Good evening all.

I would like to create a system to assist me in my job, I spend a large amount of time on the road and find that I'm doubling my workload by having to undertake my work twice.

I've bought an iPad to take notes as I go around to each site, but then once off site I have to type it up using my laptop.

What I'd really like to do is be able to build an application that I can use on my iPad that will allow me to use the iPad and complete the information as I go round but I realise that there is limits to this:

1, that I don't own a mac so cannot create the application

2, the application would be limited to iPad so I'd have to store the info on the iPad.


I'm not a programmer and have no experience in any of the software out there but I do have a good knowledge around a computer and a huge appetite to learn.

I'm thinking that if I use a windows based system I can have a database with communication by means of a website that I can access by the iPad.

The system I'm trying to build would have:

1, forms that are dynamic based on the user input

For example question 1 would require an answer of yes or no, if yes was selected then sub-questions would be shown 1.1, 1.2 etc, if no was selected then the form would go to question 2.

2, Based on the answers given the results could be populated in to a report;

3, Once complete the report could be Emailed to a designated person(s) possible in PDF format and saved to the database.

I've been thinking of the best platform to build this on, I've been advised that PHP would be the platform to learn.

I've no idea where to start hence coming to the forum to find out from people who know.

I would be extremely grateful of your advice.


Best Regards

Safetyguy

I notice that there has been 50 reviews to my post but not one reply, have joined the wrong forum for my question? If so can you point one that will be able to answer my question.

SG

I think the question is too broad. PHP isn't a bad place to start. I'd google around for "LAMP tutorial". It's hard to give you useful direction beyond getting your feet wet with a couple tutorials.

There are some other things to consider before you go much further. Do you have security/privacy concerns with the information you'll be storing? Are there any regulatory concerns you must comply with?

I ran in to a couple such hurdles while developing applications for field use for the loss prevention folks at an insurance company. Sometimes the technical stuff is the easy part...