Web database applications

Feed - Query - View Model
The system provides a rich set of data handling 'tools', based on a
relational database model. Data is stored or acquired in the Data Feeds, sorted and manipulated in the Query, prepared for presentation in the Views, and output on a Page.

clearString calls these tools 'Components', and provides dozens of them to handle all aspects of application development. They are added to the 'site' by simple drag-and-drop and configured using regular dialog box controls.

No coding required
Configuring the data handling to create web database applications requires no coding, no knowledge of SQL. Everything is done through the clearString graphical interface. However, you still have access to the underlying power, flexibility and speed of the relational database model.

Data Management
clearString provides a rich array of data handling tools, or Components,
that can be used on your websites and web database applications. These allow a conceptual separation of the information held in the sites, from the appearance of that information on pages. This separation brings flexibility in design, consistency of appearance, organizational efficiencies, and provides support for applications like e-commerce, social networking site constuction, and blog site creation. 

Input and Output:  Feeds, and Queries, and Views   -   'Oh, my!'

Input Feeds to Tables
At its simplest, data handling or web data application building consists of creating a Feed - say a Data Entry Form, on which you enter information, once for each item. The Feed stores this information in a Table. Then, you can display the information the website visitor entered using the various Views, by embedding those views on a surface - such as a webpage.
A range of data types allow for the intelligent handling of textual, numeric, file and image data, as well as joins between datafeeds.
Tables interact directly with the email sub-system so, for example, when a Form is competed, the system can send automatic emails to alert you (for example so you can authorize its appearance on the site, or to thank the contributor). Emails can also be sent to entire usergroups, so you could allow people to 'subscribe' to be kept informed of new entries. You can just as easily provide an RSS feed or Tweet direct.

Output: Queries and Views
clearString web database application tools are based on a relational database model.
What happens is that the Table contains the information entered, and it is then passed through a Query, where you get to specify which fields to display, and the order they appear in (both left to right, and top to bottom, and many other attributes set by parameters), and this is then handed on to a View, where you can style it, specifying fonts and colours. You then place (embed) this on a Page, and the users can see your information. Query construction quick and intuitive

This Feed-Query-View system allows the construction of multiple data-entry pages, booking systems and many other web-related database manipulations, without having to do any programming or learn the intricacies of advanced database programming and relational database integration.

Working with data
clearString has three ways to manage data: Inherent, Import & Look-up.

Inherent
clearString installs with its own inherent (internal) database system which it manages through the Table component. The way clearString manages the data enables one of its most powerful aspects of application development: flexibility.

The ability to manipulate and change the table structure after the application is completed and in use has multiple benefits. Initial web app development is greatly speeded up, as the knowledge that changes can be made to the table fundamentals disinhibits developers in an Agile environment. Similarly, new users with little experience of web or data project development and none of coding or database manipulation can create without risking losing hours of development time because of the need to change a field type or introduce a complete change to a table.

Import
You can import an existing database into clearString which makes it straightforward to convert from a stand-alone desktop program - say an MS Access application - to a full multi-user, multi-location application. Data remains within the server and so can be fully compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FSA and European data privacy laws.

Look-up
The clearString database system also makes it straightforward to directly query external databases and integrate the returns. 

Here are a few other examples of clearString working for you - so you don't have to:

Site Creator
The Site Creator is part of the website hosting system. Once installed it offers the Administrator a tree view of the websites hosted on the system.

Child Sites
The Child Sites part of the tree is integrated with a User Manager. The User Manager enables you to create new User or'Customer' - either real independent companies, or departments of your organization, or any other division of user that you wish. Each Customer has independent Accounting and Billing controlled by the Accounts manager and assigned Charging Plan.

Site Templates - your own 'App-store'
Any website can be set to be made available as a Template for other designers.
The Usage Rules set in the template manager control whether a Template site is to be made available, and whether Recusive Use is allowed. The Template manager is integrated with the User Manager to give fine grain control over which site has access to which Template.

The Site Template system is a very powerful tool for commercial website developers. It means that the designer can instantly replicate an extremely complex, high value site, and then by simply re-dressing the graphics recover the investment in intellectual property over and over again.

	Learn about using clearString in starting your web design business
	An overview of the neatComponents platform
	In-depth information about managing data