Any decent RELATIONAL DATABASE will do the job. As Tom Handley mentioned, Microsoft Access will do the job quite nicely. For the sort of database useage mentioned, Access is a good choice, as it makes it very easy for you to define the relationships. Note that for the application mentioned, internally there will be several database files created which are related through ID CODE "keys". My own personal preference for relational databases is FOXPRO, also marketed by Microsoft. It has a somewhat richer supporting language and can do some tricks that Access cannot do. For example, I use it to do things like generate tables that will be placed in EPROM. With FOXPROW it is easy to have the program create a BIN file on disk that my EPROM programmer can use directly. FOXPRO is available in DOS and Windows versions. There is also a Windows-only version called VISUAL FOXPRO that has greater support for mouse-clicks and the like. To learn ANY relational database *well* requires some serious learning. However, for the kind of application mentioned, you would only have to learn a bare minimum of specialized information, as the task is quite generic and the database examples used in teaching ACCESS all apply in a very straight-forward manner. A helpful hint: create a separate subdirectory for each major application. This allows you to easily move the application to another computer later. If you dump everything into the default directory you will not be able to easily discern later what files belong to what applications. Fr. Tom McGahee -----Original Message----- From: Tom Handley To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Date: Monday, January 24, 2000 3:41 PM Subject: Re: [OT] Which database to use? > Bjarne, assuming you are running MS Windows, MS Access is the >most popular data base on the planet. It's an `overkill' for >many applications but it's nice to have the capability when you >need it. You don't have to buy the full MS Office suite, just get >MS Access. If you have MS Word and/or Excel, they all integrate >seamlessly. Gawd, I hate to promote MS but it is good software... > > - Tom > >At 10:26 AM 1/24/00 +0100, Nebelong Bjarne wrote: >>Sorry for this Off Topic mail, but I don't know anyone else to ask. >> >>Background: >>I need to document the boards in some products we manufacture. >> >>On several searches on the web I've only found flat databases, but I need >>something with a structure in it. I.e. >> >>Machine: Calvin Article 12345678 >>Contains: >> Board1 Article 23456789 >> Board2 Article 34567890 >> Board3 Article 45678901 >> Cable1 Article 56789012 >> Cable2 Article 67890123 >> >>The Board1 (Article 23456789) contains >> Resister R1 10k 0603 Art. 78901234 >> Processor U1 PIC16C505 SOIC14 Art. 89012345 >> >>And so on, I think that you get the idea. >> >>Any on the list got a recommendation? >> >>Best Regards >>/Bjarne Nebelong > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Tom Handley >New Age Communications >Since '75 before "New Age" and no one around here is waiting for UFOs ;-) >