Pocket Database 5.0 takes a huge step forward

[Andy Sjostrom]

<a href="http://www.pocketdatabase.net/">http://www.pocketdatabase.net/</a><br /><br />Pocket Innovations has apparently been very busy! They bring Pocket Database 5.0, a complete rewrite with a very impressive feature list! I have stayed away from these "hobbyist" database engines and worked exclusively with eMbedded Visual Tools, .NET Compact Framework and SQL Server CE. But with the entrance of Pocket Database 5.0 I will revisit this market again. The addition of Visual Basic Scripting and modules support will enable those critical business application exceptions that were not manageable before.<br /><br />"With this new version, Pocket Database is now, more than ever, the most powerful database tool for the Pocket PC. The feature set in Pocket Database 5.0 is unmatched by any other database program on the market for the Pocket PC. User Interface - Besides the many innovations introduced in previous versions, the user interface has now been made sleeker, much faster, and more responsive. New to Version 5.0! VisualBasic Scripting and Modules Support!!! Features Unique to Pocket Database:<br />We know that the true power of databases lies in their relational aspects, which is why we made Pocket Database the first and only fully relational database client for the Pocket PC. Now you can leave the office and still have the power of your databases at your fingertips. View all related records with a single click of a button! Advanced relational options are also available to maintain data integrity, including Relational Integrity, Cascading Updates, and Cascading Deletes. Use the new AutoNumber field to keep your tables in sync with your desktop databases. Calculated fields let you see and analyze the data you enter / retrieve in the field. Enter data much faster with automatic lookup for field input. You can enter values manually or have them automatically entered each time you view that field! These values will be accessible from all different parts of the program. Define fields to be required and / or unique to ensure that you always enter valid data. Create and delete indexes on the fly to greatly increase the speed of searches and filters. Indexes also allow you to set and change the default sorting for your tables. The Import Wizard lets you import data from multiple types of delimited files. It lets you view a portion of the data before importing so you can ensure that it will be imported correctly. You can also change field names and types to get your data looking just how you want it. New to version 5.0 is integrated powerful VBScript support and the ability to create subforms, among many other enhancements and ugprades."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/pocketdatabase_01.jpg" />

[Busdriver]

How is this different from SprintDB?

[Len]

Pocket Database is a true relational database. Relationships between tables are defined and saved as relationships. Sprint DB handles relationships via forms and subforms, which is different (and more cumbersome to manage IMO).

Len

[Busdriver]

Thanks for that info. Let me ask another stupid question...if it has VBScript support does that mean that everthing you need to use VBScript is contained within this program or do you need add-ons to use it?

[Len]

Not so stupid. I don't know that one either :lol:

Someone else will reply, I'm sure.

Len

[Marcel_Proust]

:roll: could i ask a question that is probably truly stupid?
how easy is this program to use - compared to say Handbase? I am looking for something more powerful - but I don't want to have to work too hard to design databases. Would I have to learn
sql for instance?

[Hugh Nano]

I'd really like to see a comparitive review of SprintDB Pro and Pocket Database 5.0--not to mention abcDB, HanDBase, and all the other much-hyped database projects out there. There was a rather limited and lame attempt to do a comparitive review series on Pocket PC databases on PocketNow.com, but I'm still hoping someone will do a real, in-depth comparison of all the various options out there. Anyone else hoping for the same thing? Anyone find anything along these lines yet?

I'm using SprintDB Pro, and have found it very usable and useful. Ideally, however, I'd like to see something one could use to make portable database apps on one's Pocket PC (something the PocketNow reviewer was also looking for)--and by portable, I mean apps independent of the program used to create them (and, speaking really ideally, cross-platform). Does anyone know if Pocket Database 5.0 comes anywhere near doing something like this?

[PInnovations]

Hullo, and thanks for your comments/questions!

Busdriver: Pocket Database does come with all the libraries needed to run VBScript. Everything's handled within the program so you don't need to install anything else.

Marcel_Proust: We've looked at HanDBase, but aren't completely familiar with its ease of use. Although PI's opinion is somewhat biased ;) we've tried to make Pocket Database as easy to use as possible. You certainly won't have to learn SQL, although if you know it you can use it through our SQL query support. Making and browsing through tables is easy and in general we gave the program a good interface. If you'd like to take a look at it, we have a fully-featured demo version available at http://www.pocket-innovations.com

Hugh Nano: We'd also like to see a full database review, so we can get an idea of how other people see Pocket Database as matching up to abcDB, SprintDB and HanDBase. With the new version of PocketDB, Database Applications development is exactly what we were aiming for. The Database Repository on our website (which will be online and functional sometime this coming week) is aimed at exactly that - sharing of actual Database Apps between users of the software. Future releases of PocketDB are going to head more heavily in this direction.

David Schnur
Product Manager
Pocket Innovations
http://www.pocket-innovations.com
Powerful applications for a portable world