Creating a Database

 

PRINT Creating a Database

CyberTracker must be customised to collect specific data. If CyberTracker has been customised according to your specifications by a CyberTracker consultant, you can go to Collecting Data when the setup and installation have been completed.

If CyberTracker has not been customised, you need to look at Step-by-Step, Creating a Database and Screen Writer to customise it.

To Create a New Database

  1. Select File, Database Manager
  2. Right Click on white space in Database Manager window
  3. Select New, Blank
  4. Rename "New Database" (by typing over it)
  5. Close window [x]

To Open Database

  1. Select File, New (or Click on New Project Icon)
  2. Select Database

The Data Manager

The Data Manager dialogue contains the following tabs:

  • Classes
  • Explorer
  • Group Copy

The Data Manager can be used to:

  • Create Groups of items in the database.
  • Change the order of the items on a screen.
  • Delete items from database.
  • Select icons for new items.

The Icon Manager can be used to:

  • Import Icons into CyberTracker
  • Organise Icons so that they are easier to find

Classes

Open Database:

  1. Select File, New (or Click on New Project Icon)
  2. Select Database (name of database will appear at the top of your screen)

To Create a New Class:

  1. Select Tools, Data Manager
  2. Select Classes tab
  3. Right Click on left hand box to produce pop-up menu
  4. Select New
  5. Rename "New Class" by typing in name

Database Items in a database are organised according to a Class. A Class is a structural representation of data in a database.

Normally you would only create one Class in a Database.

However, it may sometimes be usefull to create more than one Class of the same database Items. For example, a "Scientific Class" may organise the data according to scientific classification. Or a "Tracking Class" may organise the data in a way that trackers may understand it, such as similarities in the shapes of footprints. This allows scientists and trackers to use different classification systems, (represented by different screen sequences), to gather the same data.

The Name of the class is used as a reference in the Screen Writer and must be used consistently throughout the design of the screen sequence.

The Description is arbitrary and may be any description that is convenient.

Explorer

A Screen Item is selected on a screen to record information. Items may be recorded in different ways using different types of screens. Screen Items are represented in the database as Database Items.

A Group of items consist of items that may be grouped together according to some property they have in common. A Group of items would be represented on one screen of the Field Computer. The database items represent screen items on the Field Computer (i.e the options on the screen that one chooses from). Every Group of items represents one Screen in the Screen Sequence.

It is useful to have different Categories of Groups for data retrieval and viewing purposes. We recommend two Categories: "Structural" and "Data" for different types of Groups. An Item may represent data on a Data Screen or structural information on a Structural Screen. So Groups of Items representing Data Screens may fall under the Data Category and Groups of Items representing Structural Screens may fall under the Structure Category.

To Create a New Group of Database Items

Open Database:

  1. Select File, New (or Click on New Project Icon)
  2. Select Database

Go to Data Manager:

Note: To create a Group of database elements you need a Class within which it will occur (see above).

  1. Select Tools, Data Manager.
  2. Select Explorer tab.
  3. Right-click on white space in left-hand box to produce pop-up menu.
  4. Select New Category.
  5. Type in name of new Category of Groups. We recommend two Categories: "Structural" and "Data" for different types of Groups (see under Explorer above).
  6. Right-click on white space in left-hand box to produce pop-up menu.
  7. Select New Group.
  8. Type in name of new Group of items for new screen (see under Explorer above). Remember that database items represent screen items on the Field Computer (i.e the options on the screen that one chooses from). Every Group of items represents one Screen in the Screen Sequence.
  9. Left-click on Add new item button [+] (or Right-click on white space in right-hand box to produce pop-up menu and select New).
  10. Rename "New Item" as the item to be added to the new screen.
  11. Right-click on item to produce pop-up menu and select Properties.(or Double-click on item in right-hand pane to produce Item Properties window).
  12. Define the Database Item Properties (see below).
  13. Add other items to group.

To Define the Database Item Properties:

  • Name: Scientific or English name (in the case of fauna / flora lists).
  • Alias (Field Name): Common name used in field, for example in local language.
  • Description: Arbitrary description
  • Visible: Visible on Inspect Box on query on PC
  • View As: Scroll down to select option. Value of item, for example Boolean (True/False), Integer (e.g. number of males), or Notes (view as note).
  • Select Icon: (See below)

To Change the Order of Items on Screen

The order of the database items in a Group determines the order in which they will appear on the Palm computer screen.

Go to Data Manager:

  1. Select Tools, Data Manager.
  2. Select Explorer Tab.
  3. Expand Data folder (Left-click on folder) in the left-hand pane to show items in folder represented on the screen.
  4. Left-click to select screen item in the right-hand pane.
  5. Left-click on Move Item Up or Move Item Down buttons.

QuickTip: You can use the Ctrl-U and Ctrl-D shortcut keys to move the currently selected item up or down the list.

