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This time I’m asking for help
As you probably know, in real life, I’m an IT consultant giving advice to companies on networking architectural, databasing, TCP/IP, programming and last but not least mobile computing questions.
My new task is giving advice (writing a complete booklet on) on in which direction a given company should go: Microsoft Terminal Servers (with, possibly, Citrix Metaframe) or just “webizing” their in-house, custom-written current applications (whenever possible) - that is, converting it to be Web/ client-side (Ajax / JavaScript / ActiveX) and server-side (Java / ASP etc.).
For this, I’m looking for case studies. For the two distinct cases, I’ve found several case studies (that is, I don’t really need case studies that only discuss why a given company abandoned fat clients and went for, say, Citrix); I’d still need case studies that directly compare the two alternates and explain why a given company decided for one or the other and what influenced their decisions.
That is, if you know of, for example, magazine articles or anything of interest in this very subject (that is, preferably unbiased comparison of the full MS Terminal Server / Citrix solution to converting local apps to run off the Web and using “thin” Web browsers to access them in the company), I’d be highly grateful if you could share it with me – hope I haven’t run into it so far. Just a URL would be sufficient.
I am gonna go independent soon (fingers crossed) and will need to contact say about 1000 potential clients, partners and associates. I have the contacts and know most of them, yet I need a system to log, record the main points and the ability to follow-up w/o embarassing mishaps, basically, a small CRM system.
I have never worked with a proper CRM systems, although I have made some primitive Excel or Word tables for this purpose.
Wonder if there is a decent CRM system for a small database of clients, preferably free and accesible by both PC and mobile devices. Guess this can be on a web-site hosting this kind of things (I know there are sites that allow you to have an on-line poll of groups of people, so something like this).
Anyone?
i notice that unf u didnt get a reply to this...did u find any solution? i have exactly the same issue and cant find a decent solution!?
Can anyone recommend a person who could write an excel based program that could be copied to a WM devise? I am new to this forum and do not have the knowledge or the time to develop the program, but i am willing to pay for it.
Thanks
notthatcreative said:
Can anyone recommend a person who could write an excel based program that could be copied to a WM devise? I am new to this forum and do not have the knowledge or the time to develop the program, but i am willing to pay for it.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not install office on your mobile. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=310832
Or flash a ROM with office installed, most do
Ta
Dave
I agree, both are a great solution, but this project is not for myself. This project is more for job. This board has given me an idea for my customers, which do not own a Tilt. If this excel file was turned into a .cab file, my customers could add it to their PDA devise.
I'm not that familiar with program creation within a WM devise, but after lurking around this board for the past 6-9 months, I thought someone would know!
This is not a tilt specific CAB. It's a Window Mobile 6 version it cab go on WM6 any device.
Ta
Dave
I believe what you are saying is that a .cab can be installed on any WM devise. I agree. What i need to do is create the .cab file.
Yes you are correct. CAB files can go on any device.
I'm still unsure on what your requirements are. Do you want a copy of Excel to install on WM6 devices, then that's what I posted first time round? Nearly all standard WM and PDA's have a version of office installed, anyway.
Or, are you wanting a program like Excel Mobile but with "extra" features.
I think you need explain what your requirements are (without giving too much away, if you don't want to), so we can build a better picture of what you want.
Dave
You raise excellent questions as i'm not sure what is available. Unfortunatly, i cannot speak the language of this forum very well and am unsure of options available.
Currently, i have an excel spreadsheet with the calculations complete, but was unsure of how to create an "engine" to drive the program if the end user did not have excel available. This excel file i've created uses basic calculations which produce a number generated by data entered by end user. I am assuming an engine, or what i call a "cab" file is required!?!
Also, I'm not married to the idea of using excel and am open to using other programs if nessesary.
Am i making things a little clearer?
Thanks
like daveshaw said, most wm devices already come with excel in it. and if your customer does not have excel on their devices, then they can install it using the cab files
It sounds to me like you want to take a specific spreadsheet that was created using Excel, and somehow compile it as a program that doesn't need Excel to run. I don't think this is possible. You can't drive a car without its engine.
If you really wanted to pursue that route, I think what you'd need is someone who can dissect and analyze your spreadsheet, and rewrite it in another language (like C++ ), which can be compiled into a self-contained, executable file. Wish I could help you there.
I think your only realistic option is to install Excel on all the WM devices.
sensei909 said:
It sounds to me like you want to take a specific spreadsheet that was created using Excel, and somehow compile it as a program that doesn't need Excel to run. I don't think this is possible. You can't drive a car without its engine.
