I am interested Butterflies and Moths. I like to learn about them. I
like to photograph them. I wanted to keep a list of the butterflies and
moths I have seen. I wanted to have access to this list on my computers
and portable android devices. I began looking around for solutions. I
began with Memento - for Android. While this works fine on Android,
there is no PC interface. So my search continued. I looked at SailForms
as well. It doesn't have a PC interface either. Finally, I settled on
creating my own SQLite database and syncing across all my devices using
FolderSync. The only downside is that there is no nice and pretty form
based interface. But this is not a problem for me. Here's how I
developed my database.
1) Create the butterfly/moth database.
a.There are numerous websites available which will give you lists of
butterflies and moths in a particular area. I started with my county. I
downloaded the list as a .csv file. Now I am ready to build the
database.
b. I was already familiar with the excellent SQLite
manager SQLite Expert Personal. This is my app of choice for SQLite
table creation/data entry.
c. Unfortunately SQLite Expert Personal (free version) doesn't have an import from .cvs function.
d. I opened the downloaded .cvs file and added extra columns for the
things I wanted like location, date sighted, notes, etc. See example
below.
Common Name,Scientific Name,Family,Date Sighted,Location,Notes,Sighted
Silver-spotted Skipper,Epargyreus clarus,Hesperiidae
Skippers,8/25/2013,"170 Ebenzer Rd., Greer, SC 29651",Butterfly Bush.
Lots of them.,TRUE
2) Load the .csv file into the database.
a. I used SQLite Manager (Another free tool) to create the database. I
named the databased "GreenvilleSCButterfliesMoths.sqlite".
b.
Then using SQLite Manager, I created a table ButterfliesMoths and added
the columns: Common Name,Scientific Name,Family,Date
Sighted,Location,Notes,Sighted. Next I imported the .csv file into the database. Now my db has data!
3) Sync the database using Google Drive and FolderSync.
a. I created a "Database" folder in my Google Drive folder and put the
"GreenvilleSCButterfliesMoths.sqlite file into this folder.
b. Whenever I view\edit the db on a PC it will be from the Google Drive\Database folder.
c. For my phone and nexus, I loaded FolderSync from Google Play.
FolderSync will sync files from Google Drive to particular files on your
Android device. It's fairly straight forward to set up.
d.
Lets say I create a folder named GoogleDriveDatabase on my phone for
FolderSync to sync with Google Drive\Database. GoogleDriveDatabase on my
phone will now have the latest version of
"GreenvilleSCButterfliesMoths.sqlite" FolderSync is bi-directional, so
when I make changes to the database on my phone, the changes will be
uploaded to Google Drive. This is fantastic.
4) View/Edit the database on Android devices.
a. Unfortunately, SQLite Expert is not available as an Android app. The
best tool I have found for viewing and editing SQLite db's in Android
is aSQLiteManager.
b. Using aSQLiteManager I can view and edit my db.
In
the end, I have a cloud based db that can be viewed and edited on any
PC or Android device. So whether I in the office, at home, or in the
field I can make additions to my GreenvilleSCButterfliesMoths database. I
like that.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Thin Wallets - Get that monster wallet off your butt
I have been using Big Skinny thin wallets for years now. I must say that I still like them a lot. I first choose them with the advice of my physical therapist. She highly suggested I get rid of the wallet in my back pocket as it contributed to my aches and pains. I search the internet for a front wallet solution and found Big Skinny wallets. They have many styles and colors. I use what is essentially a card holder with a plastic window for your ID. It's small enough to fit in my front pocket without any problems. I also carry some cash in it as well as debit and credit cards. Works great.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)