Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Easy Databasing With HanDBase 3.0 Professional
Posted by Peter Foot in "SOFTWARE" @ 08:10 AM
If you are interested in maintaining a database on your Pocket PC, DDH produces this complete Database application. Read on to find out more about this latest version.
HanDBase is a relational database system for both Palm and Pocket PC devices – obviously we are looking at the Pocket PC version here. It uses a proprietary database format which supports encryption and includes an ActiveSync conduit to support synchronisation with desktop Access databases. You can build custom forms to have data entry screens suited to your particular application. There is also a large library of free database templates for a variety of subject matter which you can start using immediately. The Enterprise version of the application adds support for synchronising with ODBC compliant data sources.
Installation
The installation process kept me informed of what was happening throughout the process. At the point when I was prompted to install the software onto my Pocket PC, there was an erroneous entry in the list of devices.
Figure 1: Installation to Device
It was fairly obvious which of these was the real Pocket PC. Along with installing the Desktop and Pocket PC software, the installation also sets up the Sync provider and optional Access import/export options.
Desktop Software
The package features a desktop version of the software. You can use this to build your database structure or import data from other sources from comma separated values (.csv) files or Microsoft Access. The desktop application also includes a separate forms designer, although a forms designer which runs on the device is available in Beta.
Figure 2: HanDBase Desktop Application
The desktop application mirrors the functionality of the Pocket PC version while adding in other features such as additional Import and Export.
Synchronisation
Although the synchronisation program works in conjunction with ActiveSync, it is not totally integrated. Therefore when I wanted to synchronise I could not just click the Sync button from ActiveSync. You must click the "Synchronise HanDBase with Pocket PC" shortcut in the Start Menu, or disconnect and reconnect the device from the cradle. I was surprised there was no button or menu option in the desktop application to begin synchronisation.
Figure 3: Synchronisation
Template Gallery
One of the selling points of HanDBase is that there is a collection of thousands of database templates available at www.ddhsoftware.com so you need not build your database from scratch. A wide variety of topics are covered. For this review I tried out a DVD Database template submitted by Jeff Frankus. There is definitely something for everyone with topics including Delivery Tracking, Food and Drink, Sales and many more. You can search the library by category or keyword and there is even a link from the desktop HanDBase application to jump to the Web site.
Pocket PC Software
The Pocket PC client has a simple List based view which is the starting point for working with your data.
Figure 4: Main Pocket PC Screen
The drop-down box at the top allows you to change the current view. We’ll look at views further on in the article. The File menu gives all the usual file operations, the DBProperties item is where you can view and alter the structure of the database and set views and security options.
The Actions menu allows you move or copy records between different HanDBase files. It also allows you to beam records using Infrared or Print if you have the third-party PrintBoy CE or PrintPocketCE printer libraries.
New Records
Figure 5: New Record
The new document button on the menu bar is used to create a new record, opening the form ready for data entry. The forms can be built using the standalone Desktop Forms editor or the Beta Pocket PC forms editor.
Reports
Run Report allows you to generate statistical reports based on a specified field. There aren't many records in the sample I've used here but as you can see it is easy to determine the minimum, maximum and average values.
Figure 6: Reports
I found an issue which could be confusing, HanDBase only supports reports on numerical, date/time or checkbox fields - which is fair enough. However the complete list of fields is displayed. Accidentally clicking Title (which is a text field) brings up an error message. This would be more intuitive if only valid fields were listed on the Run Report screen.
Security
HanDBase supports password-based access, either to the entire file, or just to perform specific actions> For example, you can require a password when editing or adding records and allow free access for viewing. You can even lock out the DB Properties feature, so users have full use of the program but can’t change the database setup in any way without the password. The database can be encrypted - either specific fields or the entire database.
Views
You can sort or Filter the data in a variety of ways. When you have defined these Views they will appear in a drop down box on the main screen.
Figure 7: Customising Views
Each View defines which Fields are displayed, up to 6 Filters and 3 Sort Orders. As mentioned earlier you can quickly switch views using the drop down box on the top right of the main screen. Views are a very powerful way of navigating through a large database or providing complex filtering and searching.
