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New Message Board Archives >> Jul-Sep 2003 >> CH Database Application
(Message started by: badfly on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:06am)

Title: CH Database Application
Post by badfly on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:06am
I was wondering if anybody would be interested in a computer programn for keeping a record of their CH? I am a software developer and have been learning a new language in my spare time. The best way to learn is to do I always say, so I thaught of writting this program.

Essentially it would be a database that kept track of your cycles and attacks in the cycle. Also it would keep records for medicine and diet as well as triggers.

A brief outline.
* User opens a new cycle (Date and freindly cycle name ie. "Summer 2003".
* User adds an attack (Date, Time, Duration, KIP, Trigger/None, Abortive[medicine/O2/etc])
* Uset fills in daily diet form
* User fills in daily Medicine form
* User views graph of CH from x-Date to y-Date by KIP
* User querries next predicted attacks for x-Date to y-Date
* User closes a cycle (can be automatic after x days have passed and no attack?)

Well hopefully you get the picture. I think I will write the program anyway for myself to use and to learn, but would apretiate any feedback and/or ideas. Also (NB) I wonder if this kind of program can be of use for someone who is chronic? If so what kind of info/feature would they want to see?

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by hopefull on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:43am
sound very constructive..positive go for it!...lemonaid out of lemons..

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by brain_cramps on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:47am
badfly:

check your IMs.

grant                8)

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Nimbus on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:53am
What a great idea!

I'm am myself an application programmer.  I, too, have  a project a bit like yours.   The application I want to build however is a web database to gather data about cycle, trigger, medication and even physionomic profile.  My app, however, would not keep track of individual since my only intend is to try to figure out common traits of Cluster Headache and, hopefully, graph it.

Your idea is great and I would be interested into owning such a database.

BTW, what is your programming language?

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by vig on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:56am
Actually, I was thinking of a 'Seti-like' on-line, distributed computing project with a database.  I'd like to get my company to 'host' such an item in their brand new data center that has extra capacity.  

?

Would there be new patterns to be found if all/many CHers had their diaries/diets/etc. amalgamated?

Can we simulate testing different substances with the receptors?

I'm not the doctor, but I'm decent with the 'net.
What can we build to help?


Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by badfly on Jul 23rd, 2003, 8:39am
The idea behind the App is like a journal. I cant even remeber what I had to eat yesterday lol nevermind what time and how often I was getting hit last year.

I am trying master this .NET stuf, C#, ADO, ASP etc.

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Mark C on Jul 23rd, 2003, 2:57pm
Hmmmmmmm.....interesting......  :)......how about assembly (http://www.drfeller.com/Mark/assembly.html)......small....fast...and HARD!  ;D  Another one of too many projects.    

I like the idea of a computerized headache "database". Something in Lotus Approach would work pretty well...you can really customize the fields in Approach. I use it at work for many things...good stuff.

If you don't mind I might play with it for a while and see what comes out. I doubt I will write code, but I will try to create a database template in either Approach or Access....or maybe even Excell, a program most people have. How many of you have Access or Approach?

I see two projects here, one individual and one all encompassing database of every Clusterhead alive!
HA HA HA !
http://htomc.dns2go.com/anim/anim/BGATES.GIF




PFDAN's
Mark

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Georgia on Jul 23rd, 2003, 3:28pm
I am no computer programmer, but I did understand some of what was said...mostly "small....fast...and HARD!" although the small part doesn't sound so good. I have Access and Excel...I would think that most people that have Excel would also have Access, since it is part of the same package (mmmm, package) MS Office, altough they may have never used it.

I think both programs would be great...a personal log to keep at home and track changes and triggers, etc and a online compilation of the personal ones. It seems to me that these two efforts should be created to be interchangable - so that after we enter our own info, we can upload it to the bigger online database and track general characteristics.

As for the chronic edition - perhaps instead of cycles, it could go by months. You might want to consider adding in environmental and physiological factors as well, such as weather, stress, PMS, whatever.

Sounds like great stuff to me. Printing out reports to take to drs...oh the possibilities.

Oh I wish my husband would get home already.

