Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mit-eddie!bu.edu!m2c!umvlsi!dime!roskill
From: roskill@cs.umass.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Designing a database
Message-ID: <10833@dime.cs.umass.edu>
Date: 1 Mar 90 19:21:20 GMT
Sender: news@dime.cs.umass.edu
Distribution: usa
Organization: COINS, UMass, Amherst
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Hello,

I have a database problem I have been considering putting into
Supercard.  I tried doing it in Hypercard and it failed so badly
that I actually looked at dBase (mac version).  Anyway, here's
the problem, and if people could comment on whether it is 
pratical to do it in Supercard, I would be very appreciative.

ArtBase
-------

ArtBase is intended to store information and documents.  It uses
the metphor of an index card, as that is the way it is currently
set up in the real world.

Each card deals with an individual document.  On each card, there
is:

     1. A date (the date of the document)
     2. A brief description that will contain key words (see below)
     3. The actual document (anywhere from 1 to 15 pages)
     4. A "Commentry" section.  This section contains key words
        of other documents (the keywords are stored in the "Brief
        Description").  The idea here is that the user should be
        able to double click on one of these key words and have the
        computer search all other cards for these key words.
     5. A bibliography reference for the document.

There must also be a bibliography for the whole database.

Ok...now the problems:

1. I am expecting there to be 3000+ of these cards.  Supercard
   already seems slow, but is it even remotely feasible to do this?

2. Printing: the printing of reports must be extensive, and include
   multiple fonts/typefaces/font settings (bold,underline,etc.) in
   a single field as well as being able to print different reports/
   formats.

Can anyone comment on this problem?

Damian

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|"Party For Your Right To Fight"  |  "Welcome to the Terrordome!"|
| Damian Roskill                  |                              |
| Roskill@cs.umass.edu            |                              |
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