Customising Forms
Figure 8: Forms Designer
HanDBase installs a Forms designer onto the desktop although an optional beta forms design tool is available for the Pocket PC. The forms designer is a standalone application from HanDBase itself. After opening a database file you are presented with a list of forms, along with the option of creating a new one. I decided to create a new form for the DVD database I’ve used above. You start off with a blank rectangle, the form you design here is used on either Palm, Pocket PC or Desktop applications simply by scaling up the form to fit the screen size. You can decide if the form is default for adding new records or editing existing data, or both. When you set up the form name you have a number of preset options for the title – you can display the form name, or "Record X of Y" to give an indication of your position within the data.
Figure 9: Custom Forms on the Pocket PC
I noticed that the basic form I had created on the PC suffered from a few alignment issues on the device which would require some tweaking. The Title field overlapped the Label. This is a nuisance but can be fixed by allowing more space in the forms editor. The moral of the story is not to place items too close together to allow for the scaling up which is applied to the co-ordinates of the items.
Gotchas
As already stated I had a minor issue with installing onto the device, though I put this down to my own hardware setup. Also as previously stated, a forms designer which runs on the device is still in beta although is available free to all HanDBase 3.0 users. Because the forms UI is designed to be applicable to both Pocket PC and Palm OS clients, some of the look and feel is slightly different to what you expect from a drop-down box on Pocket PC. The fact that the forms designer is a separate application can be annoying, but I guess the logic behind this is that you don't need the forms design capability for day-to-day interaction with the database.
Where to buy
HanDBase 3.0 Professional can be downloaded from Handango or purchased for $39.99 (affiliate link). The full HanDBase family is also available from DDH Software’s Web site and there are four versions available:-
HanDBase is an easy to use tool for keeping data on your Pocket PC. You don’t need programming experience to setup a database and enter your data, the ability to define custom forms means you can really make your database just what you need. You can also apply sorting and filtering views to your records. Some of the user interface has been designed to apply to both Pocket PC and Palm platforms, which means for example drop down boxes don’t look or behave quite like you would expect. That said, this is of great benefit to a scenario where both Palm and Pocket PC clients can be supported from the same database.
HanDBase is a relational database system for both Palm and Pocket PC devices – obviously we are looking at the Pocket PC version here. It uses a proprietary database format which supports encryption and includes an ActiveSync conduit to support synchronisation with desktop Access databases. You can build custom forms to have data entry screens suited to your particular application. There is also a large library of free database templates for a variety of subject matter which you can start using immediately. The Enterprise version of the application adds support for synchronising with ODBC compliant data sources.
Installation
The installation process kept me informed of what was happening throughout the process. At the point when I was prompted to install the software onto my Pocket PC, there was an erroneous entry in the list of devices.
Figure 1: Installation to Device
It was fairly obvious which of these was the real Pocket PC. Along with installing the Desktop and Pocket PC software, the installation also sets up the Sync provider and optional Access import/export options.
Desktop Software
The package features a desktop version of the software. You can use this to build your database structure or import data from other sources from comma separated values (.csv) files or Microsoft Access. The desktop application also includes a separate forms designer, although a forms designer which runs on the device is available in Beta.
Figure 2: HanDBase Desktop Application
The desktop application mirrors the functionality of the Pocket PC version while adding in other features such as additional Import and Export.
Synchronisation
Although the synchronisation program works in conjunction with ActiveSync, it is not totally integrated. Therefore when I wanted to synchronise I could not just click the Sync button from ActiveSync. You must click the "Synchronise HanDBase with Pocket PC" shortcut in the Start Menu, or disconnect and reconnect the device from the cradle. I was surprised there was no button or menu option in the desktop application to begin synchronisation.
Figure 3: Synchronisation
Template Gallery
One of the selling points of HanDBase is that there is a collection of thousands of database templates available at www.ddhsoftware.com so you need not build your database from scratch. A wide variety of topics are covered. For this review I tried out a DVD Database template submitted by Jeff Frankus. There is definitely something for everyone with topics including Delivery Tracking, Food and Drink, Sales and many more. You can search the library by category or keyword and there is even a link from the desktop HanDBase application to jump to the Web site.
Pocket PC Software
The Pocket PC client has a simple List based view which is the starting point for working with your data.
Figure 4: Main Pocket PC Screen
The drop-down box at the top allows you to change the current view. We’ll look at views further on in the article. The File menu gives all the usual file operations, the DBProperties item is where you can view and alter the structure of the database and set views and security options.
