It has been a while but, yes, the latest 9.0.0.404 update with a whole range of bug fixes and a couple of new functions is now available for download (Aquabase will check for an update on start-up) and will require a password to complete the update process. This password is included in an email to subscribers to the Aquabase Support and Development Programme. If Aquabase cannot download the update automatically you can also get it from the Download section of this website. You have to be a registered user to access the individual downloads in this section.
Please read the notes during installation for the latest exciting additions and bug fixes! We (the developers and the users) are constantly working on improving and fixing Aquabase functionality. Please let me know if you find any bugs and/or would like to make suggestions for new functions.
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS LATEST VERSION?
- Another step towards internationalisation has been achieved by adding country databases for several countries. For a few of them (around South Africa) the map references within the LO system can now be automatically calculated and for some also the catchment areas. For some of the other English-speaking countries their respective country databases have been created, while for all other countries a country database for GB (Great Britain) has been created. So watch this space as more countries are added to the list. The country database has also been updated from the ArcGIS Hub “World Countries” and “Natural Earth” datasets and includes the country geometries and names in several languages to be prepared for further internationalisation and use in QGIS. In this process some tools to update settings files in directories other than the default under the Aquabase installation have been removed. These will have to be updated manually with QGIS or any other GIS or database system.
- A number of icons have been added or replaced with a fresher look and the button toolbars can be dragged and modified.
- You can now also use Geopackage databases, which allow easier integration with QGIS. Both Geopackage and SpatiaLite databases have been optimised with WAL journal mode in order to reduce concurrent multi-user usage problems. You should therefore upgrade your workspaces using SpatiaLite with the latest version.
- A new toolbar to search through a number of fields in the Basic Information has been added. You can start the search with Ctrl-F, type the search criterion and press ENTER. Previous search criteria are stored in the workspace for use in later sessions.
- The chemistry parameter values of -1 are a thing of the past and will be set to NULL when opening your workspace for the first time after the Aquabase upgrade. Remember the NULL values (instead of -1) when running queries!!!
- Spatialite and Geopackages now include QGIS projects which enable adding and editing Aquabase data within QGIS (!!!EXPERIMENTAL!!!). This functionality will also work with the other supported databases with a bit of tweaking on your side for now, but will be included in upcoming Aquabase releases.
- There is also a new function to create a Geopackage for QField use. This allows exporting all data within the current view to a Geopackage in the workspace which can then be copied to your mobile device (phone or tablet) to work in the field. This is only available for South Africa as country for the moment but will be made available for other countries in future. A routine for importing the field-edited data back into the database is under construction, but can now be done already with a bit of tweaking on user-side.
- The latest release 5.1 of “mod_spatialite” has been included for Windows x86_64. For Linux please make sure to install the latest version through your package manager.
- The PostgreSQL support has been updated to now use schemas other than the “public” schema. You can have several schemas under one database, but you must make sure to set the correct permissions for access to them.
- There is a new simple tool (under the “Tools” menu) to find out the highest chemical reference number in a database. This is mostly useful if you want to import chemistry data from other files like CSV or DBase.
- The feedback text on the progress bars has been removed to speed up the processes showing the progress.
AND WHAT HAS BEEN FIXED?
- The previously used workspaces under “Recent workspaces” did not update properly, which could result in duplication, if a workspace was opened more than once through the “Open workspace” option. This has been completely reworked and should work as expected. Unfortunately your previously used workspaces are no longer available in the list and you will have to go through the normal “Open workspace” process, which will then add those back to the list again.
- The import of “old” Aquabase workspaces has been reworked to iron out some bugs and do a few more validity checks.
- The hints for lookup codes in the grids did not work as expected and were switched off when hovering over a non lookup code field. This is now working properly.
- Some geometry triggers were faulty and caused the spatial index of basicinf and profilng tables to become corrupt. These were corrected and the spatial index should now allow viewing of geometries in QGIS and other GIS systems.
- The import/appending of other Aquabase workspaces into an open workspace did not work correctly. The routine now checks for different coordinate systems in the workspaces and also makes import from server databases possible.
- The resizing of images/photos on the Basic Information Images Form did not work as expected and has been fixed.
- The copying of value from the grid in the Run SQL Form did not work, but is working as expected now.
- A whole number of smaller, often unnoticed, bugs were also fixed.