HanDBase Released

[galenmd]

I didn't see this mentioned yet.

About 2 weeks ago, HanDBase for the iPhone was released. This is the first true standalone database application available for the iPhone and the best utility app I have used to date. It has the ability to create both standalone and relational databases right on your device. Records can be sorted or filtered by any field. You can import data onto your computer into csv files through a wifi connection. There is no need for desktop software. However, they do have a desktop version available from their site, ddhsoftware, with several different versions available, including conduits with record level syncing.

I have been using and dependent on HanDBase on my WM device for some time. I held off buying the iPhone until I heard that they were planning a release. So, I bought this on its first day of release and have been playing with it ever since.

Now, a little warning: while this app is truly fantastic, its first release has been a little buggy. The developers, however, are extremely responsive and all over it. They just submitted a major update to Apple today. Hopefully, Apple will be quick to post it.

 

[Phrasikleia]

Great news. I used to have this on my Palm handheld and found all sorts of uses for it. Now if Apple would just put real Bluetooth in the iPod touch, I might consider getting one.

 

[galenmd]

Update Released

Great news. I used to have this on my Palm handheld and found all sorts of uses for it. Now if Apple would just put real Bluetooth in the iPod touch, I might consider getting one.

ddhsoftware released an update to their HanDBase app today. It seems to solve most of the problems found in the first release (but created a new one not allowing you to delete a created database. They promise a fix soon).

This app makes all those other todo apps previously release basically useless.

(I do not work for ddh, but admire their dedication)

 

[Penny Dreadful]

I admire their dedication too... but perhaps they'd be better off not rushing the app/changes out. The app never should have been released with all the initial crashes. Now they've added the Delete db crash. Plus they changed the size of the font (which is good) but it now prevents you from seeing 1/3 of the text previously visible in the text field. Not good. Now if I want to see the text in those fields, I have to switch EVERY text field to a note field which takes up 3 times as much form space.

And this is just from using the new update for 5 minutes.

These shouldn't be big problems to fix, and I'm sure they will, but it's still troubling to see little interface issues not caught before release. I have high hopes for this app but right now I wouldn't trust any info I entered (especially if I was using this as a ToDo app.)

 

[ddhsoftware]

Just as a followup to this email, we have released several HanDBase updates since late October and long since addressed the delete db bug as well as several others. Regarding the font size, that was a feature request of many users (ie, make the font size bigger). We're planning to provide a dynamic field size in the Edit/View record screens so that the entire field will fit regardless of how much you've entered. That should help with the issue you described!

Hope this helps and have a great day.

Blessings,

Dave Haupert
DDH Software, Inc

 

[diesel]

hey ddhsoftware, i purchased your app when it was first released and i like it, however I have a few suggestions/gripes:

1) Huge gripe - a better way of organizing databases in the main screen in such a way that related databases could be grouped together under one listing (folders). Right now, i have downloaded quite a few already made projects and some contain more than 2 databases, some even 5, however they are all listed at the same level in the main screen and this seems stupid. there should be a way to have them all grouped under the same folder so that I can keep all databases for the same project together. right now, it's just confusion

2) Suggestion - I wrote in with this sometime ago and was just told they this request would be "passed" on to the developer. Nothing to let me know if you received the request or what you guys thought of it (i.e. you need to provide better responses from customer support). My suggestion was concerning "list" type databases where you provide the ability to have checkboxes for a record, but there is no functionality to "reset" or blank out all checked boxes for the database. this feature would be good so that I could create a packing list and check off what I need to and then reset all checked boxes to reuse the database.

3) Suggesion - I wrote in about this as well with same type of response as #2 above. I would like the ability to have calculations run on a field within a record in a database. Where this would be useful is in the packing list scenario where I am going camping or mountain climbing and Total Weight of all items packed is CRITICAL. I would like to define a weight to every record in a database, and have some functionality by which your app could provide total of all the weights.

Please advise. Thanks.

