{"id":50464,"date":"2021-10-08T06:20:01","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T10:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=50464"},"modified":"2021-10-10T15:35:07","modified_gmt":"2021-10-10T19:35:07","slug":"guest-post-radio-schedules-in-a-simple-android-database","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/guest-post-radio-schedules-in-a-simple-android-database\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Radio Schedules in a Simple Android Database"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill, who shares the following guest post:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Radio Schedules in a Simple Android Database<\/h1>\n

by Bill Hemphill<\/p>\n

I am a program listener. I really enjoy listening to various radio stations direct and by internet streaming. Over time, I have come up with a couple of spread sheets that lists the program, station, time, date, etc. For example, following is the spreadsheet for the shortwave radio programs\/stations that I enjoy:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As the program schedules change, I update the spreadsheet. This has worked quite well for me. I usually sort on the weekday and then print out the spreadsheet as a list by time and frequency for each day.<\/p>\n

While this method works, it does mean that I have these multiple page printouts that I have to refer to. This got me thinking that it would be great to have this on my Android phone\/tablet. Then I could refer to it no matter where I was located.<\/p>\n

At first, I tried to use Google Sheets<\/em>, but found that using a spreadsheet on the phone or even a tablet to be a pain. I then tried entering it into a calendar program, but also found that very cumbersome.<\/p>\n

What I needed was a simple database that could load the spreadsheet and then allow for sorting and searching. But I really didn\u2019t need all the features of a full database program. All I really needed was a viewer that could present the data in rows and columns and where I could sort and then select a subset.<\/p>\n

Searching though the various database apps for the Android, I found that most were full fledge databases, many required monthly subscriptions, and all were way more than what I was looking for. I just wanted a row and column view that I could sort and search on.<\/p>\n

After experimenting around with many of them, I came across the free, very basic app PortoDB:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.portofarina.portodb&hl=en_US&gl=US<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very basic DB app. Doesn\u2019t require a lot of unneeded permissions, and does everything I need. To use, just create the Spreadsheet, save it as a CVS file, email the file to yourself (or copy it to the phone\/tablet), and then import it as a table into PortoDB.<\/p>\n

This is how the Shortwave spreadsheet looks like on a tablet in PortoDB:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I realized that I had a lot of wasted space by putting all seven day columns. So I switched to a single day column as follows:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Before I go any farther, I should tell you about a major quirk with the PortoDB app. Even though it will let you have various data types (Text, Integer, Real, Date, Time, etc), all sorts within the app is done as if the data is text. To get around this, I just create all the data in the spreadsheet as TEXT. To get the sort to work correctly, I put a space before frequencies that are less than four digits. Likewise, the Times are entered as TEXT. With that little change, then the sort always works correctly.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go thru the steps to create a database and associated table.<\/p>\n

The first time you open ProtoDB, it will say \u201cNo databases\u201d. Just press the PLUS symbol to create a new database. In this case I\u2019ll call it \u201cRadio Programs\u201d:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As you can see, I now have a Database \u201cRadio Programs\u201d which contains No Tables. Each database can have multiple tables. I have already saved the spreadsheet as a CVS file and emailed it to myself. Now I need to Import the CVS file into a Table. Press the Three Vertical Dots to get a menu and select \u201cImport Table\u201d. Then select the CVS file to import. Give the Table a name. Answer OK to the \u201cAre You Sure\u201d message. It will then tell you how many rows are imported. Select OK.:<\/p>\n

\"P08\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P07\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P06\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

[Click images to enlarge.]<\/em><\/p>\n

You now have the Database \u201cRadio Programs\u201d with one Table \u201cSW Programs\u201d. You can now Tap on the Table to see the data. You can scroll up and down (and left and right if all the columns don\u2019t fit on the screen) thru the data.<\/p>\n

\"P09\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P10\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

The fun is that now you can search on any particular column and create a subset of the data. Tap and hold on the column name to get a pop-up menu. Select search and then enter the text to search for. I selected DAY and entered \u201cMo\u201d to get a subset of only Monday in the database\u201d<\/p>\n

\"P11\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P12\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P13\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

At this point I realized, I wasn\u2019t happy with how the data was sorted. Press the three vertical dots and select \u201cSort Rows\u201d. I then said to sort the rows first by Program, then by Day and then Freq:<\/p>\n

\"P14\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P15\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P16\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

I then decided to sort based on Day, then UTC Start and Freq:<\/p>\n

\"P15\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P16\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

At this point I realized, I wasn\u2019t happy with the order of the columns. I would like to have Program first then UTC Start, Freq, Day and Station. Press and Hold on the Column name and then select \u201cMove Column Left (or Right)\u201d to rearrange the columns…I also deleted the \u201cUTC End\u201d column.<\/p>\n

\"P19\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P20\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Note:<\/strong> This could have been done in the original Spreadsheet file before exporting to CVS and importing into the Table.<\/em><\/p>\n

There are plenty of menu choices and I invite you to explore them.<\/p>\n

If you notice at the bottom of the data, there are some funny arrows that may appear on the left, right or on both:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the above they are on the right only. The database displays in \u201cPages\u201d of so many rows. Tapping these arrows allows you to page through the database. Each page defaults to 50 rows.<\/p>\n

This can be changed in the settings. On the list of Tables, Press and hold on the Table name. Then select \u201cSet Page Size\u201d. There are two settings for the Page View sizes. These default to 50. I usually reset these to something a lot larger, like 500 or 1000. As long as the Table has fewer rows than the Page View size, then you can scroll thru the entire table with having to page.<\/p>\n

\"P22\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P23\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P24\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

One last item about the settings. The Database is active and you can change, modify, add, delete from it at will. Since I\u2019m using it as only a way to view my data, I usually \u201cLock\u201d the Table. After Locking it, many of the Setting options will disappear from the menus until you once again Unlock the table. Locking it keeps me from accidentally changing the data.<\/p>\n

\"P25\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div>
\"P26\" <\/a> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Example of Database for FM Radio Programs<\/h1>\n

Another example is the database I did for FM Radio Programs. I maintain a spreadsheet of various FM Radio Shows, their date and times along with the URL of the station stream.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After I export this to a CVS and then Import it as a Table to Radio Programs\u201d database:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In this case, I do press and hold on the URL column name and then change that column to URL type. This then allows me to Press and Hold on any URL and then select \u201cNavigate To\u201d. Which will then bring up Chrome with that URL and then the radio station starts to stream on the Phone\/Tablet.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Making use of the phone\/tablet with PortoDB is so much better than thumbing through sheets of paper.<\/p>\n

Hopefully others will find this useful and maybe find other uses for it.<\/p>\n

Downloads<\/h1>\n

Update:<\/strong> There\u2019s been some requests for the CSV files that I used to create the SW and FM radio databases. Attached are current versions of the two files:<\/p>\n