General HydroStatics
Ship Stability Software
Command of the Week
(New or interesting aspects of GHS that you may not know about)

DB Proj (review)
(Requires GHS version 17.00 or later)

The Data Base provides a PROJECT system for organizing and cataloging files. A folder within the Data Base master folder is created for each Project that you declare.

Note: Type DB Update if your version lacks any of these features.

Try this:

PROJECT XYZ
DB Proj DIRECT

Notice that the current working folder bears the Project name and is located within the Data Base. Here you can easily make Run files and Geometry files -- any type of file -- without caring about file paths.

DB Proj EXIT returns to your original working folder.

If issued without a parameter (and no PROJECT), DB Proj brings up a menu for selecting a project folder from among those that have been established -- or enter a project name to begin a new one. (Since project names are limited to eight characters by the PROJECT command, the descriptions are quite useful.)


Clicking one of the Project buttons takes you to the Project's working folder and also brings up a dialog like this:


Sometimes as you develop the final Geometry File there will be intermediate Geometry Files that you may want to preserve. Or perhaps a prototype Geometry File or one from another project is involved. All these files can remain here, which is why a button for "Geometry Files" appears in this dialog.

Here is a simple exercise to illustrate this:

1. Select "Exit within project folder." Now you are free of the dialog, and you can enter any command.

2. Type Edit and make a run file that produces a new Geometry File.


3. Run the file to produce the new Geometry File.


Now to resume the DB Proj dialog, simply repeat DB Proj.

Click "Geometry Files" to go into the Geometry File list dialog. The new Geometry File should show up.


The Geometry File name is actually a button which will READ the GF.
(You can type in a description if you like, or leave it blank.)

And here are the "import" choices for bringing in a copy of a Geometry File from another folder:


Referring back to the "Run File list" dialog, "All files" leads to a general dialog with tools for doing almost anything with the files in the Project folder. There are no restrictions on the types of files that may be stored in the Project folder.


It's even possible to start a new file of any type. This is explained in the filename input dialog below and in the DB Proj "Info" screen.


Referring again to the Run File list dialog,


Clicking on a Run File brings up this compact Edit/Run dialog:


The Edit button brings up a special editor optimized for Run files. It is designed to stay open while you are in this Edit/Run dialog and to close automatically when you finish.


Notice the edit screen can be adjusted for size, background color, and font size. These settings are retained for the project.

The Edit button in the Edit/Run dialog becomes inactive once the editor screen appears to prevent multiple edit sessions on the same file. It can be reactivated by the "?" button, which shows this:


When you launch a run by the Run button, it does two things for you that you normally do not get when using other means: 1) it traps run-time errors, showing the error message and giving you the choice of terminating the run or continuing; 2) it provides for displaying the contents of variables you select.


We call these Watch variables.


The values of Watch variables are shown at the completion of the run. Also you can insert the command DB Proj WATCH in your run file to have it stop and show the values of the Watch variables at that point.

At any time you can drop out of the Edit/Run dialog into the direct command mode and enter commands as you normally would. To return to the Edit/Run dialog, simply enter DB Proj again. Or you can get out of the DB project directly by entering the DB Proj EXIT command.

The Data Base provides protection against more than one user working in the same project at the same time. If such a conflict is detected, you would normally wait until the other user has left. If you go ahead, you gain ownership of the project. This provides for the case where a session has terminated abnormally and without canceling its ownership.


If you try DB Proj, you may be surprised at how much easier it is to work in GHS with these simple tools.

Questions, comments, or requests?
Contact Creative Systems, Inc.

support@ghsport.com

USA phone: 360-385-6212 Fax: 360-385-6213
Office hours: 7:00 am - 4:00 pm Pacific Time, Monday - Friday

Mailing address:
PO Box 1910
Port Townsend, WA 98368 USA

www.ghsport.com

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