The Actions menu allows you move or copy records between different HanDBase files. It also allows you to beam records using Infrared or Print if you have the third-party PrintBoy CE or PrintPocketCE printer libraries.
New Records
Figure 5: New Record
The new document button on the menu bar is used to create a new record, opening the form ready for data entry. The forms can be built using the standalone Desktop Forms editor or the Beta Pocket PC forms editor.
Reports
Run Report allows you to generate statistical reports based on a specified field. There aren't many records in the sample I've used here but as you can see it is easy to determine the minimum, maximum and average values.
Figure 6: Reports
I found an issue which could be confusing, HanDBase only supports reports on numerical, date/time or checkbox fields - which is fair enough. However the complete list of fields is displayed. Accidentally clicking Title (which is a text field) brings up an error message. This would be more intuitive if only valid fields were listed on the Run Report screen.
Security
HanDBase supports password-based access, either to the entire file, or just to perform specific actions> For example, you can require a password when editing or adding records and allow free access for viewing. You can even lock out the DB Properties feature, so users have full use of the program but can’t change the database setup in any way without the password. The database can be encrypted - either specific fields or the entire database.
Views
You can sort or Filter the data in a variety of ways. When you have defined these Views they will appear in a drop down box on the main screen.
Figure 7: Customising Views
Each View defines which Fields are displayed, up to 6 Filters and 3 Sort Orders. As mentioned earlier you can quickly switch views using the drop down box on the top right of the main screen. Views are a very powerful way of navigating through a large database or providing complex filtering and searching.
Customising Forms
Figure 8: Forms Designer
HanDBase installs a Forms designer onto the desktop although an optional beta forms design tool is available for the Pocket PC. The forms designer is a standalone application from HanDBase itself. After opening a database file you are presented with a list of forms, along with the option of creating a new one. I decided to create a new form for the DVD database I’ve used above. You start off with a blank rectangle, the form you design here is used on either Palm, Pocket PC or Desktop applications simply by scaling up the form to fit the screen size. You can decide if the form is default for adding new records or editing existing data, or both. When you set up the form name you have a number of preset options for the title – you can display the form name, or "Record X of Y" to give an indication of your position within the data.
Figure 9: Custom Forms on the Pocket PC
I noticed that the basic form I had created on the PC suffered from a few alignment issues on the device which would require some tweaking. The Title field overlapped the Label. This is a nuisance but can be fixed by allowing more space in the forms editor. The moral of the story is not to place items too close together to allow for the scaling up which is applied to the co-ordinates of the items.
Gotchas
As already stated I had a minor issue with installing onto the device, though I put this down to my own hardware setup. Also as previously stated, a forms designer which runs on the device is still in beta although is available free to all HanDBase 3.0 users. Because the forms UI is designed to be applicable to both Pocket PC and Palm OS clients, some of the look and feel is slightly different to what you expect from a drop-down box on Pocket PC. The fact that the forms designer is a separate application can be annoying, but I guess the logic behind this is that you don't need the forms design capability for day-to-day interaction with the database.
Where to buy
HanDBase 3.0 Professional can be downloaded from Handango or purchased for $39.99 (affiliate link). The full HanDBase family is also available from DDH Software’s Web site and there are four versions available:-
- HanDBase for Pocket PC $24.99
- HanDBase Plus for $29.99 which adds the two-way Synchronisation feature
- HanDBase Professional (as reviewed here) for $39.99 which adds the forms designer and Access synchronisation and synchronisation support for multiple users.
- HanDBase Enterprise for $99.99 which has all the features of the Professional version except features ODBC synchronisation allowing you to synchronise with any ODBC compliant database in your Enterprise.
- 700-750 Kb of available Storage Memory
- Pocket PC 2000 or higher
- Windows 95, 98, ME, NT 4.51, 2000 or XP with 4MB of hard-disk space on the desktop PC
HanDBase is an easy to use tool for keeping data on your Pocket PC. You don’t need programming experience to setup a database and enter your data, the ability to define custom forms means you can really make your database just what you need. You can also apply sorting and filtering views to your records. Some of the user interface has been designed to apply to both Pocket PC and Palm platforms, which means for example drop down boxes don’t look or behave quite like you would expect. That said, this is of great benefit to a scenario where both Palm and Pocket PC clients can be supported from the same database.