If you really wanted to pursue that route, I think what you'd need is someone who can dissect and analyze your spreadsheet, and rewrite it in another language (like C++ ), which can be compiled into a self-contained, executable file. Wish I could help you there.
I think your only realistic option is to install Excel on all the WM devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everyone, thanks for you help. Sensei909 has figured me out. It sounds like i need someone to who can rewrite this in another language. Can anyone point me in that direction....Website, company, friend???
Re:
Hello, few questions:
1) What devices will your customers use?
2) If they are Windows Mobile-based, what versions are here?
3) Do you have Excel Mobile on your Tilt?
4) Did you try to open your spreadsheet using your Excel Mobile?
5) If your spreadsheet is created using Excel 2007 on desktop, did you install Office Mobile 6.1 from Microsoft site?
Build a java midlet? Almost all phones have java. I can see it doing basic calculations very easily.
Here we go:
I use a number of Microsoft Access Databases for my work, and each one is intensely coded and designed and basically run like actual programs. What I am looking for is to be able to take these databases with me. Now understanding that Microsoft and Android are two completely different beasts, what I really am looking for is the ability to take the tables (I use all Back-end database so all my tables are in a completely separate file then all my forms, queries, and reports) and the data with me and be able to run them in a program on Android that keeps the relationships and fields and all of that sort of stuff.
Now what would be great is the ability to use forms (even if special forms for android need to be made), run queries, and even be able to run reports and print as PDFs.
now I know how to code in VBA, hence the extensive coding I have done in Access, so anybody willing to WORK WITH in creating an Android Program to basically be an extension of Microsoft Access please contact me. Please not I use the words WORK WITH loosely, while I am trying to learn how to Program for Android, I currently do not have a computer that I can use to develop programs for android on, and well I would be only able to create the "Hello World" starter program and this project seems a slight bit more complicated. But what I can bring to the table is real world experience in testing and using the program day in and day out, a number of already existing Microsoft Access Databases ranging from Complex to Simple that I use every day. Really a program that can run Microsoft Access Tables on Android would be really useful to me and I am willing to do anything to help make this happen.
kronos82 said:
Here we go:
I use a number of Microsoft Access Databases for my work, and each one is intensely coded and designed and basically run like actual programs. What I am looking for is to be able to take these databases with me. Now understanding that Microsoft and Android are two completely different beasts, what I really am looking for is the ability to take the tables (I use all Back-end database so all my tables are in a completely separate file then all my forms, queries, and reports) and the data with me and be able to run them in a program on Android that keeps the relationships and fields and all of that sort of stuff.
Now what would be great is the ability to use forms (even if special forms for android need to be made), run queries, and even be able to run reports and print as PDFs.
now I know how to code in VBA, hence the extensive coding I have done in Access, so anybody willing to WORK WITH in creating an Android Program to basically be an extension of Microsoft Access please contact me. Please not I use the words WORK WITH loosely, while I am trying to learn how to Program for Android, I currently do not have a computer that I can use to develop programs for android on, and well I would be only able to create the "Hello World" starter program and this project seems a slight bit more complicated. But what I can bring to the table is real world experience in testing and using the program day in and day out, a number of already existing Microsoft Access Databases ranging from Complex to Simple that I use every day. Really a program that can run Microsoft Access Tables on Android would be really useful to me and I am willing to do anything to help make this happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think we must have the same job
Android utilizes an sqlite database engine and it looks like sqlite already offers a conversion utility HERE. The real question would be how to get the data in and out of the phone. Regarding forms, they definitely would need to be custom built.
Thanks this is deffenetly a start, From what I can tell this This Looks to be the most promising, It looks like all you would have to do is put a MS Access Database file on your SD CARD and have a program access it. That way you copy it back and forth. Unfortunately it doesn't support Access 2003, but I can save down. I also got a lot of learning to do in programing Java programs.
Forms would be as simply as making a program, this is great thanks much
kronos82 said:
Here we go:
I use a number of Microsoft Access Databases for my work, and each one is intensely coded and designed and basically run like actual programs. What I am looking for is to be able to take these databases with me....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like to say, "yes, please!" to this idea. I currently use Smart List to Go (the descendant of ThinkDB) on my Palm TX. The TX is dying, and I've been shopping for a replacement. HanDBase exists for the iPhone, but I don't want an iPhone. So I've been focused on WinMo - not by choice as much as by necessity.
