Within todays lecture/tutorial we spent time looking at another interactive database supplied online called DabbleDB. DabbleDB follows a very similar approach to Zoho Creator, apart from DabbleDB uses much less/no coding to allow for quick and easy database production. Within DabbleDB, the complete database is already designed and embedded within the system, and all the user has to do is select options for how they want to create their database in relation to their own personal needs.

The major difference between Zoho Creator and DabbleDB that I recognised was the ability to enter information into the database, without having to enter each entry separately, whereas within DabbleDB all information can be entered as one, into a large text box. The package DabbleDB is referred to as being "Intelligent Software", therefore the application recognises the column headings when entered as well. The software will then relate all of the entries into the database so that all the Dates entered are assigned to the "Date" column, and the Surnames are assigned to the "Surname" column. This is all done automatic, and literally takes 5 minutes to copy/paste the information into the text box and for the application to sort out the data into appropriate columns. This process is very professional, and I was shocked when the software managed to sort the information out this quick. If I were to use an application for entering vast numbers of entries, then I would definitely use DabbleDB, due to the fact that information can be created in an application such as Excel, then copied and pasted over.

Once all the data within the application has being processed and sorted, the view is very easily for editing information, changing column heading properties etc. The overall professionalism of DabbleDB is superior for creating other features as well, as there are functions to create:

• Charts - Pie, Bar and Line


• Calendars


• Maps


• Compactness
  

All of these features mentioned above are created by the application, and the user barely needs to choose any options to implement these advanced productions. For my own personal benefit, there is also no coding required to create these bonus features, therefore this gives me confidence that I can create these advanced productions with confidence. The maps and charts that are produced are not poor quality, they are advanced and show statistics for the specific point within the chart when hovered over. The example below shows how this works.

Creating simple interfaces is another feature that DabbleDB allows the user to do, by applying colour schemes and logos into the database. The Administration section allows the user to create a custom colour scheme made for personal requirements. An example of how effective this could be for a company is if their logo follows a colour scheme, and as a result they want to change database so it follows the company colours. This can be achieved literally by clicking the mouse 4 times to complete the entire process. The layout of the database will then be changed to the colour scheme selected within the options window, OR if the company wants to make the database really professional, they can upload their company logo into the application so that it appears on the top of every page. This feature within DabbleDB proves how superior this application is when contrasted against Zoho Creator in terms or user-friendliness.

Once the data has been set up and the preferences have been changed so that the visual style of the application meets the needs of the user, there are other Administrative features that can be edited so that certain people within the company can view the database, and also a back-up feature can be added so that if the information within the databse is accidently edited/deleted and needs to be reset, then a back-up allows the application to process back to a set date and retrieve the information that was lost. This and many other features including the language, time zone and currency formats can all be edited as well within the adminstrator section.

There is one disadvantage that I have found when using DabbleDB, and it is the speed of which the application takes to both load and change pages. Compare this to Zoho Creator and the speed for which reponses are made are much quicker in comparison to this piece of software. The simplicity of creating a professional user interface and a professional database can only be praised though, due to the high quality of the layout. Even when all the information has been sorted and processes by the application, the columns can be edited so that instead of a date being registered as a number, is can be understood to be represented in Date format. Similarly for currency, is a price for an item is represented just as a number, it can be changed so that it is an aspect of currency instead, and even still, the type of currency can be chosen from this option.

The reports that can be produced by DabbleDB are also very professional, and also the ability to quickly change details of a current entry, and/or to create a new entry. I would still admit though that compared to Microsoft Access, this piece of software doesn't seem to meet the same standards that Access does, due to the fact that the common user-iterface (similarly with Zoho) doesnt meet the expectations that I personally require to create a professional database. There are lots of features within DabbleDB that impress me though, including the feature to quickly add entries into a database, and also the speed of which colour scheme/format is generated takes place, but for actually reaching professional understanding of a database (ie. setting up relationships between columns/tables) can be done much easier in Microsoft Access.

If I needed to create a database that met an objective for been quick to import data, pretty to look at and be quite straight forward, then I would definitely consider DabbleDB, alongside the fact that the columns can be edited in terms of format, and also so that Maps and Charts can be created - however, I still dont feel completely 100% confident with this software package due to the fact that some operations, such as undo seem very advanced for such a simple reorrection to be made, therefore I would still probably use Microsoft Access if I had to use a database software I am aware of.