Using an iPod Touch on win & Mac systems so can use Database Viewer Plus software

[infobleep]

Hi there

I have a MacBook running Snow Leopard with an iPod Touch, 8gb 2nd gen., linked to it. I also have Windows 7 installed virtually using Sun's VirtualBox.

Yesterday I purchased a copy of Database Viewer Plus for my iPod Touch. This will allow me to sync any databases I create in the future and in the mean time, view a copy of an Excel spreadsheet. This I would like to access whilst out and about. Eventually I will convert the spreadsheet into a database but I don't have the time right now.

Cellica, the publishers of Database Viewer Plus, have not produce a Mac version of the desktop connection software, only a windows version. Although I would have prefered a Mac version I didn't think this would be a major problem because I can install iTunes in Windows, in addition to the Snow Leopard installation, and just use the windows installation of iTunes any time I wish to connect with the Database Viewer Plus software and my iPod Touch.

However I am now not sure if this is possible as I hadn't realised that Apple doesn't allow one to easily, it at all, use an iPod Touch on both a Mac OS and Windows OS in the same period of time.

Has anyone used Database Viewer Plus and know if it is possible to use it on windows with an iPod, whilst doing everything else on that iPod on a Mac? It is the only app I need to use with Windows.

My research into relational databases only found 2 pieces of software: HanDBase and Database Viewer Plus. The former cannot sync to any external databases, as far as I am aware, and doesn't display Excel files, which is why I choose Database Viewer Plus. HandDBase also only exports as text files. I prefer a direct interface if at all possible.

Thank you for reading

 

[Night Spring]

You should check with the maker of this software, but usually, when an iPhone/iPod touch app has a companion desktop program it syncs with, the syncing does not involve iTunes. In your case, my guess is you just need to install the database software in your Windows; you shouldn't need to run iTunes for Windows in order for it to work.

 

[infobleep]

Night Spring thank you for your reply. It is most helpful and reassuring.

I have contacted the marker of the software, Cellica, because when I ran the desktop component and did what I wished to do with the software, I got a rather unhelpful error message:

"Error on CreateDispatch(): -2147221005 (800401f3)"

They have been in touch since I contact them and having sent them my log files, they are looking into the matter.

I also wanted to be certain that by not going through iTunes I wasn't committing some basic error. As that is not the problem it must be something more technical. I have used the database viewer plus software some years ago with an old Palm machine and it worked then so I'm sure Cellica will resolve the problem.

Hopefully it won't be a problem with Windows 7 or Windows 7 inside VirtualBox. I've not got all the drivers in Windows 7 working in VirtualBox yet. The last time I checked the developers had not got every driver working. As it's free I doesn't expect things to happen over night. I'm waiting for things to be ironed out as I'm sure they wil be eventually.

Kind regards

Hi there

The problem has now been resolved. It was caused by not having Excel installed on the macine running Database Viewer Plus.

As the part of the program I was using only asking for an Excel file, I didn't think I would need to have Excel installed. I've resolved the issue by installing Database Viewer Plus on my old PC where Excel is installed. At some point in the coming year I will move it, along with Excel, to Windows 7 on my Mac.

Word of advice to all developers: It is helpful if you make your error messages meaningful to your customers and if you explain in your manuals what additional, possibly optional, software must be installed to use different parts of your programs.