Ninox Database 2.3.2
Donnell Simon
I was looking at a Ninox database file in TextEdit and it looks a lot like JSON. I've been around the forum long enough to see the speculation regarding the database engine that Ninox is built on and have participated in the speculation myself. In spite of the somewhat popular belief that it's base on SQLite and the bitching about the lack of SQL commands, it appears to be based on a NoSQL table product by Google...
An observation about making modifications to a Ninox database. There doesn't appear to be any garbage collection when modifications are made. For example, if you change the data in a field, the old data is still in the database file and the new information is just appended to the file. Same goes for something like moving columns. That information is stored in the database file and the old information is not deleted. Since they aren't doing any garbage collection, they really should add a "Pack" or "Vacuum" command to "My Databases" or include it in the Ninox language. In the mean time, you can duplicate your database and get the same result, but you'll need to delete the old one and rename the new one. You might be amazed at how much the database size decreases.
Hi Sean - That is really interesting. I don't understand why the old data is simply left in the files. I've used several other databases from 1986 onward and they all have (had) data management built in re old data!. This probably goes some way as to why I am having issues with one of my main DB's that has the 800k records in a table - This data is constantly updated daily. If the old crap if left hidden then no wonder the DB is bloated!.
Under the Options tab (beside the "Data model" tab) ther are "Rebuild index" and "Reindex files" buttons? What exactly does each do? Hard to tell as when they both bring up a dialog saying it will take some time, but there is never a progress bar or any other indication of when/if it is done. Why?
The only thing that came to mind regarding leaving the old data in the file is a long awaited feature request... Undo. I have no idea if that is their intent, but in the mean time, a "Rebuild database" option would be nice.
Dear Mel,
These buttons will clean the Index file in the database if they have had a lot of changes with setting the indexes while building the database and if you have a lot of traffic (inserting and deleting records) in your database.
Rebuild index and Reindex files - will rebuild the search indexes and will speed up the search of big databases. The indexing function should be used by experienced Ninox users when search functions or select are running very slow.
These two buttons will recreate all currently necessary indexes for fields (if you have set indexes on fields) and for your attachments.
"The indexing function should be used by experienced Ninox users". Seems like a very patronising statement to me!. Experience is only ever gained by doing/learning something! - Ie Pratice-Feedback-Learn! - The suggestion from Ninox is that it will reduce unwanted space etc by compactation etc.
I don't *think* it shows up in my available databases. I honestly dont recall its file name, it was a duplicate/update from an earlier database made in December, and I don't recall if I was keeping it local or on iCloud.
- If it was iCloud, it either (a) doesn't show up, or (b) was actually what I think was the prior instance of this database, and contains no updates since last December, which doesn't seem right - shoudn't changes have synchronized as I made them, even without closing the database?
In iCloud, I only see enough folder paths for the six databases that show up in Ninox that *aren't* my missing file (and I'm not sure I'd know what to with the bundles there even if it did show up...)
I am wondering if it is "missing" because it is indeed one of the six on my Mobile tree, but I hadn't exited the database to the top level of Ninox in three months, and my changes never synced? I have restarted the Mac since then, but Ninox always restored back to the open view of the database. But this seems unlikely...
For privacy policy reasons, we cannot use cloud services to save/store our Ninox database. I've been using "Save archive as..." and then "open in" to save it locally using Filr. It's been working great so far, but recently when I try to save it either from the "Save archive as" in the database or through the My Databases screen, Ninox crashes.
I can export the data as an Excel file but that's not an ideal solution. I would prefer to save it as the Ninox.zip archive. The "Export data/Ninox" option only give me the option to "Store on iCloud Drive" which doesn't help me.
I tried checking just the Data Structure and Data options and unchecked the Files option, and it actually gave me an option to save it locally on the iPad. I only a few default iPad folders on there (like "Pages") and it seemed to save it to that folder. I just don't know how to get it out of the folder....
