Database Field Datatypes

For each of the two folder types (Digital Resources and Retrieval Requests), Digital Storage Manager provides you the ability to define additional database fields. The information in these fields can then be displayed and edited in forms available to Digital Storage Manager users. Each database field is of one of seven datatypes; only information that is in the format prescribed by the datatype can be stored in the database field. The following is an overview of these datatypes and how each may be represented by fields in Digital Storage Manager forms.

Character Fields – Character fields are used to store text data. Character fields can contain up to 255 alphanumeric characters. Character fields can be represented by text-entry fields, radio buttons, or popups on forms.

Integer Fields – Integer fields are used to store whole numbers (integers). Decimals and alphabetic characters cannot be stored in integer fields. Integer fields can be represented by text-entry fields or checkbox fields (an ‘unchecked’ checkbox represents the integer 0, a ‘checked’ checkbox represents the integer 1) on forms.

64-Bit Integer - An integer field with support for 64-bit whole numbers. See Integer Fields above.

Decimal Fields – Decimal fields are used to store decimal numbers with two digits after a decimal point (e.g. dollar amounts, fractions, etc.). Alphanumeric characters cannot be stored in decimal fields. Decimal fields can be represented by text-entry fields on forms.

Decimal(HI) Fields – Decimal(HI) fields are used to store decimal numbers with four digits after a decimal point when higher precision is required (e.g. cost amounts, taxes, fractions, etc.) than is available by using regular decimal fields. Alphanumeric characters cannot be stored in decimal(HI) fields. Decimal(HI) fields can be represented by text-entry fields on forms.

Date Fields and Time Fields – Date fields and time fields are used to store and display date and time information. Date and time fields follow the date and time formats set in your computer’s Date & Time control panel. Dates and times can be represented by text-entry fields on forms.

File Collection Fields – File collection fields (also known as file collectors) are used to store references to Digital Storage Manager digital resources (that correspond to digital assets stored on your company’s file servers, such as graphic files, layout files, text files, file server folders, etc.). File collection fields are represented by special file collector fields on forms. Digital resources can be dragged-and-dropped into the file collector field of a form to be associated with the corresponding file collector.

Memo Fields – Memo fields are used to store text data. The memo datatype can contain up to 32K of alphanumeric text. Memo datatypes are represented by text-entry fields on forms.