Mandala
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Mandala
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Database Help
FileMaker provides detailed help for its Instant Web Publishing interface and it is available to you even before you sign on to the database or here if you have already logged onto the database.
When you sign on, you will see the window below
appear in your browser. It consists of a status
area or bar on the left,
which will always be present, no matter what the contents of the database
shows to the right. In this case, the area at the right provides navigation
to common queries (you can click on the 
or
on the text to navigate, notice that your cursor will turn to a pointer
to indicate a link).
You can always return to this page by clicking on
the icon,
which is usually found in the bottom left of the database screen (just
to the right of the status bar).
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The Status Bar
The status bar has two modes: Browse mode for viewing records,
and Find mode for creating simple or complex queries (searches).
Browse Mode
In browse mode, the status bar helps you to navigate from record to record; to see how many records you have found in a search out of the number present in the database (here, found set = total number of records = 8017)
or
to see which record you are on (in the first instance, you are on record
number 1,
in the second you type in 350 and click the icon to go to record
350 out of 8017);
and gives you tools to sort your records,
and to show all records in a table (this will vary by table).
By showing the additional toolbar
you
can also omit one
or
more records from
your found set,
or show the records that have been omitted
.
Constructing a find query (=searching)
WebMandala presents you with starting queries on the opening navigation page, but you can search ANY database page just by going into find mode from the status bar and using the tools described below.
and
type your find criteria into the desired field. Keep your criteria as
simple as possible.
You can use symbols to refine your query
,
add more than one query
,
duplicate a find request and change a small piece of the data to save
retyping
,
or delete a find request
.
You can omit the data in a query (e.g., find all animals but omit anything
having to do with the Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, & katydids)
and review each part of a complex request
before
performing it
.
Although some pages you navigate to will have buttons helping you get into (enter find mode) and out of find mode (cancel find) you must always use the Perform Find button in the status bar to execute (=do) any find.
You can also constrain
a found set (narrow it) or extend (broaden)
it. 
Limitations of Instant Web Publishing (IWP)
As cool as this real database experience is, there are limitations to
IWP, the most serious being that you cannot export data and you cannot
print data that cannot be seen on your browser screen. Serious also for
those without a broadband connection to the internet, IWP is very graphics
intensive and impractical to use with a dialup modem connection. These
limitations will be addressed with the php interface that is under development.
Losing your Connection
Efforts will be made to not interrupt your access to WebMandala, but periodically it is necessary to take down the server for brief periods of time (usually only minutes) to perform backups, server maintenance, and file updates. These are usually done early in the day (ca. 8:15-8:30 AM Central Time in the USA), but may occasionally occur at other times. Note too that inactivity will also disconnect you from the database, with the following type of warning (may differ by browser)
and you are then returned to a list of database files that are available
via IWP on this server. You should choose WebMandala and re-enter,
loging in as "Guest" or as an authorized user.
What are tables in a database?
Tables are collections of data and WebMandala currently has 8 of them all in a single file. They are filled with data from the working database, which is more full-featured, but would be even more confusing for the casual user to navigate. WebMandala includes the following tables:
- Navigation - pivot point to travel to various tables and layouts; includes acknowledgements, about information, & help
- Taxa - all ranks of taxonomic names from kingdom to subspecies
- Localities - political descriptions of place names, named geographic features, latitude and longitude, altitude
- Collecting Events - collector(s), date(s) of collection, collection method, abiotic conditions (temperature, sky, etc.)
- Specimens - includes links to a taxon, locality, collecting event, gender, determination, dissection, deposition, type, life stage
- Museums - coden identifier, name of collection, location, primary curator and associated staff, contact information, website
- People - names and contact information for people associated with the project as well as collectors, & authors of taxonomic names
- Literature - literature citations pertaining to the family Therevidae
Currently, the last three tables are not connected to any other table
except Navigation, and are included for informational purposes only.
Each collecting event is connected to a locality and each locality may
be associated with one or more collecting events. Each locality/collecting
event may be associated with one or more specimens, nearly all bearing
a taxonomic name of some sort, but most are only identified to order
or family at this time until specialists further identify them to genus
and species. Data in each table all have unique identifiers.
Help for WebMandala
For more specific help about WebMandala and with the icons
used, click on the 
,
which appears on most pages and leads here:
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Note that the icon,
which is present on all pages, will take you back to the original navigation
page to choose another option to try or should you feel lost. Remember
that you can often drill down to more detail or related links by clicking
on the magnifier icon .
One last thing...OK, maybe two things:
Please log out, don't just leave...
Before closing your browser window or quitting from your browser application, ALWAYS log out of the database when you are done (see Log Out button at bottom of status area). Here's why... Logging out will take you to a list of databases on the server, including WebMandala.
Lastly, if you have any further questions or suggestions, please contact Gail Kampmeier
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