Access a MySQL Database Behind Firewalls with the LibMyWitch Control

Till now there was no efficient way to embed the access to the MySQL database into a VB application.

Richter, Dirk. VBMySQL.com (2004). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Building a Database of Graphic Files Using Microsoft Access  

Many technical communicators manage large collections of graphic files and must keep track of which graphics are used in which deliverables. An effective tool for managing a collection of graphic files is a relational database management system (RDMS) such as Microsoft Access. Before the database can be built in Access, it is necessary to 1) create detailed functional requirements and 2) build a high-level conceptual model from which the database relations (tables) can be derived. A spreadsheet program can be used to build the conceptual model and generate the relations. Normalization checks should be performed on the relations before the database is implemented in Access.

Lowe, Richard B. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Information Design>Databases>Microsoft Access

Building the Treasure House: Creating Knowledge Bases for the World Wide Web

What is a knowledge base? What are the components necessary to build one?

Massa, Jack A. STC Orange County (1998). Presentations>Documentation>Information Design>Databases

Connecting the MySQL GUI Tools to a Remote Server through a Firewall

A large percentage of MySQL users are using MySQL on a web server hosted by an ISP. Most hosting providers block port 3306 (the MySQL server port) at the firewall, preventing outside access to MySQL. This is an important security practice and you should be very concerned if your ISP does not block port 3306. In this article I will demonstrate how to connect the MySQL GUI tools, including MySQL Administrator and MySQL Query Browser, to a remote server using SSH port forwarding. This article will be written with the assumption that the reader is using Microsoft Windows, but the principles presented will be applicable to Linux users.

Hillyer, Mike. VBMySQL.com (2004). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Creating the Relationship-Centric Organization: Nonprofit CRM

Are you storing data about your constituents in three, five, even ten different databases? If so, you're not alone ' but it's costing you in time, lost revenue and decreased impact. Paul Hagen describes how to get all your data into one place with an integrated CRM strategy.

Hagen, Paul. IdealWare (2006). Articles>Information Design>Databases>CRM

Data Warehousing

A decision support database that is maintained separately from the organization's operational database. Support information processing by providing a solid platform of consolidated, historical data for analysis.

GNULAMP (2005). Resources>Information Design>Databases

Database Modelling in UML - Part 1

When it comes to providing reliable, flexible and efficient object persistence for software systems, today's designers and architects are faced with many choices. From the technological perspective, the choice is usually between pure Object-Oriented, Object-Relational hybrids, pure Relational and custom solutions based on open or proprietary file formats (eg. XML, OLE structured storage). From the vendor aspect Oracle, IBM, Microsoft, POET and others offer similar but often-incompatible solutions. This article is about only one of those choices, that is the layering of an object-oriented class model on top of a purely relational database. This is not to imply this is the only, best or simplest solution, but pragmatically it is one of the most common, and one that has the potential for the most misuse.

Sparks, Geoffrey. Methods and Tools. Articles>Information Design>Databases>UML

Database Templates with MySQL

Once you've built several MySQL databases, you'll learn some shortcuts to database design. Why stop there? Take this trick a step further and put together a generic database with a set of empty, standard tables. With a well-designed MySQL template, you can quickly assemble the basics of any database as needed. A template also allows you to focus on the more interesting aspects of a database project.

Dyer, Russell. O'Reilly and Associates (2004). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Databases: Step-by-Step Guides to Using Databases

This detailed, inclusive database tutorial is designed for beginners and those ready to dive in. Easy-to-understand definitions, real-world anecdotes, and concrete examples set this site apart from the others.

GeekGirl's. Design>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Designing Relational Databases  

The phrase database design means the set of steps, techniques, guidelines, and tools for translating a logical data model into a database specification. The database design consists of a structural representation, but may also include an integrity representation for rules enforcement. The structural representation is usually a database design diagram, from which you generate database-specific definitions. The integrity representation can take many forms from database specifications that define rule enforcements in the dbms layer, program specifications that define rule enforcements in object methods or other implementation, as well as specifications that define rule enforcement in a rules layer. Think of relational database design as a process for transforming the Logical Data Model into a relational database where the database design preserves the high quality properties of the Logical Data Model described in the book.

KPIUSA. Design>Information Design>Databases>Planning

Designing Your Own XML Schema: Learn the Essentials

This is the first article in a series which guides you in designing XML Schemas right from the basics without any hurdles.

Chaterjee, Jagadish. Dev Articles (2006). Articles>Information Design>Databases>XML

Digital Libraries: Still a Long Way to Go    

Apart from implementing the right technology, libraries need a clear understanding of changing user requirements, the capabilities and limitations of emerging technologies, and the changing nature of scholarly communication.

Kudesia, Saurabh. International Journal for Technical Communication (2007). Articles>Information Design>Databases

Effective Data Filtering

This article discusses writing software that helps the user effectively work with large amounts of data. The approach that I will describe is called filtering.

Rowe, Robert. VBMySQL.com (2004). Articles>Information Design>Databases

Envisioning the Whole Digital Person

As a human society, we're quite possibly looking at the largest surge of recorded information that has ever taken place, and at this point, we have only the most rudimentary tools for managing all this information--in part because we cannot predict what standards will be in place in 10, 50, or 100 years.

