Export Forms and records

[raullomi]

Hi,

The first thing of everything, to congratulate yourselves on the application. It is very complete, and very configurable.

My doubt is the following one: I do not know do a backup of my information. I do not know like export them, and have not found a manual or a Faq where it indicates like to do it.

Might you say to me from where unloading a manul or help?

Thank you

[Brendan]

There is a help file built-in to Tap Forms which explains how to backup your information. Tap the Backup & Restore function on the Tools tab. Then tap the [?] icon in the top-right of the screen. Please let me know if you need more instructions than these.

In the mean time, I’ll paste those instructions into this response:

Backup & Restore

Tap Forms provides backup and restore capability over WiFi by utilizing a third-party desktop application called SyncDocs. SyncDocs is an open-source project that can be downloaded from http://syncdocs.sourceforge.net. It requires Java to be installed on your computer before you can run it. Java comes pre-installed on Mac OS X but may require separate installation on other platforms.

Prior to backing up or restoring, you must be running the SyncDocs application on your desktop or laptop computer.

There are two list views in the Backup & Restore section of Tap Forms. The first list view displays a list of computers running the SyncDocs application. The second list displays a list of the dates of previous backups sorted from newest at the top to oldest at the bottom.

Tap Forms uses Bonjour to discover which computers on the WiFi network are running the SyncDocs application.

At this time, SyncDocs will list all the computers on your WiFi network running any kind of http web service. This means you might see more machines to select from than the one running SyncDocs. You may need to scroll through the list by flicking your finger up to see all the machines. By default, the machine running SyncDocs will display as SyncDocs in the list. Hopefully in time, the developers of SyncDocs will change this behaviour to only show computers that are actually running the SyncDocs application. However, in general if you're running SyncDocs on your home network, you will most likely see only one machine in the list.

The Backup & Restore process will backup everything stored inside Tap Forms. This includes the main Tap Forms database, all audio recordings, photos, and files and folders stored in the Files tab.

Backing Up

1. Tap the name of the machine running the SyncDocs application from the top list to activate the Backup Now button.
2. Tap the Backup Now button to start the backup process
3. Once the backup is complete, you will see the date of the last backup appear at the top in the Backups list below.

Restoring

1. Tap the name of the machine running the SyncDocs application from the top list to activate the Restore button.
2. Tap the Restore button to start the restore process.
3. You will be asked to confirm whether or not you want to continue with the restore process. Tap Cancel to cancel the restore process. Tap Restore to continue with the restore process.

Where Are My Backups Stored?

By default, SyncDocs stores your backup files in a downloads folder within the same folder as where the SyncDocs application is stored. SyncDocs also allows you to change this to be stored in a SyncDocs folder within your home folder if you select use user directory for downloads. Click the Setup button in SyncDocs to change this setting if you wish. You can also change the Bonjour name from the Setup screen to something else that you prefer. One suggestion might be to set it to the name of your computer, as long as it"s something unique on your network.

To view your backups, click on the Show Downloads button from the main SyncDocs application screen.

Within the folder where your backups are stored you will see a folder called Tap Forms. Within the Tap Forms folder will be a list of time stamped folders, one for each backup. Within these folders are your actual backed up files, including the main Tap Forms database file.

Hope that helps!

Brendan

[Brendan]

As far as exporting your records into a format that can be read by other programs like Excel, simply navigate to your list of records for your form, tap the action menu button (the little arrow at the top-right of the records list screen), and select Export Records. Your file will be stored in the Exports folder on the Files tab in Tap Forms. Now, turn on the FTP server in Tap Forms on the Files tab by pressing the little power button. Then use your favourite FTP client application to connect to Tap Forms and download your files. Again, there is a help file on the Files tab which explains this. But here is the file for your reference:

Files Help

Tap Forms now has a built-in FTP server. This means you can copy files from your PC or Mac to your iPhone or iPod touch using a 3rd party FTP client application.

To start or stop the FTP server, simply tap the “power” icon at the bottom right of the Files view. Then, use your desktop FTP client program to connect to the IP address listed at the bottom. The port number you need to use is port 8021.

At the moment there is no authentication required so turn it on only when you’re actively transferring files to and from your device. Login using anonymous access.

FTP works only on a WiFi network.

The Imports and Exports folders are permanent and cannot be deleted. They are used to provide locations to retrieve and store import and export files.

Once a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file has been copied to the Imports folder, you will have access to it from the Records list view using the Import Records function.

When a list of records are exported, they will be stored in the Exports folder.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Jay Jennings]

Brendan,

I’m *pretty* sure I’ve followed the instructions correctly, but when I try to connect to SyncDocs from the iPhone I get an error that says it’s not a valid SyncDocs server. It shows up in the list, I just can’t get connected.

I’m running version 0.6.7 of SyncDocs on my MBP with Snow Leopard and my iPhone has OS 3.0.1 — any ideas on what might be happening, or where I might look or the answer?

Thanks.

Jay Jennings

[Brendan]

This sounds like the firewall issue that SyncDocs is having with Snow Leopard. Something changed in Snow Leopard that’s causing this. The workaround for now until the SyncDocs developer can come up with a fix is to turn off your Snow Leopard firewall temporarily while you do the backup.

Sorry for the inconvenience and sorry for the late reply.

Brendan

[Jay Jennings]

Oh yeah, that did it — thanks!

And since this is on the same subject, I wish there was an option to email records as CSV instead of the “prettified” version. Mainly because I have plans to create a web-based tool that will take Tap Forms records as input, and parsing the emails would be easier if they were “regular” CSV files (with audio and pic attachments).

However, I’m pretty sure *most* of your customers could care less about that, so if you put this request way down on your list I’ll understand. =

Jay Jennings

[Anonymous]

First of all congratulation to yourselves on the application. It is very complete, and very configurable. I have stored more than hundred forms and I need not to lose them.

1. When I tap the action menu button (the little arrow at the top-right of the records list screen), I can not select Export Records because it is only showed import records

2. When I tap the backup now only two files are backupped (probably the import and export file that are at present empty) How I can verify that the hundred forms are backupped?

3. I did the connection with FTP server. I see the Imports and Exports folders but how I can have access to the forms stored in my Iphone?

Would You please give me step by step procedure to solve the problem

Aletac

[Brendan]

Hello Aletac,

You need to use SyncDocs to backup your database. FTP (or the new WebDAV server) will only give you access to the files on the Files tab. When you backup using SyncDocs, you will have a TapForms folder on your PC or Mac. Inside that folder is a timestamped folder that indicates when the backup was made. Inside that folder you’ll see a file called TapForms_db.sqlite. That is the SQLite database file that contains all your forms and records.

Hope that makes a bit of sense.

Thanks!

Brendan

[Anonymous]

Thanks Brendan

I managed with the backup. My problem now is to have access to the files on the Files Tab. How can I export records? (The Tap_forms_screencast.m4v present in the support section is referredd to an old version of the software since in the bottom bar there is’nt the “file” tag)

Thanks

aletac

[Anonymous]

One more question please.

How can I move some of my forms to the favorites?

Thanks

aletac

[Brendan]

Hello Aletac,

Just tap the star icon when viewing a record and that record will be put onto the Favourites tab.

To access the files on the Files tab, just turn on the WebDAV server in Tap Forms by tapping that silver power icon at the bottom-right of the Files tab. Then type the address into your web browser. The address should start with http. If it starts with ftp then tap on the Files settings button at the lower left of the Files tab and then tap on the WebDAV button.

Thanks!

Brendan

[Author]

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