These demos are meant to give a few specific examples of the use of a database for storing and keeping information organized.
The purpose of using a database in place of hand written notes/forms or electronic documents such as Word or Excel files, is that current information can be accessed immediately by any authorized person with access to a computer, smartphone or other internet enabled device without having to do any further work and the information is always maintained in an organized fashion.
These demos are all built upon open source frameworks, so there are no fees for the underlying technologies. The front end to the user is HTML/CSS/PHP/Javascript based. The user need only know how to use a browser and submit info into an online form. Information can be password protected on multiple levels.
Ballast Spec Sheet is the first of 4 database demos. This demo only shows the results of the data already contained in the database and does not allow for changes, but you can see how various types of data can be added or corrected via the administration pages. All of the data, including pictures and/or diagrams, is pulled from the database. This includes the administration pages, so that there is no website maintenance necessary. New pictures or diagrams must be entered into the proper reference directory, but as soon as the name of the picture or diagram file is entered into the database, it is available for any ballast version that is created. The full size file is available for review when creating new product versions by right clicking on pictures displayed and choosing to view image. That eliminates any doubt as to choosing the correct picture or diagram when entering a new product version. The link to the blank template shows the skeletal structure that is filled in by the database data.
Parking is the second of 4 database demos. The full database requires a password because it allows for inserting information, which is always an invitation for those who don't know how to behave in a professional environment to do something stupid. (A screen capture of the Admin page is presented on this page below.) But you can use the no password version to see the search functionality. Please send a request to work@allan2.com for a temporary password to the entire database. This is a representation of a database which is in use to keep track of parking in an apartment/condominium situation.
The concept of the parking database is that parking stickers are issued to permanent residents of a complex, yellow tags are given to residents of a particular apartment for use by visitors that come by on a random basis. Blue tags are used to give access to trusted friends or family, to a particular assigned parking space.
The third database is Components, which is very ugly, but is an attempt to show what can be done with a lot of data and the proper way to put together an engineering database so that parts can be searched for easily. The part numbers of components follow a pattern that I have defined (which is not to say that it is the way that someone else would want) and are not part vendor numbers. Vendor part numbers are supplied when the vendors/pricing link is clicked. This demo has about 60,000 parts in it, which sounds like a lot, but really isn't for this type of database. This project only went so far as to build a basic structure which could be expanded as necessary.
The last demo is the semi-renewal of a 20 year old demo that illustrates the idea of generating spec sheets on the fly. It has been reworked from an ancient flash version. It combines pictures and text into a neatly formatted output that maintains a uniform look. You must enter a custom search or click on one of the four links above the center picture.
All of these examples are meant to illustrate certain functionality and are not meant to be aesthetically satisfactory. The form in which data is displayed can be changed to suit any particular application.