Database Cleanup

Recently, SourceForge updated their site with a new layout, breaking several application entries in the AppSnap database. Since it was quite a bit of work figuring out which apps were broken and how to fix them, I added some functionality within AppSnap to facilitate the app fixing process. After a couple boring hours last evening, I’m happy to say all apps are functioning correctly again. If you find any broken apps, please feel free to let me know.

Categorization Improvements

It took a while but I have finally completed re-categorizing all 333 applications in the AppSnap database into a more sensible scheme. The original categorization was too trivial once the database grew beyond 50 applications. The current scheme is inspired from many existing schemes out there so it was not hard to come up with. It did take quite a bit of time to relabel each app and then migrate the changes to Zoho. Without Zoho Creators batch import facility, this would not be as trivial. Thanks again Zoho

The current GUI does not leverage this schema too well. The new GUI I am working on will do a much better job and make finding applications much easier than before.

As usual, feedback appreciated.

Adding applications to AppSnap

Adding applications to AppSnap takes longer then you would think. Each application needs to be downloaded, installed and then uninstalled in order to get all the information that AppSnap needs. On an average, it takes a good 10-15 minutes per application, excluding any download time. That’s not too bad when you start out but after a point, it is too tedious to deal with.

With 1.3.3, AppSnap crossed the 200 mark in terms of supported applications. It took almost a year and a half to get that far and that reflects the pains associated with growing the database. Considering I am the only guy adding applications as well as enhancing AppSnap, both on a part-time basis, it makes it that much slower. Something had to change.

It is not possible to automate database additions since each application is unique. However, it is possible to speed up the steps that it takes add an application. To make life a little easier, I added the -a flag to the AppSnap CLI to facilitate adding applications. Using -a, it now takes at most five minutes to get an application added to AppSnap (excluding download time). If you haven’t noticed already, the database now has 285 applications and counting. That is more than 80 applications in 12 days. Not bad.

Adding applications is not only faster, but a lot more fun. Indeed, it is the small things that make a big difference.

Database updates

All this time, the AppSnap database was being managed as an .INI file in SVN. That worked fine for starting out but it is not scalable or community friendly whatsoever. After fiddling with some PHP and MySQL for a few days, I stumbled upon the fantastic Zoho Creator. After a couple hours on Zoho, I had a fully functional system ready to go. Kudos to Zoho for their excellent system.

The AppSnap database has now officially moved to Zoho. Clicking on the Applications tab now displays the database directly from Zoho. You can also add applications which will get reviewed and integrated once verified by the database maintainers.

Database updates are synced directly from Zoho but require a translation from Zoho’s JSON format to the AppSnap .INI format. This is currently being done using PHP. Eventually, AppSnap will be able to handle the JSON format directly.

Now that the database is more accessible, I look forward to even more application contributions that will make AppSnap more useful and user friendly.