Notices

I've run into a problem already. I'm using v2.0 but despite the description insisting that CSV, XML and DB files can be imported, there is no CSV option. I ignored that and copied over an XML file which I'd just saved from an Open Office spreadsheet. I can't persuade PortaBase to navigate to other locations to find that file though. Is that just me?

I've now managed to import a CSV file. It's not made clear that you need to define all the fields first before you are allowed to import anything. I was trying to import a file before doing that as the first screen implies.

Another issue is that it doesn't like file extensions. That was another cause for frustration.

I'd like to define one of the fields as a percentage field but I don't seem to be able to do that. I thought if I defined it as decimal with a default of 0.0% it would accept it, but no.

I was writing a post to explain the CSV import, then saw that you already figured it out. I realize this process is rather awkward, so one of my goals for 2.1 is to be able to define a new PortaBase file with schema after selecting a CSV file to import. It's a point that regularly trips up new users, but existing users (like me) who have already imported their data from other sources almost never have to deal with. I did at least try to detail the process in the help file.

PortaBase currently looks for *.csv files when importing from CSV. This was important back in the early Zaurus days when filtering by extension was the only way to avoid listing every single file in the filesystem regardless of folder, but may be obsolete now. Should I remove the filter, so files with no extension or extensions like .txt are easier to select?

Looking at the XML import again for the first time in a while, I guess it's a little unintuitive also. You first get a dialog asking which type of file to import, then a second dialog asking where to create the new file. Only after this do you get a dialog for finding the XML file to import; I should probably swap those two steps in the next release. Note that the XML files handled by PortaBase are in a very specific format (documented here).

Let me know if you have any other suggestions on improving the import process, it's a point I do want to focus on for version 2.1.

You should be able to enter percentage values in a decimal field and have them used correctly in calculations, but that doesn't make it a "percentage field" per se. Were you just looking for something that would automatically add the percentage sign, or something else?

Not sure whether it is already in but defining the separator sign for CSV files would be extremely helpful. I always struggle with that having various CSVs with either colon or comma.

Oliver

With regard to your point about XML import, when the program asked for a save location, I thought it had gone wrong as it hadn't asked for an import file so I bombed out of it then.

As for the percentage stuff, I was indeed wanting the program to display my 5 digit (including decimal point) field and then to display a percentage sign following.

In order to examine the XML file format, I had previously entered one row of data and then exported that. I figured that I could perhaps hack my data to fit that format. All that was before RTFM'ing ;-)

[QUOTE=tone I can't persuade PortaBase to navigate to other locations to find that file though. Is that just me?[/QUOTE]

I have the same problem. Portabase default file manger is N900 standard file manager and you can not change to another file manager like i.e Filebox which I use . The standard one is locked on N900.

First of all I want to thank you for this application. I have used it for a couple of months on a daily basic. It is a budget and expense file to control my money spending.

Since I have my N900 with me all the time, I enter every amount. I take csv backup (Export) from time to time and at month end I transfer the records to my PC running Linux (Mepis) and use database feature in Open office to sort, filter and subtotals to analyze my data.

I have registered one problem before today. I open Portabase and my file. Suddenly I am told that the file do not exists. After a while I have the file back after I reboot. I don't know what happen only that it was during the monthly transfer to the PC.

Today it happen again, “Massstorage mode” opened on PC filemanager I then use “opened with” and Open office spreadsheet. I saved it as a open office to N900!!!
Normally I transfer the csv file to PC first and then open the copied file in Open office.

I read somewhere in this tread that Portabase don't like file extension besides csv, XML. This may be another example.

So I try the old trix with reboot, no luck. Then a boot with battery out, no luck. I look in Filebox shows a locked file (.~lock.BudExp311010.csv#) and the original same file is also shown. I try to open in N900 my original file but the file-manager show only a very limited sub directories and files under N900 directory and my file is not shown. I try to make a new file in Portabase with the same name. Portabase tells me the file already exist.

The strange ting for me is that the file I am after show up in file-manager when I load it outside Portabase.

Anyone have a tip on how to solve the problem, it will be appreciated.

Let me see if I understand what happens.

if you save a file in Portabase with open office spreadsheet format it lock portabase and save a file as: (.~lock.BudExp311010.csv#).

As I mentioned in my previous post, Portabase open file manager with a very limited content. In folder N900 it shows one file with my file name (BudExp dated the day the problem occured).

My action to solve the is:
I delete the lock file (see above)
I click the one file name.
result: EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL. Even all the filtering I have made is there.

So now I wonder is this Portabase' way to solve the problem, creating a lock file and another file to rescue the portabase file? if this is the case it should be mentioned in the help file.

It would be very nice if jmbowman could comment on this.

I'm pretty sure the lock files are being generated by OpenOffice, not PortaBase; see these discussions, for example. My guess at what's happening is this:

• A lock file is created when you open the CSV file in OpenOffice.
• You disconnect the N900 before closing OpenOffice (which is when the lock file would have been deleted). I've also seen mention of bugs in OpenOffice where lock files aren't cleaned up properly when created on remote file systems; the N900 in mass storage mode may run afoul of this.
• You try to open the file in PortaBase, but the existence of the lock file prevents the CSV file from being listed (since the operating system says that applications other than OpenOffice aren't allowed to read the file, the open file dialog doesn't bother to show it; trying to load data from it would fail anyway).
• If you try to create the file again with the same name, the operating system won't let you (because although the operating system thinks you aren't allowed to open the file, it does realize that it's there and won't allow another file of the same name to be created there).

The easiest solution is to make sure you exit OpenOffice before you disconnect the N900; that should remove the lock file. If OpenOffice crashes or there's some bug that results in failure to delete the lock file on exit, you may need to delete it manually (but it's a hidden file, so you'd need to do it from a tool like Filebox or the terminal). You might be able to configure OpenOffice to not create lock files, although that would defeat the original purpose of the feature (making it possible that somebody else with access to the file might make conflicting edits at the same time you're working on it; probably not a problem if it's on your personal computer).

Sorry for the delay in replying to this; I was confused by the issue at first since PortaBase doesn't create lock files and I don't edit files in OpenOffice very often.

OK thanks for the clarification.

So what about the csv file created on the day it happen. Did Portabase make this file because I didn't. The file is 15 kb and the accumulated real file size which I have saved as a backup is 7Kb. Secondly the file that was lost was only one months data. The restored file was 3 months of data.
Is it possible that no data was restored and the file was only hidden by Portabase.