The Official S-Base Web Site
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The Official S-Base Web Site |
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SBASE
THE PROGRAMMABLE DATABASE SBase is a programmable, fully relational, RISC OS database management system, which allows you to develop customised data applications without any programming.
Using 'SAM', the SBase Application Manager, you can convert existing data into an SBase database with two clicks of the mouse - just drag in a CSV file and let SAM do the rest. SAM creates applications automatically, complete with screen layouts and report formats. So now, the most powerful RISC OS database on the market is also the easiest to use. And for users with programming experience, SBase provides a state-of-the-art, WIMP-based, integrated development environment At its heart is the S language, a high level database programming language, with over 300 commands and functions. In addition, powerful program editors, a style-based template editor, an intelligent screen layout editor and a multifile database designer, ensure that design, programming and testing can all be carried out within the SBase environment. Using SBase, you can create a simple, card-based, multi-tasking application with only a few lines of code; a large, complex, high performance system can be reliably engineered in the shortest time. SBase is available in three versions: SBase Personal, SBase Developer (which may be used to create compiled applications for sale) and SBase Developer Plus (for creating networked applications).
CREATING A NEW APPLICATION
Using SBase, a novice user can create a new application in minutes' simply click on the SBase icon, give the application a name, drag the file icon into the SBase directory - and SAM creates the application for you. The SAM window provides all the resources you will need to work on your application.
IMPORTING EXISTING DATA Existing data can be converted into an SBase database with two clicks of the mouse - just click on 'Files' in the SAM window, drag the data (as a CSV file) into the file list viewer, type in a file name, click OK, and SBase will import the data. To examine the data, click on 'Files' with the Menu button then select the file you've just created Since it's a new file, SAM will need to create screen layouts and report formats. This is done automatically and will only take a few seconds. SBase will then display the first record as a 'card' (single record format), complete with control icons.
CREATING A NEW DATABASE FILE Even if you don't have data to import, creating a new datafile is easy: click on 'Files' with the Menu button, select 'Add', type in a filename, press return, and SAM creates the file for you. The next step is to specify the fields you need SAM does most of the work for you. For example, SAM has a pre-defined datatype called 'name'. If you add a field called 'name' SAM will automatically select the correct data format. Pre-defined datatypes exist for most types of field - name, address, date, money, photos, etc. Once you've added all the fields you require, SAM will automatically create the screen layouts and report formats, and open the file at the first (blank) card, ready for you to begin typing in data.
ADDING AND ALTERING DATA You can add or modify data by moving the cursor to the appropriate field and typing. SBase saves the new data automatically when you move to the next record; you can insert a blank card by clicking on the 'new page' icon and delete a card by clicking on the 'dustbin' icon.
MULTI-MEDIA FILES
In addition to textual data, SBase record fields can contain photographs, drawings, sounds and video -simply drag the file into the appropriate field. SBase compresses these files automatically, to reduce the disk space required by your application.
TABLES AND REPORTS When SAM creates a file, it also creates suitable table and report formats. A table is an alternative way of displaying data on the screen: it displays multiple records, like a spreadsheet. A report is the format used when printing data. It can be previewed on screen and printed out using any RISC OS printer driver
CUSTOMISING YOUR APPLICATION
SAM creates a basic application using 'standard formats' for cards, tables and reports, which is ideal for the novice user who wants to be up-and-running very quickly, or for simple applications. But as you become more familiar with SBase, you can improve your application - you can add new fields; you can re-arrange fields, you can define specialised datatypes not available as predefined options; you can create new card, table and report formats, that display only selected data; and you can improve the presentation of cards, tables and reports.
SBase provides an easy-to-use natural language query facility, called QBE (Query By Example), witich allows you to sort and retrleve data, using the simple phrases listed below.X
Clicking on the 'query' icon displays the query editor This lists all the fields in the file you are querying, each in a separate column. Simply type the query into the appropriate fields. For example, if you want to find all records with addresses not in the United Kingdom, type 'not UK' into the address field and run the query - SBase will find all the records that match. QBE is very powerful, because it allows you to include several conditions in a single query For example, you can find all records with addresses not in the UK and names that begin with 'A', by putting 'begins with a' an the name field and 'not UK' in the address field. And you can find records that fulfil one condition or another, by putting the conditions on different lines.
For users with programming experience, SBase provides a state-of-the-art, integrated development environment comprising a high level database programming language, powerful program editors, a style-based template editor, an intelligent screen layout editor and a multifile database designer.
