Add IDB Record

I. Add IDB Record

You can add an individual Instant Database matter record to your current collection. This is not actually a Pathagoras function. But the result is a fully functioning Pathagoras element. You simply ask your external database program to create a new CSV file and save that file in the same folder as other Instant Database records. Once saved, that file is immediately and fully part of the Pathagoras records collection.

Example: Let's assume that your external database contains fields called "CustomerName", "CustomerAddress", "ProductOrdered" and "Quantity". Let's further assume that and the record you wish to export contains "ABC Trucking Company", "123 Main Street", "Valves" and "400" in the respective named fields.

To implement this technique, you would direct your external program to export the single record "ABC Trucking Company" and save it into the folder that currently contains your Instant Database records. (The typical IDB folder is "C:\Program Files\Paathagoras\IDBS\"). Let's assume you saved it in that folder as "ABC Trucking.csv".

When done, the exported file should look like this (remember, it is only two lines long):

"CustomerName", "CustomerAddress","ProductOrdered","Quantity"¶
"ABC Trucking Company","123 Main Street","Valves","400"

The CSV file comprise 2 (and only 2) lines of text:

•	The first line contain all of the field names of the database. Of course, to be useful, the names must be identical to the names of the variables in your document.

•	The second line contains the values assigned to the particular field for the particular exported record.

Because Pathagoras always checks for new records in the IDB folder, if this record is properly saved as described above, it will automatically appear in the Matter Data drop down list (upper right corner of the Instant Database screen).

So, the next time you display the Instant Database screen and select the 'ABC Trucking' record, the screen will look like this:

This is identical in appearance to how the screen would have appeared if you had scanned the document and provided replacement text.

Note the brackets in left column of the IDB screen. They were not in the external database. However, Pathagoras added them automatically. If the external database fields do not contain brackets, Pathagoras adds them just before displaying them onto the IDB screen.

Click here to read more about this feature in the main Help Manual.