Database schema feature request

[ricko 0]

I'd like to see each table of the database contain a last modified timestamp column. ( separate creation timestamp maight also be nice.)

 

Also, I am hoping that the database schema document will be updated to be current with the next release.

 

Lastly, an XML full export option would also make me feel safer in that my data could at least theoretically, be transportable should WhollyGenes get hit by a bus.

[Robert Jacobs 0]

I'd like to see each table of the database contain a last modified timestamp column. ( separate creation timestamp maight also be nice.)

 

Also, I am hoping that the database schema document will be updated to be current with the next release.

 

Lastly, an XML full export option would also make me feel safer in that my data could at least theoretically, be transportable should WhollyGenes get hit by a bus.

 

Dear Rick,

 

The operating system time stamps files when they have been written. All you have to do is set up the "date modified" column header in the file explorer. In TMG 7 the .PJC and *$.DBF files are rewritten every time one opens and closes TMG but I think those are the only two -- the others are only written when altered. The creation timestamp can also be seen in the file explorer in the "date created" column.

 

The "last edited" entry in the person view tells you when a person's record was last altered.

 

Lastly, the XML export might be useful, but there are already nearly a dozen export formats including some pretty standard types.

 

All good wishes.

 

 

formerprof

[RobinL 0]

I would agree with both these requests if they are implemented sensibly.

 

I believe that formerprof has missed the import of the time-stamp request. Rick is asking for a separate fields in which TMG records the time stamp of the last edit of each record of the database. This would allow for better comparison of projects (created from the same base) like editing by one researcher or another; or edited on a laptop on a trip and be y another researcher on a desktop at home. To be effective, this would need to be done within TMG.

 

The second request is satisfied to some extent by some of the tools already available. BUT these tools do not understand the way that memos of the files are used or the way one field in one table is linked to another field in other table. For instance, exporting the <ProjectName> _I.DBF file to XML should properly include the data content of the file that *is* the exhibit. Even this is unsatisfactory unless it is performed in a way that provides accurately for the linkage between the 27+ tables that form a TMG project. This export would not have to be provided explicitly inside TMG as it could be done equally well by a third party utility.

[Robert Jacobs 0]

I believe that formerprof has missed the import of the time-stamp request.

 

 

Indeed I did. I didn't consider the problem of having multiple researchers editing the files. The laptop problem for the single researcher is easily surmounted by setting XCOPY or ROBOCOPY to copy only later files. I'm not clear on how the timestamp would allow one to merge, say, new tags from each researcher unless one were using multiple data sets.

 

formerprof

[ricko 0]

The timestamp I requested is to go in *each row* in the database table, not the tablespace file.

 

The applion should be able to generate a log of all database activity in a specided time range.

 

The use for syncronizing is another possible use.

[sam.m 0]

Lastly, an XML full export option would also make me feel safer in that my data could at least theoretically, be transportable should WhollyGenes get hit by a bus.

 

For XML export you may want to look at modifying/updating (if you can program?) tmg2gramps which converts TMG 6 datafiles to a GRAMPS v2.2.6 XML. So that it can handle TMG 7 & 8 data export.

 

You can also find a "database schema document" for the TMG 6 format on the same website.