I think I found the problem...I thought there were only about 300 images (default signature field) and it turns out there were over 5000. I cleared out about half the records and the "save archive as..." is working again.
This is really brilliant!!!
And your idea of putting the code in a table to be executed locally without needing Interent access is very good too. I'm going to take inspiration from it.
It would be nice to also have a system that checks if an online update is available and loads it automatically if it is. I will think about it.
Thank you very much for this less aggressive display mode for our eyes
I have some apps that do check the version number and let me know that a new version is available, but they require confirmation from me to download the new version. I did do some very limited testing where I tried read a file to get a version number from GitHub using Ninox without success. I'm not saying it can't be done, I just didn't get it to work.
One tiny bit of a change I would like to make is that cos I am colour blind the "bluey ish" text colour is hard for me the see at the head. Could you tell me where I make the change in what fomula field to say yellow?
Thanks for the further update. I actually quite like the white panel for the data area and effectively having all the edging go dark mode. Going yellow really helps people like me so very much appreciated....
Also this comes into its own when I have 2 versions of the same DB open at same time and am testing code in the second version. with the colour change I can instantly which one I have flicked into to.
Sean Hi, I have created this table in my DB exactly as the above example. I have no errors showing up and have copied all the code, formulae etc into the table. I have set the options, hidden, global etc exactly as the sample. Essetinally I have duplicated in every aspect that I can see. I do not have the Dark Mode Icon top right however.
Any idea why this might be?
Rafael I had no icon top right. That was because I missed the script in Options - trigger after open. The table and all it's fields, formulas I simply created in my DB and copy and pasted code etc.
Sean Hi, Yes I download the DarkMode.ninox and it work excelent, ( I work with Android Galaxy Tablet S8+) but when try to move to another DB I saw the Icon but not do anything. I sent you a screenshot on Android Tablet
Sean.. there is a small minor glitch that i have found insofar as if you have quite a few table views then your monitor logo is ever so slightly positioned over the Ninox 4 square symbol that allows opening a full list of views that are available. Thus you can no longer click the Ninox option as it will not function
I'm wanting to share a database with another user in my family. So far I've been totally confused on how this can be done.
My info: I'm using a free Ninox program app on my iPad and iPhone. The database is very simple.
The user I want to share it with needs to be able to see any changes/updates I make to the database but doesn't need to be able to edit/update the database.
thank you for the response. I think I'm not going to be able to do this as I research the issue further.. It seems to me however if the app was installed on wife's iPad and then logged into the app as me, then she would have access to the database. But I guess that's not how it works. I see an image of a cloud next to the database but not sure whether that is iCloud or Ninox Cloud image....though I suspect it's iCloud since I don't pay anything for using Ninox.
My iPad and iPhone both have access to the database and of course are both in my account. It's disappointing that she cannot access the database. Guess I'll have to start looking for another solution.
When i develop a new screen, with an underlying table, if i copy the entire database and replace my live enironments with that, there are a couple of problems: 1) i get edgy when i replace a working live environment, with a whole new database 2) i then have to either not copy records and import the live data, or copy records, delete all the data from the main table, copy in or import the live data to the main table, and leave the ancillary tables as is.
Click on the "Import data" button. Now select the "Ninox" option. You will now see all databases that you have saved under the "My databases" tab, i.e. local databases or databases stored in the iCloud. Select the desired database and click on "Next".
You can now import all tables or just selected tables from the source database into the empty database. You also have the option of importing only the data model, that is, the structure of the tables (fields and links) without the data (data records) or attached files (files attached to data records). Simply check or uncheck the corresponding tables in the respective options.
You can explicitly select the target table for import into existing tables.
@Birger - I do not see this functionality. I am using the cloud version. When you say "within the Ninox App", do you mean a version other than cloud? (Sorry if this is obvious - I am new to Ninox and it's not clear to me.)
Thanks!