Bank Genie on the cloud

[ideasguy]

I received an enquiry about Bank Genie this evening - Essentially:-

We have 2 users that need to use it (not at the same time). However the users are in remote locations. With <Product xxMoneyxx > we both had the software installed on our pc’s and kept the file in Dropbox so either could use it at a time and the data file would always be live/current. Is this possible with Bank Genie?

I downloaded and installed Dropbox, and did a few experiments with Bank Genie.
It was all tooooo easy - The answer is Yes!!
I finished by adding a transaction to Bank Genie (a demo database) and looked at the files on the cloud (i.e. the Dropbox website). The relevant files had been updated
I am impressed!!!

Note: The two users could be one person - you!
One in the office, one at home.

In the Dropbox "Get started" documentation

For every friend who joins and installs Dropbox, we'll give you both 500 MB of bonus space (up to a limit of 16 GB)! If you need even more space, upgrade your account.

If opening a Dropbox account, please let me invite you

Do you use Dropbox already? How do you find it?

[barryl]

 

What a brilliant idea. Would simplify my life enormously. Why didn't I think of that.....

[ideasguy]

Let the experimentation begin folk.

Ive sent you an invite Barry (we will both get an extra 500mb of space if you accept)
Send me an email when you have Dropbox installed on one of your computers.
I will then share the cloud database with you.
From what I understand, that database will automatically appear on your computer, in your Dropbox folder.
Start Bank Genie.
Use the program File>Open
Open the new database in your Dropbox folder

[Eric Hardy]

I have been using Dropbox for a while now to transfer things between my computer, laptop and iPad. It is much quicker than using a memory stick. Once transferred I usually delete the item so that the Dropbox memory doesn't get used up. For quite some time now I have been using a method suggested by George and which works well. I keep the Bank Genie Pro 4 database on a small portable hard drive which I use either on my computer or laptop. The portable drive is always up to date and instead of backing up I "restore" to the computer and laptop after each session. I hadn't thought of keeping the database on Dropbox. Does it use much memory?

Eric

[ideasguy]

If your free allocation on Dropbox is the same as mine, you have 2GB of disc space Eric.
The small demo database I uploaded for sharing and testing is less that 2MB.
My "live" Bank Genie database is less that 6MB. I'd be very surprised if any members would have enough historic data to surpass 10MB.
That's smaller than one single high resolution photo!

Calculating on that, I don't think any Bank Genie users will have any problems with the free Dropbox disc space

If you want to be the first to ty it Eric, heres the instructions.
Make a folder in your dropbox on your own computer (say BGcloud)
Start Bank Genie.
Use the program File>Backup-BS491
Do a backup to the new folder in your Dropbox.
and... er... thats it!
Have a look at your Dropbox on the web and you should see your BGcloud folder and contents.

To work directly with the Dropbox on ANY computer, local or remote (needs Dropbox shared and Bank Genie installed).
Start Bank Genie.
Use the program File>Open
Open the database in your Dropbox folder

[Eric Hardy]

Thanks, George. I will try that when I can get to a computer. Unfortunately I have a bad attack of gout in my right foot and can't walk  . I know, it is a joke illness  but it is extremely painful. Luckily I can still stay in touch with the world on my iPad. My other computing devices use Windows 7 and Windows XP respectively but if I put the database into Dropbox is it possible to use BG Pro 4 on the iPad as well?  Yes, 2GB is my capacity on Dropbox too.

Eric

[ideasguy]

Sorry to hear you are in such pain, Eric. Hope you can bring that under control quickly!

Not on the iPad, Eric. I would need to rewrite BG to allow BG to be used on that platform in its entirety.
However, I plan to investigate what can be done by writing an app. To be continued...

[Eric Hardy]

The doctor has just been and is prescribing something which will be emailed to our village pharmacy. Fingers crossed. I hope my question isn't going tp put you to even more work! I think you deserve a long rest.


Eric

[NightHawk]

Not on the iPad, Eric. I would need to rewrite BG to allow BG to be used on that platform in its entirety.
However, I plan to investigate what can be done by writing an app. To be continued...

I have created a new Board in Computers called Tablet PCs so that discussions can take place there regarding the use of Tablet PCs with any of George's software.

Laurie.

[ideasguy]

I invited Barry to share the demo Bank Genie database.
Barry received an email with:

George Kelly wants to share "bgdata" with you

He was invited to accept or decline the share.
He then clicked the link in the email and accepted.
The bgdata folder was automatically put into his dropbox on his computer.
He opened Bank Genie on his computer and was able to see the data.
He added a record.
I started Bank Genie on my computer.
I could immediately see the record he had added.
I added a record and closed Bank Genie.
He could see the transaction I had added.

That works perfectly.

Lets do a test to push it to the extreme.
What happens when two users add a record simultaneously?
We tried that test by phone.
We both started our Bank Genie and did a File>Open on the BGdata database in our respective Dropbox folders.
He entered data for a new transaction on his computer.
I did the same.
3-2-1 GO! We both added our transactions at exactly the same time.
He could see his new transaction but not mine.
I could see my new transaction but not his.
Reason? The changes had not yet been sent to the Cloud.
We both closed Bank Genie.
Barry received a message, I didn't.
We both restarted Bank Genie.
On his computer, his new transaction was gone, my new transaction was now visible!
On my computer, my new transaction was still there, his new transaction was not.
Conclusions:

• As a result of a simultaneous add, only one transaction was saved on the cloud (mine, perhaps because I was the Owner).
  
• Both our databases were again synchronised (we could both see my new transaction).
  
• Simultaneous adding MUST be avoided (meaning adding a transaction at EXACTLY the same time)
• Non-simultaneous adding works perfectly - where only one user ADDS records to the database at any moment in time

More testing is required of course

[barryl]

I have three computers (2 desktops in different places and a laptop). I currently use features of ZIP and a batch script to update ZIP files from the data on disc, copy the ZIPs to CD or memory stick, and then use ZIP on the receiving computer to update the disc from the Zips.

Somewhat cumbersome; I've been doing it for years, and it keeps my data in step on all these machines.

I am seriously considering replacing that for Bankgenie at least with this cloud scheme whereby I use DropBox to maintain the synchronicity. I just have to be careful not to use two machines simultaneously :-)

My only real concern is privacy and security (though having a copy on each computer means that if Dropbox loses the whole thing you have not lost your data).

[ContraOboe]

I've been using Dropbox for a while now and it has made school work much easier. I doubt I'd use it for BGP though.

[ideasguy]

Hi Colin (you had me there for a while trying to work out who ContraOboe was - grey matter and all that). Nice to hear from you again!!
Bank Genie has been designed to allow users to keep track of rotational backups (a suggestion from Barry). Provided users do backups to external devices for security (e.g. a Flash drive or external drive) then all is safe and well.
The Dropbox is an alternative to those traditional methods, with the advantage of not needing to carry any backup devices around when on the move and using other computers to work with one shared Bank Genie database. The synchronising feature is pretty slick .