Database records

[DaveG]

Can someone explain exactly how the following works (process and purpose):

1.  Edit database records manually.
2.  Populate the database.
3.  Retain any manual edits to database.

I ask as tonight RB nearly went out the window, driving me crazy....

Here is what I've been doing.

Decided tonight to update my 43C* records and check the data is correct.

First I pulled up MyLog, did a search for today's 43C* and then edited each cell that was empty or incorrect.  Only some of these manual edits took, mainly airline (not all)  and remarks, they simply reverted back to what they were before my edits.

Then decided to try using the populate feature rather than me doing it and then check results.  Ran populate and it said (first) 91 aircraft to updated and it then decided it would need to update 235 records (processing photos/info requests)  why so many for 91 aircraft.  The other fact is my list (filtered) was only 17 that I wanted to update.
Tried populate again, this time it said 61 aircraft 160 requests!! only just ran it 5 mins before...

Anyway it did this task and I refreshed and could not see any changes, so restarted RB, still no changes.

Tried updating via Database explorer, now that seems to have retained my edits, but have no way of (That I can see) pushing those into MyLog until the contact is seen again!!

Also on the Database Explorer, is it just me or does it seem such long winded method of updating and why those abbreviated column names!!

After tonight I have to say I miss the SBS DB when it comes to updating, so much simpler and quicker.

Now a suggestion, improve Database Explorer so you can pull up a range of records, like all the 43C* at one time and edit them by clicking in the cell (or double clicking).  In fact how about revisiting how the SBS does its database updates (user updates)....

Rant over, hope someone can clear my question up please.

Cheers
Dave

PS - RB did not go out window ( as it was shut at the time ;) )

[Wayne]

For what it's worth I have done edits to the database and noticed that some of them are not there the following day or on occasions immediately after the edit. The other day I entered a record in 'routes' and after saving, which I assume is just to exit Databse Explorer using the 'x', the destination code I had entered was missingbut the rest of the information was there.

Populate is a mystery to me too as I find the same. Use populate and the amount of photos downloaded in usually just over double the number of aircraft it says will be updated and likewise, run populate again straight after and there are just as many records to be udated as there were seconds previously.

Also when you click the Add New record button I would expect this to open up a whole new row in the database ready for input but I find I have to land in each individual cell and then click the Edit Cell button.

Not ranting, just reporting !

[Allocator]

Can someone explain exactly how the following works (process and purpose):

1.  Edit database records manually.
2.  Populate the database.
3.  Retain any manual edits to database.

I ask as tonight RB nearly went out the window, driving me crazy....

Here is what I've been doing.

Decided tonight to update my 43C* records and check the data is correct.

First I pulled up MyLog, did a search for today's 43C* and then edited each cell that was empty or incorrect.  Only some of these manual edits took, mainly airline (not all)  and remarks, they simply reverted back to what they were before my edits.

Then decided to try using the populate feature rather than me doing it and then check results.  Ran populate and it said (first) 91 aircraft to updated and it then decided it would need to update 235 records (processing photos/info requests)  why so many for 91 aircraft.  The other fact is my list (filtered) was only 17 that I wanted to update.
Tried populate again, this time it said 61 aircraft 160 requests!! only just ran it 5 mins before...

Anyway it did this task and I refreshed and could not see any changes, so restarted RB, still no changes.

Tried updating via Database explorer, now that seems to have retained my edits, but have no way of (That I can see) pushing those into MyLog until the contact is seen again!!

Also on the Database Explorer, is it just me or does it seem such long winded method of updating and why those abbreviated column names!!

After tonight I have to say I miss the SBS DB when it comes to updating, so much simpler and quicker.

Now a suggestion, improve Database Explorer so you can pull up a range of records, like all the 43C* at one time and edit them by clicking in the cell (or double clicking).  In fact how about revisiting how the SBS does its database updates (user updates)....

Rant over, hope someone can clear my question up please.

Cheers
Dave

PS - RB did not go out window ( as it was shut at the time ;) )

Dave,

OK, first of all read these FAQ's if you haven't done so already:

http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=628.0

http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=633.0

There are 2 databases within RadarBox:

NavData.db3

MyLog.db3

NavData.db3 comes with the RadarBox installation, and contains a huge amount of data.  It is an SQL database that includes details on Mode S/Registration, aircraft types, flight ID/Routes.

