Fields empty of colums missing

[g.dubbeld]

Hello there,
I'm an old customer of handbase for Palm. Now i want to use the Blackberry Torch 9800 and still trying the demo software.
I've been able to get my databases into the new Handbase4 desktop app and from there into by bb.
On the first impression it looks fine. Database can be opened and viewed. (no password thought).

But when looking closer. I have 1 database with some calculations, with the input fields are empty. When i look in de desktop, there the fields are also empty. This is not my main concern, because the number of fields is low and i can manually correct this.
On another database some colums are missing in a whole. On the BB i see only 3 field columns, on the desktop i see all the fields.

What could be happening. Before i deside to purchage the new app for BB, i want to try it to be sure this is working correctly.

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A side question: i miss the category for selecting a database. Now all the databases are displayed in one list, even the reference databases i don't use directly.

[dhaupert]

Hi there,

Thanks for your post. As you may have discovered, there are more differences between the Palm and BlackBerry versions. The BlackBerry version can't use the PDB format, so because of this we had to use the internal BlackBerry database format and thus many of the options are missing. One of these is how columns are displayed in the list view. In the preferences of the BlackBerry version you'll find you can pick the number of columns to show, but they are always shown equally divided across the screen. The Palm version uses the field width parameter to display. You can scroll right and left however through the fields to see additional ones. How you do that is dependent on the device and I'm not sure how this would be done on the torch. On others it's a combination of pressing the fn key and scrolling the wheel left or right.

Regarding the loss of categories, this is one of the many differences between the program. You'll also find you can't edit Filters, views, DB Properties, etc on the BlackBerry. Hopefully it is still useful for you without these as right now I don't have plans to add these to the program.

Hope this answers your questions!

[g.dubbeld]

This is not what i mean. I did notice that only 4 colums is visible. But when i open a record, i expect to see all possible colums (fields). But in there, there are fields missing.
For example. On the destop app the database has a field name 'PIN code' with type of text. This field is missing when i open a record to change/view.

[dhaupert]

Hi there,

Are you sure you don't have a view selected which doesn't show those fields? Since you can set up views to show only certain fields, it's possible that is the reason. If not, please send a copy of a database example to support as we don't have any reported issues of this type in the program!

[g.dubbeld]

I'm so sorry. The problem with the missing fields (columns) is not a problem. I mixed up 2 db's who looks simular.

For the empty fields in the records, i send you the db to your email address.

Another problem is synching. This hangs a lot. And sometimes it will go through, but with error, like unknown error i have read on other threads here.

[dhaupert]

Hi there,

Unfortunately databases that seem pretty small on other platforms (eg, 2000 records and 500KB in size) grow to be extremely large on the BlackBerry's internal database. That same database would easily use up 10MB of space, and these tend to choke the memory when syncing. As of now I don't have a fix for this despite much research into the issue. As much as I would hate to turn away business, I don't think I'll have a fix for this sort of problem any time soon.

[g.dubbeld]

OK, well as long this got the attention.

I started first with a Nokia N97 mini. And hoped this would be the phone for ever. But unluckally it don't take all the contacts, agenda and Handbase. I also tried the handbase trial, but i rejected it, because linked db's wouldn't work. And it was not easally to handle.

So out of frustation and the lack of taking 2 devices with me (phone and palm), i desided to switch the PDA with one who could also make calls. For now i'm very pleased of the Blackberry Torch 9800, it could take all my contacts, agenda and handbase with ease. Also the handbase app is just as workable as on the palm (with some minor functionallity lacks).
So trying to put the dots on the i, before i definatly purchage (update) the app.
Just a little background...

[g.dubbeld]

Hi there,

I just figured out what the problem is. The fields which are empty, are float fields. Originally from my palm device these field are entered with a comma for decimal separator. So i remembered from HandBase3 there was a preference for this. So i set this. Unfortunally still the same problem. Then i manually changed the fields in one record from a comma to a point and resync the whole database (with install option). Then that record was now displaying correctly.
So the issue is that the blackberry app does only work with point separated decimals. At which i quess that the palm-app gets this setting from it's OS setting.

The database with the problem, aren't that big, so i will change the fields manually, by replacing the comma's.

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another point to improve on the bb-app, is when pressing the 'back' button, handbase cancels automatically the field changes. While all other bb-apps give you the question to save, cancel of discharge. This is quite annoying, because it's in my system to go back out of a record with the back-button. I must keep remembering to use the menu button with the done option. Especially when adding new and complicated records.

Thanks for the support, it's a real plus.