I like to comment on this, too. I started to use dabo some time ago, with the sole reason that I needed a database for scientific literature and none of the available free tools could do what I needed. I am not an experienced programmer, but I have always been able to script my way around with visual basic or perl, and I started to use python because it seems to be more natural than other languages.
I ended up to use dabo, because the tutorial example with the recipe database is quite similar to what I needed, so I figured if I just followed the tutorial and make the necessary adjustments, I would end up with what I need. However, things were not as easy as I anticipated. I started to do try my own database using the application wizard, and it always crashed with the m:m checkboxes. I then followed the instructions in the manual step-by-step to just reproduce the recipe database, but it still crashed. I then watched some of the screencasts and tried my luck with the form designer, but also failed. I then figured out that there may be some problem with the python version I am using (Python 2.7 on 64bit Win7), because once I installed the dabo runtime, the code worked as it should. I still was not able to populate a drop down window from a database table. ( I tried to follow the discussion that was linked in the wiki, but I did not manage to get it done). In the end I hard-coded my options in the edit page, so I ended up with something that works for me, and I am very happy and grateful for dabo. But as someone who is not an experienced programmer (more or less a beginner) the available documentation is difficult to follow, in several regards: Once I got stuck with the application wizard, I found a discussion in the list archive about whether ot not the application wizard is obsolete or not. (That was not encouraging). I tried to follow the form designer in the screencast, but at an quite early state the screencast shows the definition of the bizobjects in the code window, but the current version of the tool places these definition somewhere else, where I did not find them. This is explained somewhere on the website, bit only if know where to look you can find it. Before that it can be quite discouraging. The seemingly simple task of how to populate a drop-down list from the database is explained by a reference to a post that is only part of a discussion on the topic, so as a beginner one has to be quite persistent to get some results... I then signed up for the mailing list, but most of the discussions are way above me... The pycon tutorial with the recipe database is a really good piece of documentation and the reason I started to use dabo. What I would like most would be if the tutorial examples would be expanded to illustrate additional techniques, since I usually can work my way up from code examples, but I consistently fail to apply things like object definitions on my own. Actually, I am so grateful that with dabo I could get what I needed, that I would be willing to help with the tutorials myself, but as the author of the last post, I have to admit that there is no knowledge that I could turn into a tutorial yet. And please excuse the lenghty explanation... best regards Soeren -------- Original-Nachricht -------- > Datum: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:49:30 -0800 > Von: John Fabiani <jo...@jfcomputer.com> > An: Dabo Users list <dabo-users@leafe.com> > Betreff: Re: [dabo-users] Dabo-users Digest, Vol 89, Issue 17 > > > > This is off topic - but what information do you believe was missing > from > > > the > > > Dabo website? > > > > > > Johnf > > > > Not sure if 'missing' is the right word.The one immediate thing that > > stands out though is the beginners tutorial, its not missing just not > > obvious. The dabo wiki has a great design and layout. My assumption is > that > > the beginners tutorial is about a third the way down the pycon 2010 > > introduction. > > > > So its not missing but would be great to be more obvious and in the wiki > > format. Then it could be slightly fleshed out, only slightly so it > clearly > > demonstrates how to use the dabo editor and tools runs through create > the > > sample application and then has an obvious clear next steps. > > > > Whilst I am good at writing these things I don't know dabo well > enough(at > > all currently) to achieve it. > > > > Sayth > > OK I think I understand. Thanks for your input. > > Johnf > > _______________________________________________ > Post Messages to: Dabo-users@leafe.com > Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/dabo-users > Searchable Archives: http://leafe.com/archives/search/dabo-users > This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/18363015.xb9rqeT2tq@linux-12 _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: Dabo-users@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/dabo-users Searchable Archives: http://leafe.com/archives/search/dabo-users This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/20111122203034.227...@gmx.net
