SQLabs SQLite Tools

We all get some favorite tools, tools that we use on a regular basis. They usually do the work fast and effective. I still use SQLite databases and have done it more then eight years or so. The SQLite database is great for a various tasks, especially as an embedded database. It’s easy to work with in all the environments I move between, VB6 / VB.NET / LiveCode / Real Studio (Xojo) / PowerBasic & EZ GUI / NSB AppStudio.

The key to successfully use SQLite in different solutions is the tools I administrate SQLite databases with. For some years ago I stumbled over a site that caught my interest, http://www.sqlabs.net/.

When looking into it I read about some tools that could help me manage SQLite databases. The first tool was the SQLite Manager which turned out to be a powerful database management tool. The following picture is a screen shot of it:

Next, I needed to port two databases, i e so called Access database and then I tried the SQLite Converter. Success! Since then I always use SQLabs’s Converter. Yes, the below screen shot shows the SQLite Converter in action:

For a year ago or so SQLabs published an excellent offer for their relational database management system (DBMS) named to cubeSQL:

• A Developer key :  Unlimited connections key but requires you to restart the server every 4 hours or
• A Freeware key: Max 3 concurrent connections key without any time limitation.

Some months later, after the publish, I needed a server for my SQLite databases. I then remembered this kind offer. Now I nearly cannot live without it.

The following screen shot shows the cubeSQL in action:

In my personal opinion these tools are highly recommended and the price of each SQLite tool should not scare anyone away.

They, SQLabs, also offer some more tools that may be is of interest.

For more information, please visit their site: http://www.sqlabs.net/

Enjoy!

Kind regards,
Dennis

Commercial Plugins for LiveCode Community Edition

Recently RunRev decided to also release their cross-platform development tool, LiveCode,  as open source. For semi-developer and hobbyist this option  allow them to develop customized solutions for all present platforms, including Android and iOS. The catch is that all customized solutions must be released under the open source rules, i.e it’s not possible to protect the solutions including any  intellectual property.

Like other platforms it exist a group of vendors for LiveCode who offer commercial third- party plugins, targeting the IDE and also add controls/classes to solutions’ UI. When LiveCode Community Edition was finally launched we had two platforms, one commercial and one under as open source.

When the community edition was released RunRev raised the price to US$ 500 for the commercial version. For semi-developer and hobbyist it mean that in the future they will probably use the community edition. Given this scenario a new question landed on the desk; would it be possible to use the third-party products with the open source version of LiveCode?

Some vendors have already re-worked the terms of use for their tools that explicit targeting the LiveCodes IDE.

	Commercial Plugins
	Vendor	Plugin	Available	Note
	Ah Software	PowerTools	Yes	Dual License
	Ah Software	PowerBug	Yes	Dual License
	Andre Garcia	AAG|Tools	Yes	Commercial, unprotected.
	Bill Vlahos	lcTaskList	In progress	Dual License?
	BlueMango System Learning	SQL Yoga	In progress	Dual License?
	lcSQL Software	lcStackBrowser	In progress	Dual Licence?
	Non-Commercial Plugins
	Vendor	Plugin	Available	Note
	Andre Garcia	DBLib	Yes	Open Source
	debrill IT-service	Animationengine	Yes	Open Source
	TapirSoft	rIDE	Yes	Open Source
	TapirSoft	rGrid	Yes	Open Source
	Quartam Software	Quartam PDF Library	Yes	Open Source
	Quartam Software	Quartam Color Library	Yes	Open Source
	Quartam Software	Quartam Analytical Data Processing Library	Yes	Open Source
	lcSQL Software	lcStackDiff	In progress	Open Source?
	Vendor	Plugin	Availability
	Flexible Learning	All Plugins	No
	Navisoft	All Plugins	No
	RunRevPlanet	All Plugins	No
	Tactile	TM Controls	No

The second table above shows new plugins that have been made open source and created as open source.

The final table above shows the vendors have no intention to provide dual license or open source.

I hope that the list of commercial plugins will increase however there are some companies that have said no, i.e. they will not make their tools available on the Community Edition. Not everyone see a workable business model for their plugins. I both understand it and respect it. If the intellectual property is unique than there is no way to make it available as open source or as a dual license (both a commercial license and an open source licence).

Kind regards.
Dennis