Evaluating Palm database programs

[van]

I am just starting to look for a database program, and was hoping for some advice from anyone who has been down this road before.

I am looking for a program like HanDBase, ThinkDB, dbNow, etc., to build Palm databases for my own use. The simpler list-type database programs probably won't be enough. It would be best to have PC Desktop software and interfaces to PC and network resources, but that is not a necessity.

I have a Clie, so I would love to have full-screen, hi-res and Memory Stick support, but from what I have seen I may not get much of the first two. HanDBase, for one, supports the Clie screen on record browsing, but won't allow full-screen forms.

If you could make some recommendations on which is the best, or tell me about other programs I should consider, I would really appreciate it.

[DrMud]

I have used both ThinkDB and HanDBase for a couple of years. My pick, hands down, is HanDBase. The new version is very powerful. Using the Forms function you can create elegant input forms that not only look great but are easy for others to use. Building the forms and the data bases is simple. Support has been very good when I needed it. Upgrades have been easily installed and no data lost. The Yahoo HanDBase discussion group is a good resource for new ideas.
DrMud

[van]

Wow! I am surprised! I just checked the latest demos of Jfile, dbNow, thinkDB, etc., and *NONE* of them let you design input forms. They all just have labels down the left and data down the right ... more like "lists" than "databases" ... like this:

http://home.kc.rr.com/jeryle/images/jfile.jpg

thinkDB at least gives you "tabs" so you can have multiple forms to display more data or different views, but it's still just a list of fields on each tab.

But HanDBase is the only one I found so far that lets you do this kind of thing:

http://home.kc.rr.com/jeryle/images/handbase.jpg

Thanks for the advice ... I will keep looking to make sure I'm not missing something, but I think you are right.

[DrMud]

Your illustration of the HanDBase form gives little indication just how powerful the Forms Function is. You can control the color and intensity of fonts, color of the back ground, shapes, buttons pop up lists, access to other linked data bases. If you can imagine it I think it can be done. My wife teaches college and is low tech all the way. I have designed databases for all of her classes and even though the input forms are similar from class to class they are color coded so that she doesn't get lost.
In addition to the great forms I cannot say enough about the stability of the conduit and the HanDBase Desktop. My wife would kill me if she lost any of her notes on a student, absences or grades. No lost info in three years with HanDBase.
DrMud

[djmangen]

A couple of notes/questions relevant to this thread.

1. I like HanDBase, and use it a fair amount. I'm having some trouble learning the Forms Designer, but to be honest I haven't really had the opportunity to study it. However, have others (DrMud?) had some issues with version 3.0 as opposed to the old 2.7? Any time I have tried to install password protection, I've ended up with corrupted files and an unstable Palm.

2. I've just installed a trial version of Pendragon Forms. This looks like a very nice product that can quickly create forms for use on the Palm. All data are stored in MS Access tables. It looks like it has some very good power behind this application. Having said that, however, it is very expensive for a Palm application - over $100 US.

[DrMud]

DJ,
I have not had any problem with Password protection and the V3 of HanDBase. There is a HanDBase discussion group on Yahoo. I have not used it but I have been told that the original developer of HanDBase David Haupert and his tech staff frequent the yahoo site to give answers. I have over the years called DDHsoftware tech support on two occasions and they were very helpful and quick to resolve my confusion.

As to the Forms I downloaded an example from the DDHSoftware site. In the Gallery section of the site you will find a sample for Forms. Once I saw the example I was intuitively able to create my own. I have never needed to read the manual for HanDBase.

I have seem adds for Pendragon Forms and it looks interesting but way too expensive for my taste.

DrMud