Introducing the Driver Strategy Database's Online Database

[impulse3D]

As a member of the FIRST community, I am proud to introduce the beta for the never-before-seen Online Database component of the Driver Strategy Database.

The Driver Strategy Database (DSD) is software that my friend Raivo and I developed last year to help promote team data organization and competition strategy management. This year, we've worked hard on the DSD (as well as other aspects of FIRST Robotics) and are introducing, just in time for the first Regional events tomorrow, the Online Database component to the software.

The Online Database operates in a Wiki fashion and allows teams to share basic, yet essential, information concerning their Robotics team. Information currently ranges from areas of basic information to robot details and even a custom field for team profiles.

Within a week, the DSD local application will be released in beta, which will allow teams to download the existing online database and view it locally. Repercussions of such capabilities would be to bring the database to a regional event and quickly see the robot capabilities of those with whom you're partnered in an alliance--and those with whom you're against. Essentially, we're trying to create a one-stop location for all of the information you'll need for communicating with other teams and quickly being able to find the data you'd need for whatever tasks you may need to complete.

I'm open to any suggestions, and you may email me at dsdadmin@impulse3d.com (or IM me at AIM: TriArkSoftware) with any ideas you may have. Our goal is to make FIRST a more collaborative, information-exchanging community. We (the DSD Development Team) find the Driver Strategy Database and its Online Database component to be the primary means for meeting this goal.

DSD Online Database: http://dsd-database.impulse3d.com

Best Regards,
Noah
Online Database Site Admin

[Justin_302]

it looks REALLY cool, but you cant download the program

[impulse3D]

As a result of the "Strategy Manager" being included with the application, each version of the DSD is unique to the annual FIRST game. This year's application is to be released in beta next week. It will be freely available for download then, when database integration with the online component will function.

[av11d]

This looks really nice! Terrific Job!

[TMHStitans]

This looks great, expect that you can't download the program. Great job though!

[impulse3D]

You may freely use the Online Database, but the local application has not yet been released. You can expect a pre-release of the application (the DSD itself) to be available sometime early next week.

[Babyhueyhnx]

Firefox says that web admins should not say that their site is best viewed in firefox even though we all know its true.

[Goldeye]

Do I hear open source?
Prehaps after the season you should put this up on sourceforge. After all, why not?

One feature I'd hope to see in the local app would be the capability to access remote databases. I'd want one computer to act as a server and others to access it. Even if that computer is a webserver, it'd be good enough :O Of course, I can dream of more features If there's anyway I can help add any features, please leave me a pm.

[impulse3D]

Babyhueyhnx => I took your advice and modified my Firefox link to add a bit of humor.

Goldeye => SourceForge-ing the project is a good idea. I'll definitely consider it. Also, one of the main features will be to be able to access the Online Database through the UI of the local application. Be sure to email me or post any suggestions that you may have as well.

[Chris Bright]

I had thought of creating a database very similar to this, but I am out of time. Needless you say your's rock! It is very clean looking and nicely done. How long did this take you?

[impulse3D]

I finished the site UI about three weeks ago, but school kind of took over my life. I finally found time this past Saturday and Sunday and worked all day both days to finish off the majority of what you see, and I took Monday and Tuesday refining and testing for release.

[haverfordfords]

Originally Posted by impulse3D

I finished the site UI about three weeks ago, but school kind of took over my life. I finally found time this past Saturday and Sunday and worked all day both days to finish off the majority of what you see, and I took Monday and Tuesday refining and testing for release.

Awesome program! Great job. One suggestion I have, is can you put a blank/drop down list of regionals for teams to fill out that they are participating in, so that you can go to a page where is lists teams by regional. For example, if you are going to Philadelphia regional, you really only care about those teams going to the Philadelphia regional. Thus, it would be great to just see those participating teams, and not those of California. This is esspecially useful once more teams put their information on the site.

Just a suggestion =)

Thanks,
Jason

[impulse3D]

Originally Posted by haverfordfords

One suggestion I have, is can you put a blank/drop down list of regionals for teams to fill out that they are participating in, so that you can go to a page where is lists teams by regional. For example, if you are going to Philadelphia regional, you really only care about those teams going to the Philadelphia regional. Thus, it would be great to just see those participating teams, and not those of California. This is esspecially useful once more teams put their information on the site.

Indeed, I will add that field. I'll just have to script that element keeping in mind that many teams go to more than one regional. Great idea though, and thanks for the input.

[impulse3D]

The DSD Development Team is proud to announce the release of the DSD eXtreme Edition Open Beta 0.14. The DSD XE is the local application component of the DSD project, to which the Online Database component (thread here) was released early last week.

The local application includes integration of the Online Database and a viewing interface. It also has a Query Wizard, SQL Query String Editor, and extensive preferences dialog. However, the DSD is focused on creating a database to which FIRST teams can look to one single place for all of their knowledge needs concerning information about other teams. To make the database more useful, helpful, and effective, please register your team with as much information as possible with the DSD Online Database.

Keep in mind that the Open Beta may still have bugs (Open Beta). Currently, you can only view an updated team database by opening the XML document in Excel and converting it to an access database, but eventually there will be native support for direct downloading from the internet. This Open Beta is intended to provide a preview as to what the DSD local application will look like. However, the DSD Online Database is very much workable and, again, teams are encouraged to register their team with the database.

You can download the DSD XE Open Beta 0.14 at http://dsd.impulse3d.com/downloads.php .

Again, please register your team information with the DSD Online Database to help promote the usefulness and effectiveness of the database.

Direct any questions concerning the local application (general questions and/or bug reports) to Raivo Lindemann at nightwolf@optonline.net or AIM screenname NightWolf1298. Questions concerning the DSD Online Database should be directed to dsdod@impulse3d.com or AIM screenname TriArkSoftware.

Best Regards,
Noah
DSD Online Database Site Admin

[impulse3D]

Might I also mention that you will most likely have to install the required runtime files in order for certain components of the local application to work correctly.