ALLiDator Quick start manual

AlliDator Quick Guide

For a more detailed guide, see the on line documentation.

1. Creating a dataset
2. Adding records to a dataset
3. Data items of a record
4. Tap and do
5. Modifying a dataset
6. Searching a dataset
7. Backing up and restoring your data
8. Importing and exporting datasets
9. Settings

This application is the most versatile way to collect and mantain all your data and files. You can have both free format datasets as well as datasets with a fixed structure, like a traditional database. You can store many different kinds of data: texts, numbers, link, addresses, phone numbers, dates, images, audio and video clips, generic documents, locations, contacts, etc., and use them on your device. You can exchange your data with any computer with just the use of a browser.

1. Creating a dataset

Tap the button in the initial screen. (Tip: activate the "Explain Command" switch to receive a brief explaination of the different ways of creating a dataset).
Pick "New dataset" to create a new, empty, dataset. Then, in the following screen:
- Choose a name for the dataset
- Choose if you want a normal dataset, whose records are identified by a name, or a temporal dataset, whose records are identified by their creation time, for instance for a diary or a log.
- Choose if you want a checkmarked dataset, for instance for a task or shopping list, a dataset whose records have any kind of associated data, or one with a fixed structure, that is whose records have all the same set of data items (fields).
- For a dataset with a fixed structure, define first the type of its data items (fields), together with an optional name for the field (label).
- Choose if you want another field displayed together with a dataset record's name (for instance, if you want the author displayed with a book title).
- Choose how you want ordered the dataset records: alphabetically, by creation time, manually.
- Finally, choose the action that you want when a record name is tapped (see Tap and do).
- Tap "Save" when finished.
Pick "New from a template" if you want to create a dataset from a predefined template. Then, in the following screens:
- Choose the template (note that you can download other templates from http://www.dathlon.com/templates/)
- Choose a name for the dataset
- Customize the template, by choosing the information to be displayed in the template list, the ordering of the records, and if you want to add new fields or remove the predefined ones
- Tap "Save" when finished.
For "Import a dataset from a CSV file" see section Importing and exporting datasets
Note that you can always modify the fields of a dataset after its creation as well as its name (see: Modifying a dataset)

2. Adding records to a dataset

When you tap on a dataset name you go in a page where you can see its records. Add new records by tapping the button. After the insertion of the record name, if the dataset has fixed data items, you are given the possibility of inserting their values. Otherwise, if it has free fields, you must tap on the chevron button if you want to add any new data item to the record.

3. Data items of a record

When you tap on the button near a record name you can see all its data items. If the record does not have a fixed structure you can add and remove data items of any type to it.

To add an item, tap on the button. Choose the type of the data item that you want to add (scroll the list to see all the types). Then you will be guided to insert the data, together with an optional label. Press "Save" to save the data and return to the data item page.

To remove an item, tap on the button and use the usual deleting gestures.

To change a value for a data item, tap on the item's row. You will be guided in the insertion of a new value according to the item's type

For certain types, a small icon will appear at the right end of the row. Tap on the icon to select the action associated to the item (see Tap and do).

4. Tap and do

Items of certain types have an action associated: for instance, a location can be used to open the application "Map" to that location, a phone number can be used to perform a phone call, a video can be played, a mail address can be used to write a mail, etc. The action can be invoked either by tapping the icon on the right side of the data items, or by tapping on the item and than by choosing the "Show/Play" button.

You can associate to a dataset with fixed fields a preferred action, by choosing one of its data item. After this association, when you tap on a dataset record the action is automatically invoked (you can always expand the record to see its data items by tapping on the chevron button at the right).

To associate an action to a dataset:

Create a new empy dataset
Create fields for the dataset
Tap the button "New action" on the dataset creation page
Choose the field whose action will be invoked when the record will be tapped.

