Chesapeake Data Systems
Web-Based Database
Applications
Introduction
Chesapeake Data Systems has developed a set of software
tools which enables users to easily develop sophisticated, yet user-friendly,
Web-based database applications. Our
tools use a data dictionary to create all of the Web pages for an application. We use this data dictionary to specify
almost all of the application requirements and specifications, from tables,
fields, and indices to default values and display order.
Our database applications provide all the features
and functions needed for a comprehensive Web-based database
application. Our applications consist of six main types of forms, each
packed with features:
|
Record Form |
Displays one
master record at a time; data can be displayed on multiple tabs, and in
multiple columns on each tab (detail records form child tables may also be
displayed) |
|
New Form |
Used to insert
a new record (similar layout to the Record Form) |
|
Filter Form |
Allows the
user to select the records to be displayed |
|
List Form |
Displays
records in a "spreadsheet" view |
|
Export Form |
Allows the
user to specify how the records will be exported |
|
Report Form |
Allows the
user to specify the format of the report, enter a subtitle, etc. |
Web-based applications use
databases to store the application's information. A database contains the
following main components:
|
Tables |
Contains
fields to store data; tables can be classified into the following types:
primary, detail, lookup, and many-to-many |
|
Indices |
Allows the
database program to easily extract the database records in a specific order |
|
Relationships |
Defines how
the tables are related |
Our applications contain the
following general functions and features:
|
Date fields |
Hyperlink to a
calendar from which a date can be picked |
|
Boolean/logical
fields |
Allows the
user to specify words to display (e.g., Yes/No, Y/N, True/False, In/Out, etc) |
|
Email fields |
When click on
one, opens the user's email system and starts a new email message |
|
Hyperlink fields |
When click on
one, opens a new copy of the browser and displays the page specified by the
link |
|
Radio-Button
fields |
Allows the
user to specify text that will be displayed for a numeric field with values
1, 2, … |
|
Expires pages |
Pages that are
used to update the data base are "expired" to prevent a user from
going back to them |
|
Traps timeouts |
Displays a
"user-friendly" page when the user has been away for over 20
minutes (allows system resources to be used by active users) |
|
Automatic
update of some fields |
Date Added |
|
Field
Validation |
Validates that
a "legal" value has been entered in a field (applies to date,
number, and currency fields) (fields are validated when the user leaves the
field) |
|
Decimal Places |
Specifies the
number of decimal places to be displayed for the field |
|
Currency
Fields |
Specifies that
a "$" is to be displayed with the numeric value |
|
Required
fields |
Some indication
on the form that the field is required |
|
Tabbed forms |
Users can
specify any number of tabs for a form.
A field can then be displayed at the top of the form or on any of the
tabs |
|
Columns |
Each form (or
tab on a form) can display data in any number of columns |
|
Default Values |
Specifies
default values for new records |
|
Display Order |
The user
specifies the fields to be displayed on each form and the order in which
fields are displayed |
|
Lookup Table
Values |
Whenever a
record is displayed, the values from the corresponding "lookup
tables" are displayed instead of the "code" in the record
(e.g., if a "company" has a "code" for "company
type", the corresponding field in the "company type" table
will be displayed instead of the "code") |
|
On-Line Help |
A “Help”
button on each page displays the “User’s Guide” (see below) |
Our application also allows
for various levels of security:
|
Access levels |
Read, Update,
Administer (for both tables and fields) |
|
Password
("PIN") for access level |
|
|
Public access
w/o password |
|
|
Name and
password |
Name not
validated (so name can be used for who added, who last updated) |
|
Name and
password |
Name and password
validated, each user assigned an access level |
|
Menu options |
Shown/not
shown based on security level |
|
Fields on
forms |
Shown/not
shown based on security level |
User’s Guide
Forms
Our Web database application consists of the following forms:
|
Prompts the user to enter a username (can be optional) and PIN. |
|
|
Displays the names of the data entry forms (not included if there is only one data entry form) |
|
|
List |
Displays records in a "spreadsheet" view (usually the form displayed when the a menu option is selected) |
|
Record |
Displays one master record at a time (multiple detail records form multiple child tables may also be displayed) |
|
New |
Used to insert a new record (similar layout to the Record Form) |
|
Filter |
Allow the user to select the records to be displayed |
|
Export |
Allows the user to specify how the records will be exported |
|
Report |
Allows the user to specify the format of the report, enter a subtitle, etc. |
Records are displayed in “spreadsheet” mode. The system initially displays records in groups of ten. The top of the form displays the name of the table being viewed and the navigation buttons.
|
Address
List |
|
The buttons are used as follows:
|
First |
Display the first group of records |
|
Prev |
Display the previous group of records |
|
Next |
Display the next group of records |
|
Last |
Display the last group of records |
|
Refresh |
Redisplay the current group of records (in case other users have changed the data) |
|
Record |
Display the record form for the first record in the list |
|
Filter |
Display the Filter form |
|
Clear Filter |
Clear the filter and display the first group of records |
|
Edit |
Change to full-screen edit – allows the user to change any values in any row (not available for all List forms) |
|
Export |
Display the Export form |
|
Report |
Display the Report form |
|
View |
Display the views for the table (not displayed if there is only one view for the table) |
|
Admin |
Allows the user to enter a PIN for “Update” or “Administer” mode |
|
Menu |
Return to the Main Menu (not displayed if there is only one entry form for the application) |
|
Help |
Display the help form |
The row under the buttons serves several purposes.
