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DataKraft Studio

DataKraft Studio

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  • SKU: DATKSTUDIO


A software platform that can be used to create professional database applications, with no requirement for coding or development. DataKraft Studio can be used to migrate an organisation's database system from Microsoft Access to SQL Server.
DataKraft Studio is a software platform that can be used to create professional database applications without requiring coding or development. It can be used by IT services companies to generate bespoke database systems for clients and to reverse engineer existing systems and to migrate systems from one database format to another. It sits on top of standard databases, providing a user interface for the designer to develop a solution and for end-users to interact with the resultant database system. DataKraft is compatible with most commonly used database software, including Microsoft SQL Server 2008, 2005, 2000, MySQL 5.x, Oracle 9.x, MSAccess and MSDE.

DataKraft Studio - Features

The features for DataKraft Studio can be split in the following way:

Database integration

  • Multiple database support: DataKraft Studio works with all the major databases, so users can utilise any existing database content. Database systems supported include: Jet (MS Access), MSDE, SQLServer, SQLServer Express, MYSQL, & Oracle. Specific databases can be supported on demand.
  • Migrate between database engines: Ability to change database from one format to another seamlessly, e.g. switch from Microsoft Access to Oracle. The Save As command enables users to change the type of the underlying database by selecting the alternate database type from a dropdown list.
  • Integrate multiple databases: Use data from multiple databases within the same application.

Database maintenance and evolution

  • Synchronise data models: Any changes that are made directly to the database that underlies a DataKraft application, its easy to synchronise and update the application with the new modifications.
  • Open and extensible framework: The framework is flexible, which facilitates adapting to meet complex project requirements should they arise.
  • File mapping: An integrated file mapping system is used to define the data type of each column when importing files or when using SQL scripts to update records.
  • Reverse engineering: enables designers to generate applications based on existing data models. The tool generates the meta data necessary for DataKraft to operate on the reversed tables as if DataKraft had been used to create them. The user can then modify and configure these tables within the DataKraft platform.

Internal system features

  • Tables: users can create and work with tables, including defining the attributes of the tables, creating the columns and their attributes and defining relationships between tables.
  • Business rules: are made of conditions, behaviours and action steps:
    1. The condition lets DataKraft check if the rule applies in the current context.
    2. The behaviour defines what the rule does. Some of the options available are: auto-number, copy a parent value, force value, default value, control value (condition validation & SQL validation), check uniqueness and many more.
    3. The action steps are a set of SQL actions that run when the business rule is activated. The result of an SQL script can be used to insert, update or delete records in the application.
  • Software Triggers: are jobs or a set of SQL actions that run in three different circumstances when records are inserted, updated or deleted.
  • Actions: designers can add actions to tables and queries so the user can act on the current or selected records. Actions are the same as jobs as they are defined by steps and parameters.
  • List of values: the designer can define a List Of Values (LOV) and then create columns that utilise these LOVs. Each value in the list can be associated with a colour and, when this is the case, each table and query can use a LOV column to colour the rows.
  • Menu groups: designers can use menu groups to organise and group tables, queries and report menu items into groupings that are intuitive to the end user.
  • Notifications: users can be notified of specific events based on certain criteria being met. Notifications are comprised of two different aspects Notification Rules and Notification Groups. Notification rules are based on queries, where each record of the defined queries will generate an email using a text merge template that re-uses the data from the query. Notification Groups compiles the results of different notification rules into a single email that will be sent at specific times or intervals.
  • Queries: are fully integrated with the rest of the application. In addition to using queries to combine data from different tables and as the basis for reports, users can also use them to provide alternative application views. There are six different types of queries available; Wizard queries, SQL queries, Calendar queries, Dashboard queries, Graph/chart queries and URL queries.
  • Reports: allows users to gather multiple data sources together to form a formatted textual report (RTF, Html, PDF and Word formats available) or to form an Excel spread sheet. A report can be based on a template that defines its format and style. Reports can be configured to prompt the user with parameters in order to define the scope of the report.
  • Web designer: enables designers to build extra- and intranet websites with login management.

Documentation and security

  • Technical documentation: every configuration element in DataKraft has a Description field, where designers can give a technically oriented description of the element. These descriptions are then automatically pulled together to create the technical documentation for the application.
  • Automatic contextual help: every configuration has a Help field, where designers can describe (from an end user perspective) the purpose of the element and anything salient that the end user needs to know about it.
  • Security: the Security module can be accessed by authorised end users and by admin users and this is where end user rights are defined. Most of DataKraft configuration elements and features (tables, queries, reports, jobs, email, audit and actions) have a corresponding user right that can be applied to them.

DataKraft Studio - System Requirements

ARCHITECTURE

DataKraft Studio is developed in Microsoft .NET 3.5 using C#. DataKraft Studio supports different Database suppliers, including SQLServer 2008/2005/2000, MYSQL 5.x, Oracle 9+, Jet (MS Access) and ODBC,. However, the software does not itself include a database engine. The connection between the underlying database and DataKraft applications is done using OleDb.

PERFORMANCE

The DataKraft Studio platform is a two-tier architecture, where the client software is installed on the PC/laptop which connects to a database. The potential bottlenecks in this architecture approach are:

  • The network speed and traffic
  • The database engine

CACHING

The caching engine of the DataKraft platform uses up to 150Mb of RAM and once this threshold is reached the oldest pages are deleted from the cache. Viewing a page again will refresh the page.

When working with DataKraft Studio, caching is available for the following database objects:

  • Application definition (automatic)
  • Table content
  • Query content
  • Dropdown list value content

The system requirements for the software are:

HARDWARE

  • CPU: P4/Celeron 1.5GHz Minimum, P4/Celeron 2.0GHz recommended
  • Operating System: Windows 7, Vista, XP.
  • Disk Space available: 300 Mb
  • RAM:1Gb minimum

SOFTWARE

  • Microsoft .Net 3.5
  • MSI 4
  • Internet Explorer 6