To Delete Database Items

Go to Data Manager:

  1. Select Tools, Data Manager.
  2. Select Explorer.
  3. Expand Data folder (Left-click on folder) in the left-hand pane to show items in folder representing screen.
  4. Select Item you need to delete.
  5. Left-click on Delete selection button [X].
  6. Or Right-click on any item to produce pop-up menu and select Delete.

QuickTip:

If you delete an item by mistake you can retrieve it by opening the recycle bin and dragging it back to it's original folder. When you click on the recycle folder, the deleted item will appear on the right pane. Drag the item untill it is on top of the original folder and release mouse.

To Select Icons for New Items

To select Icons for new items you need some icons in your Icon Manager. If you need to add icons to your Icon Manger, see 'To Add New Icons' below.

To select icons go to Data Manager:

  1. Select Tools, Data Manager.
  2. Select Explorer.
  3. Expand Data folder (Left-click on folder) in left-hand pane to display items.
  4. Right-click on item to produce pop-up menu and select Properties. (or Double-click on item in right-hand pane to produce Item Properties window).
  5. Left-click on Assign Icon button (the button with the three dots [...]).
  6. Use the explorer style interface and the scroll bar to find icon.
  7. Left-click to select icon. It will appear in window in the above right corner.
  8. Left-click on Ok button.

To Add New Icons

To add new Field Computer Icons, the icons can be drawn in a program like Microsoft Paint or a hand-drawn icon can be scanned in with a flatbed scanner.

Any graphics software can be used, provided that icons are saved as bitmaps in 32 x 32 pixel resolution.

To Draw Icons in Microsoft Paint

    Using Microsoft Paint:

  1. Select Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint.
  2. Select Image, Attributes.
  3. Select Width: 32, Height: 32.
  4. Select Units: Pels (pixels).
  5. Select Colors: Black and White.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click on the Magnifyer tool icon to magnify image x 8.
  8. Click on the Pencil tool icon to draw icon with your mouse.
  9. Select File, Save As, and type in file name.
  10. Save as type: 24-bit Bitmap (*.bmp) image.
  11. Select Save

Note: The Erase tool is too large to erase one pixel at a time. To erase a single pixel, select the colour white and use the Pencil tool to draw in white over the black pixels that need to be erased.

To Import Icons to CyberTracker

Go to Icon Manager in CyberTracker:    

  1. Select Tools, Icon Manager.
  2. Use the explorer interface on the left panel to view the relevant icon folder where the icon will be imported into
  3. Right-click on the right hand panel.
  4. Select Import.
  5. Go to your Field Computer Icon directory and select icon (file name).
  6. Open icon file.
  7. Rename icon file (right-click on file name) so that it will be easy to find.
  8. Close Icon Manager.
  9. You can now select icon from Data Manager (see above).

To Rename Icons  

CyberTracker stores Field Computer Icons in alphabetical order. It is useful to start the name of an icon with the group of items with which it is associated. In this way icons will be sorted into groups.    

For example, icons for a screen containing a list of hoofed animals may be named:

  • Hoof-Kudu,
  • Hoof-Gemsbok,
  • Hoof-Steenbok, etc.  

Or icons for activities of hoofed animals may be named:  

  • Hoof-Activity-Feeding,
  • Hoof-Activity-Drinking,
  • Hoof-Activity-Sleeping, etc.

Including the grouping of the items in the icon names will ensure that the icons can be found alphabetically according to the groups they fall under.  

To rename icons go to Icon Manager in CyberTracker:

  1. Select Tools, Icon Manager.
  2. Expand Folder files (Left-click on folder) in left-hand box to display items.
  3. Right-click on icon to produce pop-up menu and select Rename.
  4. Type in new name.
  5. Left-click elsewhere on screen.

To Edit Icons  

Using Microsoft Paint and Icon Manager in CyberTracker:

  1. Select Tools, Icon Manager
  2. Select the icon you would like to graphically edit
  3. Right-click on icon
  4. Select Export
  5. Enter the name and location in which to save the exported icon file, click Save.
  6. Run Microsoft Paint: Select Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint.
  7. Select Image, Attributes.
  8. Select Width: 32, Height: 32.
  9. Select Units: Pels (pixels).
  10. Select Colors: Black and White.
  11. Click OK.
  12. Select Edit, Paste From.
  13. Select icon you exported to your icons directory.
  14. Edit image, using the Pencil tool at one pixel size. Use black to add a pixel. Use white to delete a pixel (i.e. paint in white).
  15. Select File, Save As: Windows bitmap (*.bmp) in your icons directory. Save.
  16. Import new icon to CyberTracker (see above).

QuickTip:

Using the Import Over option to overwrite an existing icon with an icon being imported. This option is available when right-clicking on an icon in the icon manager.  

Note

When you close CyberTracker all customisation will be saved automatically.

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