pdb-readme.txt

04 June 2005


This readme file describes the contents of the /data/pollen/paradoxfiles
directory on paleosciencedata.net. This directory contains the files listed
below. Files with a .exe extension are self-extracting (type the name of 
the file at the DOS prompt to extract its contents). 

Data in the African Pollen Database (APD) tables are from April 2000. The
European Pollen Database (EPD) tables are from the October 2000 release of 
unrestricted data. The Latin American (LAPD), North American (NAPD), and
Global (GPD) database tables are as of October 2001.


  *** European Pollen Database (October 2000 release)  
  epd-all.exe  - tables, views, and indexes

  *** Global Pollen Database (North American, Latin America, and Russia) 
  *** (October 2001 release) 
  gpd-all.exe  - tables, memos fields, views, indexes, and system tables  
  gpd-db.exe   - tables only
  gpd-mb.exe   - memo fields only
  gpd-dbv.exe  - views only  
  gpd-px.exe   - indexes only
  gpdacc97.exe - Microsoft Access 97 import of the GPD Paradox tables.

  *** Latin American Pollen Database (October 2001 release)
  lapd-all.exe - tables, memo fields, views, indexes, and system tables
  lapd-db.exe  - tables only
  lapd-mb.exe  - memo fields only
  lapd-dbv.exe - views only
  lapd-px.exe  - indexes only

  *** North American Pollen Database (October 2001 release)
  napd-all.exe - tables, memo fields, views, indexes, and system tables
  napd-db.exe  - tables only
  napd-mb.exe  - memo fields only
  napd-dbv.exe - views only
  napd-px.exe  - indexes only

  *** Pollen Databases
  pdb-sys.exe - system files common to all databases
  pdm-doc.exe - documentation for all pollen databases

All tables, views, index, and system files are in Paradox 4.5 format (except
that gpdacc97 is a Microsoft Access import of the GPD Paradox tables). This 
format can be read by Paradox for Windows or Paradox for DOS version 4.0/4.5, 
and by other PC-based database management systems such as Microsoft Access.
To reconstitute the Pollen Database (except for the EPD data), extract 
xdb-db.exe, xdb-mb.exe, and xdb-px.exe into the same directory (this will 
require approximately 5-15 Mbytes of disk space). You can optionally extract 
xdb-dbv.exe into the same directory or a different one. Most users will 
probably not require the system tables, xdb-sys.exe, they are provided here 
for completeness. Note: All required EPD files are included in the single, 
self-extracting archive: epd-all.exe.

The system tables record the structure of the Pollen Database tables: the name 
of each table, the columns each table contains, the columns on which each table 
is indexed, and a listing of the foreign keys.

For questions, please contact: webmaster@paleosciencedata.net