Tap Forms Instructions

[Roo]

Over the last year I have been using Tap Forms for a new mapping database in Australia. Because of the lack of full instructions, I have been copying useful tips and explanations from the forum on a regular basis and have now built up a simple TF database of almost 100 records sorted into categories so they can be easily found. Being within Tap Forms, it is much easier for me to find answers than trying to search the forum on my slow connection. I find this resource invaluable and, with Brendan’s blessing, am happy to share it with others. Hopefully it will help Brendan so he won’t have to give out repeat advice and can concentrate on the next updates that we all eagerly await!

A few words of explanation are required. In most cases, I have simply copied Brendan’s forum advice into each record and have only edited the entries to make the context understandable. To start with I did not record the dates of entry (my apologies) but I now do this so that the original post can be re-located. The database contains several instances of repeat or similar advice on topics and I have not tried to edit these, so users may need to look up more than one record as there may be several answers to the problem. Also, some of the posts may now be out of date due to TF upgrades. I have not tried to remove these older items so beware!

To view the records properly just set the “First Sort Field” to Topic and the “Group Records by Field” to Section. So far none of the records have any screenshots attached although I did leave space to include these if needed. I intend to keep updating this database and can post updates if desired. I hope you find it useful.

You can download the export record file from Dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/s/l9x5aokf3ctcbla/Tap%20Forms%20Instructions-1.zip

[Brendan]

Thanks for posting this Roo! I’m sure it will be very helpful for users.

[tonyt]

I only found this by accident. I know there is no manual as I asked, this is the next best thing and hopefully Roo will update it from time to time.
PLEASE MAKE THIS A STICKY so everyone knows of it and can see when it has been updated
Cheers
tonyt

[Brendan]

It’s stuck now :-)

[Roo]

Apologies for the broken link.

I have now posted the file to my Public Dropbox folder which will hopefully last longer:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2anomqt90wd1ix2/Tap%20Forms%20Instructions-1.zip

I will update the file and link from time to time as I add extra records.

[kcmocam]

I purchased Tap Forms yesterday and have now gone through the instruction PDF to get oriented on how everything works. So far I am delighted with the capabilities.

At this point I have just one question regarding the import function. My process is to export a form with 1 entry, modify the file on my desktop, then re-import to populate my I-phone data.

I had expected the import file to REPLACE the existing file but it seems to create another form instead with the same name. That creates extra work as I then have to delete the original form and move the new form to the correct category.

Am I missing something? Is there some way for the import to do a replace function where the name of the form is the same?

Thank you for a response.

[Roo]

I’m not sure why you posted this query under this thread. However, if you download my Tap Forms Instructions database from the link above, then you will find a full description of how to import databases without getting the problem that you encountered.

It is listed under “Exporting Linked Forms & Records” in the “Sharing” section. (Importing your modified file will not replace the existing file but will add to it but then you can just delete your original one record if you wish.)

Best of luck

[kcmocam]

Thanks so much. That provided exactly what I needed.

I don’t use forums much and find this one somewhat confusing, but I lucked out by posting to this thread!

[ennisart]

Having trouble opening the Tap Forms Instruction via Dropbox. It unzips as a .csv file but contains no data.
I am on a Mac and opening the file with LibreOffice.

[Roo]

The instructions are in Tap Forms format so you can only open them using Tap Forms to open the zip. Hope this helps.

[Andreas Dunker]

Many thanks for this database. For the next version: there is a type in the topic “Viewing linked reords on Mac version” ;-) I think it has to be “… records …”

best regards
Andreas

[Chris Parker]

I’m sure I’m being dull, but how do I open this file in Tap Forms?

[Brendan]

Hi Chris,

If you unzip the file you’ll see it contains folder which contains a CSV file. Just use the Import Records command to import the .CSV file.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Chris Parker]

Thanks Brendan. I was confused by message 7025…

[Brantome]

Hi, just downloaded the IPad version and then the instructions file above, but the Detail field only shows the first line of text which sort of renders the file useless. Found I could see the full text if I emailed the record, but that kind of defeats having a form at hand with the info. Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks

[Brendan]

To view all the details you can either tap on the detail text or tell Tap Forms the number of lines to display for the Note field type. Set it to 0 to display the entire contents of the note field. To set the number of lines to display, customize the form, tap on the instructions field, then tap on “Field Options”. There you’ll see an option for setting the number of lines to display.

[Dan Langendorf]

Roo,

Thank you for this. Your time is greatly appreciated.

Best.

d.

[Brendan]

By the way, I’m currently working on an online manual for Tap Forms Mac. You’ll be able to view it online or download a PDF. It’s a work in progress and will grow over time. When Tap Forms Mac 2.0 is approved by Apple I’ll publish the link to the manual.

[Brendan]

I’ve been working on a manual for Tap Forms Mac:

You can view it here:

http://www.manula.com/manuals/tap-zapp/tap-forms-mac/2.0/en/topic/introduction

It’s still a work in progress.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Roo]

Thanks Dan,

It’s great that Brendan is putting the manual together but I’m still collecting tips from the support pages so will post an update in due course. Hopefully one day they won’t be needed anymore!

Cheers Roo

[Trisha Duke]

maybe have field for version number?? and weather for the Mac or iOS ?

[Trisha Duke]

maybe have a URL link to the forum for the original posting

[Roo]

Thanks for the suggestions Trisha. I like your suggestion of a field for Mac or iOS now that they are working quite differently. I think I would have trouble keeping up with all the version changes though. It is just something I do in spare time so do not want to make it too much like hard work and I could never go back and try and trace the version numbers for the old posts.

I quite like your idea of a URL though which would achieve much the same thing.

Cheers R

[RobertS]

Great resource this. Thanks for taking the time to make it available.

[tonyt]

How often is this updated please? A really helpful resource!

[B K]

First post, It says: You can download the export record file from Dropbox at https://www.dropbox.com/s/l9x5aokf3ctcbla/Tap%20Forms%20Instructions-1.zip

But there is no file at that page.

It should be simple to download templates; so far it is not, imo.

[B K]

OK (re: post, above). It’s very easy to download templates! Great.
(I got knocked off track by a name change of what I thought was the file).

[Brendan]

I’ve updated the online manual for 3.0. It has 3.0 screenshots and some new topics, such as labels and barcodes.

[Thomas Green]

Applause for putting this together. Alas, I still found it hard to work out how to do something really simple, get a total of all values in a field. Not your fault! Now that I’ve figured it out (it’s really easy once you know) is there a way for me to contribute my tuppence-worth?

[Brendan]

Hi Thomas,

You’re more than welcome to post any tips and techniques you discover on the forum if you like.

Thanks!

Brendan

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