Documentation - How to use the database

After logging into the database module, the first form you will see is called 'Enter information to search or insert'. You can use that to insert new records or to search for records to edit. If you are inserting a new record, make sure and check the checkbox called Insert new record . If you do not check this box then the database module will just search for records that match what you typed in. It then brings up the matching records in a spreadsheet type of editing mode. You can type over any enter and click the 'update database' button to update it.

To edit the records, you need to first search for it using the same form. Just type in the first few letters of the fields you want to search by and click the 'Search or Insert' button. Make sure not to check the 'Insert new record' checkbox! The picture below explains this:

Next you will be taken to the editing part of the software. It basiaclly displays all matching records into a spreadsheet like table that you can directly edit. Just click the 'Update Database' button after you are done typing over the existing entries. You can also check the 'Delete' checkbox in the last field if you want to delete that entire record from the database.

Underneath the 'Search or Insert form' is a button called 'Search Database'. This just lets you search for records and displays the records in a neatly formatted view. You can not edit the matches, just view them. You can sort the fields by clicking the field heading.

Additionaly functionality is under development. If you want to change field names click the button called 'Field Module'. You can rename fields, insert and delete fields.

To export/ import your click the 'Download BACKUP' button . This will save your database to your local computer as a csv file. A csv file is a comma seperated file that most spreadsheet and database programs write out. In Excel, just chose Save->as and select 'csv' for the file type. Then you can select this csv file to upload and your database will be overwritten with the new data.

How to Import a small database from Excel

Click the 'Upload a new database' button then click the 'Upload a small database from Excel' button on the following page . Data simply needs to be copy/pasted from Excel into the module. The data must be very simple, i.e 2 dimensional with the first row being the field names. No merged cells or formatting is recognized.

How to Export a csv file from MS Access

Just go to File->Export to save the table as a CSV file.

When you are exporting the file you will see a dialog that looks like the standard "Save As" dialog. On the bottom of this dialog there's a drop-down labeled "Files of Type". You have to change this to "Text Files" (you'll notice CSV files listed amongst the text file extensions).

How to Import the csv file as a table in MS Access

Open Microsoft Access and create a new database by clicking on the top-left 'New' icon and selecting 'Blank database...', giving it a suitable name. In the database window that appears click on the 'New Table' icon.

Select 'Import Table' and click 'OK'.

In the file browsing window that appears change the 'Files of type:' setting to 'Text Files' and go to the location of the csv file.

Select the file and click 'Import'. The 'Import Text Wizard' will now appear.

The 'Import Text Wizard'

Make sure the 'Delimited' radio button is selected and click 'Next'. As it is commas that separate the fields in a CSV file make sure the 'Comma' radio button is selected.

Click on the 'First Row Contains Field Names' checkbox so that a tick appears inside it and ensure the 'Text Qualifier:' field is set to double quotes ("). Click 'Next'. You can store the data in an existing table, however, we want to create a new table so ensure the store data 'In a New Table' radio button is selected. You can go through each field choosing different options by scrolling horizontally and clicking on the field name. For example, you can change the field name, specify the type of data in that field or choose not to include that particular field. Choose a primary key. If there is a field that for all submissions will be different in every submission you can select 'Choose my own primary key' and select the field from the drop down list. However, we want Access to add one for us; select 'Let Access add primary key'. Access will put in an extra field which has a unique ID number for each row. Click 'Next'.

Type in the name for your table in the textbox labeled 'Import to Table:' and click 'Finish'. A pop-up window will appear saying it has finished importing your csv file. Click 'OK'. You will be taken back to the database window and your new table will be listed there.