Changing field formats....AGAIN!

[EFvanGelder]

This is a bug, that has manifested itself repeatedly, gets 'resolved', and then, if one just gets used to this feature working 'reliably' enough, all the sudden reappears again.
And it's starting to annoy me beyond the point where I'm losing confidence in the safety of my data in this product.

The problem (again):
In my contacts, I use to add custom fields, some with 'date' as a format property. Nice to keep track of specific events, e.g. jubilee dates etc.
However, occasionally after I synchronize my data with another (android) device, the format of these fields is changed to 'text', and the content transformed to a numeric value I can't do anything with. Of course, when that happens, you cannot change the format back to it's original, so you lose all those events.

I find myself hasitating to use that feature ever again, as in my experience, it's a certain way to lose valuable data.
Which leads to the question whether this product is reliable enough to serve as a Personal Information Manager....It can't even keep the data in the right format.

So this problem should be addressed urgently and thouroughly this time, as, however I have been using this product for many years to my satisfaction, I certainly will not hasitate to turn away from it, if I cannot rely on the safety of my data in it....

Using EPIM r7.24 PRO, synchronized with 2 EPIM Android devices (phone and tablet)

[Len]

"some with 'date' as a format property."

Could you not enter the Date as a Text item and not a Date Item, surely it would not change then??

[EFvanGelder]

Thanks for the attempt to point out an alternative.
First of all, this phenomenon appears not to be limited to custom fields with 'date' as a field format property eiher. It also happens to numerical and logical fields (i.e. fields with True/False check boxes etc). So, I think there's no guarantee that eventually text fielkds cannot be destroyed like this too.

Of course one can put dates in the database as a textual content.
But, the point is, custom field content is being handled according to its format. Therefore, content in 'date' format can be displayed in the calendar, where textual content obvoiusly can't. So, planningwise, I'm afraid this is not a feasable solution.

But the problem isn't really that I cannot use the date format properly, the problem is, that apparently, custom field format properties are being changed 'spontaneously', resulting in irreversebly changed content.

As a result, EPIM is destroying data from time to time, in some circumstances.
I really have a problem with trusting my precious data to a 'Personal Information Management' application doing things like that, as keeping data safe and organized should be a key feature in a 'Personal Information Manager'.

So I really hope that this gets finally resolved rather then worked around.

[Max]

Hello,

does the problem appear after/due to synchronizing with Android device?

[AJan]

I can confirm that my custom made date fields were transformed into text after syncing with my android phone. This keeps me from using EPIM in the way I really should like, that is as a big database for everything I want to remember.

[admin]

This will be addressed once the custom date fields are introduced in Android EPIM. Thanks!

[M.Jever]

This cant be real!
This thread started June 2017, almost 8 month ago. A database driven app, which is not able to keep the integrity of the database within its own apps!
I bought EPIM some years ago, sometimes struggling with sync. I know there is "plenty of mess" with synchronizing contact data between different OSes and programs. But within your own eco system?
First, when I searched for my problems, destroying my data in custom date fields by synchronizing back to the win app i saw this thread: Ok, I looked at the latest post: last summer. But there is a thread form 2016 with the same problem.
Destroying data within your own app is a NoGo!

Close this serious bug!!

[admin]

This isn't a bug rather a lacking feature, which will be introduced in the next major versions of WinEPIM 7.7 and Android EPIM 5.5.

[EFvanGelder]

Admin, do I read this right? You are actually going to introduce al lacking feature in the next major version of WinEPIM? 'cause that is what your reply says.

But seriously:I really think that users couldn't care less on how you call the problem: An error, a defect, a bug, a lacking feature. After two years, users are probably more interested in a solution to the whatever you call it.

[M.Jever]

This isn't a bug rather a lacking feature, which will be introduced in the next major versions of WinEPIM 7.7 and Android EPIM 5.5.

Imho no. this isn't a lacking feature:
- In EPIM for Windwos I add a new field withe the type (Dropdown list!) "date";
- I fill in a date (the contact editor displays a 'date select' popup.
- then I sync my data with the built-in synch module to EPIM on android.
- "et voilà": the date is text, ala "YYYY-MM-DD".
- nNext sync ( if the contact on android was edited) -> the entry in EPIM Windows is an integer!
- the data integrity is destroyed
Is this a lacking feature?

Btw, your signature:

Android version of EssentialPIM. Keep all your data in sync!

[admin]

In any case, the data is still there. Like I said, the situation would be improved in the next major version.

[EFvanGelder]

No, it isn't. The date 15/03/2018 is, as a result of this, 'translated' to a numeric value 43174 in a text formatted field, and there's no way to change the field format back from 'text' to 'date'. So no, you can't do anything with it, unless you manually copy all the text formatted values to a spreadsheet, then reformat to a date format, and finally copy the dates back to epim.
Which is fine, if you have like 5 records to process, but with like 750 records in my database and this happening 1 out of 5 synchronizations - no thank you very much!
Better not to use custom fields in any other format than 'text'. At least '2018/03/16' as a text is somewhat usable, or recognizable as a date.
Let's be honest: it simply is a major f*ck*p, which is not a problem: shit happens. But this need to be resolved fast and a solution was promised some versions ago already.

[M.Jever]

In any case, the data is still there. Like I said, the situation would be improved in the next major version.

When will we get this version? Until then I have to stop any sync with my Phone.
Oh, now I got it:

Android version of EssentialPIM. Keep all your data in sync!

The lacking feature

Sorry for the sarcastic tone...

[admin]

First public Beta version will most likely appear in March.