Dear gang; Is this a "wish list" kind of forum for the FILEX??? If yes, then... 1. agree with Jeff lists, and 2. a Windows interface type of FILEX!!! Cheers.. Attachai Jintrawet Crop modeling/Decision Support Systems Multiple Cropping Center email: [log in to unmask] Chiang Mai University Phone: 66-53-221-275 Chiang Mai, 50200 Fax: 66-53-210-000 Thailand DBMS and MBMS support a great decision... On Mon, 4 Mar 1996, Jeffrey W. White wrote: > Tony Hunt's recent message on the convergence of > experimental data and data for modeling agrees with my > experiences at CIAT and CIMMYT. We are fast moving to a > situation where researchers will want to have all of their > data stored in a database and have the option to examine > the results with models. One might add that in > international centers, where data are publicaly owned, > administrators may start requiring such databases. As you > finish a project, data will be deposited in a data > wharehouse as a condition for terminating the project. > > Concerning the present file system in DSSAT3, I encourage > people to take Tony up on his request for feedback. The > better we make the system, the more widely it will be used > and supported. > > My thoughts are as follows: > > 1) Site location should include latitude, longitude, > altitude. Ten years from now a farm or institute may have > changed names or owners, so a FILEX should always be tied > to an exact location. GPS-level accuracy can be assumed > (e.g. decimal fractions of seconds). > > 2) Associated publications should be cited in FILEX. For the > moment, I use the "notes" section for references, but I > would prefer to see a separate section. My experience > with other databases is that "note" sections create > a lot of problems for searches. > > 3) Data distribution limitations should be noted. People > may want to submit data to databases with restrictions on > distribution (particularly "in-house" databases). Options > might be: > > Public domain - no limitation on use > Acknowledgment requested - may be used, but contingent > upon acknowledgment in publications > Institutionally held - cannot be released externally > without permission > > > 4) Number of treatments should be increased. At the > moment FILEX accepts up to 999 treatments, but that is done > using up the blank in column 3. I would add two columns to > permit up 9999 treatments. This is mostly of interest for GIS > applications, but I have run replicated photoperiod > screening trials with over 1000 entries. > > Best regards, > Jeff White > > > > > ----- End forwarded message > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > CENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE MEJORAMIENTO DE MAIZ Y TRIGO (CIMMYT,INT) > International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center > > Note INTERNET address: [log in to unmask] > > Lisboa 27 Apdo. Postal 6-641 CP 06600 Mexico, D.F. MEXICO > Telephone: +52(5)726-9091 FAX: +52(5)726-7559 > ----------------------------------------------------------------- >