Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 08:55:19 +0000 From: Graham Allsopp Subject: Databases In response to Bill Sawrey's dismay at FileMaker Pro, I post the replies I received last week. I requested some information on databases for storing information concerning the maps, diagrams & drawings we produce. Thanks for all the replies folks - they don't reach any real conclusion though. From the replies, and talking to a few fellow cartographers over here, FileMaker Pro seems favorite, but sometimes I almost feel that it was easier in the days of drafting film & pens ... Apologies in advance for the length of this posting, Graham Message from Stuart Greenfield >I'd highly recommend FileMaker Pro. It's easy to setup and modify. You can >even include graphic images as a field. It also is easy to modify on the >fly, e.g., you decide additional information (fields) need to be added at >some later date. Setting up reports is also excellent. Message from Steve Waechter (swaechter@utmem2.utmem.edu) >I heartily recommend FileMaker Pro for any database uses. I have used it for >several databases, from a fairly simple one to track journal articles, to an >extremely complicated one to track clerkship students and their preceptors. It >has relational capabilities, which sound like they would be helpful for your >purposes. FileMaker Pro is VERY user-friendly; practically anyone could set up >a new database in this program. I don't think you would ever regret getting >this software; I surely haven't. But bear in mind--this is only IMHO! Message from Andy Kesling >I've had good luck with FileMaker Pro from Claris. I have used it daily for >more than a year and have experienced fewer than a half dozen crashes. The data >base structure is rock-solid as well. Despite losing file service and power >outages, I've never completely trashed a data base. FileMaker has alway be able >to put the data base back into a usable form. >FileMaker is fairly simple to use. What you are describing would take less than >20 minutes to put together -- fewer if you were familiar with the program. >It has a feature that will generate a sequence of numbers, and it even allows >you to store pictures in the data base. I'm not sure about what formats are >available. I think it will store EPS images. >The price runs about $200 mail order. Claris will be releasing an upgrade of >FileMaker this fall. I will run with a Windows-based version and allow both DOS >and Mac users to share the same data base without going through conversion. >FileMaker also has a built-in multiuser capability, which allows two or more >people to use the same data base at the same time. A file server is not >required for this feature. >The technical support that Claris provides for FileMaker is excellent as well. >I've had some unusual situations and needs, and the tech support people have >always been helpful. Message from Wade Williams (wadew@EDU.AUBURN.DUCVAX) >Don't try to get by cheaply. Get an Oracle server. Message from Dave Valentine (dwv@edu.ucsb.geol.magic) >I'd reccomend Double Helix, based on its stability, and ease of programming. By >stability, I mean that double helix 1.0 still runs under system 7. I'm still >using the release 3.0 from nearly three years back. It's extreamly easy to >program. It uses icons to represent fields of the database, and other >calculations. It's programming is nearly object-oriented, and very easy to >use. IF you want to add a field, just do drag an icon, and its done. You can >create custom forms and menus easily. And you can even create different menus >and layouts(forms) for differnt users. Although I'd reccomend you really think >about fields you need before you start, it's always nice to know that it is >really easy to add a field. Fields can be 32k long, and it has always supported >Picts in the database. I was reading in MacWeek, that the new version will >support BLOBS, or binary large objects. This will allow you to store the >graphic files in the database. > >DH is also multiuser, and has the ability to post enteries, which I'm told is >used for creating accounting databases. All information is stored in one >file. And you can recover the database after system bombs, or power outages. > >But don't forget to back up. It's also relational, so you could have a record >for each customer, which could be related to each job, and a separate record >for each drawing. Let the database tell you how many drawings there are. Message from "mr. bill" <7506P@EARN.NAVPGS> >re your request for database advice ... i have built and maintain two large >(3 mb) database files with in excess of 9000 records each, one of which >is still growing. after watching the magazines for months, i recently saw >a review of db's (macuser??) naming claris filemaker pro as the top flatfile >db for the mac. so i bought it. what a disappointment !!! unlike the little >integrated program db (greatworks) i'd been using, filemaker pro has an archane > >search routine with very little flexibility. any of the upper row shift charact >ers (|@#$%~&*() etc) are not valid search parameters!! although i like fp's >looks, and it appears to handle data rapidly, the lack of a 'decent' search >capability and its wierd search hierarchy has turned me off completely!! i >called claris, expressed my displeasure and asked if the next version ( i have > >1.3, v 2(?) due out shortly) will correct these shortcomings - answer is no! i >wish you luck, and would appreciate it if you let me know if you find a >better soluti on.