Use a Database Created by Commercial Database Software

Here are step-by-step instructions for using a database created by commercial database software other than SwissSys.

Note: Different software packages handle databases differently, and with different degrees of ease and success. The step-by-step instructions below are only guidelines. Consult your software documentation for more details.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1

First make sure your database as shown in your database program is properly prepared for a conversion to one of the formats SwissSys supports: dBase, Access or Excel (32-bit pre-2007 formats only).

As a rule, make the field data general text format whenever possible. Some software requires quotes around this kind of data, other software does not. Also make sure the fields are wide enough to display all the data comfortably. This avoids some conversion bugs that have been discovered in various third-party packages.

Step 2

Save your database in the desired format. If using the 2007 versions of Access or Excel, make sure you do a “Save as” instead of a plain “Save” and select the pre-2007 file format as your file type in the box provided below the file name.

Save it to the folder where you want SwissSys to use it. Some programs require you to select the data you want to save first, others save the entire database. Consult your software’s documentation if you are in doubt.

Step 3

Go to SwissSys and select Database | Database setup to open the Database Setup dialog.

Step 4

Select the format for the database in the top box.

Step 5

In the database name box, browse to your database file.

Step 6

If using dBase format, give names for any index files you want to create. You should include an index file name for any field which you plan on searching the database by — usually name and ID number.

The index files can be called anything you want, but you should give them the reserved extension .NDX (e.g. NAMES.NDX).

Step 7

Fill out the field names your database contains. The database can contain fields which you do not use here, but if you want to access the field, you must associate it with one of the boxes provided.

An easy way to do this is to click on the “Field List” button. This brings up a list of field names found in your database, which you can drag and drop into the appropriate box.

Or use the “Guess field names” button on the Field List dialog to have SwissSys fill in the fields for you automatically. If your field names do not resemble the expected field names, you may have to help SwissSys with its guesses.

Step 8

Click OK to exit the dialog. If asked to index the database, say yes, otherwise, do this from the main menu with the command DATABASE | INDEX DATABASE.

Testing your database

You should now be ready to import players from this database at registration time. Test this by going to the registration dialog and typing in the last name of a player who you know is listed in the database.

Click on the registration dialog’s “D.B” button to load this player from the database.

If there is a problem, check over the steps above to be sure you did not omit anything, or consult the topic Database troubleshooting.