Creating a simple form based application

[TimRegester]

Hi I have a client that wants its employees to be able to replace hand written site notes with an application on a PDA.

The application has to be held locally on the PDA and not run off a website. There is very little programming logic behind this application, it will collect data and send it back to base.

Comms to base will be GPRS, Wifi and possibly 3G but the locations mean that it is possible that none are available on site due to rural locations, so data may well be collected then sent to base some time later.

So how best to achieve this and create an application that would be simple, preferably platform independent does not utilise ActiveSync (client has no exchange/microsoft servers) and could be sold to other similar firms.

I have been thinking HTML for the form an email to script for the sending of the data, but that needs a PDA web server and scripting language support.

Visual Studio using .Net could do the job, but would make it window CE/Mobile/Pocket PC specific.

Syware make an IDE that looks as if it could work, and Satelite forms look similar but covers PalmOS as well.

So a general call for which direction would be best.

 

[edhead]

We use Syware's Visual CE and their mEnable and have been very satisfied with it. We are using it with an Access database and wifi - I don't believe GPRS / 3G would be any different. It was pretty quick to setup and our users seem to like it.

 

[GLComputing]

Just a thought... although not what you were looking for, we use a product called Handheld Contact that runs on Mobile Windows and Blackberry devices and syncs wirelessly with an ACT! database in the office.

It might be more economical (certainly faster to implement) than writing one from scratch.

You can use the ACT! activities and notes area to record the info on the PDA and have ACT! to do reporting in the office.

Have a look at -

http://www.glcomputing.com.au/main/28/1

Regards,
Mike Lazarus
ACT! Evangelist
GL Computing, Aust

http://www.GLComputing.com.au