The aim of Graphic-Aided Database Shell (GADB Shell) is to facilitate visualizing database data using graphic objects, diagrams and geographic locations. GADB Shell is designed especially for managing data of the objects that require to be specified with a 2D location, for example, devices in energy distribution networks, house resources in a real estate company.

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Why not a CAD
Different from a CAD tool, GADB Shell enables using database techniques to manage graphic objects and index object data. It also supports handling an entire diagram for a very large scale network, which must be divided into separate pieces when using an ordinary CAD tool due to computer memory limitations. Another advantage of GADB Shell is the capability of using maps as backgrounds for graphic objects and diagrams to provide location information.

User-designed symbols

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You may want to use some specific graphical symbols to present relevant objects. For example, to draw and define object symbols in accordance with your company's or country's standards. GADB Shell supports users to build a Symbol Library to create and store user-designed object symbols. These symbols can be used for drawing diagrams or be directly distributed on maps.

Draw diagrams

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If you are dealing with network objects, objects and their relationships can be better visualized by displaying the objects onto a network diagram. GADB Shell provides users with Diagram Library facilities for drawing, viewing and storing network diagrams. The symbols in a Symbol Library can be used in drawing diagrams. Users can draw either standard network one-line diagrams or map based diagrams. The size of a GADB diagram is free from the restriction of computer memories.
Alternatively, if you have an existing network diagram, you can use Map library facilities to convert the existing diagram into a Map Library, and then position object symbols on the diagram.

Construct maps

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You may want to use a map to locate your objects. GADB Shell can help convert and reconstruct existing maps/diagrams into its Map Libraries. For example, geographical maps, street maps, building plane figures, etc. A map in a Map Library is composed of multiple map units. Each of these map units can be indexed. The maps in a Map Library can be used as background when drawing network diagrams or positioning object symbols.
The only additional requirement for converting an ordinary map into a Map Library is to scan the map via a scanner and generate a bitmap file. GADB Shell will transfer the bitmap file into a Map Library using a compression mode.

Manage object data
GADB Shell provides facilities for creating and modifying database tables, which users can use to construct an Object Data Library. An Object Data Library could contains a number of database tables for recording object data and network status data. Database tables in an Object Data Library can be created in any ODBC-connectable DBMS format. Data in an Object Data Library can be visualized through their symbols, diagrams and maps in corresponding GADB Shell libraries.
If there is an existing ODBC-connectable database in your organization such as Oracle, Sybase and SQL-Server, then you may not need to create an object data library. The data in any ODBC-connectable database can be accessed via GADB Shell database access facilities. In this case you can use GADB Shell to create symbols, diagrams and maps to visualize data in your original database.

Database access facilities

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GADB Shell support you to easily access data in a variety of databases including object data libraries created via GADB Shell or any ODBC-connectable DBMS such as Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server, Access, FoxPro and Paradox. You can choose to access database data via a Database Access Interface or graphic data entries.

• Access database data via SQL dialog boxes
  GADB Shell provides a Database Access Interface to help construct SQL statements via a series of dialog boxes. Instead of writing SQL statements or programs, you can simply choose items from menus or dialog boxes to specify the data query requirement. Then the corresponding SQL statements will be automatically generated.
  Other facilities of Database Access Interface include spreadsheet, bar chart, curve and statistical calculation.
• Access database data via graphic entries
  You may prefer to use graphic data entries, i.e. clicking object symbols on a diagram or map to access the object data in a database. GADB Shell provides data link facilities for you to link object symbols to database data, which will allow you to access database data directly via diagram objects instead of going through SQL dialog boxes.