Creating a Database and Database Fields Introduction Creating databases, adding the database field structure and adding database records is accomplished with one page and the mgiEditDatabase tag. MGI Tags mgiEditDatabase Steps Create a database administration page in a text editor. Insert the mgiEditDatabase tag. Save the database administration page. FTP the database administration page to the web server running MGI. View the database administration page in a web browser. Enter the name of a new database. Add each database field. Add database records. Step 1: Create a database administration page in a text editor. Create a new page in a text editing program to display the web-based, database administration interface. Step 2: Insert the mgiEditDatabase tag. On the database administration page, enter the mgiEditDatabase tag. <mgiEditDatabase> Step 3: Save the database administration page. Save the database administration page and name it "dbadmin.mgi". Step 4: FTP the database administration page to the web server running MGI. Upload the database administration page (dbadmin.mgi) from your local computer to the web server using an FTP program. Step 5: View the database administration page in a web browser. View the database administration page (dbadmin.mgi) in a browser. The first screen of the web-based, administration interface is displayed: Step 6: Enter the name of a new database. Below the sentence "Enter the name for a new database (if it doesn't exist, it will be created):" enter the name of a new database ("Products" in this example). Remember, database names are case-sensitive. Click the "Fields" button to create the new database and proceed to the field screen of the interface. New databases are unique to and available to all files in the region in which they are created. Step 7: Add each database field. In the field screen of the administration interface, enter a name, type, index selection, uniqueness selection, and length/precision for each database field. Before creating the fields, consider what type of information will be entered in the database records. Your database structure can be changed after you create the field structure, but it is easier to plan ahead for each piece of information that you need.   Once you have decided which fields to include in the database, consider the type of information that will be entered in each field. An MGI database field can contain the following types of information: True/False (Boolean): a field containing the values "True" or "False" to discriminate records. Whole Number (Integer): a whole number field can contain only whole numbers without decimals such as quantities, etc. Positive Number (Unsigned Integer): a positive number field can contain only positive whole numbers without decimals such as years, etc. Decimal Number (Multi-Precision Float): a decimal number field can contain decimal numbers with multiple decimal places such as prices, weights, tax rates, percents, etc. Enter the number of decimal places in the "Length/Prec" box when creating a Decimal Number field. Text (Max Length 250): a text field can contain up to 250 alpha-numeric characters. Enter the maximum number of characters (up to 250) in the "Length/Prec" box when creating a text field. The default length is 25 characters. Long Text: a long text field can contain text that is greater than 250 alpha-numeric characters, but the information in a long text field cannot be used for ordering and cannot be designated as unique.   Next, consider which fields may be need to be searched (in the database record administraton screen or using an mgiSearchDatabase tag) or used to order database search results. Any field that you want to search or use for ordering search results must be indexed when you create the field. Creating an indexed field does not predetermine the order of your search results; it only allows you to order results by that criteria. The order of results is actually specified in the mgiSearchDatabase tag. Indexing fields does add some overhead to the searching process, so only index fields that you need to use for searching or ordering search results. Do not index every field!   Finally, consider whether information in the field should be designated as unique. Unique fields do not allow duplicate information (including multiple records with blank information in the unique field). For example, you may want to insure that Product Indentification numbers are unique.   To create a field, enter the case-sensitive field name in the area labeled "Name". The length of field names in the internal MGI database is limited according to the type of field and operating system. All field names that are not indexed are limited to 63 characters. The limit for non-indexed field names applies to all operating systems. Indexed field names on Macintosh operating systems 9.04 and prior are limited to 25 characters. Indexed field names on all supported Windows operating systems are limited to 63 characters.   Select a field type from the pop-up menu labeled "Type". Select "Yes" beside the "Indexed" label if the field will be searched or used to order database search results. Select "No" beside the "Indexed" label if the field will not be searched or used to order database search results. Select "Yes" beside the "Unique" label if the contents of the field are required to be unique. Select "No" beside the "Unique" label if the contents of the field are not required to be unique. For text field types and decimal number field types, enter the maximum number of characters or the number of decimal places, respectively, in the area labeled "Length/Prec". Click the "Add Field" button to add the field to the database. Fields are listed in the order they are created below the new field interface.   In this example, fields for a product database were created: Step 8: Add database records. Return to the main database administration screen by entering and viewing the database administration page (dbadmin.mgi) page in a web browser. Select the radio button beside the database you wish to populate and click the "Records" button. If no records are present, the "New" and "Import" buttons are displayed. Click the "New" button to add a database record.   On the new record screen of the database administration interface, enter information in each field and click the "Submit Record" button to save the new data. After submitting a new record, the message "Record successfully added" displays and allows you to enter additional new records at the new record screen of the database administration interface. Enter new records following the directions above until all information has been added. To view the records, click the "First" button and then click the ">>" (Next) and "<<" (Previous) buttons to browse the records. To locate records, click the "Search" button, enter search criteria into any indexed field and click the "Search Now" button. Use an asterisk * for wildcard and partial searches (see example below). Select the radio button under the "Order" column to order search results by the selected field. Check the box under the "Rev" column beside the field you have selected in the "Order" column to reverse the order of search results. If no ordering is selected, search results are displayed in the ordered they were entered into the database. If a field is ordered, search results are ordered in ascending order (A to Z, smallest to largest) by default. If a field is ordered and reversed, search results are ordered in descending order (Z to A, largest to smallest). When results are displayed, select the radio button beside any search result and click the "View" button to view the full record. To update a record, browse to view the record or locate and view the record via a search. While viewing the record, make changes in any field and click the "Save" button to save the changes and reload the record or click the "Save >>" button to save the changes to the existing record and advance to the next record.   When viewing a record, click the "Delete" button to delete that record. Click the "Delete All" button on any screen to delete all records in the database. Comments and Notes The mgiEditDatabase tag gives you and anyone who views the page in a web browser access to modify databases. Keep your databases secure by password-protecting the database administration page with an mgiAuthenticate or mgiAuthenticateDB tag.