Re: Pilot log book software for Linux?

["John C. Peterson" <jaypee@netcom.com>]

Bob Deep writes:
>
>Jerry Kaidor wrote:
>> 
>> John C. Peterson wrote:
>> >
>> > I think most power pilots would like the design and find the features
>> > adequate. However, from one glider pilot to another, I found the design
>> > for supporting soaring flights to be sorely lacking. For example, there
>> > is no mechanism for entering release or maximum altitudes. If you have
>> > ever compared plain paper logbooks, you notice that glider and power
>> > logbooks are *very* different.  I think that electronic logbooks that
>> > attempt to support multiple category aircraft should be designed using
>> > different "modes",
>> 
>> *** Modes, ugh.  I know of no quicker way to "bug up" a piece of software.
>>  I think a better approach would be to have an ascii config file
>> that specifies what fields are included, and how they are related.  A
>> sample config file would be included for power pilots, and another for
>> glider pilots.  Said config file to be of easily understood form, with
>> provision for embedded comments, etc.
>
>Oh it's even easier than that...  Using Java and a JDBC driver you can
>simply build a program that can dynamicly handle fields in a database
>record...  Your program would then be reduced to accepting data for
>specific field types for log entries, and producing generic queries to
>generate reports...
>
>Then you just supply a default database for the types of log books you
>want, and a tool to allow a user to add or remove fields in the records
>so they can coustomize things the way they want.
>
>The hard part would making the data entry screens and report screens
>look nice, but you could provide a way the user could build custom
>reports and entry screens, while providing the basics.  You would just
>store the interface code in the database as serilized Java classes...
>

   I like your idea of formulating the problem as a database problem. I'm
not realy convinced you need anything all that compilicated though. Would
something like xmbase-grok be adequate for the job? If I remember right,
it's not that hard to build custom input forms for it. Searching is also
supported....

Best Regards, John

-- 
 ___|___  | John C. Peterson, KD6EKQ | The box said; "requires Windows NT
  -(*)-   | mailto:jaypee@netcom.com | 4.0 or better", so I installed Linux.
  o/ \o   | San Diego, CA   U.S.A    | See http://www.linux.org/ for info.
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