Main:Database index
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Memento & Industry database terminology (Read about libraries, fields, & entries here)
This is to get us on the same page regarding terms Memento users have used previously versus the terms chosen by Memento for its products. Jump to the Desktop index
Sometimes some of us tend to use one set of terms for things, and some might use another set of terms for the same things, like "record" or (less often) "row" for a Memento entry and ... Is this an about page?, like entry name, links to linking, template, cloud, editions, platforms
Term | Memento terms | Common industry terms | Relational terms | Generic terms |
---|---|---|---|---|
Field | A type of field instead of field type. A field is also used to refer to the data (datum, in actuality) that may have been entered into a field. | A field the name of a column in a table or library | field | domain when discussing the data structure and the name of a datum, or the data as displayed in a library entry, a table row, or a database record. The term field is universal. It is sometimes used to refer to the domain or type of field, or field type. |
Record or Row or Entry |
A generic term referring to an ordered set of fields of data within a library | A generic term referring to an ordered set of fields of data within a table or library | A generic term referring to an ordered set of fields of data within a table | Records, rows, or entries may have unique identifiers (entry names in Memento), allowing them to be identified & accessed with linkage by some means (Link to Entry fields & Find or Search functions. These identifiers are often indexed to optimize performance. |
Library or Table (or sometimes Database) |
A collection of entries containing data.
An entry may be identified by a possibly unique entry name.
|
A collection of records containing data.
As record is a generic term, it may be identified by a possibly unique (unspecified) means.
|
A collection of rows containing data.
A row may be identified by a possibly unique primary key.
|
Use table outside Memento. Some people outside Memento unfortunately still use database, where we would use library. |
Database | One or more related libraries | One or more related tables or libraries | One or more related tables | Use table outside Memento, library within. Some people outside Memento unfortunately still use database, where we would use library. |
The data used by a user base for a given scope
In Memento, use library. In the relational world, use table. Table is the most gernerally recognized term. (Some people outside Memento unfortunately still use database. Database One or more related tables or libraries One or more related tables One or more related libraries Use table outside Memento. Some people outside Memento unfortunately still use database, where we would use library.
The Memento Database application comprises libraries (often known outside Memento as tables), entries (often known outside Memento as rows), and fields (often known outside Memento as columns). A common generic term, recognized everywhere for either entries or rows is records.
In the Memento forum, "field" and "record" are often used and "column" and "row" is seldom used. So, it's best to stick with either Memento's "entry" (since it's their forum, after all), but when others use or seem to prefer the database industry's "record", we'll all know what is meant by that, and we can accommodate them when interacting with them, message by message in the forum.
Databases and Libraries
Likewise, within the database industry overall, "database" is used to mean the entire set of data used by a hopefully identified user or group of users to accomplish the users' personal or professional objectives, comprising libraries, entries, and fields. So, a person might use one database at home and another at work, and though many libraries will be different between libraries (like Customers at work and Groceries at home), some libraries might be used both at home and at work, often the most common and generic libraries, like People or Organizations.
When a user's objectives are so small that a single library is enough, then in that case the database is the library. However, when a user's objectives require that libraries be linked together to accomplish the objectives, now the entire set of linked libraries constitute the database. That's why, whenever we go into Edit Library > Export to create a .template file, there's an option to include linked libraries. This makes the template a database export rather than merely a library export. For more on database exports, see Export a database.
Libraries can be linked so they can work together as a database. So, each library has a structure of fields & other things (see below for what things make up its structure), and each database has a structure of libraries & links between them (see About:Database structure#Examples for an example).
The Database index, allowing quick access to Memento Database information
Yada
Introduction
Yada (1-3 lines)
Libraries & templates (both editions, except maybe with templates)
Yada (1-3 lines)
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Library | Libraries List screen | How:Add a Library |
Fields, pages, & subheaders (both editions)
Yada (1-3 lines)
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Field | Text fields
Numeric fields Choice fields Calculated expression fields Date fields Time fields Linking fields Media fields Miscellaneous fields Special content fields |
Field Dependencies |
Entries & entry lists (both editions)
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Entry | Entry View card | How:Access a Previous Entry |
Linking
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Calculation field |
Data Analysis (Slicing & dicing)
(Sorting, grouping, filtering, aggregation, & charting)
Yada
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Slicing & Dicing | Entries List screen | How:Slice & Dice Library Data |
Scripting, Calculation, & App Integration
Installation & settings
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Memento Settings |
Import, export, synchronization, backup, & restore
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Backup & Restore | Importing and exporting data | Tips:File Attachments |
Cloud, platforms, & collaboration
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Platforms | Cloud Library Status card |
Security
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Privacy Policy |
Products
Topics | Overviews | Specs | Guidance |
---|---|---|---|
Memento Clients | Tips:Team for Business |