Thoughts on manual database design?

[Dave G4UGM]

> Yes, there is.  That is why an *artifact* - a given *hardcopy* of a
> manual - has a *publisher*.   As I mentioned in an earlier reply at some
> point to someone, a given manual applies to a single machine
> *manufacturer* (e.g., Apollo is considered the manufacturer of the DN
> series, even though, technically, later HP made them for a year or two), but a
> given manual with the same number the applies to them might have Apollo
> as a publisher (older copy) and HP (newer copy - with the same contents).
> 
> A given hardcopy of a manual could not change publishers.  The publisher is
> permanent characteristic of that copy.
> 

MOST attributes can change over time as new information comes to light. So for example I also follow one of the Slide Rule forums and new information as to who actually "Made" rather than "Sold" a particular rule all the time. Even the color fades....

> I could conceivably add a Publisher column to the Manual_File table, too
> (indicating the publisher of that scan of the manual), but I didn't see the
> point.  Most textual searches in the online application will be on a join of
> Manual and Manual_Artifact (where the Manual table data gets replicated in
> the result set for each artifact), so the publisher can be picked up that way.
> 
> JRJ

Dave
G4UGM