Catalog Configuration


To open catalog management window, click "Design" from main menu, select "Catalogs".
This window is the starting point to build all of your database structure. You may carry out various actions for the selected catalog from the list.




Catalogs, Fields & Records

A CATALOG is the major data container where you store certain type of information. It is also called as "table" or "sheet" depending on the terminology preferred on other applications.
You may have more than one catalog in your database and it can hold any type of information you can imagine: Inventory, People, Products, Books, Companies... etc.

Every catalog consists of a number of FIELDS to store information. For example, you may create a new catalog and name it as "People" to save name, phone number, birthdate etc. for each person. In this case, every distinct person represents a record of the "people" catalog.
Note that, when viewed in a spreadsheet style application;
catalogs correspond to tables,
fields correspond to columns and
records correspond to rows.

Basic work-flow of designing your database from scratch is as following:

  1. Create one or more catalogs,
  2. Create the desired fields under each of the catalogs you created,
  3. Open form designer for each catalog and then drag and drop the fields on the form which will allow you to enter your records,
After these 3 steps you are ready to enter or import your first records. You may then configure more features to add functionality to your database application.

Creating New Catalogs

You may create any number of catalogs by clicking the "New Catalog" button on this window. SpeedBase will ask you for the singular and plural forms of the catalog name in order to display the most suitable name depending on the context on various parts of the application.

See Modifying Catalogs for information about catalog properties.

Modifying the Order of Catalogs in Catalog Tree

Use the the up/down buttons with the arrow icons below to adjust the order of catalogs on catalog tree.

Actions You May Apply to Catalogs

Properties: Opens a window to rename or adjust other settings of the selected catalog.

Fields: Opens a window to display a list of existing fields for the selected catalog. You can create, modify or delete information fields there.

Form Designer: Opens a window to design the window ("Record Details Window") where you will be able to enter data to create records for the selected catalog.

Relationship: Opens relationship management window to where you may define a relationship between the currently selected catalog and any other catalog.

Form Menus: Opens a window to create or modify side menus on "Record Details Window" for the selected catalog.

Toolbar Designer: Opens a window which allows you to create or modify statistical objects on top of displayed records for the selected catalog.

Views: Opens a window to where you can create and manage existing views/filters for the selected catalog.

Erase Records: Deletes all of the records in the selected catalog permanently. This action is irreversible.

Drop Catalog: Deletes the selected catalog permanently. Beware that this action also deletes all records, views, fields, form design of the selected catalog.






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