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Kirk on Jul 23rd, 2003, 7:02pm
Hhhm maybey XML maybe and Postgres?
Or possibly MySql.
Wish I had a better idea.
DB2?



Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by badfly on Jul 23rd, 2003, 9:35pm
Hmmm .... thanx for all the responses.

I would definatly use a local Access database to store data. If its a distributed app, there is no need to try and find comanality in the software installed on all the users computers, that would be futile. Goargia I like the idea of exporting your database to one centrelised database for all the users, though this would be a larger and more complex project. Mark C if you wish to play around with the idea that would be great, but can I ask that any tables etc you design be in Access? If not it would not be of as much help to me as I have a huge work load (study load) and dont really want to move off on a tangent and be looking into other things. SQL is outta the quetion. Overhead, and installing a Desktop SQL Engine is just overkill.
Thanks for your input, more would be much apretiated.

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by don on Jul 23rd, 2003, 9:40pm
Once you software design guys figure out which way to go with this it sounds like a project that would be endorsed by OUCH.

If OUCH can be of any assistance with the project feel free to email me.

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Kirk on Jul 24th, 2003, 1:34am
Xml and PHP with MySql for a database?
Crap now I'm going to see if I can make it work.
Which domain do I port it to?
Host it on my server with a link from OUCH?

Back to my corner and start. Now where is that bottle of Vodka.

TTFN

PS: NO I will not use Access

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by vig on Jul 24th, 2003, 11:50am
If it's not a distributed application and I'm storing it for myself, then I just wouldn't bother.





Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Mark C on Jul 25th, 2003, 6:31pm
BUMP


Just to let you guys know I have spent a little time on this so far. I am like most of you and time is the biggest constraint to completing such a task.....that being said I like how it is going.

A personal database that is uploadable to a main server to compile and present the accumulated information in a useable manner........

For the sake of my own sanity I may attempt this in more than one program to see what compatibility issues arise.

No Lotus Approach users huh....

I will most certainly attempt this in Access and Excell, to make it more avaliable. I also use Monarch on a regular basis and it is a wonderful program to convert one file type to another and pull parts of reports to create new reports, very handy.


Thinking,
Mark

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by badfly on Jul 27th, 2003, 3:21am
GREAT to hear you are getting stuck in Mark! I thaught that over a period of years, when each user has recorded a number of cycles and corrolated all that data with daily medication and/or abortives used, we could make some really insightful querries. Like what preventative seems to be the most effective in sufferers who share X traits (age, weight, sex etc).

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Ree on Jul 27th, 2003, 8:47am
COOL WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN IT BADFLY......... ps why are you a badfly???ree

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by badfly on Jul 27th, 2003, 4:31pm
He he ... well actualy I was gadfly once apon a time. Its a very old book by Voinich, a real tear jerker about a guy who is betrayed by all and runs away (they all think he killed himself) and then comes back years after as a political cartoonist, scared and horribly disfigured. He signs his cartoons "gadfly" (a pesky fly that irretates cows all day long) and saterises the polititions and religious leaders. It is set in 18th or 19th centuary Italy and has one of the hardest endings in a book I have ever read (I read alot). I think I used that handel here once apon a time or maybe I just thaught I did, anyway I use the "badfly" or "barfly" handels somtimes as substitutes.

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by brain_cramps on Jul 27th, 2003, 5:01pm
Holy Crap!!!    I've never seen this many different opinions on which set of tools to use.    ::)



on 07/23/03 at 08:39:29, badfly wrote:
I am trying master this .NET stuf, C#, ADO, ASP etc.
 Good suggestion.  (except I'm not sure why you would go with C# instead of just VB with COM and ADO)


on 07/23/03 at 14:57:40, Mark C wrote:
how about assembly (http://www.drfeller.com/Mark/assembly.html)......small....fast...and HARD!
 Geeze, Mark.    You MUST be kidding!!! :o


on 07/23/03 at 19:02:06, Kirk wrote:
Hhhm maybey XML maybe and Postgres?
Or possibly MySql.
Wish I had a better idea.
DB2?
 DB2?     LMAO  ;)


on 07/23/03 at 21:35:03, badfly wrote:
Mark C if you wish to play around with the idea that would be great, but can I ask that any tables etc you design be in Access? ... SQL is outta the quetion. Overhead, and installing a Desktop SQL Engine is just overkill.
SQL would be my preferred database for a distributed system (for all clusterheads).


