Plant Base 2 Beta

[deeproot]

OK, I'm guessing everyone here spends way too much time on their keyboards to be interested in gardening and plants, but just in case -

After a long while developing, I've just recently made the Beta version of my program publicly available.

Plant Base 2 is the PB re-code of a well established commercial application, originally VB6 + Jet. The aim is to use a database with a workman-like, no frills UI to create an encyclopaedia of plants that is easy for the end-user to modify. There is already a substantial user-base on the original versions and they are licensed for free updates!

The PB version is not finished yet - still work-in-progress, things missing and lots of bugs I'm sure, but the core stuff is there.

The program is really all about the database and there is quite a lot going on under the covers - it uses only standard PureBasic SQLite. The user interface is typical application style, nothing too fancy but must give the users what they need.

Here are a couple of screenshots :




If anyone is interested enough to take a closer look, it's all on the website. Start here and follow the links:
http://www.deeproot.co.uk/plantbase_newdevelopment.html

The application is commercially licensed, but there is a 15 day trial. If that isn't enough, I'll consider issuing a free code to any forum user who also has full PureBasic registration - email me via the website for that.

Warning about the download - it is big!! (lots of data and pics)

Oh, I forgot - latest version compiled with 4.61b2, so it's a kind of double-level beta!

Geoff.

(Edit: Oct 2012 - new version available for download)

[Danilo]

Nice application deeproot!

I downloaded the .zip version and started it. It couldn't find the PlantBase and the 3 PicLib's,
but the files were in GetPathPart(ProgramFilename()).
The program could check the program directory for those files.

When I click on a plant thumbnail it opens in a bigger window. This picture window opens
always in the top right corner on my screen.
Maybe you can add 2 options for it:
- Always open in the middle of the screen.
- Remember last opened position (so i could move it to second screen and it always opens there)

If I go to the next plant then, the big picture window closes automatically. If I could put the
picture window on my seconds screen (or beside the app), it could always stay opened and
when changing plants, it could automatically load the first plant picture into the big picture window
or display an alternate picture if no picture is available ("no picture available", with a PlantBase2 logo).

Maybe the big picture window could be made enlargeable/resizeable/upscaleable/zoomable?

I think I found a small bug:
1.) I'm using the Tab "select plants" or "picture maint"
2.) I click the menu "Activity -> Maintain Plant Types", the side panel opens
3.) I close the side panel
4.) The thumbnail window shows as an overlay on the "select plants" or "picture maint" Tab.
Screenshots for the possible bug: PB2_1.jpg (*1), PB2_2.jpg (*2), PB2_3.jpg (*4, overlay bug)


I will browse around and check more later. Could be useful to me, my wife and me bought some property/land/ground
in Thailand and build a house last year. I would like to make a nice garden there for retirement later, so it is nice to
browse and search plants with your application!

Are there more plants/pictures/databases available? User databases and pictures for download or something like that?


EDIT: Another thing I forgot to mention before: The "Picture Slide Show" does not play automatically here.

[deeproot]

Thanks for your feedback Danilo, much appreciated!

Some really useful comments - I will be looking at all those things.

Yes, you found a bug!! - I can see the cause, will be fixed in the next version.

On the database content - the Beta is roughly the same as the production release, but we are adding to it all the time and then release every now and again. In the past a number of users have promised to make their own records available, but not much has happened yet. There is some current activity though, so maybe extra downloads in future? They would be particularly useful for specialist plant collections and also different climate areas. We tend to concentrate mostly on plants suitable for north-west Europe because that's what we know best.

Geoff.

[deeproot]

One of the big milestones for my application has been reached - so there is a new Beta version, available for download on the website.
http://www.deeproot.co.uk/plantbase_v2_beta.html

The program now has the previously missing Import function. It will read from another database copy and add/update the required records. There are various options to control the action. Also optionally the import can delete records that match a deletes log in the input file.

This is an essential feature for users to handle future database update and will also be part of the migration from the previous VB6/MS Jet application.

Other things:

• Extract function - goes with the above Import, produces a new small file with a selected subset of records.
  View and manage log of previously deleted records - may be needed if exchanging data via Import.
  Main window and 1st picture window position is now remembered. Also an option to keep the 1st picture window open while moving through records (thanks Danilo).
  Additional print options.
  Many fixed bugs.

Included is a French language file for the user interface (almost complete), courtesy of one of my users. A German language file is in progress.

In case of interest: this version is compiled with PB 5.00b3 - no problems so far.