MiniVend can manage an unlimited number of arbitrary database tables. They are in the same format as the products file by default, but an unlimited number of addressable schemes are available. These are defined by default:
Type 1 DEFAULT - uses default delimiter set by Delimiter
Type 2 LINE
Each field on its own line, a blank line
separates the record. Watch those carriage
returns! Also has a special format when CONTINUE
is set to be NOTES.
Type 3 %%
Fields separated by a \n%%\n combination, records by
\n%%%\n (where \n is a newline). Watch those carriage
returns!
Type 4 CSV
Type 5 PIPE
Type 6 TAB
Type 7 mSQL
Type 8 SQL
The databases are specified in Database directives, as:
Database Arbitrary arbitrary.csv CSV
That specifies a type 4 database, the ASCII version of which is located in the file arbitrary.csv, and the identifier it will be accessed under in MiniVend is ``Arbitrary''. The DBM file, if any, will be created in the same directory if the ASCII file is newer, or if the DBM file does not exist. The files will be created as arbitrary.db or arbitrary.gdbm, depending on DBM type.
The identifier is case sensitive, and can only contain characters in the class [A-Za-z0-9_]. Fields are accessed with the [item_data identifier field] or [data identifier field key] elements.