Manifold Database Commander

By Debbie Harmon, Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, 12 Ozark Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701; E-mail: mailto:debbie@cast.uark.edu

Price: $145.

Requirements: Microsoft Windows 95/98/2000/NT.

Company: Manifold Net Ltd., 1945 N. Carson St., Suite 700, Carson City, NV 89701 [800-556-5919, Web: http://www.manifold.net/ .

Manifold Database Commander is a powerful database tool that combines interoperability, an extensive suite of database management and analysis tools, and a familiar user interface. In addition, Database Commander reads and writes most formats: databases, spreadsheets, World Wide Web pages and text files. Browsing, analysis and database manipulation features are neatly packaged in a format that gives users all these capabilities almost simultaneously, and users don't have to write a single line of structured query language (SQL).

The product also features structured and "on-the-fly" decision support, data visualization tools with live links into the data, and Web harvesting and publishing. These features are added to the standard functionality expected from a database management system (DBMS), creating a product that GIS or database experts and novices should obtain.

Database Formats and Browsing

Database Commander supports database formats such as Microsoft Access and Access 2000, dBase, Paradox, FoxPro, Excel and Lotus. Supported operational database control (ODBC) data sources include Visual FoxPro, SQL Server 6.5 and 7.0, Oracle, Sybase, Btrieve and others. Database Commander also opens and processes .asc, .csv, .tab, .txt and HyperText Markup Language (HTML) files.

The Database Commander Console provides a comprehensive overview of database and analytical interfaces. The product simultaneously presents data structure, data definition, query and computation results, database contents and selected data. The Database Tree pane displays the structure of the database tables, queries and relations arranged in a familiar tree format. The database definition for any element highlighted in the "Tree" is displayed and edited in the Properties pane. The database records are viewed and edited in the Data or Selection panes.

Manifold Database Commander combines interoperability, extensive database management and analysis tools, and a familiar user interface.

When text or Web files are opened, Database Commander treats each file in the directory as a table. Just like true "databases," text files and HTML pages are presented with a database-type structure, analyzed with standard SQL commands, and they can be saved in database format. Database Commander also can export data and analytic results to HTML tables in preparation for Web publishing.

The Console contains all the traditional functionality of Microsoft Windows: copy and paste, find and replace, right click for pop up menus, multilevel sort, etc. In addition, Database Commander contains functionality for converting field types and formats; adding columns; updating, adding and deleting data; finding duplicates; and finding nulls.

Visualization Tools and Database Maintenance

Charts in Database Commander are dynamically linked to the data they represent. Click-back charting allows users to select an item in a chart and view the records associated with it in the Data pane. Graphic data representation in Database Commander includes two convenient features: automatic "group by" and "group using," which enhance visualization by aggregating datasets into categories.

Through the product's Transformer Toolbar, users can clean up data, create new fields from existing fields, populate new columns with the results of a calculation, reformat data or change data type without having to "write" an update query. Updates are easily constructed from pull-down lists that permit users to select fields, operations and parameters, and apply the changes to all records in the database as well as to records that meet a selection criteria.

Database Commander is recommended for users who work with GIS data stored in databases, spreadsheets, Web pages or text files. The CD-ROM ships with a "Getting Started" booklet, online help, all the example databases used in the documentation and bonus demographic datasets, including world statistics from the Statistical Abstract of the United States, City County Databook and USA Counties.

Manifold Database Commander

Strengths: Features a comprehensive tool set, low price and good documentation.

Weaknesses: Database Commander opens and works with actual data files. Therefore, changes made to the database are immediate, and there's no "Undo" function.