I'm building an android application that is very data intensive, and need to an interface to use to add data quickly and easily.
i've looked at all of the database tools, none of which make it easy to enter data using foreign keys. I need all the foreign key fields to show up with dropdown lists (for 1-1) or checkbox lists (for *-1) for fields to make it easy to enter data.
The closest I've found to achieving this is the following:
http://www.sqlmaestro.com/products/sqlite/datawizard/download/
Which claims to generate ASP.Net forms from a database. Does anybody know any other tools that'd help me?
I guess I could build my own forms,but would prefer to spend my time developing my app. I'd be happy with a framework to kickstart development of my required forms, maybe somebody has done something similar already? (ASP.Net preferable but not a necessity).
I know the aspnet maker.
http://www.hkvstore.com/aspnetmaker/
Can create very fast a full site that handle your database manipulations.
Its not free, and you stick with what ever he gives you, but is not that bad for quick tool.
From the other, do you ever hear the scaffold ?
I have use the SubSonic ver 2, that have scaffold, but other DAL have also.
What this technique do is to automatic create the editing forms for your.
you can search on google for "scaffold asp.net"
So you can select a DAL that have scaffold and use that.
Related
I am new to Elasticsearch. I want to store documents of products details. Now I am using Mongodb as my database and nodejs server. But Mongodb does not have good search functionalities like Elasticsearch.
So I am thinking of shifting to ES. But I have few doubts as stated below please suggest me what should I do. Any suggestion will be appreciated.
Should I use MongoDb as my primary database for storing documents and ES as secondary database just for doing efficient search. Or Should I make ES as my only database for storing documents and searching.
Does using both will be good for future or it will make thing difficult to manage. I have also read that ES in not a good choice for main database as it sometimes loses write operation.
Should I make a server in nodejs to perform ES operations for doing any complex search or GET, PUT using rest api or should I do it directly implement it in java .
(Note I am making a android app so should I use TransportClient and Interact with Elasticsearch directly or I should first send a GET request from android side to my server and my nodejs server will interact with ES and send response to my android app).
Other than search part is ES performs as good as MondoDb in terms of Database.
Thanks in advance.
I am risking an opinionated answer here. However I'll try to help you out:
I am using elasticsearch as a primary data store in cases the data is not that important or just to big to have it duplicated. If you have things like logs you could also keep the original logs files around. By default I would say, use a different database as primary store, that way you can always rebuild elastic if you want to make changes to your search index.
Adding components to your infrastructure makes it more work to manage. So adding MongoDB as well as Elastic does mean more moving parts. However, it also gives you more flexibility. I would not be to much afraid unless what you are searching for is very basic and can be done with MongoDB as well.
I advice to always have an application in front of your search engine. Treat it like a database, you would not expose that to the world.
I would not use a Transport Client in your Android app. That would mean a security risk. You want to make a connection to your backend as mentioned in 3 and let that application connect to your search cluster.
Hope that helps
I am asking for your advice and a sanity check, please. For a couple of years I have thought about building a mobile site for my own purposes (initially) that will allow me consistent interface on the web and on a mobile phone. My initial target is Android 4 and above.
The central idea is to make notes via web interface. It is easy to
edit on a full PC. Basic formatting is necessary - bold, italic,
lists. I should have some basic editing / adding capability from the phone.
Possibly I might need to add images. This at a later stage.
I will need to use tables.
View these categorised notes on my phone when I need to access that information quickly.
Information should be searchable.
I should be able to categorise that information both hierarchically and by labels.
On the phone the last copy of the information should be available even when there is no internet access. That is the key bit of this project - clear, well structured information, easily available when needed.
So far I have done some 7 websites 6 - 9 years ago and this year I did a responsive design interface with jQuery and HTML5. I have access to Apache on a linux hosting site. I have looked into jQuery Mobile. I think jQuery mobile should be great for my front-end. From my past work with LAMP servers I think I have to have a database backend to this project. What I have looked into so far suggests that the best would be to invest some time in learning Ruby on Rails (which looks very interesting to me) and use that as a back end interface with a database. What database I should use, I don't know. I have in the past used mySQL, also programmed Access and a bit DB2. I have heard a lot of good stuff about postgres. However considering the mobile phone, I think I should go with SQLite probably? What should be the general mechanism for updating the phone from the net?
How does the above look?
Maybe there are some projects which already do something like this?
I don't think I should use some big CMS systems with their bloat and all, because I really want this thing to work for me. Same goes for generic note taking systems such as Evernote. So I am wanting to build it from the ground up, unless there is some similar lightweight project that I could build upon. I am not in a particular hurry, but I am about to get started soon.
A great type of answer for me would be one which tells what major components I should use for this project. It also would be good to know if I am overlooking some important bits.
I appreciate that what I am asking is a large question, but I am not expecting a Wikipedia in response. A sanity check and pointers in the right direction is what I need.
Thank you for your time and thoughts.
What a wall of text... 1.-7. are all achievable by using jquery mobile and HTML5 and a good database architecture as backend. I don't see any BIG problems in your idea. What database you use is up to you, your requirements are not that special, that it would require some specialized product. Any established database backend should do the job.
For updating the content on your phone take a look on HTML Offline Cache and implement an update feature in your Frontend.
I would like to create a custom open source information management application, that I could adapt to practical needs of a psychiatrist. (and also would really like to avoid inventing the wheel). Could someone advise me what would be a good way to start? I have some amateur programming experience (see below), but I have little experience with java and eclipse (which I have set up with Android SDK plugin on my linux PC).