And android option would be very welcome around my computers.
benmyers2941 said:
I think we must have the same job
Android utilizes an sqlite database engine and it looks like sqlite already offers a conversion utility HERE. The real question would be how to get the data in and out of the phone. Regarding forms, they definitely would need to be custom built.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
androids sqlite its for applications to access and store data using java code.
try the pocket office app
Freedomcaller said:
androids sqlite its for applications to access and store data using java code.
try the pocket office app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly and we're talking about creating an app that would enable manipulation of an sqlite database. Essentially all that would be needed would be to create a ui framework wrapper for the existing api in android. Not the least monumental task I've heard of an individual taking on but not the most either.
The versions of pocket office that I've seen for android do not currently support Access databases as far as I'm aware. If I'm wrong could you post a link and save everyone some trouble?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
kronos82 said:
Thanks this is deffenetly a start, From what I can tell this looks to be the most promising, It looks like all you would have to do is put a MS Access Database file on your SD CARD and have a program access it. That way you copy it back and forth. Unfortunately it doesn't support Access 2003, but I can save down. I also got a lot of learning to do in programing Java programs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jackcess library is now patched to support android (will be in 1.2.2 release). Also seems to support 2000, 2003 and 2007 formats now.
Works great for me.
View jackcess site. Couldn't find anything on support for android. I'm using htc desire and would really like to find program to view ms access file. Can you tell me how you do it?
As I remember reading worked as on PC, while writing had some problems.
This forum prevents me from linking directly, but if you click tracker/patches on Jackcess project, check Android Compatibility Fix - ID: 3101578
The changes are in trunk and will be in the 1.2.2 release. I've added some
notes which will eventually make it to the FAQ page on the website
detailing the compatibility steps:
- Set the system property "com.healthmarketscience.jackcess.broken
Nio=true"
- Set the system property "com.healthmarketscience.jackcess.resour
cePath=res/raw/"
- Copy the *.txt, *.mdb, and *.accdb files from the
"com/healthmarketscience/jackcess/" directory in the Jackcess jar to the
"/res/raw" Android application directory.
- Before executing any Jackcess code, set the current Thread's context
classloader, e.g.
"Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(Database.class.getClassLoader())".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Until this version (1.2.2) is released you need to build lib yourself.
You also need commons-lang and commons-logging from apache commons.
Before you use Jackcess in Android code, you set
Thread.currentThread().setContextClassLoader(
getClass().getClassLoader());
System.setProperty(
"com.healthmarketscience.jackcess.brokenNio",
"true");
System.setProperty(
"com.healthmarketscience.jackcess.resourcePath",
"res/raw/");
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and copy those resource files to res/raw
Then you can work as on PC, for example open /sdcard/yourprogram/file.mdb
Jackcess has no GUI, it's a library to read/write access files.
Getting an Access file into Android
I keep a lot of information on a Psion Revo, which has just turned its face to the wall and is giving up the ghost, and have always backed the information up on to my pc as an Access file. It looks easier to get this into a format acceptable to Android by converting the Access .mbx file into an Excel .xls file. This can be searched readily by Column and Values. Maybe this deals with too simple a need for most enquirers to the forum, but if it helps somebody then so much the better.
hi all i have beenlooking for something the same for some time now and just the other day i came accross this site cellica.com
the android app is free and the desktop application has a 5 day trial period or its $50 to buy it works great the only thing you can not do is create a report from the phone
i have emailed support team and they said they will be adding it on in the future.
Any Updates???
I currently build and use databases in MS Access and was wondering if there are any updates on this topic now that Tablets are in use now. Looking to get the Motorola Xoom (2nd version) in the future, but would love to be able to use a program that I would be able to access my MS Access databases while "on-the-go".
Anyone? This would be huge (I believe), since we now have tablets.
Thanks a bunch,
~Kilch~
Access to MS Access by Android
Hi,
I'm also looking to get on-the-go access to my Access databases on my Android HTC Tattoo.
The file is on it, I just need a tool to access it in read-only / search mode, but judging from the previous comments, there doesn't seem to be an oversupply in applications.
The "convert to Excel format" may be OK for me. I want to use a 3 language Access DB (dictionary) on my phone, so I'll try the Excel solution.
It would be nice if we had an ACCESS reader though...
John
Panacea Database
I know XDA frowns upon excessively hawking your own products here, but I do seem to be directly answering more than one of the reply questions, it just happens that the answer is an application my company released.
The Panacea Database application can handle Access from Access 2000 to Access 2007. It has also worked so far on every Access 2010 database we've tested, and we've received no complaints in that department yet. We release updates from time to time as we improve its functionality and features, often guided in our priorities by user e-mail and market comments. Our next update will be focused on improving screen layout for a variety of Android devices - from small QVGA smartphones, to large WXGA tablets. After that we may move onto other functionality.
