Navigation:  Working with databases > File based database > The SCOUT database

With SCOUT 2.1 a new structure of the database has been introduced. SCOUT does not require the Borland Database Engine any more. Instead, all database records are realized as files in a well-defined folder structure. Initially, we have made these changes in order to prepare SCOUT for the Linux operating system (for which the Borland Database Engine is not available). While the step to Linux is still far away, the new database concept turned out to be quite useful already.

 

The structure of the database is this: The main database folder (default: 'Database' in the SCOUT program directory) contains several subfolders. The subfolders contain files with the data of the various database objects. At present the following subfolders are implemented:

 

Materials        This folder contains material definitions

Coatings        Here you find layer stack definitions        

Substrates        Layer stack definitions of typical substrates

 

Creating a new database

You can create a new database anywhere in your file system. The full setup of SCOUT 2.1 will create a small database named 'My_database' in the SCOUT program directory. Just copy this folder (including its subfolders) to the desired new location and rename it appropriately.

 

Connecting SCOUT to a new database

In order to connect to a database different from the default database you have to use the File|Options|Database command in the main window. Specify the new database folder in the subsequent dialog and you are connected to the new database.

The database path is stored in a SCOUT configuration if you use the version 2.1 file format.

 

Handling database objects

SCOUT itself does not provide mechanisms to delete or move database entries. Since all database objects are simple files you can delete and move them with Windows Explorer. Note, however, that SCOUT reads the content of the database at program start or during re-connection only. Hence after a database modification you have to re-connect SCOUT to the database in order to update the lists.

If you want to delete, copy or move materials you have to keep in mind that the properties of each material are stored in two files. These files have the same filename, but different extensions. In the case of copying stored effective dielectric functions, you as the database manager are responsible for copying the relevant host and particle materials as well to the new location.

 

Converting your old optical constant database to the new format

You can convert your old optical constant database to the new format using the DF_DB tool which is delivered with the SCOUT 2.1 setup files. This program is described in the section about tools below.