README - pdr/pdx
================
pdr ("personal data recorder") and pdx ("personal data expert") are
free applications to collect and evaluate mostly numeric, personal
data in a highly configurable, automatic way.

Purpose
-------
pdr collects data by polling data sources where these data appear and
stores them in collections in a database. pdx creates reports and
diagrams from that database:

  data source                       reports (HTML, XML, TXT, ...)
              \                    /
  data source -+- pdr        pdx -+
              /      \      /      \
  data source        database       diagrams (SVG, EPS, FIG, PNG)

The intended use case is to log individual medical data (blood sugar,
blood pressure, body temperature, weight, heart rate and also
medication). But you can use the programs also for technical, sports,
fitness, weather, environmental or financial data. The principle is a
continuous flow of numbers in time that you want to monitor. Every
data item can also be commented by text.

An interesting aspect of data sources is to use a Twitter account or
an e-mail mailbox because all modern mobile phones can be used as
front ends. So, sending a Twitter message or a short e-mail like
"5.2 8i" is very few effort to get data into this software system. The
Twitter or mail server stores your data until pdr processes them. This
makes the user very flexible in time and location.

Compilation and Installation
----------------------------
Read INSTALL for requirements and detailed instructions about
compiling and installing pdr and pdx.

Manual
------
I wrote complete manuals in German (because I speak German) and
something like English in the hope that they will be readable and
useful. See the doc-directory.

Contact
-------
In any case of bugs or suggestions contact me by e-mail.

Torsten Mueller
Bern, Switzerland
pdrx@fastmail.fm
http://pdrx.fastmail.fm/