 

[ddhsoftware]

Hi diesel,

Thanks for writing. I am actually the developer (we're a relatively small company, so we all have to wear many hats!), and I did receive your suggestions from Brian. Let me respond to all of your points here:

1. For organizing databases, have you used the category setting? It was designed for just this! I set my databases up to have a 'quicklist' category which has only the top level database tables, and relegate other tables to their own category (using the name of the database collection they belong to). Then I just keep the QuickList category as my main one and voila!

2. There is a function like this in several of our other HanDBase implemenations called Set Value To.. which you can use to set the value of a field in multiple records (within or outside the filter range/view) to a certain value. Very useful for unchecking a bunch of records, or setting up a default value in an date after the fact. This feature is something I left out of the iPhone version because I wasn't sure how much use it actually got. Now that I know there are users asking for it, it is on the todo list. I have to be frank and say that it's further down than other features that are more often requested, but it's sure there!

3. This can already be done! There is a running total option within the calculation where you can refer to a value from the previous record. I use this in the checkbook example app to give you a running balance total. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions!

Take care and hope this helps!

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Hi DDH, happy customer chiming in here. Just wondering if you care to share your list of planned updates? Is an icon update in the works? The current one doesn't, shall we say, conform to Mac OS standards. Thanks!

 

[LostLogik]

1. For organizing databases, have you used the category setting? It was designed for just this! I set my databases up to have a 'quicklist' category which has only the top level database tables, and relegate other tables to their own category (using the name of the database collection they belong to). Then I just keep the QuickList category as my main one and voila!

Nice tip. Thanks. Just used this

2. ... a function ... called Set Value To.. .... left out of the iPhone version .... it is on the todo list.

Excellent. Would be useful (another request - hopefully help bump it up the ToDo list

Must say that I'm pleased you guys have done such a good job of getting HandBase on the iPhone and sorted out the earlier bugs. Thanks.

 

[ddhsoftware]

Frizzle Fry,

We had a completely different icon until version 4 (on other platforms) and did a redesign. A few people have agreed with your assessment, while the rest have stayed mum. I would assume overall that many people don't like it, and I'm open to any ideas for improvements or redesign.

 

[LostLogik]

Frizzle Fry,

We had a completely different icon until version 4 (on other platforms) and did a redesign. A few people have agreed with your assessment, while the rest have stayed mum. I would assume overall that many people don't like it, and I'm open to any ideas for improvements or redesign.

Must admit, I've never really been that bothered by icons but will agree that the hand in your app's icon looks duff, to say the least. I've just had another look at it and while I guess the idea behind it is tied in with the name, it would probably look a lot better with just the box and tick (and D?) currently in the hand. ie, do away with the hand all together.

 

[ddhsoftware]

The concept of the icon is that you have your data in your hand when you use HanDBase. So that's why we have a hand plus a container with data in it. Nothing wrong with just having the container I guess, though it would kind of look like the Windows Recycling bin, IMHO!! I'm worried about the negative consequences of that

 

[LostLogik]

The concept .. is that you have your data in your hand ... why we have a hand plus a container with data in it.

In which case, as I see your concerns, how about tunring the hand to view sideways on, such that you see the profile of the hand (keep it 2-D) and the container resting on top, maybe with drawers to show dB aspect.

But then again I'm not a graphic designer/marketing boffin so my ideas probably are wasted. I'll say no more.

 

[stockcerts]

I've had Bento for some time now and I have not found a practicle use for it. I stumbbled across Handbase and it seems to be a much more robust solution. Just curious as to some of the different type of databases you guys use with this app. I have a Mac, so I would also consider purchasing that client as well.

Thanks!

 

[ddhsoftware]

I've had Bento for some time now and I have not found a practicle use for it. I stumbbled across Handbase and it seems to be a much more robust solution. Just curious as to some of the different type of databases you guys use with this app. I have a Mac, so I would also consider purchasing that client as well.

Thanks!

Since this is a rather old thread (actually 2009 posts from around the same time of the year), I'm guessing you won't see too much action here. I would suggest considering the HanDBase forums where you'd find a lot of HanDBase related discussions going on, and the HanDBase Gallery where there are thousands of sample databases people have designed and shared with others. I don't think it's proper netiquette for me to post links here, but you should be able to find these fairly easy via Google search!

And by the way, HanDBase has come a long way since the postings here- the most recent updates especially!