Collections application folders and file types

The Collections application installation is a folder containing a number of sub folders and files. As we have seen, installing the application is a matter of copying the folder to the server, where it can be renamed. Here we assume the folder has been renamed Collections Application.

The Collections application folder contains a number of sub folders and files, described below:

Folders and files

Sub folders

Sub folder	Description
`adapls`	Contains all adapl source text files with the `.ada` or `.inc` extension, and their compiled version (`.bin`). Adapls are small, customizable programs that take care of certain tasks such as executing a Collections Task, or to check user input during editing of a record in Collections.
`data`	Contains database table definition files (`.inf` files). These files specify datasets A record number range in a database table used to group similar types of records. A database table will always have one dataset (with the full range of record numbers), but there may be one or more sub-divisions within this record number range. It is possible to work with (e.g. search) a sub-divided dataset or the full dataset (each sub-division simultaneously). Each dataset is considered a data source in its own right., indexes and fields and point to the location of the Collections SQL Server database. Note: The `\data` directory must be accessible to Axiell Collections (the web application). Accessibility is typically only an issue when the Collections application and Axiell Collections software reside on different servers. If they do, be sure to check access rights to the `\data` directory.
`executables`	When upgrading Adlib for Windows to Axiell Collections this folder will contain Adlib executables and DLLs (e.g. `adlib.lic` and `adliblic.dll`) with their own system texts (`.txt`) and Help files (`.hlp/.adh`). These files should not be deleted. Licence files (`.lic`) are stored in this sub folder. Note: When upgrading Adlib to Axiell Collections, you will find the licence file in this directory.
`images`	Contains image files.
One or more application folders: archive library museum archive+library archive+museum library+museum `xplus`	A sub folder will be available for each type of application that will be made available to users. As we've seen, different models of the Collections application are available for different types of collection. For each application model made available to users there will be a sub folder with the same name. For example, there will be a sub folder called library+museum or `xplus`: C:\Collections Application\xplus Within each of these sub folders is an application structure definition file with a `.pbk` extension. In the screen image above, only the XPlus application is available to users.
`screens`	Contains screen definition files (`.fmt`) for all screens used in the Collections applications.
`texts`	Contains language specific text files used by adapls, as well as Help files (`.adh`).
`Worddoc`	Contains a sub folder for each letter generated with Word templates. Includes a `\templates` sub folder with Word templates in different languages.
`xslt`	Contains XSLT style sheets, mostly used for printing.

File types

The following types of files can be found in the Collections application folders described above:

Extension	Type	Description
`.ada`	ADAPL source files	Adapls are small, customizable programs that take care of certain tasks such as executing a Collections Task, or to check user input during editing of a record in Collections. These source files hold code and can be modified / created in a text editor such as Notepad++. Once compiled they can be used by Axiell Collections if specified in Axiell Designer.
`.adh`	Help files	Help text available for most fields available on an Axiell Collections screen are saved in these files, e.g. `applic0.adh`. Each interface language has its own version of a help file. Language variants are identified by a numerical suffix, e.g. `applic1.adh`, `applic2.adh`, where: 0 = English 1 = Dutch 2 = French 3 = German 4 = Arabic 5 = Italian 6 = Greek 11 = Danish These files can be viewed and modified with a text editor such as WordPad.
`.bin`	Compiled adapls	Compiled `.ada` files have a `.bin` extension. Adapls can be compiled with Axiell Designer.
`.csv`	Exported data in the Comma Separated Values format	Records exported in the CSV format have a `.csv` extension.
`.dll`	Dynamic Link Library files	A collection of small programs run by a larger program as required. Note: When an Adlib for Windows installation is upgraded to Axiell Collections, the `\executables` folder will hold DLLs that were required by Adlib and are not required by Axiell Collections.
`.exe`	Executables	Files containing executable code. Note: When an Adlib for Windows installation is upgraded to Axiell Collections, the `\executables` folder will hold executable files that were required by the Adlib software, not by Collections.
`.exp`	Export job	An export job defined in Axiell Designer has a `.exp` extension.
`.fmt`	Forms (screens, or screen panels)	Each screen in Axiell Collections is defined in a `.fmt` file. The file specifies fields and their location on the screen. These files can be edited in Axiell Designer.
`.inc`	General ADAPL source files	ADAPL source code that can be used in several adapls can be put into a separate source file (a `.inc` file) and included in the compilation of a `.ada` file.
`.imp`	Import job	An import job defined in Axiell Designer has a `.imp` extension. An import job is necessary for importing data during data migrations, for example.
`.inf`	Information files	A `.inf` file stores the specification of the structure of a single table in the Collections SQL Server database, without the actual data. For example, `thesau.inf` holds details of the Thesaurus table. The file specifies all properties of the available fields in the table, their indexes, datasets (named, limited record number ranges), internal links and links to other tables. These files can be edited in Axiell Designer. Datasets A dataset is a subdivision of a database table by record number range. By default, a single dataset is defined for a table. The dataset specifies a record number range with a lower limit and an upper limit. In this example, we see that borrower.inf has a single dataset defined with a name of borrower and a record number range of 1 to 2,147,483,646 (this is the maximum number of records in a Collections database): With Axiell Designer, it is possible to define multiple datasets for a database table however, each with a name and record number range. In this way a database table can be partitioned for various reasons, such as logically grouping similar types of records with a particular record number range. A Library Catalogue database might be partitioned into a books dataset, an articles dataset, a serials dataset, and an audio-visual materials dataset. Tip: The data sources that a user chooses from in the UI of Collections are typically associated with a dataset rather than the entire database. Specifying datasets to partition a database is also used to control access to particular records (or rather records within a particular number range). For example, in a multi-tenancy installation of Axiell Collections a single database is accessed by all museums in a Museum group, but each museum may only be permitted access to its own object data. The Thesaurus table might be made available to all museums. In this case a single dataset would be defined in `thesau.inf`. However, if each museum should only have access to its own objects, then a record number range would be specified for each museum in both `intern.inf` and `extern.inf` and each museum would be restricted to accessing its datasets.
`.lic`	Licence file	Licence file for the Axiell Collections application(s) a customer has the right to use and how many simultaneous users are permitted.
`.pbk`	Application definition files	Registers which data sources The management of a collection can involve a vast amount of information about objects / items / books, people and organizations, events, administration and more. This information is stored as records in data sources. Each data source stores a specific type of information: details about collection items, people, events, loans, and so on. are accessible in a Collections application, and which access points (essentially fields to query), screens and output formats are available; application definitions can be edited in Axiell Designer.
`.txt`	(System) text files	General purpose texts that can be used by adapls and error messages. As with `.adh` files, a version of these files is available for each interface language (see `.adh` files for details).
`.xml`	Various uses	Records exported in XML format have a `.xml` extension. Adlib Internet Server is a separately licensed module; where it has been implemented, an `Adlibweb.xml` configuration file will be available.
`.xslt`	XSLT style sheets to transform XML	Used to transform XML to format the output of data or the display of record contents in the Report viewer of Axiell Collections.

Collections application folders and file types

Datasets