5. Modifying a dataset

In the main screen, which shows the list of the datasets, if you tap "Edit" you can:

delete a dataset (tap the red minus button);
reorder the dataset list (drag the three bar icon on the right of the row);
change the name of a dataset (tap the dataset name)

If you expand a dataset, in the page that shows its records:

with the "Edit" button you can delete a record or reorder its records;
with the "Properties" button you can:
- protect it by switching off its modifiability,
- change the record display,
- change the order in which its records are shown,
- change its structure (if the records have a fixed structure).

6. Searching a dataset

To search for the record of a dataset with a certain name tap "Filter" in the dataset page. In the search field write a text and press "Search" on the keyboard. Only the records whose name contains the text written will be shown (the "filtered" records). If a records is displayed together with another field, the filter is perfomed on that field too. (Tip: choose freely a second field to be displayed to perform searches on it). When a dataset is filtered you can operate on its records as usual. If you want remove the filter and see again all the records tap on the "No Filter" button.

7. Backing up and restoring your data

With the use of any browser on a Wi-Fi connected computer, you can backup and restore all your data, export a dataset to a spreadsheet, load a dataset from a spreadsheet, import and export documents of any type on your device.

In the main datasets page tap the "Backup" button. A popup menu will appear.

To backup your data, choose "Backup All Datasets". A page will appear with the istructions to perform a backup by downloading a backup file to a Wi-Fi connected computer, through any browser. When you write the url specified in the instructions in the browser, a backup file named "alligator.database" will be downloaded on the computer. You can rename and move the downloaded file.
To restore all your data from a previously made backup, choose "Restore All Datasets" and follow the instructions which will appear. On the browser windows, choose the backup file and press the "Upload" button. Note that all the data currently on the device will be erased and replaced by the data present in the backup file. This operation can be undone.
To undo the last restore operation, choose the button "Undo Last Restore" (it appears only if this operation is possible). All the data will be reverted to the state before the restore.

8. Importing and exporting datasets

To import a dataset from a previously prepared spreadsheet file (which must be saved in CSV format), in the main screen tap the button to create a new dataset, than, in the following page, tap the "Import a dataset from a CSV file" button. From the browser of a Wi-Fi connected computer enter the url specified in the screen instructions. On the browser windows, choose the CSV file and press the "Upload" button. A new dataset will be created with the data specified in the spreadsheet file. In the CSV file, use the first row to give the field names. Note that the first field name is ignored, since the corresponding elements will be used as record names (and they should be all different). The remaining rows of the spreasheet are assumed as the name of the record and its data items. The type of the items will be guessed by their values. If the program makes the wrong guess, however, you could simply change the field with the correct type with the "Properties" button on the dataset page. For a detailed description of the format of the spreadsheet, please see the on line documentation.
In a dataset page tap the "Export" button, then tap the "Export Dataset" button from the popup menu. From the browser of a Wi-Fi connected computer enter the url specified in the screen instructions. A spreadsheet file with name "dataset.csv" will be downloaded on the computer. You can rename and move the file, and open it in a spreadsheet application. Only the textual data will be exported in the spreadsheet file.
You can import and export documents (images, audio or video files, or generic documents, which can be shown on the device if possible or simply kept to be transferred elsewhere) as data items of some dataset record. To import, simply create a data item of type image, audio, video or document and tap the "Import" button. To export, tap, the data item and then the "Export" button.

9. Settings

Preferences can be set through the "Settings" system application.

Device images: Full size, no editing. When off, the default setting, the photos shot with the device are stored at 320x320 resolution, and you can edit them before saving in the dataset. When on, the photos are stored at the full camera resolution, and you cannot edit them.
CSV files: Separator. When Default, the default separator for the CSV files is used (either comma, or semicolon, depending on the current locale). Normally, you do not need to modify this setting. However, if you load a CSV file and the result is not what you expected (for instance each item name contains a whole row of the spreadsheet), this could depend on the data separator being different from that of the current locale (semicolon instead of comma, or viceversa). In this case you can force the use of the correct separator.