Which software

[Jamesmc]

Hi all, I'm looking for advise on which software to use for my dive logging.
First I have been using Dive Log 5 on my PC but since then I have purchased a Mac which is now my perferred computer. I have downloaded Mac-Dive 2 and I'm using the demo. I alos now have an iPhone.
I've check out some of the sites but I'm a little confused. What software do I need to keep track of my dives on the Mac and iPhone and keep then synchonised also? Is it also possible to sync my PC as well?

James

[nick]

MacDive can sync with Dive Log on your iPhone or iPad. That covers your Mac and your iPad/iPhone.

It doesn't run on windows. For that your best bet is probably Diving Log. Diving Log will read MacDive's data files, and the two can share UDCF. But there's no proper sync between them. Dive Log may be an adequate solution, though - I'm not sure.

[Jamesmc]

Thanks Nick, that is what I was thinking was my best option too. Thanks.

[nick]

The existing version of MacDive (2.0.6) is... well, less than awesome with it's Dive Log sync. Greg (author of Dive Log) and I have put a lot of work in to ensuring that the next patch is significantly better - it is not only significantly faster to sync, it also syncs much more information than it does currently, and supports a bunch of new things that will be in the upcoming version of Dive Log also.

They should both be out relatively soon, so if you're trying things out now and run in to problems, rest assured they are probably already fixed!

[awswimmer]

James

I have been using Macdive (1 & 2.06) for a while now and it is very good, I prefer it to the latest Suunto version (which is windows, but I ran it virtually to test it, V3 is better Suunto why did you make it worse!)

Nick is doing himself a disservice on the sync, which IS less than perfect, but OK if you can get he hang of it (BUT it lost all my certs off the iPhone(4) and I ended up with 2 sets of dives for a while, oh well!)

It is a nice interface, though and tidies stuff up nicely, collecting a decent amount of information.

It would be good to be able to collect the site information on the phone when you dive (I use a waterproof holder on the surface and collect) and then to ensure that it syncs with the dive information when you have synced the dive computer to Macdive, but I do like the program and just junked Dive Log to prove it!

[nick]

It would be good to be able to collect the site information on the phone when you dive (I use a waterproof holder on the surface and collect) and then to ensure that it syncs with the dive information when you have synced the dive computer to Macdive, but I do like the program and just junked Dive Log to prove it!

This should work - I do it myself. The primary issue with it, though, is that the way Dive Log and MacDive represent sites (internally) is very different. So in order for it to work properly, you need to create a dive and associate that site with it, in Dive Log. Ensure the dive start time is about the same as what you've downloaded from your dive computer in to MacDive, and then sync after that. Things should match up correctly and you should end up with one dive and the correct site + gps etc, all merged nicely in MacDive and then transferred back to the device.