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Prospective Users
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Creating Databases Using JFile
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JFile
is a fast, efficient, and user friendly database program
for the Palm OS Platform. New features include an advanced
filtering screen, categorization of databases, printing via
PalmPrint, font choices, scrollbars for fast navigation, and
more. Included with JFile is a PC based application that
can convert Comma Separated Value (.csv) files to and from
JFile .pdb format databases.
Creating a new database
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Figure 1: Click the New DB Button | |
- Power
up your PDA and select JFile Pro from the application launcher.
- Tap
the 'New DB' button (see figure 1). You will be taken to
the New/Modify Database View, where you can set up or make
changes to the databases field names, field types, and the
database name itself.
- Enter
the name of the database at the top of the screen, which
can be up to 30 characters in length.
- The
next step is to select the field names for each record and
the field types. The field names can be up to 20 characters
each in length (see figure 2). You may choose a different
Field Type for each field (see figure 3). To the right of
the field type column, you will see a '?' for certain field
types. Tapping this will allow you to choose among variations
of that particular field types. The field types are listed
below:
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String:
this is the 'normal' field type allowing strings
of up to 4000 characters to be entered in the
field list. For very long text fields, easy editing
and viewing of the field is possible by clicking
on the field name in the record view. This will
cause a popup edit box to appear that will allow
complete and easy access to the string field's
data.
- Bool:
this is the Boolean type of field type, and will
appear in your databases as a checkbox that is
either checked or unchecked.
- Date:
this is the Date type of field type, and will
popup a Date picking dialog box when you click
on the name of the field. Once you select date
as your field type, a question mark will popup
to the right of the field type column. Tapping
on this question mark will allow you to pick between
three variations. First, the Normal Date is a
date field that will be initially left blank and
allows you to pick any date that you choose. Second,
the Creation Date is a date field that automatically
fills in the date the record was created. Third,
the Modification Date is the date field that will
automatically insert the time the record was last
modified.
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Figure 3: Pick Your Field Type | |
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Time:
this is the Time type of field type, and will
popup a Time picking dialog box when you click
on the name of the
field. Once you select time as your field type,
you will again see the question mark to right
of the field type column. Tapping on this question
mark will allow you to pick between three variations.
First, the Normal Time is a time field that will
be initially left blank and allows you to pick
any time that you choose. Second, the Creation
Time is a time field that will automatically insert
the time the record was created. Third, the Modification
Time is a time field that will automatically insert
the time the record was last modified.
- Popup:
this is an extremely useful field. It allows you
to create a list of choices that you can pick
from and allows you to quickly insert pieces of
data into your database. You can define the contents
of the popup list once you have created the database.
Popup lists are not intended to be used for very
long lists of data. There are limitations in JFile
Pro that limit each Popup List to 100 items, and
each list is limited to approximately 2000 characters
of data. Once you select Popup as your field type,
you will again see the question mark to the right
of the field type column. Tapping on this question
mark will allow you to pick between two variations.
First, the Normal Popup replaces the data for
the field completely with the text from the popup
choice. Second, the Multiple Popup will allow
you to add more than one choice from the Popup
list to the data field.
- Int:
this is the Integer field type. Once again, a
question mark will appear to the right of the
field type column. Tapping on this question mark
will allow you to pick between two variations.
First, the Normal Integer allows you to enter
any integer you choose. Second, the Auto-Increment
Integer will automatically fill with the value
of the 'Starting Number' that you choose and then
each time a new record is created, the counter
is bumped up (or down for negative numbers) by
the amount of the 'Increment Amount'.
- Float:
this is the Floating Point field type. This type
allows you to input decimals. Sorting on this
field will be valid for integers up to approximately
9 digits in length.
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Figure 4: The Main Screen | |
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Now
that you have named your fields and chosen your field types,
tap done to return to the main screen. If you ever want
to modify the choices you have made, tap modify on the main
screen, which will then become highlighted, and then pick
the database you wish to modify.
- You're
done. On the main screen, tap on the name of the database
you just created and you will be able to begin adding information.
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