Traditional Database Implementations in HyperCard An Evaluation R. J. P. Sinton October 1988 Traditional Database Implementations in HyperCard 3 Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 1: Traditional Databases 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Data Management Tools ................................ ,................................................ 6 1.3 Fields ................................................................................................................ 6 1.4 Records ............................................................................................................. 7 1.5 Files .................................................................................................................. 7 1.6 Relationships ................................................................................................... 7 1.7 Summary ......................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: HyperCard 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 9 2.2 The Birth of an Idea ........................................................................................ 9 2.3 The Concept ............................... :..................................................................... 9 2.4 HyperCard: An Overview .............................................................................. 10 2.5 HyperCard: The Details ................................................................................ 10 2.5.1 The HyperCard Programming Environment ...................................................... 10 2.5.2 Buttons ....................................................................................... 11 2.5.3 Fields .......................................................................................... 12 2.5.4 Cards ........................................................................................... 13 2.5.5 Backgrounds ............................................................................... 13 2.5.6 Stacks ......................................................................................... 14 2.5. 7 The Message-Passing Hierarchy and the HyperTalk Language ................................................... 15 2.6 How It All Works ........................................................................................... 17 2.7 The Philosophy .............................................................................................. 17 2.8 Relevant Features ......................................................................................... 17 Chapter 3: A Database of English Idioms 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 18 3.2 The Origin of the Project ............................................................................... 18 3.3 The Purpose of the Database ........................................................................ 18 3.4 The Nature of Idioms .................................................................................... 18 3.5 Applications of a Database of English Idioms ............................................. 19 3.5.1 Linguistic Research ................................................................... 19 3.5.2 Language Teaching .................................................................... 19 3.5.3 Automatic Translation ............................................................... 20 3.6 Requirements of a Database of English Idioms ........................................... 20 3.6.1 The Idiom Text ........................................................................... 20 3.6.2 The Syntax Structure ................................................................ 20 3.6.3 Alternate Forms ......................................................................... 21 3.6.4 Usage Notes ............................................................................... 21 3. 7 Functionality ................................................................................................. 21 R. J.P. Sinton Traditional Database Implementations in HyperCard 4 Chapter 4: Preliminary Activities 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 22 4.2 The Home Stack ............................................................................................ 22 4.3 A Personal Calendar ..................................................................................... 23 4.4 An LZB Decoder ............................................................................................ 23 4.5 Record and Cassette Catalogues .................................................................. 23 4.6 Similarities Of and Differences Between HyperCard and Traditional Databases ........................................................ 24 4.6.1 Interface ..................................................................................... 24 4.6.2 Speed .......................................................................................... 25 4.6.3 Power .......................................................................................... 25 4. 7 Summary ....................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 5: Implementation 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 27 5.2 Analysis ......................................................................................................... 27 5.3 Design ............................................................................................................ 29 5.4 Implementation ............................................................................................. 30 5.4.1 The Data Background ......................................................... .' ...... 30 5.4.2 The Selection Control System ................................................... 31 5.4.3 The Import and Export Facilities ............................................. 31 5.4.4 Data File Formats ...................................................................... 32 5.4.5 Individual Field Formats .......................................................... 32 5.4.6 The Help System ... .' .................................................................... 32 Chapter 6: Conclusions 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 33 6.2 HyperCard as a User-Friendly Environment .............................................. 33 6,3 HyperCard as a Data Collection Device ....................................................... 33 6.4 HyperCard as a General Database Tool ...... :· ............................................... 33 6.5 Summary ....................................................................................................... 34 References Appendix A A Minigrammar for the Study ofidiom Syntax AppendixB A Home Stack Appendix C A Personal Calendar Stack AppendixD An LZB Decoder AppendixE Record and Cassette Catalogue Stacks AppendixF The Idiom Database Stack Appendix G Help Texts for the Idiom Database R. J.P. Sinton Traditional Database Implementations in HyperCard 5 Introduction In the rapidly-changing field of modern computing, new programs appear every day. Not so frequent, however, is the appearance of a radically new tool which forces the users of current technology to re­ examine their use of computers in the light of its methods and capabilities. Many would say that the Macintosh computer, with its innovative techniques, graphical interface, and user-friendly style was one such tool. If this is true, then the latest innovation must certainly be the Macintosh's new information management supertool, HyperCard. Like the Macintosh itself, HyperCard seems at first encounter to be a lightweight amongst serious computing tools. However, as any frequent user of a Mac will understand, this frivolity is deceptive, and masks an extremely powerful tool. Just as the users of older, more 'respectable' computers have been forced to re-evaluate their computing activities in the light of the capabilities of the Macintosh, they will soon be compelled to look closely at the tasks they perform with their current software tools, and ask themselves whether these tasks might benefit from a translation into the environment ofHyperCard and its inevitable imitators and successors. This project attempts to evaluate the viability of performing one particular computer application in the HyperCard environment. It examines in a non-empirical fashion the benefits and advantages of using HyperCard for the storage, manipulation, and retrieval oflarge numbers of identically-structured items of data. In short, it looks at the Implementation of Traditional Databases in HyperCard. To aid in the analyses involved, an example implementation has been undertaken. This involves the construction ofa database of English idioms, for use in linguistic applications. The database developed will provide an indication of the form a simple database would probably take if implemented in HyperCard. HyperCard is a brand new product, one of the first to implement revolutionary techniques in the field