MyLog.db3 is an empty database (in fact, it might have a few aircraft in it when you first look at it - but essentialy it's empty) which is used to record your "live" aircraft - that is the aircraft you have picked up with your antenna.

Supposing you are using RadarBox without an internet connection.  Your antenna picks up an aircraft and this aircraft is displayed in the aircraft list, and on the map (if the aircraft is transmitting position information).  RadarBox uses the data in NavData.db3 to populate the aircraft details if a match is found.  If the details of that aircraft are not stored in NavData.db3, then you won't see a registration and type in the aircraft list or on the map.

With me so far?

The aircraft you picked up is "written" to MyLog.db3 because MyLog is a record of all the aircraft you have picked up "live".  If the details for that aircraft were in NavData.db3, then these details are used to populate the the details in MyLog, just like they were in the aircraft list and map.  However, if the aircraft is not in NavData.db3, you will only get partial details shown in MyLog.

Now, if you decide to manually edit a record using the method described in the FAQ above (remember, you're still working without the internet), you are editing NavData.db3.  If you edit the details showing in MyLog, you are editing the separate MyLog.db3 database, so all this is going to affect is that single record in MyLog.  It doesn't update NavData.db3.

OK, so you have updated a record manually in Database Explorer (NavData.db3) but when you look at MyLog, the aircraft details haven't changed.  However, if you now use Tools | Populate in MyLog, MyLog will look at the NavData.db3 database to see if it can find any of the missing details.  If it can, then it will update your MyLog.db3 using the new NavData.db3 data.

Still with me ......... :-)

Now you connect to the Internet so that the "autopopulate" will function.  Now when you receive a "live" aircraft that has no details in NavData.db3, Radarbox will look to the AirNav server to see if the details for that aircraft are there.  If it finds them, then the details will appear in the aircraft list.  Test this by clicking on an unpopulated aircraft in the aircraft list.  After a couple of seconds (if the aircraft is in the AirNav server database) the aircraft details are filled in.

Because of the short delay between picking the aircraft up and having its details "autopopulated", the aircraft has probably already been written to MyLog without the full details.  If you now use MyLog Tools | Populate, then once again, the NavData.db3 is looked at and MyLog.db3 is updated.

OK, I think that's enough for you to have a play and come up with some more questions once you've understood this :-)

As for editing NavData.db3 using DataBase Explorer, you can bring up a range of records, but you don't need the "*"

In the search boxes, use 43C IN MS

Unfortunately, it will find ***43C as well as 43C*** etc, but you can sort the list by clicking the MS column header.

You can double click on each field to edit rather than using the Edit button.  Although I do do a few manual edits to NavData.db3, I usually just leave it to autopopulate as I really don't have the time to do this manually.  The only records I do then to add are the 43C series that don't autopopulate.

You can use 3rd party SQL database editors to edit NavData,db3 - but be very very careful if you do this - don't do it whilst RB is running and do make a backup before you start.

[Allocator]

For what it's worth I have done edits to the database and noticed that some of them are not there the following day or on occasions immediately after the edit. The other day I entered a record in 'routes' and after saving, which I assume is just to exit Databse Explorer using the 'x', the destination code I had entered was missingbut the rest of the information was there.

Populate is a mystery to me too as I find the same. Use populate and the amount of photos downloaded in usually just over double the number of aircraft it says will be updated and likewise, run populate again straight after and there are just as many records to be udated as there were seconds previously.

Also when you click the Add New record button I would expect this to open up a whole new row in the database ready for input but I find I have to land in each individual cell and then click the Edit Cell button.

Not ranting, just reporting !

Wayne, see my huge reply above!

As far as the manually editing the routes is concerned, there is a recent thread discussing that if you look back a little.

I've had some inconsistant results editing the route database - I've added hundreds of routes from a txt file using a 3rd party SQLite database editor import, and this was fine.  However, when doing single manual edits using Database Explorer, I find that is I shut down RB straight after the edit, it's not there when I run it again.  If I shut down RB normally at the end of a sesssion rather than just after the edit - then it's there next time I run RB.

Investigations still ongoing :-)

[DaveG]

Allocator, thanks the the long and in-depth reply.  Most of it as you guessed I've read (FAQ) and understood, although in practice some of this did not work, although it was late, so will revisit tonight and double check.

report back later, once again cheers.

