Tables and fields
From GTwM
In a database, information is stored in tables. To be able to store data, create a table and add some fields as follows:
- Create the new table
- Click on the 'Tables' section in pane 1 (the left of the screen) to open it up
- Click the 'create a new table' link and wait a couple of seconds for the table to be made
- To call the table something of your choice, click the Manage tab at the bottom right of the screen and type in a new name, e.g. 'stock prices'. The name will update as you type
- Next, set up some fields
- Click the Fields tab just to the left of the Manage tab.
- Type in a name for the first field, e.g. 'company' and choose a type from those given, e.g. 'Text'. A description is optional. There are some field options listed which you can choose but don't worry about those for now. Click the Create Field button and your field will be added
- Add another couple of fields, e.g. Stock code and stock price, which would be a number
- When happy with the list of fields, you can start adding data
- Click the Edit tab at the bottom of the screen, then click the green 'New' button at the top left of the screen to add a new record.
- Type away in the edit tab and data will be saved as you go. You should see it being saved in pane 2. Click the New button again to add more records
That's it, you've started using a simple table. You could now set up other users and give them access to it using the Administration section in pane 1, or look at creating more complex structures.
Before an end user accesses the data, it's recommended that an 'application' look and feel is set up using modules and reports - these are more user friendly than raw tables and will form the main end user interface
Advanced Options
You can set advanced options on fields either at creation time or later, using the 'more/change...' links next to each field. For example, for text fields you can set it to enforce a particular text case, change the size of the data entry box or turn it it I to a dropdown.
