Recent Experience using PDAs as Field Data Recorders

Peter Gould and Connie Harrington Pacific Northwest Research Station

Overview

• Devices and software.

• Creating an application for data collection.

• Examples

Range of devices are available

≈$300 - $500 ≈$1500

≈$2500 - $4000

Software: SprintDB Pro(www.kaione.com)

What’s good:

• Easy to get started.• Takes advantage of touch screen.• Desktop developer version; intuitive development

environment.• Uses MS Access databases.• Extensive macro language.• Inexpensive ($75 for desktop + device versions)

Software: SprintDB Pro

What’s not-as-good:

• Runs with Windows Mobile (some devices use Windows CE).

• Still need MS ActiveSync for import/export.

• Desktop version not exactly the same as device.

Parts of an SpDB Application

• Tables: Store the data

• Forms: enter, view, edit data using a comfortable interface.

– Multiple forms in one app; main and subforms.

– macros: reusable code within a form.

• Queries: Compares, summarizes, and subsets data in tables. Also run queries in forms via SQL statements.

• Modules: reusable code available to all forms in the application.

Creating an Application• Open / create database.

• Create forms.

• Test.

• Export to device (if using desktop developer).

Creating Forms

Adding Objects

Recording Data: Edit Box

Making Things Happen: Events

Example 1: Plot Remeasurement

Pull-down menu to select site

Custom keyboard

List of plots in the site

“Conditional formatting” grey-out plots that have been completed.

Data recorded on multiple tabs

Previous measurements place alongside edit boxes for new ones

Copy prism tally from previous plot (plots close together).

Copy tree and plot information

Enter species codes w/ these buttons.

Example 2: DF Budburst

Conditional formatting: change color when budburst is recorded.

Example 2: DF Budburst

Record date from system clock.

Example 2: DF Budburst

Record “canned” comments; buttons turn red when pressed.

Built-in QWERTY keyboard for detailed comments.

Link database with analysis for rapid results

30 seconds later…

Example 3: Stem Mapping

Calculate X-Y Coordinate SetVar(@new_x,&current_x+ sin(&AZ*3.14159/180)*&DIST) SetVar(@new_y,&current_y + cos(&AZ*3.14159/180)*&DIST) SetVar(@new_x,round(@new_x,1)) SetVar(@new_y,round(@new_y,1)) UpdateRecord(MainForm,map1.point_x,@new_x,No) UpdateRecord(MainForm,map1.point_y,@new_y,No)

Current location

Enter distance and azimuth to new feature

Example 3: Stem Mapping

UpdateRecord(MainForm,map1.temp_x,(map1.point_x-@x_center)*@scale + 5,No) UpdateRecord(MainForm,map1.temp_y,230-((map1.point_y-@y_center)*@scale) - 5,No) DrawText(map1.temp_x,map1.temp_y,@type,@color,,@font)

Other Software(Windows Mobile)

• vSnap : creates images of “screenshots” on mobile devices (I used it for this presentation).

• DictMgr: lets you teach your device new words (e.g., dbh) for the autocomplete feature (both vSnap and DictMgr from www.mobile-sg.com).

• New software is coming out all of the time!