Dave

[Wayne]

If I am not on the internet and run populate from the MyLog | Tools option I am looking to NavData.db3 for fuller details and if they exist then this info gets passed back to MyLog.db3

With an internet connection, say a mode-s code appears in the list but no aircraft registration then clicking on it checks if the mode-s is known to the Airnav server and if not contacts the GAS server for the details. Is this what you are referring to as 'autopopulate' ?

At this point (when autopopulate is finished) if I then do MyLog | Tools | Populate this new information gets passed from NavData.db3 to MyLog.db3 - Is all that right ?

I will read the other links you have kindly supplied

Thanks again

Wayne

[Allocator]

Wayne, you have summarised my ramblings well :-)

Yes, the autopopulate is just as you describe it.  In the past I tended to refer to the autopopulate coming direct from the GAS server, but it is the AirNav server that looks at the GAS server - keeps the number of accesses low compared to every RB user quizing the GAS server.

Of course, there are always exceptions when it doesn't quite seem to work as it should.  I've just used populate from MyLog for an aircraft I know that I have in Navdata.db3, but it won't fill in the details.  I'm sure it all depends on what data is written where and when it was done - there must be a "priority" system that decides what is overwritten and what isn't.

Overall though, it works very well for me and beats the heck out of having to populate loads of records manually.

[Wayne]

I have to admit the only thing I tend to add manually to the database is route information.

So I think I may have done the wrong thing earlier by Tools | Empty Log tables  as I reckon I have cleared out MyLog.db3 as I am getting a high number of inputs to the log db in relation to very 'common' aircraft. No worries though, logs are not that important to me.

I just found the initialisation of the two databases taking longer and longer on startup, which it ought really as they become populated with more records, and foolishly interpreted the word 'log' as an external record of events rather than an actual database.

Ah well, we live and learn although I reckon .db3 was a biggish clue !

[DaveG]

OKAY UPDATE.

Thanks again Allocator for the information above, following the process I can understand how it works, or should I say is intended to....

The problem I have found is there are loads of entries in MyLog that are not got information, checking via Database Explorer does confirm the data is not there, either the field is empty or has ... or null

Now checking on GAS lots of these missing fields are available, so no idea why this data is not being pulled down via Airnav servers and then onto our systems.

What seems to be happening (only a guess) is it the record has "..." or "nulls" then the record data is not updated, if the field is blank it is updated.

Can anyone shed light on this further?

[Allocator]

Dave, I presume you mean that there are still record with data missing in MyLog after you have used MyLog | Tools | Populate?

If so, then I agree with you.  There must be a priority system which decides when records are updated with Populate - however, I don't quite know how this works.

[DaveG]

Dave, I presume you mean that there are still record with data missing in MyLog after you have used MyLog | Tools | Populate?

If so, then I agree with you.  There must be a priority system which decides when records are updated with Populate - however, I don't quite know how this works.

Yes correct.  and at the moment the only thing I can guess is possible to do with the "..." & "null" entries in the fields.

Will continue to try and narrow it down.

Question to Airnav staff,  could you clarify how exactly the populate functions when there is data already in some fields and in others there are "..." & "null"

[DaveG]

OKAY UPDATE:

If your MyLog has fields with "..." or "null" these will not be updated, at least that is what I'm finding.  If you review your MyLog and delete any "..." and "null" entries then populate if the data is in main database it will be populated into MyLog.

Now the only thing I can't check (as GAS seems down for me) is what about all the "null" values in the main DB, if you were to delete them would it be refreshed from GAS (via airnav)?

Airnav, can you comment on above please, how are "..." and "null" being pulled into MyLog and why they are stopping the update of those fields.

Also another question on same topic.  What if there is data in a field, but GAS has more updated information will this be pulled and updated via populate, or will it be missed as there is data already in the field.

For others, please check my finding, open MyLog, filter to find some "..." or "null" and delete those, then populate and see if it works.

[DaveG]

okay further update.

If the main database (NavData.db3) has fields with "..." or "null" and you delete these from MyLog DB on populate they are re-added even if GAS has the full details.

As example:
ModeS code: 4402C7 in Mylog only has fields with data for ModeS, Reg and ModeS Country, the other fields A/C Type, A/C name and Airline have "null".  This is the same in NavData.db3


GAS has all details, but these are not being pulled into NavData.db3 and thus not into MyLog.

Airnav, any comment please?

[AirNav Support]

We will investigate this and development should determine the cause.