also mean iPod touch when I say iPhone]. HanDBase is a long-time Palm OS DB manager application and has now been migrated to the iPhone, as it was a name I knew and supports the data types I need I decided to pay-up and try it out. The iPhone app is $9.99 (£5.99) and, if you need it, the HanDBase desktop app is $9.99.
Having created a database, with pop-up lists and a few different views, I found that its built-in web server was an easy way to export CSV files of the data, and that these were ready to be imported by the Mac Logbook. Further investigation revealed that this wasn’t a 100% successful solution, as while my UK format iPod works other iPhones with different region settings may not.
My iPod touch is setup with UK format date, times and decimal mark so the default HanDBase export format is handled by Logbook X. However, other iPhone region settings change the decimal mark to a {comma} and the HanDBase surrounds any exported field data with {quote} characters: “12,5”. These region settings may also use {comma} in the time format too.
The current (v1.4.9) import rules for {comma} delimited files include:
Dates
- D/M/Y
- M/D/Y
- D.M.Y
- M.D.Y
- D-M-Y
- M-D-Y
The date's year may be either 2 or 4 digits long, for example 07 or 2007.
Times
- HH:MM
- HH:MM am/pm
- HH.MM
- HH.MM am/pm
Time formats with {comma} separation are only supported when {tab} delimiting is used:
- HH,MM
- HH,MM am/pm
The time format from HandDBase includes seconds. The import into Logbook X handles this format and strips off the seconds.
Numbers
- Floating point format with a period, ".", as the decimal mark.
The current version of Logbook X doesn’t fully handle interpreting "12,5" style number fields during import, yet. Though I have a fix being tested that it seems to resolve this.
So, as of now, HanDBase can be used to record event data and it can then be imported as follows:
- In regions where "." is used as the decimal
mark the exported CVS file can be imported directly
into Logbook X.
- In regions that use "," as the decimal mark:
- The HanDBase Desktop application can be used to open a downloaded copy of the database (use the built-in web server to get the copy). Then export the data as a {comma} delimited file, include a header row, and selected to enclose all fields in {quote}.
- Alternatively, use a text editor to edit the exported CSV file from the iPhone and make sure that every field is enclosed by {quote}, even fields with empty data. Or use a text editor to edit the exported CSV file from the iPhone and make sure that no fields are enclosed by {quote}.
The current Logbook X code will strip {quote} characters but it is rather strict and looks for either {quote}{comma}{quote} or {quote}{tab}{quote}. Changing this, using the mentioned fix, to be less strict fixes the problem.
Anyway, that is where I've got to. I hope to test further, but in the meantime if anyone wants a beta version of Logbook X and/or the HandBase database template file just use the Support form to contact me.
There are other database apps available, but I picked HanDBase first because the online documentation and supporting information indicated it could do the job. I didn't want to buy three or four apps only to find that they don't export data easily or that the database template file cannot be shared with others. I also tested the database template file, created on the iPod, on a trial version of the Palm OS app and it worked. I also see that HanDBase has database apps for other mobile devices too.