1. like a word processor application performs the basic functions of word processing, Test Pilot's database has a computer application that performs the basic functions of a database. Test Pilot's application program is the executable file called Test Pilot in the authoring database folder when it is installed.
   
   
2. like a word processing template document which provides you with fill out areas where you can put your data, Test Pilot database documents contain important definitions as to what information should be stored by the database application. Your data, that is, your questions and choices for the behavior of the web server extension are stored along with these definitions in the database documents. Test Pilot is distributed with an empty template file called Database.TPD
   
   
3. like a well designed word processor Test Pilot database template files like the Database.TPD file listed above are platform independent. You can transparently exchange them between authors using the MacOS or Windows 95/98/NT operating systems.

Creating New Databases

The database is capable of holding thousands of questions, however, it may be more organizationally efficient for you to create multiple databases to handle multiple types of assessments. This is done by creating a clone of the original database template. In fact, any Test Pilot database template can create an empty (no questions or choices made) clone of itself with a simple menu command.

Selecting Create New Database from the database's TestPilot menu will allow you to create a new template for a new Test Pilot database. You should probably name your new database with the extension .TPD This will avoid any potential difficulties when exchanging it with authors using Microsoft operating systems.

Once you have created the new database template, simply close the currently open template and open the new one.

Upgrading from Previous Versions

If you have a Test Pilot version 1 database that you wish to upgrade to version 2, please follow these steps:

1. use the process above to create a new, empty database.
   
   
2. open that new database and select Upgrade Old v1 Database from the TestPilot menu.
   
   
3. you will be asked to locate the file containing the old questions. This should be the database template file from version 1.
   
   
4. once the information is imported, you should look over the questions to ensure that all of your question data has been imported properly. Furthermore, there are many new options in version 2 that should be considered as you look through the data. Specifically, you'll need to double check you point award values as version 2 allows different values to be assigned to different responses.

If you are upgrading from an earlier version 2 database, the process is as follows:

1. use the process above to create a new, empty database.
   
   
2. open that new database and select Import v2 Database from the TestPilot menu.
   
   
3. you will be asked to locate the file containing the old questions. This should be the database template file from version 1.
   
   
4. once the information is imported, you should look over the questions to ensure that all of your question data has been imported properly.

Distributing the Database

The Test Pilot database is freely distributable. Unlike many of our competitors we do not charge a per author fee. The software is provided in MacOS and Windows 95/98/NT formats. In each distribution is a self-extracting archive that supplies all of the necessary files for an author's computer.

• Install Database for MacOS
• installdb.exe for Windows 95/98/NT

It is those archive files which should be distributed to authors. When they receive the files, all they need to do is to double-click on them and indicate a directory on the local hard drive where the authoring database is to be installed. After that they can discard the archive. The resulting directories contain all of the necessary software for the database.

Staying Current - The Latest Version

The latest version of the Test Pilot authoring database is always downloadable from our web site. If you download a new version be sure to consult the accompanying documentation to ensure that your web server component is also up to date.

Other Issues

• Help is always available. Each database screen has it's own customized help message to complement the information your find here on our web site.
  
  
• The database has a built-in spelling checker for your convenience. Spell-checking is currently limited to US and UK english.
  
  
• The text formatting controls on the menus of the database are, unfortunately, limited to formatting data within the database alone. That is, they have no effect on the display of your data by Test Pilot's web server extension. This is why we offer our own formatting controls in the database's Look and Feel Controls section. We are working with the database manufacturer in order to more effectively employ the use of these controls. You may always use HTML formatting of your text if you wish more sophisticated control.