Bento to Tapforms: iPad only usage

[Deborah Ehrlich]

I’ve used FMP on the Mac since v2 & am familiar with its import, export & file formats, & lots more besides.

Bento was strictly for my iPad for the mobility. I now have a dozen databases cataloguing different categories of household effects. Data is emailed to the Mac as CSVs for backup. I really don’t need to have any of this on my desktop, phone, or be syncing back & forth.

At present I’m on iOS 7.1.2 but need to upgrade – been putting it off because Bento will stop working at some point. I now have a lot of data to conserve.

I’ve removed all commas & have text, number & choice fields in all but 2 databases which also have a media field for pix.

Do I install Tapforms on the iPad & import the Bento files directly into it, or must I take them over to the Mac & then back to the iPad, please?

TIA

[Brendan]

Hi TIA,

The Bento importer in Tap Forms reads Bento Template files. So if you don’t have Bento for Mac and only for iPad, then your only option is to use the “Email Library” function in Bento for iPad to send yourself your CSV files. You can then import those directly into Tap Forms. However, you won’t get any of the media or choice fields/pick lists that way.The only way to get all that data is to sync with Bento for Mac, then export from Bento your template file, then import the resulting .bentoTemplate file into Tap Forms for Mac. Then you can sync with Tap Forms HD for iPad and have all that information. If you’re ok with just the raw data contained in the CSV files, then you can import those directly into Tap Forms HD for iPad.

When you email yourself a CSV file, just tap-and-hold on it and then choose the option to open the file up inside Tap Forms HD. Tap Forms will launch and present to you the Import Records view. From there you can choose your Import Settings (e.g. which column delimiter you’re using, the File Encoding, etc.) and then tap on the Import button to begin the import process.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Scott Smith]

Hi, I just installed Tapforms on a MAC, 2 iPhones, and an iPad & love the application – thanks!

I am attempting to move a form from a MAC laptop to an iPad (owned through different iCloud accounts – hence cannot sync) – I’ve exported a form from the MAC to it’s desktop as a CSV file; then eMailed that file to the user of the iPad; opened the file on the iPad using the technique you’ve described above; TF launched; I found the file in the Import Files; specified ‘Import File’; and then I am presented with the Import File screen showing 4 lines: Filename; Filename.cv; # bytes; and # rows. However, I’m not sure where to go from here. If I look at my forms, the newly imported file does not show up. Do I need to use the Web Server?

By the way, I’m slightly off topic here as the exported file is not from Bento, but rather form the MAC instance of TF.

[Brendan]

Hi Scott,

On that screen you have to tap on the blue Import button. Once you’ve done that your records will be imported and will appear on the main Forms list. Only those forms that have 1 or more records will show up there.

Thanks!

Brendan

[Scott Smith]

Brendan,

Thanks for your response. However, I still seem to be having a problem finding the file.

On the iPad, I’ve taken these steps:
(1) selected the ‘Files’ tab
(2) noticed that the ‘Imports’ file has 1 file – selected ‘Imports’, where I see the filename (Test-1.csv)
(3) selected the filename (Test-1.csv)
(4) presented with 4 options (View File, Import File, Open File, Email File), where I selected ‘Import File’
(5) presented with screen that looks like this:
<Imports Import File ?
Test-1
Test-1.csv
259 Bytes
2 rows

But there is no additional Blue Import Button and the new Test-1 file does not appear in my Forms list. Is this the sequence that you’d expect?

Thanks for whatever insights you might have.

– Scott

[Brendan]

Hi Scott,

You should definitely see a blue Import button there.

See attached screenshot.

Brendan

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[Scott Smith]

Hi Brandan,

Thank you for your feedback. The screenshot was very helpful since it pointed out where the blue ‘Import’ button should be expected – problem resolved.

Here’s what happened: I was looking at the screen on an iPad in a landscape orientation & the blue ‘Import’ button did not appear, nor could I scroll to make it appear. But, of course, as soon as I switched to a portrait orientation, the blue ‘Import’ button was visible. It’s embarrassing to think that I didn’t try the portrait orientation previously – sorry to take your time on a trivial issue.

Thanks much!!

– Scott

[Brendan]

Well the strange thing is, for me at least, no matter which orientation the iPad is in, I still see the blue Import button. Are you using version 4.0.6?

[Scott Smith]

Yes, I’m using Version 4.0.6 (379). However, what I neglected to share with you previously is that I’m using an iPad Mini as opposed to an iPad – I suspect this might have something to do with the discrepancy.

[Brendan]

Hi Scott,

Hmm… It shouldn’t make a difference I believe since they have the same resolution. But maybe there is some difference. I’d have to do some testing. Although I gave my iPad mini to my kids, I can abscond it from them to test.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Scott Smith]

Hi Brendan,

On a related topic of transferring forms from one instance of TF to another instance owned by a different iCloud ID, I am running into size restrictions when attempting to eMail the exported file that includes images. I thought I could just reduce the size of all of the images in the form on the Mac version of TF. I changed a setting in Forms for Photo Size to ‘Mini 512 x 512’, but the file export remained the same size. What does changing the Photo Size actually do?

Thanks.

– Scott

[Brendan]

Hi Scott,

Well, now we’re getting off-topic since this has nothing to do with Bento to Tap Forms :-)

That setting is for new images selected. It won’t scale existing images.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Scott Smith]

Thanks Brendan – that’s what I suspected.

[Author]

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