Migration from v3

TL;DR

• db_engine value in app_data.json is now required, and should be set to sqlite.
• Rename column charts.query to charts.sqltext
• Rename column queries.table to queries.tb
• Add column queries.vals TEXT
• Optionally create table versions
• Rename span-n classes used as div_class attributes in templates to col-sm-n
• Remove function print.sqlSum in templates
• Remove function print.simpleSum in templates
• Remove column geodata.geo_el_elips
• Remove column geodata.geo_el_asl

Introduction

Bradypus v4 is a progressive rewrite and refactor of the previous v3, that at presenent regards involves only in a minimal degree the graphical user interface.

Core libraries and modules are being totally rewritten, maintaining the current funcionality.

Yet, some important changes in overall functionality have been put in place, with some scarcely used functions that have been dropped.

Dropped features

Search: most recent records

The functionality of searching n most recent records is easily replaceble with the search all and sorting by id field in inverse order (DESC) by simply clickin in the table header.

Sync

The sync function was used by online applications and permitted to synchonize the actual database applcation with the online version. The synchronozation process was performed via FTP and a special FTP account should have been available on the remote server. This is a highly insecure feature and totally relied in external settings (FTP account) that are not always available out-of-the-box. No GUI alternative is available.

Database schema changes

No changes in the database structure have been introduced for the data tables, but few changes have been introduced to system tables structure.

In the following detailed description the prefix has been dropped form the table name for the sake of clarity. No change has put in place regarding the useof appication prefix.

Renamed column charts.query

The column charts.query has been renamed to charts.sqltext, since query is a SQL reserved keyword and causes unpredictable errors. No changes in field type has been made.

To upgrade the database, run on of the following statement, and remember to change the table prefix:

• sqlite:

  ALTER TABLE prefix__charts RENAME COLUMN "query" TO sqltext;
  

Also the new System configuration module can be used (> Validate application)..

Renamed column queries.table

The column queries.table has been renamed to queries.tb, since table is a SQL reserved keyword and caused unpredictable errors. No changes in field type has been made.

To upgrade the database, please run on of the following statement, and remember to change the table prefix:

• sqlite:

  ALTER TABLE prefix__queries RENAME COLUMN table TO tb;
  

Added column queries.vals

The column queries.vals has been added and was not available in v3.

To upgrade the database, please run on of the following statement, and remember to change the table prefix:

• sqlite:

  ALTER TABLE prefix__queries ADD COLUMN vals TEXT;
  

Dropped support for geodata.geo_el_elips and geodata.geo_el_asl

In v4 it has been removed system support for largely unused columns geodata.geo_el_elips and geodata.geo_el_asl, so you need to delete them manually during update.
Not deleting these columns will not produce any error. If you need elevation data (or other data related to geodata), you can of course add columns to table geodata and document them in the relative configuration file.

Added table logs

In v3 system errors, infos and warnings where logged to a dedicated SQLite database named meta.sqlite and saved in the db directory, the same directory where the main database (bdus.sqlite) was located.

Since v4 this information is saved within the main database in a dedicated table called logs. This change does not affect in any way the user experience and does not require any upgrade action from system administrators. Bradypus will automatically create the logs table, if it does not exist on initialization.

If no hybrid usage (strongly discouraged) of v3 and v4 is planned, it is safe to remove db/meta.sqlite.

Added table versions

In v3 previous snapshots of each edited record where saved to a dedicated SQLite database named meta.sqlite and saved in the db directory, the same directory where the main database (bdus.sqlite) was located.

Since v4 this information is saved within the main database in a dedicated table called versions. This change does not affect in any way the user experience, but requires some work by system administrators, that must create the table, if they want to activate versioning. Otherwize, no error will be triggerd, but versions will not be available.

The table can be easilu created in the new System configuration module (> Validate application).

If no hybrid usage (strongly discouraged) of v3 and v4 is planned, it is safe to remove db/meta.sqlite.

Configuration changes

The db_engine key of the app_data.json congiguration file is not optional anymore, since SQLite is not the only supported database engine. For applications migrating from v3, if not already set, should be set as follows:

"db_engine": "sqlite"

Bradypus will anyway write this setting in the configuration file, in order not to interrupt the database usage.

Template changes

As other parts of the system, the template engine has been fully rewritten as well.

Deprecated print.sqlSum

The function print.sqlSum in the templates has been deprecated and no replacement has been provided. The funcion was scarcely (if ever) used.

Deprecated print.simpleSum

The function print.simpleSum in the templates has been deprecated. It can be easily replaced by manually summing values obtained by print.value method. The funcion was scarcely (if ever) used.

Deprecated usage of span-n class

The usage of span-n values for div_class attributes in templates has been deprecated. Bradypus will continue to parse it to col-sm-n and a warning will be logged.
The feature will be removed in the next version, so system administrators should take action and replace span-n occurrenced with col-sm-n.