Question

I am working on a project for visualizing large specialized datasets.

A “Project” consists of two large datasets (that are imported from XLS or CSV) and several other settings and smaller tables. We were planning to store those tables in SQLite (for ease of access).

We would like to allow the users to save a “Project” so they do not need to load the CSV and XLS files again. We would also like to prevent users who get the project file later from tampering with the data. We want managers to be able to create a “Project” file and pass it to other employees (so they can use the visualized data in presentations, but they can not modify it). The program already has the access control built in.

What suggestions do people have about creating this type of “Project” file, preferably based around a SQLite database.

Note: I am asking for advice here because it is impossible to Google for C# and Project. You get Visual Studio how-to results.

Clarification: Imagine this a if you opened Microsoft Word (or OpenOffice Write if your prefer). You can create open and save a “project”. You can send a “project” to someone else who has the program. I would like the “project” file not to be usable in a different SQLite client (for data security).

Answer 1

I would not say there is a any kind of template or common structure for those kind of things. Your structure is already good by itself. You may have not only data information, but also meta-information inside database file, specifying (say) user name, data last changed, comments, whatever to make your project/doc file more comprehencive and full of information, keeping constant attention on memory footprint, cause it would be very nice to have a possibility to pass that file to someone by key-drive or send by e-mail.

Good luck.