Databases - CM Data

CM - Configuration Management

Basically, what ever you need to keep control of the design and the data.

Every form and report needs to have an internal description of why it is important. Normally, all the methods are in a single file and you can simply add the comments to that file. However, in Paradox, I create a ReadMe method (subroutine) that contains only text.

It is possible to store descriptive data in tables developed in the native application. Then you can filter the data to show only tables, forms, or reports. In addition, you can request

Single line summaries
Full descriptions
List of fields

However, you will not be able to access the CM data on systems which do not contain the original runtime. (In fact, this is the main reason for developing forms and reports using a programming langauge (such as Delphi, VB, or Java) instead of a database development system (Paradox or MS Access) - it allows the data to be accessed anywhere.)

Another approach is to use a more generic documentation system, such as html. However, then you loose the ability to request the data in various formats.

Another concept is Record Level CM - For each change, you store

Date Modified
Time Modified
Modified By

Of course, this requires providing each user a UserID and password. I found this useful for locating just the data changed since the last presentation was made.

Some systems record all modification to a log file.

Paradox | MS Access | Delphi | Visual Basic | Java

Paradox

Paradox has specific commands to enumerate a directory's contents (since it is a file based system, it just needs to get the file names).

MS Access 97

In order to see the date and time each form and report was changed, from the menu, select View / Details.

Every mdb file must contain some self commenting information. I suggest a form named ReadMe and typing general comments about the file as simply a Label component.

Generate a CM_Menu form to link with generic forms in a library mdb file and data in currentDirectory/CM_Data.mdb.

Specific details on generating lists of Tables, Forms, Reports, and the like.

Listing Tables using code similar to

For Each tempTableDef In tempDatabase.TableDefs
 Debug.Print tempTableDef.Name
Next

Listing Tables, Forms, and Reports based on code similar to

For Each xx In tempDatabase.Containers![Forms].Documents
 Debug.Print xx.Name
Next xx

Listing Tables, Forms, and Reports based on code similar to

select Name, DateUpdate from MSysObjects 
where  Type=5
  and  Name not like "~*";

Listing Table field descriptions
Delphi 5.0

Visual Basic 6.0

Java

Author: Robert Clemenzi - clemenzi@cpcug.org

URL: http:// cpcug.org / user / clemenzi / technical / Databases / CM_Data.html