[Ringing-lib-discussion] Database updating

[Martin B. <ma...@bo...>]

I think that the most important step now is to get the database up to date 
and implement some way of keeping it so.  We did talk about this a long 
time ago.

Adding new rows to the database is straightforward.  What needs some 
thought is what we do when some of the information has changed.  Probably 
the most common case is when a method gets rung for the first time on 
handbells, or something trivial like that, in which case it's obvious what 
we do.  But what if the name or place notation changes?

The problem, as Don said ages ago, is to define what should be `the same' 
method.  We have an ID for each method, and I think these should be 
persistent.  Should the ID pertain to the name or to the place notation?  I 
think it should probably belong to the place notation, since I also think 
that we should potentially allow unnamed methods to appear (for example, 
the whole TDMM collection).  But then the whole problem of comparing place 
notations arises.

We probably just need to make a slightly arbitrary decision and stick to it.

Help, somebody!

While the database update script is being re-written, we should also decide 
what to do about lead heads and put that in, as that's the only thing 
actually broken at the moment.

Martin

-- 
Martin Bright
Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool