Main:Database index: Difference between revisions
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== | ==Memento & Industry database terminology == | ||
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. [[#The Database index, allowing quick access to Memento Database information|Jump to the database index]] | 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. [[#The Database index, allowing quick access to Memento Database information|Jump to the database index]] | ||
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'''''Yada''''' | '''''Yada''''' | ||
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 | {| class="wikitable" width="100%" | ||
! Term !! Common industry terms !! Relational terms !! Memento terms !! Generic terms | |||
|- | |||
| style="width: 10%; text-align:center" | '''''Field''''' | |||
| style="width: 20%" | 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''. | |||
| style="width: 20%" | A '''''field''''' the name of a column in a table or library | |||
| style="width: 20%" | '''''field''''' | |||
| style="width: 30%" | ''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''. | |||
|- | |||
| style="width: 10%; text-align:center" | '''''Record'''''<br/>or<br/>'''''Row'''''<br/>or<br/>'''''Entry''''' | |||
| style="width: 20%" | Like ''library'', '''''record''''' is generic term referring to an ordered set of data representing ''the data used by a user base for a given scope''. | |||
| style="width: 20%" | A '''''table''''' is a specific term for s set of | |||
| style="width: 20%" | A '''''Record''''' is an ordered set of fields of data, treated as a unit within a ''database'', ''table'', or ''library''. | |||
| style="width: 20%" | '''''Record''''' is a general database term not specific to any particular database product. | |||
|- | |||
| style="width: 10%; text-align:center" | '''''Table'''''<br/>or<br/>'''''Library'''''<br/><small>or<br/>''(sometimes Database)''</small> | |||
| style="width: 20%" | A collection of ''records'' containing data. | |||
As ''record'' is a generic term, it may be identified by a possibly unique (unspecified) means. | |||
<br/><br/>A ''record'' may be identified '''''in other tables''''' by inclusion there of this (same) key, called a secondary key. | |||
| style="width: 20%" | A collection of ''rows'' containing data. | |||
A row may be identified by a possibly unique primary ''key'' | |||
<br/><br/>A row may be identified '''''in other tables''''' by inclusion there of this (same) key. | |||
| style="width: 20%" | A collection of ''entries'' containing data. | |||
A entry may be identified by a possibly unique entry name. | |||
<br/><br/>An entry may be identified '''''in other libraries''''' by use of a Link to Entry field. | |||
| style="width: 30%" | Use '''''table''''' outside Memento. Some people outside Memento unfortunately still use ''database'', where we would use ''library''. | |||
|- | |||
| style="width: 10%; text-align:center" | '''''Database''''' | |||
| style="width: 20%" | One or more related tables or libraries | |||
| style="width: 20%" | One or more related tables | |||
| style="width: 20%" | One or more related libraries | |||
| style="width: 30%" | Use '''''table''''' outside Memento. 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. | 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. | ||
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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 [[How:Export a database|Export a database]]. | 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 [[How:Export a database|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). | 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 == | == The ''Database index'', allowing quick access to Memento Database information == | ||