In the interest of fairness, I'll point out arafa1209's post. He mentions Celicca Database, which is the only other application that I know of that deals with Access databases on Android. It has features Panacea does not have (yet) - ability to work with forms, ability to create and modify databases, ability to connect to your PC etc. Like us, they also send out updates improving their app regularly. So you can compare the apps, and use which one fits your needs better (or use both). If anyone knows of any others they can post here as well, but these are the only two I know of currently.
Just tried Panacea. Although it is more basic and annoyingly doesn't remember the last files you'be opened necessitating finding the file each time you open the app I prefer it for the simple reason you don't have to convert the Access database to another format.
amwebby said:
doesn't remember the last files you'be opened necessitating finding the file each time you open the app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you update the app, this should be fixed, the last version should have this feature.
Got the update last week. Certainly goes a long way to making it more user-friendly. Keep up the great work!
Since the last update it seems to be broken. Although it remembers the last database I cannot open a table within any database.
Edit: It appears the file was corrupted. Loaded a new file and all working again.
Any news in this topic.
I tried panacea Database, works fine. But not very effective. Searching data is a must for me however I didnt manage to find a search option. When I search for tables, it cant even locate the tables by names.
Hi all, just a quick question regarding the functionality of Wp8 that I am fighting with, that I need to resolve or another WP phone is going back to the supplier [I did the same with WP7].
First off, apologies if there's an answer that I haven't managed to find.
I currently have an HTC HD2 running very nicely on WM6.5, however, it's been creaking a bit recently & I'd decided with a favourable review of WP8 that I read the other day suggesting that finally the device can be plugged into a PC & seen as a USB drive, that the time was right to move forwards.
Now that I have the Nokia Lumia 820 & WP8 however, I still don't think I can get it to do what I need it to do.
ALL I would like to do, is be able to copy text files from PC to WP8, & then display them on the phone with text wrap switched off.
Easy hey? Well if so, I haven't worked out how to do it yet!
I plug the phone into my PC, & an Explorer window fires up on the PC [XP] showing 'SD card' & 'Phone'. Drilling down one level on the latter gives Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos etc.
The only way I can get to see the Documents folder on my Phone appears to be via Office Mobile, under 'places' > phone. It appears to be very fussy about what it allows to be displayed there - I can see .PDF, .DOC, .XLS & .TXT files [but not .LOG. .ONE, .ZIP etc (which remain 'hidden')].
When I tap a .TXT file, I have no choice of how to open it, Office Mobile pounces & that's that. Having got this far, all I would now like to do is switch off text wrap [so that it'll view in a usable manner] because there doesn't appear to be such an option.
I have scoured the Store, & the best I've found is 'Text Reader', though this requires that I load it via email [upload a file to Hotmail or wherever with a .LOG (or similar) suffix & away you go, which it then downloads & stores in its own sandbox]. Ok, but faffy.
I believe that other progs might enable transfer via the cloud [Skydrive or whatever], but because of the nature of the data [& the fact that I don't want my data in anyone else's hands], this is out too.
I've spotted a couple of other quirks.
Office Mobile also does not allow you to display the folder hierarchy that may exist in Phone>Documents, just giving a flat filesystem, which makes finding a file in thousands, say, horrible. All I'd like to do is exactly duplicate the hierarchy that exists on the PC [& then I am always looking for things in the same place on either device].
I have also noticed that Office Mobile Word sometime hangs part way through a file. e.g. on loading a 1mb file, & searching for a text sequence I know to be on the last line, it hangs on a line part way through the file [say a 1/3 of the way in]. Not great, & I have the odd file that's c.10mb so I dread to think with that.
Words fail me, & once again I am hugely disappointed with MS. Please, please get the odd decision right & maybe WP will be at the top of the pile again as it was with [the sometimes awful, but very functional] WM.
I am hoping that someone will explain an easy way to do this, & that I can finally move forwards from WM6.5. Android concerns me re privacy & I don't like iPhones, so not much choice really! Stuck waiting for MS to provide basic functionality or [worse] a potential need for a future jailbreak to make the thing work properly!
Here's hoping. Many thanks for reading.
First of all, nobody who knew what the hell they were talking about said that WP8 displays as a USB drive (properly called USB Mass Storage). It's an MTP device, like most media players (or indeed WP7, though that had an extra layer of encryption around it). MTP doesn't display the actual filesystem; although the hierarchical display that it presents *may* mirror a real filesystem, it's under no obligation to do so.
