Hi Listers and (especially PDI): Please excuse the length of this message, but I've got many questions and few answers. I am trying to figure out what goes into constructing databases. I think there are a lot of uses we users could make of databases (i.e. a database of books we've downloaded, and a database of helpful hints we learn from this list, just to name a few.
Last year on this list, we were promised more definitive information about databases in the keysoft v5 manual, but all we got was a rehash of the information in version 4 relegated to the appendices. Be that as it may, let's examine existing databases and see what can be deduced. First off, I'll use the address list database as a template for my deductions and questions. ----- line 1: database Address list I presumes this identifies this as a database and names it. line 2: 24 I have no idea what this number means, perhaps the number of fields to be defined? Line 3: 14865, (a unique number used later for concatenating and sorting fields) name, (a field type with unique parameters such as length [I suspect] autocap, (I suspect this tells the system to make sure the first letter is capitalized whether the user capitalizes it.) "Last name" a prompt to be used for this field. . . . The next lines are similar to the one just described. . . 14857, phone, (this is obviously a phone number type field. [What are its restrictions?] autonum (I presume this restricts input to numeric data.), "Home phone number" (Just another title for the heading list.) . .(More of the same) 16515, email, (presumably this edits the field for things like an at sign and maybe a period) G0, (I presume this forces the user to use computer braille for data entry) "Home email address" . . 16448, address, (I can presume that the address type is like the name type except probably it allows for a longer field) "Street address" 16449, autocap, city, "City" (the unique thing here is that the autocap comes before the field type city. Why? Does position matter? 16450, allcaps, state, "State or county" (I can presume that `allcaps` forces the field to be in upper-case. Once again, why does the allcaps come before the "state" field type, and what are the restrictions on this type?) 16451, spell, "Zip or post code" (The difference here is that the data is spelled when read, I presume.) . . . 16393, file, "Notes" (This apparently puts input data into a file. Where is it? 24594, concat, "14865, 14854" (I presume that this field is a concatenation of the first and last name.) 24595, concat, "14854, 14865" (This appears to be a repeat of the above line. Why are there two of them?) announcement order 14854, 14865 (I am guessing that this is the order fields are announced in when perusing the list. Right?) sort order 24594, 24595 (This appears to be telling the system to sort the database on the two concatenated fields above. Not sure why since they apply to the same fields.) ----- end of guesses about the address list definition file ---- Things seem to get a little fuzzier when you examine the definition for the list of services database. Finally, my paranoia is really fed when I try to look at the history definition file (I presume this is for the iehistory list.) This file is protected. I can unprotect it. But, try as I may, I can't get the wordprocessor to open it. I suspect it's a hidden file and the wordprocessor doesn't seem to look at hidden files. Why is this the case? Why, you might ask yourself should I take so much time macro analyzing the system? Indeed I do have a life outside of work which has nothing to do with the braille note. I also know that some of us users would like to do things with our notetakers that Pulsedata never dreamed of. After all, not all the creative people work for PDI. I am reminded of fairly recent history when Hentor-Joyce released their scripting language for JAWS. Immediately after that, there were a wealth of scripts coming from users--things that have-just never anticipated. PDI come, if they dared, have a plethora of free employees improving their system--only if they would trust that blind people can be creative too. Okay, this is the end of my raving. I would be interested in what other users think? Even if you never plan on creating a different database from those provided, wouldn't you like it if others did and then posted them on this list? Since I believe this message is the longest I've ever written to the list, I think it might rival some of Roselle's best efforts, and I've gained a lot more respect for her tenacity in writing some of her missives. Please tell me what you think? And, PDI, could you comment on my analysis of a database and correct any gross assumptions I have had to make? Thanks, Bob
