starbase - starbase data table file format.

SYNOPSYS

Description of the starbase data tables file format.

DESCRIPTION

starbase describes an ascii file format used to store relational data base tables with a few magic characters deliniating columns and tables. When the tab table file format is combined with the starbase filter programs and the i/o library a convient data base with editable ascii files is the result.

A table contains three parts. 1. An optional keyword/ value header. 2. Column definition/ width lines. 3. Data columns.

The optional keyword/ value portion of the header consists of any number of free text line containing comments and keyword/ value lines. If a table contains an optional keyword/ value portion the first line of the header names the table. This name may be used with the tablex program to extract and process this table by name.

A keyword value line consists of 

	keyword [tab] value

A keyword may contain may have an array of values and is written 

	keyword [tab] value [tab] value ...

Header lines which contain no tabs or whose initial keyword portions are not valid keyword identifiers are comments. Header values are accessed by name in column expressions passed to the <@table programs.

SEE ALSO

*starbase.1 starbase data tables introduction.