While the idea is good, the problem is that once you update the database, you're right back as if you had not done anything... hence, the Favorites Lists.
Not if the software was written properly. This is the problem, people settle for mediocrity all the time with software. What everyone needs to realize the RR database does not contain the fields that I am referring to anyway.
So effectively Sentinel would merge the RR database with the specific settings that you have chosen. For the specific records or only append the lines in the records like System, Site, Location, Frequencies, Talk Groups, Service Type. Everything else has nothing to do with the RR database.
If you look at all the fields that are available in Sentinel you will see that the person that writes the software likely just put default values in for everything? But the fields I am referring to are all there.
There is NO reason that users could not edit the lines I am referring to in the Master Database File within Sentinel and/or maybe even in the scanner itself, but it would be best addressed in the Sentinal software. The only trick is when something has to be removed from the database, it would need to delete the entire line, which is likely what happens now anyway.
You can download the data base into a favorites list and edit it anyway you want.
Quite aware that you can download the database into a favorites list, but doing this for the entire database might be a problem and it may take up additional resources in the SD card?
Interesting I did a quick experiment and reimporting the database did not seem to wipe out the specific settings I made, but maybe the database just ignored everything as there were no database changes anyway? Someone that knows how the database updates functions would understand the small details.
So for example if I drive through many states or cross country, I do not want to import everything into a Favorites list and modify them there. I would prefer to modify them in the Master Database so I can use the GPS function to manage the entire database while I drive and when I get to a final destination, I can then just continue to use the Master Database with my custom edit for Alerts, Volume Offsets, Priority, etc.
Seems simple enough in concept, this is what the Master Database was intended for from my understanding, to simplifying programming and allowing the scanner to be up and running in an area very quickly. Why can't a user modify the fields that make the HP scanners unique?
I am not looking for work arounds, I am looking for the software to be flexible enough that it should be able to be adjusted by the user. If you look at the Master Database, all the fields are present, they are just locked out and not modifiable.
Really not such a difficult task if the software was written correctly. But again, the software was likely written either to a spec that did not request this option or in a vacuum by someone that does not use a scanner?
Again, I get a bit frustrated by always being told, live with it and work around it. It does not look like this was the intention of the software and features in the first place.
I think if more users think like users and not always thinks about all the limitations and come up with work around solutions, the world would be a much better place and things would work a bit more like they should and not have limits due to incomplete software and/or incomplete implementation.
I have seen some VERY creative solutions performed with software that had project managers and real world end users providing wish list and real world feedback and ending up with a product that is flexible, usable and users friendly while being robust and stable.