Looking for ideas on large mac databases

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2 total messages Started by paulm Thu, 07 Jan 1993 01:13

#582

Author: paulm
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1993 01:13

28 lines
1818 bytes

 I have a very large database which I am putting onto a Macintosh using 4th
dimension.  It is initially about 40-45 mb, and it will increase by about 250
mb when I get the historical data into it.  Thereafter it will increase at the
rate of about 45 mb per annum.

Now, I don't really need to keep the database on a mainframe, which is more
expensive (both in running costs and development costs) and takes longer to
develop the system.  Also, the time taken to run reports isn't really an issue.
 I am happy to set the reports off in the evening and pick them up the next
morning.

Nevertheless, I would like to keep the database as small and fast as possible. 
Since we only report on historical data occasionally, I thought I would keep
history on a tape, and copy it onto a disc when I need to use it.  I also
thought I would keep a separate database for the most recent two years.

But I was wondering if anyone has some thoughts on ways to manage historical
data.  Sometimes I will want to report on time periods which overlap years
(hence I have one big historical database instead of a few smaller ones - is it
possible to overcome this difficulty in the new version of 4th dimension?). 
Any ideas on managing large databases on a pc would be appreciated.  Also, any
ideas on designing a faster database would also be of interest.


Thank you for any assistance


Paul.

Re: Looking for ideas on large mac databases

#583

Author: Mike Hennahane
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 1993 02:39

28 lines
2011 bytes

paulm@steelmel.bhp.com.au writes:
[...]
>Since we only report on historical data occasionally, I thought I would keep
>history on a tape, and copy it onto a disc when I need to use it.  I also
>thought I would keep a separate database for the most recent two years.
[...]
>But I was wondering if anyone has some thoughts on ways to manage historical
>data.  Sometimes I will want to report on time periods which overlap years
>(hence I have one big historical database instead of a few smaller ones-is it
>possible to overcome this difficulty in the new version of 4th dimension?). 
>Any ideas on managing large databases on a pc would be appreciated.  Also, any
>ideas on designing a faster database would also be of interest.

if the problem is that having the extra info around is confusing, then
you might consider archiving old data to another table of the database
instead of off onto tape. that way, you can still browse the old data
in the historical section, but you only have a more manageable amount
of current data in the current section. these two tables can have
identical structures, so that you can run reports from either one, or
you can implement an un-archive function to merge some/all of the old
data back in with the current data to run reports.

as for designing a faster database, that depends mostly on the quirks
of 4d (the obvious way is not always the best), on whether you have
compiled your database, or on whether you are running the new 4d
server software.

--mike

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