This release includes a small update in the program, some changes in the installation file, release of the Quick Start tutorial and … Thanks Giving.
The experience of making software over the Internet is just amazing. People from all over the world came to visit the site and downloaded the software. Through the website, I could meet with wonderful people who are powerful users and passionate developers. They are always giving invaluable comments and suggestions which are all vital for improving BAU DB.
It’s all due to the fact that they are real users. They are also so passionate that they have spent much efforts to help figuring out how to make the software better. We share the common goal and I know they have saw through the vision of BAU DB already 🙂
If there is an ability that is the most difficult and powerful at the same time, I would say it is the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes. Making software is also such a job, in which only real users could tell the true feeling about using the software. Instead of thinking all the stuffs out of myself as a developer, now I know you could share with me all the useful comments and suggestions in order to make a great software tool for people to use.
And these people are you.
Documentation
Thanks for Philip, you pushed me to create the documentation and now the Quick Starter guide is completed. The tutorial goes through the overview and features of BAU DB. After reading the tutorial, you could understand why BAU DB is a rapid and easy tool to create database solutions and you should be able to get started using it for your works. That said, I have to gear up my effort in order to complete the other parts of the documentation as well.
Choose Location for Installation
Thanks for Michael, the installation program can now choose the location for installation and could be download here. Since I would like to keep the installation program to be simple, and stupid :), it is now divided into 2 versions. The first one is the standard version which provides the quick installation experience to users while the second version provides the flexibility to choose destination location for the installation files. Nevertheless, BAU DB is light-weighted (yet flexible and powerful) which does not consume much disk spaces.
Program Running on Windows XP
Thanks for Nagendra, you helped to make the program runs better in WinXP. Due to the format about sorting sequence of a few Access files, for which before the program was running in Chinese environment, the program cannot run on WinXP properly. Now I twisted it to a general sequence and now BAU DB can run on WinXP smoothly. This issue has never impacted the other Windows versions and occurred only in WinXP. As for the issue with UXTHEME.dll, the file is now omitted from the installation program so that it will not over-write the patched uxtheme.dll file and crack the Windows. Your effort of checking the other system dll files is valid and excluding them will make a smaller installation program. To play safe and ensure the installation program can run on all computers successfully, these system dlls are kept in the installation program. Besides, I have made some improvements about the alignments of screen controls in Main Menu and About screen and they look much better now in WinXP.
Add Pictures to a Record Entry
Thanks for Matthew, you reminded me of the feature about adding pictures to a record entry, which actually has been a feature of BAU DB for a long time and just that I missed mention it in any description pages. Now the description is completed and you could find it in the Quick Start tutorial and its introduction is added in the feature page too. You also reminded me of giving example database file and the sample app file can be now downloaded here. You sent me the list of comments and suggestions which I have gone through them already. I will put them up one by one on the list.
How do I Update
As usual, to get the update, simply download from the download page and install it on top of your current installation.
Hi Eric,
It is good to see you in good spirits. Thank you for your kind words. You are very generous.
With your added impulse to this process of making BAU DB a better tool, I could envision this software very soon going to be much more powerful and rich in features while maintaining its simplicity and easiness.
I sincerely wish to see this brilliant software becoming a commercial tool. All the very best for all your wonderful efforts.
I couldn’t pull much time last week. This weekend I am trying to play around with your software. I will share my views on it accordingly.
One more small observation. Every time I open an existing file or create a new file, a separate instance is being opened up. I think you could avoid this feature as I could see BAUDB can work in parallel individual instances.
Have a great weekend.
Cheers
Nagendra
Hi Eric,
If possible, please add a Forum to your website 🙂
Add a section FAQ.
This is will be really helpful for you to address the questions straight, and understand the concerns/requirements of users. Also helps everybody to search for references.
Could you please guide me how to delete a record.
Cheers
Nagendra
Right, it’s about time to do so!
Oh.. Sorry, overlooked. got it.
Hi Nagendra,
Thanks for the reminder, I will add the features about saving and delete record in the quick starter guide.
Cheers
Eric
Hi Eric.
Congrats for your great work.
This is a very nice piece of software and a great productivity tool.
Neverthless I wonder how can I upload data that already exists in my spreedsheets today. Do I have to key in every single data field by hand?
Or you have some kind of tool to upload data in batch mode?
Anyway, thnks again for your grate work.
J.Ramos
Hi Ramos,
I’m glad that you like BAU DB.
Thanks for your question. Currently, you can open and copy data into the tables of the base database file (the *.mdb file). If you have MS Access, you can open the database file with Access and copy/paste rows of records from your spreadsheet file. You can also download and use the free tool MDB Viewer Plus in http://www.alexnolan.net/software/mdb_viewer_plus.htm. Open the database file in MDB Viewer Plus and use its import feature to import spreadsheets into the database tables.
I will also create a tutorial page on this topic and elaborate on the steps to do so.
Cheers
Eric
Hi Ramos,
Documentation about importing of spreadsheet data is completed, just as before said using MDB Viewer Plus or MS Access. You can take a look at it here.
Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions 🙂
Cheers