Software Testing/Data Validation

[AWizardInDallas]

Wanna help me with a D20 3.5 database application I'm working on? If you're serious and you're not moving over the 4E tomorrow please drop me a line. Thanks.

 

[FormerlyDickensC]

just an aside....have you checked out the SRD 3.5 Database at http://www.andargor.com/

 

[maransreth]

Andargor's database is just a collection of data from an xml file.

Wizard of Dallas' database is a proper database that he previewed a few months back that would allow a lot more than a collection of data.

Wiz - I'm game to test the application, esp the spell side of things and see how it compares with the 3.5 spell database I made in Access 2003.

I currently run Office 2007, so drop email me at dnutley at iinet dot net dot au. I have a few weeks were I can solidly look at the application, then other commitments will take a lot of my time, but will occasionally have time after that.

 

[andargor]

Good initiative. I do have MySQL and MSSQL versions of the database.

In any case you are welcome to use it, if it will help your project.

 

[azhrei_fje]

Andargor's database is just a collection of data from an xml file.

Methinks perhaps he didn't look closely enough. Of course, The Man has already seen this thread and responded.

I'm curious about the database itself. Will it be usable on a real computer, say a Unix/Linux server? Or is this something that will only run on a PC? (Obviously, I'd use the first and pass on the second. )

I would also be interested in the final schema for this project. For example, in the spell header there's an entry for Level. Will the data be free form text or perhaps a foreign key to another table? I'm thinking of the concerns between the performance of searching a text field vs. having to update relational indexes. Also, how do you have some spells have Effect, others having Area, and yet others with Target? Do you create columns by those names and leave some fields with NULLs? Or do you create two columns, one which contains the type of effect from the three listed above, and a second column which has the value? There are definite usability/performance concerns...

Just curious.

 

[AWizardInDallas]

Good initiative. I do have MySQL and MSSQL versions of the database.

In any case you are welcome to use it, if it will help your project.

Thanks for your kind offer.

 

[AWizardInDallas]

I'm curious about the database itself. Will it be usable on a real computer, say a Unix/Linux server? Or is this something that will only run on a PC? (Obviously, I'd use the first and pass on the second. )

I doubt there are going to be many game masters sitting in front of a Linux-based server to run their games and the phrase "real computer" is a matter of personal opinion I won't debate here. Everyone has their favorite flavor and mine is not Linux.

The application is meant to serve the Windows laptop or desktop user. For now, it's built in Microsoft Access and remains there until I decide to move it to .NET and SQL Server, an activity that would depend on much more interest than I'm seeing now. Like it or not Windows is the largest user platform in the world.

I would also be interested in the final schema for this project. For example, in the spell header there's an entry for Level. Will the data be free form text or perhaps a foreign key to another table? I'm thinking of the concerns between the performance of searching a text field vs. having to update relational indexes. Also, how do you have some spells have Effect, others having Area, and yet others with Target? Do you create columns by those names and leave some fields with NULLs? Or do you create two columns, one which contains the type of effect from the three listed above, and a second column which has the value? There are definite usability/performance concerns...

Just curious.

If you have a look at the spells screenshot it pretty much answers your questions as does the spell reports shot. The schema is well thought out and performs very well for my own games. I find a spell during play in seconds whereas players take several minutes to search through 13+ books to find spells. The phrase "definate usability/performance concerns" is purely speculative and, again, I won't debate you.

I have no plans to share any of the programming details with anyone at this stage. I'll just say that people these days are not as altruistic as they once were and I'll leave it at that.