Thoughts on database...

["John C. Peterson" <jcp eskimo com>]

>
> Ed Falk writes;
> I didn't quite follow what you said about re-doing the database
> system in place now.  Frankly, I wouldn't change a thing.  The
> formats have been in use for over a decade, they work well and
> they're easy to maintain.  Why change them?


   One of the more glaring deficiencies of the current db code is
that the binary search only works for identifiers. Looking ahead to
the day when a GUI interface is constructed; it's only natural to want
the ability to search by airport/navaid name, city, etc. when puting
together a new flight plan from scratch.

   Granted, this could be solved by creating seperate sort keys
with pointers into another file, but I think it's just as easy to
migrate towards something like Berkeley DB or similar.

   At some point, it would also be great to incorporate part of
the wealth of information that is currently discarded from the NASD (or
DAFIF) files; availability of fuel, runway lengths, approaches, etc.
WHat little time I spent over the summer was taking a closer look at
the free DAFIF files. Probably the way to go, the NASD CD-ROM is a bit
of a pain to order all the time (and it's not free!)

Later, John

P.S. Have you looked over the "DESIGN" file? It needs to be re-written...

-- 
 ___|___ | John C. Peterson, <jcp eskimo com> | "Once you have flown, you
  -(*)-  | will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you
  o/ \o  | have been, there you long to return." -- Leonardo da Vinci.