Virtual Wanderer Data Dictionary

The Regions, Startpoints, Waypoints, Views, Destinations and Vessels tables contain the static data that define that wanderings that are available to the user of the Virtual Wanderer Application. The records in these tables will only be changed when more regions or waypoints are added or corrections are made. Therefore it's wise to have MySQL command files that will populate and restore this data. (View the Data Tables.)

• Regions are geographic areas available for wandering. Regions contain sets of reachable waypoints which are available for wandering. There must be at least one region available to wander. Regions must contain at least one starting point and two waypoints (reachable from each other, one a starting point).
  • region_id - (Integer) - primary key
  • region_name - (char(48))- the name of region
  • image_file_path - (char(32))- pointer to an image file that shows a representative image of the 'nature" of this region. The filename should be meaningful name, adhere to project directory structure design.
  • descript_URL - (char(128))- pointer to a HTML page that describes the region and perhaps some of it's interesting features, …. The filename should be meaningful name, adhere to project directory structure design.
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

• StartPoints for a region, identify which waypoints within a region can be used as a waypoint from which a trip (wandering) through that region can be initiated. Each Region must have at least one starting point. Each Starting point must be in a region.
  • startpoint_id - (Integer) - primary key
  • startwaypoint_id - (Integer) - foreign key - the ID of the waypoint that is a starting point for this region
  • region_id - (Integer) - foreign key - the ID of the region for which this is one of that region's starting points
  • descript_URL - (char(128))- pointer to a HTML page that describes the starting point. The filename should be meaningful name, adhere to project directory structure design.
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

• Waypoints are the endpoints of each leg, they have an associated location (map coordinates) Each waypoint has associated views and reachable destinations. There must be at least 2 waypoints, a starting point and an associated destination waypoint, in at least 1 region. There must be at least 1 view and 1 reachable destination for each waypoint.
  • waypoint_id -(integer) - primary key
  • waypoint_name (text string - char(48)) - descriptive, unique name for the waypoint which makes it identifiable
  • lat_degrees - Latitude_degrees - (signed integer +=North, -=South)
  • lat_minutes - Latitude_minutes - ("float" minutes and 10th's, 100th's of a minute)
  • long_degrees - Longitude_degrees -(signed integer +=East, -=West)
  • long_minutes - Longitude _minutes - ("float" minutes and 10th's, 100th's of a minute)
  • image_file_path (text string - char(32)) - pointer to an image file that shows the current waypoint (e.g. navigation aid (buoy) or photo of the tip of an island)
  • descript_URL (text string - char(128)) - pointer to a HTML page that describes the waypoint (e.g. this is a nav-aid, name, location, color, blinking light sequence, etc... or this waypoint is at the entrance to a Marina that has such & such facilities...)
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

• Views - images of what's visible in a certain direction, from the current location (waypoint) Each Waypoint has Multiple Views
  • view_id (integer) - primary key
  • assoc_waypoint_id (integer) - Associated Waypoint ID - foreign key - the location/waypoint that this view is associated with, in other words this view is picture of what can be seen from that waypoint, but looking in a certain direction (the heading from the waypoint)
  • heading_from_waypoint (integer) - foreign key - degrees( relative to True North)
  • image_file_path (text string - char(32)) - pointer to an image file that shows the "view" (scene) as viewed from the associated waypoint and you look in the associated heading
  • descript_URL (text string - char(128)) - pointer to a HTML page that describes the view (that can be seen) (e.g. looking south-southeast from the tip of Butler Island, you can see Burton Island. It could also give an overview of the any reachable destination and a brief overview of the path to be taken to reach it. (OPTIONAL)
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

• Destinations - are waypoints that are reachable from the current location, roughly in the direction of the corresponding view. A destination waypoint may be reachable from more than one other waypoint. Destinations are a set of "next-hop" way-points reachable from this way-point, with the distance to each, and the direction of travel (heading) to get to each. Multiple Destinations are associated with Multiple Waypoints
  • from_waypoint_id (integer) - foreign key ... composite-key-a - the id of a "reachable-from" waypoint that this destination can be reached from
  • dest_waypoint_id (integer) - foreign key... composite-key-b the waypoint_id of the destination
  • heading_from_waypoint _to_destination - (integer) degrees - relative to Magnetic North)
  • view_id (integer) - foreign key - which of the "reachable-from" waypoint's views the destination waypoint is visible from (or in the "same" direction as that view)
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

• Vessel is the mode of transportation to be used (a boat), having a "cruising speed" property which could be used to calculate estimated trip times or ETA's at waypoints. 1 Vessel per Trip
  • vessel_id - (Integer) - primary key
  • vessel_name - (char(32))
  • avg_speed - (float(4)) - average speed (non-zero) in miles-per-hour used to calculate the waypoint-to-waypoint travel times (time-enroute = vessel's speed divided-by/ distance-between-two-waypoints) (T=60D/S)
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

The NavLogs and TripLegs tables contain the dynamic, usage-generated, data for the Virtual Wanderer Application. The records in these tables will have to be archived and purged occasionally.

• NavLogs - a Navigation Log, listing the details of the trip, the legs/paths that were followed, waypoints that were visited, etc... A NavLog consists of Multiple TripLegs
  • trip_ID (unsigned integer, auto-increment, non null) - primary key - generated at record creation time
  • trip_name (text string - char(48))
  • wanderer_name (text string - char(32))
  • vessel_id (integer) - foreign key
  • start_time (datetime) - proposed starting time and date (minimally a start time) for this planned trip
  • log_URL - (text string - char(128)) (RESERVED for FUTURE USE)
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.

• TripLegs - Legs are defined by their endpoints, representing the possible paths (course heading and a distance traveled) followed. Trips are represented by a series of paths that are followed from start to finish (a series of legs, waypoint-to-waypoint, followed) which are recorded as entries in the "planned trip (navigation) log. 1 NavLog consists of Multiple Legs/Trips
  • leg_id (unsigned integer, auto-increment, non null) - primary key - generated at record creation time
  • trip_id (integer) - foreign key
  • start_waypoint_id (integer) - foreign key
  • end_waypoint_id (integer) - foreign key
  • leg_heading (integer) - degrees (relative to True North)
  • leg_Distance ("float" miles & tenths of a mile)
  • start_time (datetime) - (RESERVED for FUTURE USE)
  • end_time (datetime)- (RESERVED for FUTURE USE)
  • speed (float(4)) miles-per-hour)- average speed of the vessel as it traveled this leg of the trip
  • layover_time (time) - number of minutes the trip was paused at the ending waypoint before the next let of the trip was started - (RESERVED for FUTURE USE)
  • last_edit (Timestamp12) - last time this record was edited, filled in when a NULL is passed at insert time.