on 07/24/03 at 01:34:07, Kirk wrote:
Xml and PHP with MySql for a database?...
PS: NO I will not use Access
Access isn't a database!    Its a toy for children aged 4-8!   ;)



As I see it, the desktop app (diary for 1 clusterhead) could be done with the toy (Access) and VB (or C#).

The distributed app (for all clusterheads) could be done with SQL-Server and VB (or C#).

The only reason I mention VB as a front-end tool is that I have some experience with it and am currently learning COM, ADO, etc...

As far a database, I am a database analyst/developer and have a lot of experience with SQL-Server, Oracle, and Sybase.

The transfer of tables from Access to SQL-Server is (usually) a no-brainer.

badfly:
I can look at drawing up some ERDs (entity relationship diagrams) from the information you mentioned above.  The only problem is when I'm working (on the road), I only have internet access at work.

This is turning out to be a good discussion with 'developers' with experience in a number of different tools.

grant       8)

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by cathy on Jul 27th, 2003, 5:15pm
???...it would be if I could understand it... :'( :'(

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by Ree on Jul 27th, 2003, 6:10pm
wow we got ourselves some puter geeks here don't we... Well I am impressed... can't understand the lingo but...........whatever.
and Badfly cool handle.  I always like to know where names originate... Us oldtimers used our given names and dont have screen names...
just Ree

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by brain_cramps on Jul 29th, 2003, 8:44am
Any one have experience with Palm-top programming?

A while back,  a Palm-top diary application was mentioned.  With an easy interface (to not frustrate the sufferer/user), information on a hit could be entered immediately.

Does anyone think this idea has any benefits?

grant           8)

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by catlind on Jul 29th, 2003, 8:52am
I think it's a great idea!  I ventured briefly into the world of palm os database programming, but haven't pursued it fully.  Perhaps that's something else I can focus on too :)

Palm coding is awesome :)

Cat

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by ozzman on Jul 29th, 2003, 9:05am
I would love a Palm OS database. I keep my diary on Excel with a copy in Documents To Go. Buta real database would be better.

Ozzy

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by BruceD on Jul 29th, 2003, 9:09am
Grant,

That's a good idea. I really haven't done any serious coding for PalmOS but have hacked around a little bit. I do use thinkDB on the Palm to keep a journal of my headaches but haven't really done anything with the data (date/time/duration/Kip).

BruceD

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by badfly on Aug 1st, 2003, 1:06am
Glad that there are so many opinions out there, it means that there is definatly a desire in the comunity for somthing like this.

Brain_Cramps, yes access to SQL is micky mouse stuff and I was thinking that I could do a local app (for a CH suferrer) that would store all the local data in an access database. This is probably the only use for an access database, as it realy cant handel large amounts of data (more then 2 GB and the whole thing is FUBAR). An export feature that would export the access .mdb file to some sort of server for the comunity that would simply import the data into its SQL database would really be nice, but would need to be well thaught out and planned, so that the whole thing would be seamless and lossless. I say C# cos thats what I am learning. I am actually a C++ programmer, and although VB is widly used, I prefer C syntax and ease of use over VB anyday.

As far as palmtops and palm os goes, although its a great idea, I dont think all the suferrers have a palmtop, and therefore I would be less keen to go that route. I have a bit of experience writing PalmO/S and Windows CE and would be happy to help anyone with questions. If someone does go this route, it would be nice if we all colude, so that all the data is importable/exportable between the various appz.

PS: My name is John, but its such a common name I might not get noticed in the crowd.

Title: Re: CH Database Application
Post by athos12 on Aug 1st, 2003, 1:09am
the most usefull tool that I would use, would be a PDA app for my Ipaq...  I do not always have my PC handy, nor am I always online when I would use the app...  But I always have my PDA.

Athos



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