SBASE DEVELOPER AND SBASE DEVELOPER PLUS SBASE 2 Developer is a version of SBase which allows you to create compiled applications that will run independently of SBase. Once your application is completed and tested, SBASE 2 Developer will compile it into a compact, distributable binary file, which cannot be edited by your users. Applications developed using SBase Developer may be sold or given away with no royalty payable for 'SExec' run-time engine. Additional facilities provided by SBase Developer include:
NETWORKED AND MULTI-USER APPLICATIONS SBase Developer Plus can be used to create applications that operate as multi-user systems over a network - where the combination of a smart database server, and highly optimised data exchange protocols, ensures high speed operation, even over Econet. Operation over the network is completely transparent to both the user and the developer. The multi-tasking S-BASE 2 server application, S-Net, is independent of the nerwork file server and can run on any network machine A single S-net server can offer any number of applications across the network, so a 2 MB machine can serve several clients running different applications. Client machines can present a menu of applications available on the network or can be configured to locate the required application automatically. Applications designed for network operation will run on a stand alone machine without modification.
RESOURCES An S-Base application is made up from a number of resources. For example, the 'Files' resource defines how data is to be stored, the 'Templates' resource is used to create windows, with icons and buttons, and the 'Formats' resource displays database and other information in the window. You can copy useful resources from existing applications, then modify them to fit your new application.
An important part of creating a data application is the design of windows and icons SBase provides a comprehensive window designer to ensure that your applications are consistent with other RISC OS-based software. The Template dialogue provides two default window styles, with different arrangements of title bar, scroll bars, close box, and so on. You can edit these, adding icons and buttons, to create a window style suitable for your application. THE S LANGUAGE SBase is the only RISC OS-based database that is fully programmable. The S language is an easy-to-learn, interpreted, high level programming language, which offers over 300 commands and functions
FLEXIBLE DATA HANDLING
An SBase application can incorporate menus, dialogues, tables and multi-choice selectors -whatever data entry method is most suitable for your users. The format layout editor makes it easy to assemble and link these elements together into an integrated design, and SBase checks everything you do for consistency, reducing the possibility of frustrating mistakes.
Besides text cards (in any outline font style), reports and tables can include drawings or sprites Reports can be produced in virtually any format, including multi-column text, address labels, ID cards, stock catalogues, etc.
RELATIONAL
SBase places no limits on the number of files you can open at once. Your application can compare, process and display data from dozens of different files with no difficulty.
HIGH SPEED
SBase is designed to handle large volumes of data at speeds acceptable to the user: an SBase application can process very large files, containing many thousands of records, in seconds, updating the screen as fast as a C program written by an expert programmer. SBase keeps the opening of files and loadang of data to a minimum, and so avoids long and fiustrating initialisation periods when working with large multi-file databases. Its state-of-the-art STEALTH file indexing technology ensures that even when you're working in the interactive developer's environment an application can start up in a fraction of a second. Whereas a typical database can take up to five minutes to add 500 records to a file with five indexes (since the indexes must be updated after each record), SBase can add 5000 records in under one minute (timed on an A5OOO), by performing the reindexing later.
MEMORY MANAGEMENT SBase's STEALTH memory management technology releases memory to RISC OS whenever it is no longer needed SBase claims and releases memory, as required, throughout the execution of your application
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS SBase Personal will run on any RISC OS machine with 2MB of memory, for SBase Developer and SBase Developer Plus 4MB of memory is recommended. RISC OS 3 is recommended, but SBase operates fast enough to perform well on an ARM2 or ARM250-based machine.
DATA LIMITS SBase does not unnecessarily limit the size or complexity of an application, the following limits are imposed by disc space, memory or 32-bit processor restrictions.
DATATYPES S-Base provides a number of simple data types. Each can beassigned a valid range. Integer (1,2,3 or 4 byte) - Stores a binary value. Floating point decimal (4 or 8 bytes) - With or without fixed decimal places (2 decimal places can be used to store currency) Accurate to 6 or 14 decimal places. String Up to 254 characters. Date (4 bytes) - From about 10,000 BC to about 10,000 AD. Time (4 bytes) - Accurate to one second, from 1/1/1970 at 0:00, for approx. 130 years. External (4 bytes) - Stored in a file external to the database There is no limit to the size of an external. data much larger than available memory can be stored in an external. Array - Up to 3 dimensions of any type, useful for multi-value fields. Structure A group of values stored together. You can have structures within structures and arrays of structures.
DATA IMPORT File formats supported: S-Base, Comma Separated variable (CSV). Squirrel and DBase formats available in Developer editions only.
www.bluewaternz.com/s-base For more information about S-Base, including pricing, availability and product support, see the above web site or email s-base@bluewaternz.com. Return to Bluewater HomeSend mail to webmaster@bluewaternz.com
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