Powerbase or PsiDat?

[kleinerp]

Does anyone use Powerbase? If so what sort of databases do you use it for? What are the limitations of Powerbase?

Would PsiDat be a better alternative especially as it is freeware and still being developed? Can PsiDat do everything Powerbase can?

[PlutoPants]

PsiDat is a very powerful database solution, enabling sub tables and indexes, including flexible import and export capabilities.
Surely its worth depends upon what kind of data you are needing to handle. If you are used to relational databases, then PsiDat should accommodate your needs.
PsiDat is limited in its capability to produce 'forms. for input - you basically input always on a per record basic - no direct table (datasheet) editing or textbox placement.
However, Kevin Millican is actively supporting and developing his programme - and it is remarkable because it's still freeware.
I found that PsiDat fulfills all I need basic databases to do. At www.millican.info you can download not only the software, but see very intriguing demos of what can be done with PsiDat. It is worth checking out these examples and also refering to the help file in the program itself - it explains things quite well. There is a learning curve (as with all database sofware) but all you need to do is follow basic database design rules.
Personaly, I have not found any need to use any other database software on the Psion. Occasionally I will resort to exporting CSV files to Sheet for tweaking data and reports (although basic) based on SQL filters can be output to PDFPrinter.
With some effort, you can also export to HTML, thereby creating web pages. Kevin's own site www.millican.info Martin Guthrie's Pscience5 site www.pscience5.net and a recent one of my own www.profdev.co.uk are all examples of what can be done using PsiDat.
My recommendation is to go for PsiDat - Kevin is still developing it and responds to feedback positively.

[hespj]

PP, you made http://www.profdev.co.uk/ with PsiDat?

I am absolutely impressed. This needs looking into.

[PlutoPants]

Nothing clever on my part really. I followed a CSS tutorial from the web and chose colours sensibly.
The structure of the web pages means that PsiDat holds the same code for the left menu and the top of the page in the HTML defaults table. (except for the home page, which has its own HTML defaults).
The flashy bits on the menu are done with CSS.
Each page is made up of 'elements' filtered through SQL and output to HTML for each page - using the 'Single record' output.
I followed Kevin's Help file and examined his example website database.
The flashy bits really only render on desktop browsers - Web doesn't work too well but Opera gives a fair idea.
The use of memo fields in PsiDat containing some HTML code to format text (not much more than P, BR, LI etc) helps to get the pages structured.
I can't take credit though for PsiDat's flexibility and genius. Software like this an enable you to extend your creativity. I still have more to learn!
Incidentally, I am sure many Psion users don't realise how felxible PsiDat (or any relational database) could be to them. I only turned to it when Pocket Access was taken out of PocketPC and I needed relational database features on a PDA. I admit I didn;t understand all PsiDat did at first and it's taken me, ooh, let's say a while, to feel fully confident with it.
Once you've seen some of the example databases, you start to imagine uses for it. I bet there are some very good databases done out there. I seem to remember that PowerBase site used to try to encourage users to share their ideas - but then it stopped.
It does take time though - but it is well worth it.
George