My review never got moderated, so will try again here.
I work in sqlite databases every day, so this program immediately caught my eye. With no install and a simply small .exe file, it looked good from the outset. Unfortunately, it went bad from then on.
The opening window looked good and ‘clean’, but it was quickly apparent we wouldn’t be friends. Maximising the application made the window larger, but forced it off-screen. Attempting to move the application ‘restored’ the window to a smaller size. The best we could get to was a resized window that took up 95% of screen space.
Clicking ‘Edit’ and ‘Preferences’ displayed the ‘About’ dialog box. Great. If the program has any preferences, I can’t access them.
The application I made in vb.net copies the database everytime the application starts, so I wasn’t short of sqlite databases. However, in a directory of 20 to 30 databases, the application only liked 5. However, it wasn’t sure *which* 5 it liked. If I dragged a database onto icon #1, it would drop and appear to take it (no errors displayed) but nothing would happen … if I dropped it on icon #2, the filename (4pt text under the icon … smallest font known to man … magnifying glass recommended…) would change. So it was valid for #2, but not #1. This happened for other databases – some could be dropped on #1 but not #2. All the databases could be opened in DB Browser – the Sqlite database app I normally use.
So once I got two databases the program liked (with no idea why it didn’t like the others) and compared them, the issues didn’t stop. In the data comparison tab, the summary database column headers text crashes into each other, so you don’t know what the columns represent. The columns can’t be resized, nor can the actual table be resized … so your database might have 2 columns and the program allows 85% of the screen width for data comparison … when you can’t use that space.
Argh. I’ve just gone back to the drag and drop page to try again – as the databases were the same, the data comparison wasn’t ‘working’, so wanted to review that side. Dropped a database and it didn’t work … tried again and it did. Finally worked out why. Where you drop your database to compare is a large (130 pixel x 130 pixel) square area. The cursor changes to a ‘drop’ icon (ala Explorer). The picture in that square is only 60×60 pixels. You’ve got to drop a file onto the picture, not the surrounding white space … so ignore what the cursor is telling you.
The final ‘grr’ moment was when the data compare was completed. That was actually fast and useful … what records have been added / removed in this database compared to the other one. Ooh, that record. I need to export that record, or copy it .. or …. nope. You can’t do anything. Just view.
Such great potential in a program, but just not quite there. This is like using Notepad, then trying to work out ‘how do you get bold text?’. ‘You can’t – its Notepad.’ ‘Oh ok – how can I convert it to PDF?’ Its not entirely the fault of the program, but it has so many limitations, you quickly realise its too frustrating to use.