|
20 Records Selected. |
Go to record # |
Records per page |
Sort Order |
|
Results of the last filter |
Displays the number of records selected or “No Records Selected” |
|
Go To Record # |
The record number of the first record on the list. The user can enter a number here to display the group of records beginning with the specified record number (Press the [Enter] key on your keyboard after entering a number in this field) |
|
Records Per Page |
Displays the number of records displayed on the form. To change this number, enter a number here and press the [Enter] key on your keyboard |
|
Sort Order |
A “combo box” listing all of the multi-field sort orders for the table. You can change the sort order by selecting an item from the list (not displayed if there are not any multi-field sort orders for the current table) |
The next row displays the current sort order and allows the user to quickly filter the records by specifying the first letter in the corresponding field. (Clicking “All” clears the filter)
|
Sort
Order:
Name A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All
|
The first row of the “spread sheet” has captions for all of the rows. Clicking on a caption sorts the records in ascending sequence and changes the sets the sort order for the table (see the preceding paragraph). Clicking again sorts the records in descending sequence.
|
# |
The records are displayed next. The first column is the record number. Clicking on this number will display the data for the corresponding record on the Record form. If a field is underlined, it is either a “hyperlink” field (clicking on the hyperlink will start a new instance of the browser and go to the specified page) or an “email” field (clicking on the field will start a new email and automatically fill in the email address)
|
Amy |
Bower |
656 Wilson
Ave. |
Bethesda |
MD |
33670 |
(301)427-5955 |
||
|
Jeff |
Carter |
750 K Street
NW |
Washington |
DC |
22222 |
(202)293-9377 |
The Record form displays the data for the record. The top of the form displays the name of the table being reviewed and the navigation buttons (note - not all of the buttons are displayed if the user does not have "Write" permission).
|
Address
Entry/Edit |
|
The buttons are used as follows:
|
First |
Display the first record |
|
Prev |
Display the previous record |
|
Next |
Display the next record |
|
Last |
Display the last record |
|
Copy |
Create a new record based on data in the current record |
|
Filter |
Display the Filter form |
|
New |
Display the New Record form |
|
List |
Display the List form |
|
Save |
Save the changes to the data |
|
Cancel |
Redisplay the form with the original data |
|
Delete |
Delete the current record (the will be prompted to confirm the delete operation) |
|
Export |
Display the Export form |
|
Menu |
Return to the Main Menu (not displayed if there is only one entry form for the application) |
|
Help |
Display the help form |
The row under the buttons serves several purposes.
|
Record 1 of 20 |
Go to record # |
Sort Order |
|
Status |
Displays the record number of the current record or an error message if the user entered invalid data |
|
Go To Record # |
The record number of the current record. The user can enter a number here to display the record with the specified record number (Press the [Enter] key on your keyboard after entering a number in this field) |
|
Sort Order |
A “combo box” listing all of the sort orders for the table. You can change the sort order by selecting an item from the list |
The record data is displayed next.
Required fields are displayed in blue.
|
First Name |
|
|
Last Name |
|
|
Address |
|
|
City |
|
|
State |
The New form allows users to enter new records into the database. The format is very similar to the Record form. The top of the form displays the name of the table being reviewed and the navigation buttons
|
Address
Entry/Edit |
|
The buttons are used as follows:
|
Insert |
Insert the data on the form and re-display the New form after blanking all the data fields |
|
Insert and Edit |
Insert the data on the form and display the Record form with the data from the new record |
|
Cancel |
Do not insert the data and return to the previous form |
The Filter form allows users to specify the records that are to be retrieved. The format is very similar to the Record form. The top of the form displays the name of the table being reviewed and the navigation buttons
|
Address
Filter |
|
The buttons are used as follows:
|
Apply Filter |
Display the List form (based on the current filter specifications) |
|
Clear Filter |
Clear the current filter specifications (blank out all fields on the form) |
|
Record |
Display the Report form (based on the current filter specifications) |
|
List |
Display the List form (based on the current filter specifications) |
|
Export |
Display the Export form (based on the current filter specifications) |
|
Count |
Count the number of records based on the current filter specifications |
|
New |
Display the New Record form |
|
Report |
Display the Report form (based on the current filter specifications) |
|
Menu |
Return to the Main Menu (not displayed if there is only one entry form for the application) |
|
Help |
Display the help form |
The row under the buttons serves several purposes.
|
Ready for Selection Criteria. |
Sort Order |
|
Status |
Displays the number of records selected or an error message if the user entered invalid data |
|
Sort Order |
A “combo box” listing all of the sort orders for the table. You can change the sort order by selecting an item from the list |
The form for entering the selection criteria is
displayed next. Required fields are displayed in blue.
|
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The Filter form contains several types of fields:
|
Range |
Allows the user to enter the range of values for records to be selected (See "Date Added"). This type is usually used for date and numeric fields |
|
Text Fields |
The user enters the text which must be contained on the corresponding field. Note that "wildcards" can be used and multiple values can be entered (separated by semi-colons -";"). For example, in the Last Name field: "Smith" - Selects records with the last name of "Smith" "Smit*" - Select records with last names beginning with "Smit" "Smith;Jones" -Select records with a last names of "Smith" or "Jones"
|
|
Word Fields |
The field to the right of "Any" (see the "Notes" field above) works just like a text field. The field to the right of "All" works like the text field above, except that all words must match. Note that both fields can be used at the same time |
|
Combo Boxes |
You can select a value from the Combo Box and/or you can enter one or more values in the "Or" field to the right of the combo box. For example, in the "State" field "VA" in the combo box selects all records where the state is "VA" "VA" in the combo box and "DC;MD" in the "Or" field selects all records where the state is "VA", "DC", or "MD" (Note that you do not need to enter data in the Combo box field |
The Export form is used to export data to a text file or spread sheet
|
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The Export form is used to display the data in a form that can be printed. Reports always contain the date the report was printed.
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