I have tried for hours to set up Google Cloud for use in tinywebdb. It appears all of the instructions are old enough (both on the MIT site and others thru Google searches) that the menu's and such that it says to click on aren't there. Are there any current instructions that actually work for this or is using Google Cloud no longer really an option?
Which instructions are you following - a link would be helpful
Welcome Joseph.
Here are recent discussions about the TinyWebDB provided on MIT's server. Search results for 'Tinywebdb' - MIT App Inventor Community
- TinyWebDB
- The
TinyWebDBcomponent communicates with a Web service to store and retrieve information. Although this component is usable, it is very limited and meant primarily as a demonstration for people who would like to create their own components that talk to the Web. - you might like this alternative Host Your Own TinyWebDB Node Server - NodeJS | On Shared Hosting
A more extensive version or two:
I'm basically wanting to make an app for a Clue score sheet. I did that in MS Access and put the database on a thumb drive attached to my router. It works okay, but want to do it with a tablet app, as it's easier to get friends to bring tablets than to bring their computers for game night. The other thing it did was allow you to pass out the cards as usual, then each person enters what card they have on their score sheet, and they no longer even need the cards. For example, they can "pass" a card to someone else to view thru their score sheet (one time click and view, then it deletes the information, as if you were playing with real cards, you wouldn't be able to see the card at will later). The 2 main down sides of doing it with Access was, each person has to have MS Access on their computers, and I've found thru the years that often when the next version of it comes out, the databases done in previous versions can become inoperable (biggest down side of Access of all right there). Anyway, with a "tablet" app (phone screen probably too small) that could be used from anywhere, not just my home.
Is cloud db what I really should be using then?
I don't know if the CloudDB data storage is what you need. CloudDB is non-sql database (flat file) and Access is an sql database. If you presently have sql statements in your database to access data you will discover all the work for locating appropriate entries depends on the code the developer writes. App Inventor developers use Lists to store data and generally manipulate the Lists to select required information.
Here are a few examples of multiplayer games others have made using a CloudDB: There isn't a tutorial showing how to make a multiplayer Clue game.
- two person game Mountain Kingdom - a chat real time two player, two device game using the CloudDB and a Canvas . It can be adapted for more players.
- Here is a Firebase based game by Hossein chat | Search Results | Hossein Amerkashi's Blog
Can you make a scoresheet for Clue? Probably if it is something like this: Clue Score Sheets to print for free in PDF you can create the displays and save data appropriately as a List saved as a Tag in the CloudDB.
An alternative would be to use a Google Spreadsheet. App Inventor Tutorials and Examples: Google Spreadsheet Database | Pura Vida Apps
or
CloudDB is effectively a superset of the TinyWebDB functionality. Both are key-value stores. CloudDB can also trigger updates in the app when another instance makes a change (unlike TinyWebDB which must poll for updates).