Database software for Symbian devices?

Forums › Legacy mobile platforms (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Web OS, Symbian, Meego, Blackberry) › Database software for Symbian devices?

beehappy

104 posts

Master Geek

#70384 22-Oct-2010 19:57

Hi I am a beekeeper using a N85 & in the field I want to open a data base in a form view which can ideally sync with MS Access or Excel and edit the info on the phone (ie how many hives etc). I bought Mobile DB viewer plus which sync's PC to Phone but crashes Phone to PC have tried to ask for help but after 2 months and no reply ???
any advise or suggestions gratefully received
regards Pete

Zeon

3916 posts

Uber Geek

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#394875 22-Oct-2010 21:01

Make a web editor for your database and access on the phones browser?

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beehappy

104 posts

Master Geek

#395024 23-Oct-2010 14:50

What & how exactly would I do this

also because of the sites I am in I have no cell coverage would this work offline

thanks

Technofreak

6530 posts

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#395109 23-Oct-2010 21:38

I'm not sure if it works with the N85, but I use Quick Office on my Nokia 5800. With this I can open edit and create Word and Excel files and synch/copy to and from my computer.

I'm pretty sure Quick Office will work on the N85, if it does I would recommend this option.

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John2010

532 posts

Ultimate Geek

#395249 24-Oct-2010 15:51

I have used HanDBase from DDH Software for many years on a PDA and that does everything you mention and more. It will do relational databases and has good and easy to use form building tools with things like checkboxes, drop down lists, etc. They do a Symbian S60 version for your phone, however I don't know what limitations that may have compared to the PDA versions.

You get two versions, one for the device and one for your PC. While I am a user of MSAccess and MSExcel, for the databases on the PDA I just use the PC version of HanDBase to sync with as the two together work completely seamlessly with no initial setup. But one can from the device sync with MSAccess or export to MSExcel on the PC if one wishes (well at least with the PDA versions).

As a new user I cannot post a link but a Google search on HandBase or DDH Software will bring it up. You can download Demo versions to try if interested.

beehappy

104 posts

Master Geek

#396216 27-Oct-2010 12:33

John2010:
I have used HanDBase from DDH Software for many years on a PDA and that does everything you mention and more. .

Thankyou I have downloaded this and it seems to be ideal just a little unsure how to sync between phone and PC the only way I have found is using Nokia PC suite.
if you have a better method I would be keen to hear

Technofreak many thanks for your advice as well I have Quickoffice but only seems to use excel which is ok but I like to work in a form view to see info 1 site at a time.

once again many thanks Peter

John2010

532 posts

Ultimate Geek

#396316 27-Oct-2010 14:40

Hi Peter

I have only used the HandBase Windows Mobile version on a PDA and so with that the Windows Mobile Device Centre or Activesync on the Windows PC will either manually or automatically sync with the PDA.

For the S60 phone if PC Suite allows one to sync files off the phone to the PC (I think it does from memory, has been a while since I have used it) then that would be fine. I use Ovi Suite now and as yet that does not sync files. However, any file syncing software should work as long as it can see the phone (see my comments below).

But note that in saying that I am assuming (pretty confidently though) that the phone file and the PC file are the same file type - this is the case for my PDA. That is there is no file conversion between the PC and the PDA, exactly the same file is usable on both and I assume it is also the case as between the S60 phone and the PC. However you can likely double check this with the Demo version of the S60 HanDBase.

Alternatively one could just drag and drop them in Windows Explorer between the phone and wherever on the PC hard drive you wanted them.

On the PC you can work with those files with the PC version of HanDBase and from there sync them to MSAccess - I see looking at the DDH Software site that it may be that one has to pay a little extra to get the tool to do that if buying the S60 version of HandBase, in my case it came bundled.

Also, when you have the file on the PC, HandBase on the PC will also export it to an number of file types, including MSExcel.

I have had a little play here with HanDBase and my S60 phone. I copied a HandBase database (.pdb) file onto my phone's memory card - obviously without having HandBase for S60 I cannot see that on the phone but I did find that I could open that file on the phone from the PC using HanDBase application on the PC and work with it.

So you could work from the PC directly with the file on the phone without copying it across at all. This might be an acceptable regime if one religiously backs up ones phone. Else one could work on the phone copy from the PC, save it then save another copy of it to the PC.

I had a play with Microsoft's SyncToy simple file synchronising application which I use for other purposes and found that it also happily syncs from my phone memory card to the PC so it would also do the job (I hadn't thought of that before so I will look at using it for backing up the whole card in future :-) ).

Of course in all these syncing cases one has to remember which was the up to date file, that on the PC or that on the phone if you work on them in both places as they do not sync on a record by record basis, just on the file age. However, I believe that the sync with MSAccess is a true syncing of records, but it is a long time since I have used it so I may recollect incorrectly.

HOWEVER :-) , HanDBase on the PC allows syncing- I have left it to last as I have never used that feature so cannot comment on its reliability. It seems as though it syncs on a record by record basis. I am loathe to experiment on one of my databases but I'll try and put some time aside to build a test database and test that.

There are a number of videos and documents on the DDH Software site if you have not found them yet. That includes the manuals for the applications. There is also a help forum on the site, not much activity on it but questions seem to get answered well by the DDH people.

Apologies if I have repeated things you have already discovered, I have just thrown things in here that have come to mind in case useful.

John

Technofreak

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#396487 27-Oct-2010 20:29

Hi Peter,

Pleased you have found a solution to your problem. I can see why you would find Quick Office is not suitable for your needs.

I didn't know about HanDbase, it might be an option for something I currently use Excel for. So, I have learned something from your query. Thanks :-)

Can anyone tell me if HanDbase works on S60 V5 as used on the 5800? The webesite mentions (from memory) S60 V3. Am I correct in thinking that anything that is V3 compatible will be V5 compatible.

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John2010

532 posts

Ultimate Geek

#396829 28-Oct-2010 13:50

As far as I know there is no S60 v5 version of HanDBase.

However, in the HanDBase forum DDH were last year looking for people to test a v5 version - as a newby here I can't post a link but if you get to the DDH Software website and to the forums then meander through Board index>HanDBase - Platform Specific>Versions for Smartphones and Mobile Devices>HanDBase for S60 you will find the request dated 1 Jun 2009 with a contact email.

I have a feeling that development of that version may not be going anywhere fast as they seem to be putting their small resources into all the new phones coming out, but maybe not. While I have never had to ask any questions myself from what I have seen Dave Haupert is a very helpful guy and may be worth contacting if you are interested in seeing if there is a released version or an unreleased one you could try.

Technofreak

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#397031 28-Oct-2010 21:08

Thanks I've sent them an email

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