The dearth of supported file types in WP7 was a real pain, but it could be fixed by tweaking the registry. In WP8 it's still a pain, but now third-party apps can (officially) register to handle file types. However, as you point out, there's no real way to browse the phone, and the Office hub only shows the filetypes it recognizes. We *might* be able to fix that, if we could get registry write permission, but that's not possible right now. With that said, I don't know if it would be possible for another app to register the (for example) .txt extension; the phone does offer the ability to choose what app opens a given file type.
For what it's worth, Bluetooth file transfer to the phone works fine, and the files will open in whatever app is registered to the file's extension. You can then save them into the app's storage (Documents, for Office apps). This may be a better way to transfer your data.
In WP8 you can build Apps that associate themselves with certain filetypes (identified by the ending). If your App is associated with a certain file type the App can also open files of that type from anywhere on the SD Card.
So for example if you put a *.log file onto the SD Card any App that is associated with the ".log" ending can read it (the Explorer functionality for the SD Card would have to be implemented by the App itself but it is supported). This does not work with the integrated storage though. With integrated storage you would still have to receive it via E-Mail, SkyDrive, etc.
Now for the caveats:
- Apps can't be dynamically associated with File Types. If you want to open "*.log" files the App developer has to associate his App with the filetype in it's manifest. If several Apps exist for a given filetype the user will be asked which one to use.
- There is a quite extensive list of file types that are reserved for the OS or built in Apps. Any file type that is reserved in that way can't be associated with third Party Apps. This contains Office documents (except PDF, TXT files and lots of media file types). The complete list can be seen here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/jj207065(v=vs.105).aspx
- Apps can only read from the SD Card but they can't Change data there.
Now as for your Problem: someone could build an App that supports e.g. Log-Files and you could use your Lumia 820 with an SD Card to pretty much work the way you intend to with those files. It's not really trivial though, given that 10 MB big plain Text-Files regularly lead to Trouble even on PC text Editors (the developer has to be smart on how to handle These "huge" files, so just some midnight hack job won't do).
What are your further requirements? Search pretty obviously. But what are all the filetypes you would need? Would you need editing capability?
Just trying to understand the compelete picture of your requirements. Perhaps you can tell us what kinds of files you use and for what purposes.
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
@GoodDayToDie
Re 'seen as a USB drive' - That's me being careless with words, what I meant to say was the ability to local sync over a USB cable, & then access the copied files on the device. I didn't think that you could do this with WP7 [without frigs], & had high[er] hopes for WP8.
I might have a look at Bluetooth FT as a method for getting the [bulk] data over locally, as I won't be doing it via the cloud [email or Skydrive]. Thanks for the advice.
@StevieBallz
Thanks for the MSDN reference - Very interesting.
Ok, so the apps can potentially access the data on the SD card but not write to it - As an aside, I thought I read something the other day that said data on the SD card was limited to Pictures, Videos, Music etc, as a security measure. That's interesting too then, though anything I want to be 'secure' I'd keep in the internal storage anyway.
Re the comment re 'Trouble even on PC text Editors'. Yes, I tried way back on WM2003 to get a file displayer going, but immediately hit problems with [I think] a 32KB limit on the textbox display. I've just made do with WM6.5's Word displayer since, which offers basic functionality.I keep meaning to go back to the coding, but haven't managed it yet [I think Visual Basic was missing for a while with WP, if indeed it's there yet (I thought I'd read it was with VS2012?)].
Re my 'requirements'. Just to be able to search [large-ish] text files & have the o/p displayed in a manner that's readable [no word-wrapping]. I realise editing is a whole new ball game, so read-only would be good enough. Longer term, I'd like the ability to have many text files open at once - On the desktop I use "Programmer's File Editor", & something like that [if only as a viewer] I'd find invaluable on the smartphone/PDA. I also have many thousands of files on my desktop [PDF, DOC, RTF, HTM, TXT etc] & ideally I'd like access to those on the go as & when needed, via a hierarchical file system on the mobile device, with the structure exactly mirroring the PC's file system, so that I'd search for & find data in the same places regardless of which device I was using [Why thousands? Might be 100s+ actually, & these could be electricity bills, sales receipts, insurance documents - anything - the stuff of life really].
I'll continue with my testing of Office Mobile Word's displaying & searching of text files. I've found it patchy & not consistent so far, but am going to have to move from WM6.5 eventually [more's the pity], & don't really want the hassle of sending the device back again.
Many thanks for your advice so far.
Device returned, many thanks for your help. Maybe WP9 then?
5v17 said:
Device returned, many thanks for your help. Maybe WP9 then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Judging by the ideas picked up for review on dev user voice, situation may drastically improve with the next SDK update.