Writing Free Dive Log Software

[usmc4x4]

In light of my disdane for actually using a pen (my handwriting is awful) but a need to log my dives I have decided to write my own dive log software. What are some suggestions that you would have or short comings with other software packages.

Here are the options I have in mind.
The ability to upload your logs to a web server for safe keeping. You would still maintain a local log but it would be available online as well. You would determine if it was public or private.
An option to print in the size of the PADI insert log books or 8 1/2x11.
The log will start with a REC focus as I have not done any deco or trimix (I do dive EAN). So help with options or entry fields I wouldn't be familiar with would be helpful.
Possibly an option to "stamp" your buddies log digitally? That would link to your corresponding log entry (if online as well).
A corresponding Palm and Pocket PC app to enter you dive info while its still fresh on your mind and sync it to your desktop.

Keep em coming. Thanks.

 

[TSandM]

I would love to have a nice log page program, and I'm not form-savvy enough to create one.

I like to record basic stuff -- date, place, divers, depth, duration, gas used (quantity and type). I like some room to write my weighting, because that's one of the most useful things in my log, and it's not just total weight, it's where I put it. And then I like a space to write a short narrative. My log book is the PADI size and I like to put one dive per page; I have some pages that were given to me that put three on a page, and it's just not enough room to record everything.

 

[vondo]

In light of my disdane for actually using a pen (my handwriting is awful) but a need to log my dives I have decided to write my own dive log software. What are some suggestions that you would have or short comings with other software packages.

Here are the options I have in mind.
The ability to upload your logs to a web server for safe keeping. You would still maintain a local log but it would be available online as well. You would determine if it was public or private.
An option to print in the size of the PADI insert log books or 8 1/2x11.
The log will start with a REC focus as I have not done any deco or trimix (I do dive EAN). So help with options or entry fields I wouldn't be familiar with would be helpful.
Possibly an option to "stamp" your buddies log digitally? That would link to your corresponding log entry (if online as well).
A corresponding Palm and Pocket PC app to enter you dive info while its still fresh on your mind and sync it to your desktop.

Keep em coming. Thanks.

I was thinking about this type of thing too. A few things I would want:

1) Be able to specify buddies who can see my dives even if the public can't
2) Upload a profile. I think there is a semi-standard open format. You might look at the free dive software at sourceforge and freshmeat.net for ideas (I don't think anything substantial has materialized there)
3) People will want to upload pictures. If you are thinking of hosting the software, you can do something like encourage loggers to subscribe and require a subscription to upload photos.
4) Assure people can get the data out in a machine readable format so they can migrate if they need to.

I use a web site to track my (meager) wine collection that works on this business model. You can try out all you want and then subscribe when you are sure it meets your needs and contribute at the level you think is worth it to you.

Good luck and if you host something that does all this, I'm sure I'll be subscriber.

 

[Kwbyron]

SAC rate calculator; that's pretty much what I am focusing on now...although I am really bad at remembering to put my start and stop PSI in my log book....maybe some sort of analysis feature to go with that, maybe graphs it so you can see improvement...

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Sounds like an interesting project, I'll have to follow this...

 

[usmc4x4]

I was thinking about this type of thing too. A few things I would want:

1) Be able to specify buddies who can see my dives even if the public can't
2) Upload a profile. I think there is a semi-standard open format. You might look at the free dive software at sourceforge and freshmeat.net for ideas (I don't think anything substantial has materialized there)
3) People will want to upload pictures. If you are thinking of hosting the software, you can do something like encourage loggers to subscribe and require a subscription to upload photos.
4) Assure people can get the data out in a machine readable format so they can migrate if they need to.

I use a web site to track my (meager) wine collection that works on this business model. You can try out all you want and then subscribe when you are sure it meets your needs and contribute at the level you think is worth it to you.

Good luck and if you host something that does all this, I'm sure I'll be subscriber.

I especially like the idea of buddy only log access.
I will allow for the photos.
Export to Excel or flat file needed.

Also I was wondering if an import from excel would help as well. I know I can export my dive computer logs to cvs.

 

[usmc4x4]

sure send the formula you use and to anyother alternative forumals that may be out there

 

[RICoder]

I have some code I wrote about 2 years ago for the Pocket PC...I can certainly hand it off to you if you want to take a look at it. It could import dive computer data on depth/temp samples and graph and such.

You might want to download Uwatec and Suunto dive log software and test them out as well, those (in my oppinion) are the best ones out there.

Most important features to me:
-Ability to store frequently used values for fields (like specify a dive kit and be able to pick it in a drop down)
-Either custom fields or a REALLY good list of fields to fill in, stuff you don't see in a lot of software but a lot of people use, such as Boat Name, Dive Type, Dive Time Period (day or night), Dive Purpose, Major Feature (reef, wreck, cave, wall), etc.
-Exposure Suit and Weight as their own fields (i.e. 3 mil, 7 mil), the reason for which would be that it would be nice to be able to see what you dove with in a particular suit if you are the type who usually dives cold and periodically travels tropical...or something like that
And -

SAC rate calculator; that's pretty much what I am focusing on now...although I am really bad at remembering to put my start and stop PSI in my log book....maybe some sort of analysis feature to go with that, maybe graphs it so you can see improvement...

- this is a really good idea

Anyway, good luck, sounds like a worthy project.

 

[usmc4x4]

Thanks for your help and I wouldn't mind taking a look at your code. What did you write it in? I am not Master Developer but I have been known to do some Rescue Coding in my day. And I write almost exclusively in c#.

 

[RICoder]

It's written in C++, and a lot of it is pretty low-level (lots of memory allocation and de-allocation) because back then there was no .Net for PPC. I'll pull it together anyway, at the very least some of the graphing and import stuff for csv files may be useful.