Layout

The ODIS database above all wishes to provide a framework for a dynamic encyclopaedia of Flemish civil society. Researchers as well as the general public will here be able to find basic data about the history of the most important social organisations and their members.

At the same time by providing basic information concerning publications and archives, the database will provide a register of sources on the subject and will considerably shorten the time that researchers have to spend on searching for archives, periodicals and other publications.

Clearly, with the systematic input of data the database will also eventually offer a powerful analytical tool, for example for analysing personal and organisational networks.

In order to be able to fulfill both objectives, a combination of two types of fields was chosen.

First are free text fields, in which annotated fragments of texts can be entered, like an entry in an encyclopaedia.

Second are fields with directional input, in which data must be chosen from a list of terms already drawn up so that the content of the field is consistent.

By way of illustration, below is a simplified diagram of the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for the Individuals records:

ODIS is a relational database. Records have been systematically linked to one another so that eventually the networks in the intermediary structures can be disclosed.
The relational fields were systematically provided with a qualification field (type of relation). Where necessary, the relations were divided into periods, i.e. provided with fields of dates (from and to). Finally, a field entitled Remarks was systematically added.

Fields in which multiple data had to be stored, for example, Organisations: name were taken from the main table and transferred into a separate table, linked of course with the main table. In this way repeatable fields, are created in which, in principle, an infinite number of data can be entered. The relational fields, were systematically made repeatable.

The data model was finished on 4 May 2001. The database itself and the input and output applications were based on this version (ODIS 1.0).