Manage Data - without specialist database skills
neatComponents provides powerful tools for data collection and integration. Linking components allow complex queries-by-example  easily without programming or specialist database knowledge, and using familar interfaces. 

neatComponents provides a rich array of data handling features that can be used on your websites. 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, organisational efficiencies, and provides support for applications like e-commerce.  

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See 'The Guide' for detailed configuration advice  >

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On simple websites, it is often practical to simply type the content of webpages straight on the pages. This works well where you have very small sites with ad-hoc descriptive pages. However, when you have multiple pages of the same structure, but different content, it is time to examine the data handling facilities.

A typical example would be an ecommerce site, where there are lots of product pages all with the same layout, or it could be a brochure-ware site describing a series of topics in a consistent manner.

A range of data types allow for the intelligent handling of textual, numeric, file and image data, as well as joins between datafeeds. There are three types of component that are used to handle data: Forms, Queries and Views. The Form-Query-View system also 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.

The Graphical User Interface allows the Designer to construct forms and their related pages quickly and then  preview the effect online.

Input: Forms

At its simplest, data handling in neatComponents consists of creating a Form, which you then fill in with information, once for each item. Then, you can display the information you typed in, in a table or grid, or, as we'll see, in a number of other useful formats.

Data Feeds from Forms :

Data feeds store or provide access to the raw data. For example, a Form-component provides a data entry form for a user to fill in. Create data input forms in minutes. Produce form-relevant emails for action and confirmation instantly.

Form-components allow the Designer to give fully structured control over the way information is collected, stored and displayed within the website. Fully structured webpages can be created to ensure the strictest organizational requirements are fulfilled for content display.

Output: Queries and Views

neatComponents provides powerful data handling tools, based on a relational database model. What happens is that the Form 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 this is then handed on to a View, where you can style it, specifying fonts and colours. You then place this on a Page, and the users can see your information. Query construction quick and intuitive

There are two types of component that are used to handle data output:

• Views: Views take the output from a Query, and present it to users in a variety of ways: from a simple table of information; scrolling news tickers; calendars, etc.

There is no limit to the quantity or complexity of the data structures. Advanced features allow for the efficient presentation of vast amounts of information, and tools provide elegant handling of hierarchical data structures. 

All components are configured from control panels - there is no programming or code debugging to do. Ever.

nC provides four different Views:

• Table,
• CSV,
• Custom and
• 'Query by Example' 
  

In the facility called "Query by Example" users can type in an example of what they are looking for, and then a list of matching results is shown. You get to specify how the search form looks: which fields you will let them search by, and how the form is laid out. You can even add in comments to guide them, or simply pretty it up with graphics.

The whole neatComponents system is conceived to remove as much of the Administrative burden of website management and development as possible.