Read Me

"The Chemicals Database" - Main README file
Document revision date: 2021-11-04
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WHAT IS THIS ?

_The Chemicals Database_ is a simple yet effective approach to track 
a stock of products. Although this documentation deals in particular 
with a stock of chemicals in a laboratory, it can easily be adapted to 
any other "items" such as samples, spare parts, tools and other inventory.

The application provides a "product catalogue" that is accessible from 
any workplace over http. This improves efficiency and saves cost, e.g. 
by avoiding multiple orders of identical products.

It works with multiple operational units laboratories irrespective of their 
location. Of course the server can operate multiple databases simultaneously, 
and this centralisation improves GLP compliance. 

Upon arrival, each container of a product is given a code that specifies 
its storage location, and is immediately entered by the individual users 
into (and tracked by) a MySQL database, which in turn is accessible via 
a web server from any workplace on Intranet.

The database is accessible with any browser and on any software platform.
The server can be operated anywhere, be it on premise or "in the cloud".


HISTORY

The original aim of this project was to simplify access to a stock of material 
(chemicals) used in the author's workgroup. Although located at the same site 
and belonging to the same administrative unit, these laboratories were spread
across several buildings. If someone needed a certain chemical that was
stored in another laboratory, finding it sometimes turned resembled the
search for the (in)famous needle in a haystack: It required that a
person in the other laboratory was available, and that this person knew
their stock of chemicals and the location of the individual products
by heart.

To resolve these problems, we set up a central database, holding all
information about the chemicals and similar products in our laboratories.
A first approach to solve this problem was developed a few years ago,
however, this application was written in Microsoft Access, which uses
a proprietary data format and requires the installation and maintenance
of runtime modules on the individual computers (not feasible with
different operating systems).

We wanted retrieval of information in a convenient manner - that is,
from any workplace and at any time - while ensuring safe, restricted
access to the data. In addition, it was important to find a solution
which would not rely on a proprietary solution but that was open for
future extensions and modifications.

The application was developed based on "The Analyses Database" and
implemented at remarkably low cost (e.g. no license fees at all)
in short time, using the Linux operating system and standard off-the-
shelf computer equipment. The system went from test phase to
production in less than one week and is essentially maintenance-free.

This software does not rely on a proprietary "solution" but employs
publicly recognised standard formats and protocols. It is freely
available under the terms and conditions of the GNU Public License
(GPL), thus being open for extensions and custom modifications.


WHAT YOU GET

This software comprises:

- in the directory linux/, instructions to set up a database that
  holds central data about all chemicals, their storage locations,
  etc., and the script files needed to interact with this database
  (which should be located on a central server) from  any workplace
  on Intranet.
  This installation requires that you have the rights (and that you
  know how ;-) to install files on a Linux system. See the
  README.linux file in this directory.

- A "Technical Reference". Read it. Please.


LATEST CHANGES

2002-03-xx: First operational version, used in-house.

2003-05-20: First public release.

2003-12-06: homepage URL changed.

2004-10-06: Added functionality and more checking.
            Now a version number is available through the "About" link.

2005-08-25: Release of the rewrite for PHP4 and MySQL4.x.

2007-11-25: Updated documentation. No changes to the code.

2009-03-03: Now hosted at sourceforge.net. Documentation updated, 
 	    no technical changes.

2021-10-30: updated contact info in the documentation.

2021-11-04: updated documentation. No technical changes.


CONTRIBUTION

If you find any bugs or observe some "behaviour" that is not mentioned in 
the manual, please file a bug report via the sourceforge.net project page.

If possible, submit not only a bug report but also a bug fix ;-),



LICENSE

This software and its documentation are Copyright (C) 2002...2021 by Joerg Hau.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public License as published 
by the Free Software Foundation. See the file LICENSE for details.

If you use this program (or *any* part of it) in another application, note
that the resulting application becomes also GPL. In other words, GPL is a
"contaminating" license.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License (file
LICENSE) for more details.


OBTAINING THE PROGRAM

The latest version can be obtained from the project page on sourceforge.net:

    http://chemicaldb.sourceforge.net/


AUTHOR

	Dr Jörg Hau, PMP
	Route du Marchairuz 29
	CH-1188 St-George
	Switzerland
	code at schweizerschrauber.ch


Thank you for your interest, and ... have fun!

--eof--