General Topics
About FooBrain
How the Data is Organized
Getting to Know Your Way Around
Filtering the Application List
Viewing the Application Summary
Viewing Application Details
Compacting Your Database
Registration

Detailed Topics
Using FooBrain (aka. The Workflow)

Applications
Platforms, Tags and Filters
Versions
Change Notes
References, Auxiliaries and General Notes

About FooBrain back to top
FooBrain is a developer's utility that allows you to organize and track applications and websites, their versions and detailed information about the history and future of them all.

How the Data is Organized back to top
Before you start using FooBrain you should understand how it will organize all the information you give it.

Firstly, you have your applications. This includes programs, libraries, websites, etc. Each of your applications must have one or more user-defined platforms (Apache, .NET, MFC, Java, etc.). Applications may also have user-defined tags that aid in marking and filtering the application list.

Each application has one or more versions (2.0, XP, 2008, etc.) associated with it. Each of these versions can be associated with one or more of the previously chosen platforms. Each version/platform pair that you have defined can have associated change notes (bug fixes and new features), dependencies and auxiliaries (installs, patches, etc.). General version notes are associated with all platforms for a version.

See Also... Applications Platforms Versions Change Notes Dependencies Auxiliaries General Notes

Getting to Know Your Way Around back to top
Once you open FooBrain you'll notice the application list. This is where all the various types of programs will be displayed. Above the application list are your filtering icons , which you can use to filter your list based on tags that you define and other properties. Below the list is your application summary pane, which will display information and allow you to edit or delete the application. At the bottom in the menu bar, you'll find several icons for adding new applications , editing your list of tags and platforms and compacting your database . To get to the versions and finer details of your applications, simply double-tap it in the application list.

When you activate an application in the list you will be in the application details window. Notice the five icons on the menu bar at the bottom. These represent the versions panel , the change note panel , the dependencies panel , the auxiliaries panel and the notes panel . Activate a version by double-tapping it on the versions panel so that it appears with the application title at the top. Then you can view information about that version in the other panels. Filter the information about your active version using the 'platform filter' button at the top right.

See Also... Application List Application Summary Application Details Platforms and Tags Filters Versions Compacting your Database

Filtering the Application List back to top
Several properties are built-in to each application you create. You can also define tags and platforms for your applications. Then, you can filter the application list by any combination of these items. The first filter icon sorts your list alphabetically , followed by the custom , hidden , retired , unreleased and awaiting-changes applications. The final icon allows you to create filters based on the tags and platforms you have defined.

See Also... Filtering Filtering with Tags

Viewing the Application Summary back to top
When you select an application from the application list, you'll see a brief summary appear in the application summary pane at the bottom. If you double-tap the summary pane, it will expand to show you a more detailed summary including all current versions, tags and the full description. The icons at the upper right of the summary allow you to mark an application as hidden or retired , to edit it , or to delete it .

See Also... Application Summary Editing Applications

Viewing Application Details back to top
To get to the versions and finer details of your applications, simply double-tap it in the application list. The application will be moved to the top of the list and the application details will appear.

Once you have activated the application details, you can see all versions related to the it. View the details for each version by double-tapping it in the versions list. You can see which version is active by looking at the top title.

See Also... Application Details Versions

Compacting Your Database back to top
As you make changes to your FooBrain database, the indexed records will slowly take up more space. If you need to free up space on your device, you can compact your database by tapping the 'compact database' button on the menu bar of the main window.

Compacting your database eliminates all excess space used by deleted and updated records. Because of the structure of the FooBrain database, you may see slightly better loading times of large databases after a compact operation, but overall performance will likely not be affected. Compacting your database will also be the means of database upgrade for future versions of FooBrain.

Registration back to top
If you register FooBrain, I will put a plaque with your name on it on my living room wall. Not really, thats kinda creepy, but I will be very grateful. Get a code here. Then in FooBrain, tap the 'registration' button at the bottom of the main window. Type in your code and you will be free from the nag screen countdown for the rest of your days.