Follett, Jonathan. UXmatters (2007). Articles>User Centered Design>Information Design>Databases

The Essentials of a Database Quality Process    

Many steps are involved in the process of turning an initial concept for a database into a finished product that meets the needs of its user community. In this paper, we describe those steps in the context of a four-phase process with particular emphasis on the quality-related issues that need to be addressed in each phase to ensure that the final product is a high quality database. The basic requirements for a successful database quality process are presented with specific examples drawn from experience gained in the Standard Reference Data Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Blakeslee, Dorothy M. and John Rumble, Jr. Data Science Journal (2003). Articles>Information Design>Databases>Usability

Examining XML

Buzz about the value and implications of XML has reached an all-time high, with lofty claims of its potential to transform business and society, doing everything from simple document formatting to curing the common cold. I don't recommend you empty your medicine cabinet just yet. However, do take seriously the developments surrounding XML and its associated technologies. While XML might not merit all the hyperbole, it remains useful. Knowing how to apply this simple meta-language can help you create solutions that will give you a strong competitive advantage.

Trytten, Chris. FileMaker Advisor (2004). Articles>Information Design>Databases>XML

Generating and Hosting a SQL Server Reporting Services Report Using SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence Development Studio

A step-by-step must read article on SQL 2005 Reporting Services which creates a report and hosts it on an intranet server.

Krishnaswamy, Jayaram. ASPAlliance (2006). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

An Introduction to Database Normalization

When users ask for advice about their database applications, one of the first things I try to help them with is the normalization of their table structure. Normalization is the process of removing redundant data from your tables in order to improve storage efficiency, data integrity and scalability. This improvement is balanced against an increase in complexity and potential performance losses from the joining of the normalized tables at query-time.

Hillyer, Mike. MySQL (2004). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Introduction to Relations in XML Schema

This is the first article in a series concentrating on implementing relations for designing robust XML schema definitions.

Chaterjee, Jagadish. Dev Articles (2006). Articles>Information Design>Databases>XML

The Library Brand

It's likely that few professionals worry more about how their services are perceived than librarians. Lawyers may have more reason for concern, but many of them laugh all the way to the bank. We have little if not our reputation. So the new report published by OCLC, '€œPerceptions of Libraries and Information Resources,' deserves notice. Do libraries still matter? On what level? Will library use likely increase or decrease?--generated heartwarming comments but also much to cause concern.

Tennant, Roy. Library Journal (2006). Careers>Information Design>Databases

Managing Hierarchical Data in MySQL

Most users at one time or another have dealt with hierarchical data in a SQL database and no doubt learned that the management of hierarchical data is not what a relational database is intended for. The tables of a relational database are not hierarchical (like XML), but are simply a flat list. Hierarchical data has a parent-child relationship that is not naturally represented in a relational database table.

Hillyer, Mike. VBMySQL.com (2005). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Microsoft Access Queries with Oracle SQL Developer 1.2 Tool

This article by Jayaram Krishnswamy shows how you can install the Oracle SQL Developer 1.2 and connect to an MS Access database. This article will cover the steps right from downloading and installing the Oracle SQL Developer, to connecting to a MS Access database, and using the SQL interface along with a few sample queries.

Krishnaswamy, Jayaram. Packt (2007). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Migrating MS Access 2003 Data using the Oracle SQL Developer 1.2

Business needs often necessitate data migration from a smaller, less secure database to a higher end, faster database server with a more reliable availability. A typical scenario is the migration of data from a desktop sized database such as MS Access or Fox Pro to any other higher end database servers such as MS SQL Server, Oracle, DB2 or SQL Anywhere Server. Oracle SQL Developer 1.2 with this latest version is sometimes called the Migration version as it supports migrating data from three vendors (MySQL, SQL Server and MS Access) to an Oracle database. In fact, it has been designed to migrate from more than one version of MS Access. This feature was not available in the version 1.1 of this tool.

Krishnaswamy, Jayaram. Packt (2007). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL

Misconceptions About Integrated Project Databases

The notion of an integrated project database (IPDB) has existed for decades. Over that time many projects have been undertaken to develop the technologies and frameworks required to implement an IPDB. Also over that time, there has been promotion of the benefits and impacts that IPDB systems will have on the industry. As there are still no industrially stable IPDB systems in existence, the industry's perception of what they are and what they can do has diverged from many of the original presentations. It is also clear that researchers and de-velopers involved in IPDB development have many different ideas about what constitutes an IPDB and what is, or is not, possible to create. This paper aims to describe misconceptions which are growing up around IPDB systems, and presents the authors' view of reality (informed by the opinions of the UK network of experts in ob-jects and integration (URL-1 1999) which was run by the DETR).

Amor, Robert and Ihsan Faraj. ITcon (2001). Articles>Information Design>Databases

MobiLink Synchronization Wizard in SQL Anywhere 10

MobiLink is a technology that can help multiple databases synchronized, a key requirement for mobile access to data. The article shows you how to create a model that can be deployed to access data on a SLQ 2005 Server remotely with a SQL Anyhwhere database. A forth coming article descibes the deployment details.

Krishnaswamy, Jayaram. ASP Free (2006). Articles>Information Design>Databases>SQL