What I would like to achieve is a simple app where I could relatively easily re-program/rearrange information presenting screens. I would like the major development stages to be something like:
Basic framework of the app is done Main information is added
through the programming environment
basic formatting (bold, color, lists) should be supported
I imagine this would be through HTML/CSS markup Hierarchical (not
too deep) screens with concise information about conditions,
treatments; easy, not too cumbersome navigation is a must.
Possibility to attach own notes from android device
on every piece of information (e.g. on medical condition, on medication,
list of differential diagnoses, etc)
A desktop application that allows for easy adding and editing
of the content
initially could be even sqlite manager or something similar
possibility for adding images,
possibility to add rating scales, which would calculate scores
maybe also possibility to print through some android print driver
* in essence I envision this as a sort of an integrated website with a relatively simple database behind it (sqlite?) running on android. My models would be epocrates and medscape apps, but the content would be more specific to everyday psychiatric practice. It would include aspects of psychological therapies as well.
In about a years time, I think, the content would be interesting enough to see whether the app should go on the market.
My (limited) experience:
I am a MD - a Psychiatrist. I have some amateur development experience (php, html, css, Perl, bash, sed, sql, Access and some time ago - AS/400). I would like to start an app that I could modify as I go - in order to have the most useful info at my fingertips, when I need it in my work. I have considered some databases (e.g. HandDB) but my experience with them is that you get very constricted with their user interface and this hinders fast information retrieval when you need it. Adding information can be clumsy as well.
Why I am asking for help here
Most of tasks above seem pretty standard. I imagine that people with lots of programming experience here, probably would be able to point me towards some information that would help me to get started.
Many thanks for considering this :)
Are you going to develop this app? Everything you mentioned can be easily done by reading the android documentation. Although if its you doing the coding i recommend buying a book
You will find a lot of samples and other support in the android doc
Printing can be also setup using Google Cloud print
If you want to open source your application you can always use google code.
You have asked a really broad question here. But i guess the above information is good to get you started.
Could someone please point me in the right direction. My project involves a database where users enter their address and other info from my website. This database is then referenced in my android application to show the locations of these addresses in my database.
I have yet to start and just came up with this idea. My question is, what would be the best method to create a database easily modified through my website (mySQL, php, etc), and also easily referenced easily through Android and the Google Maps API? I need some ideas on the languages I will need to use to create this database and website so I can go buy the necessary books to start reading up.
Thanks so much
I believe the best way for you to go with this one is:
a database cache on the device
that means you can use XML if you don't have many complicated requirements from storing the address
or SQLite if you want to be able to query the database and do more fancy things
on the server side
if you only need to get the data from your server on the device, then a simple XML with a unique address per user should do it
if you need to push addresses from your device to the server then a REST system needs to be implemented
So, now you just need to figure out exactly what you need from your system and then start googleing on one of the solutions I gave you! Good luck! :)
Google App Engine would probably work for that. GAE supports Java and Python. Maybe use the Restlet framework (compatible with GAE) to implement a REST architecture.
I'm trying to develop an Android app that could be used by advocacy groups or campaigners such that they would be able to create their own forms (surveys) for which they can go out canvassing and collect opinion data from people who don't have Internet connections and thus can't take surveys/polls online. Could also be used at events or anything else that requires data collection "in the field"
The benefit is allowing data collection on the spot without having to transfer data from paper to the office computer by hand.
I've been looking over this tutorial by Frank Abelson: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/tutorials/x-andddyntut/section6.html
And have also been pouring through the Open Data Kit, but the ODK is a little more intense than I am prepared for and the Abelson tutorial doesn't discuss much how users could create their own forms.
I suppose users could just create their own XML files for custom forms in the office and store them on the server, but I was wondering if there was a way for them to do this on the Android app?
Just a hint about possible architecture or simple resources would be helpful, I am having a hard time picturing the solution at the moment.
i'm one of the developers of open data kit. odk has been successfully deployed by organizations all around the world for exactly what you describe.
we have a graphical form designer (and good alternatives in purcforms and xls2xforms), a server to host the forms, and an android mobile client (and good alternatives in javarosa). all the pieces are free, open source, and are driven by an active community.
if you could list what specifically about odk doesn't fit your needs (say, a need form design on the phone), i'd be could recommend alternatives...
ODK is a fantastic open source solution. A potential commercial alternative you can also try is Canvas at http://www.gocanvas.com which allows you to replace paper based forms with your mobile device.
It currently runs on Android, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry with iPhone and iPad support coming soon.
To get a quick overview of how to use Canvas:
Build a standard data collection app in 5 minutes and see it running on BlackBerry
Build a signature capture app in 5 minutes and see it running on Android
Hope that helps some,
-Chris
You should look into Fulcrum. I believe there is a 30 day trial period see if this software works for you. This is a one stop shop for mobile data collection teams. You can easily build your data collection forms right from your web account to include photo fields, text entry fields, choice fields, form sections, and repeatable sections. Repeatable, meaning parent-child relationships within a single data point.
They even have an App Gallery with a exemplary apps (forms) that allow you to use as a sort of "cheat-sheet" to get started. Here is the political canvassing survey they posted.
-P.Reyes
Check my project here: https://github.com/AndreiD/surveylib
PROS: Simple solution, open source, without any overkill, you don't have to display any logos, it doesn't cost a thing, it's easy to be extended, material design etc.
CONS: You must have the server part, for the transmission of the answers data.