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# RE: GBS requirements

- To: <support@gesn.com>
- Subject: RE: GBS requirements
- From: "Ken Clark" <ken@gesn.com>
- Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 15:18:14 -0500
- Importance: Normal
- In-reply-to: <023701bfc5e4$6a69fed0$0a04a8c0@gesn.com>

> GBS requires that the SOVC report's certification page include write-ins, in compliance with the Wisconsin State Board of Elections requirements.

Would it really have killed you to post a one-topic RCR with the subject "write-in on SOVC cert"? Tab, can you please get this one. I assume VTS did something similar.

> - the customization of fonts and margins of election results reports.
> - the ability to save election results report definitions

These are both good ideas, and have been submitted before.

> - the ability to browse the location from which databases are opened

I understand what they are asking for here, but no. You can load .dbf files from any directory. LocalDB and the .mdb files contained therein should be opaque to the user. In fact, if we ever went SQL/Oracle, there wouldn't be a LocalDB or .mdb files.
That said, I will offer a consolation. Every time I open an bugtrack email with an attached GEMS .dbf file, I swear to myself that I'll add the ability to just double click the file and have GEMS launch and load. Then I copy the file, fix the bug, and forget about it until I receive the next bugtrack attachment.
I'll try to get this in the next release, but there is a cost. The current extension for GEMS backup files is ".dbf", which believe it or not was a very unfortunate type-o in the very first GEMS release. It was supposed to be ".gdf", for GEMS dump file. It would be bad etiquette to associate GEMS backups with the .dbf file type, since that extension is universally accepted as the old dBase-II file format.
Turns out that .gdf files are also "Geographic Data Files", which very well could conflict with a County's GIS department. There just aren't enough TLAs. I propose ".gbf", or GEMS backup file. We haven't called them a dump for a while now due to the Beavis and Butthead giggles.
Now, this change is going to take some effort on support's part. Once a file extension is out there, there is no getting rid of them. That's why nothing has ever been done about it. The transition plan would be to change the file extension generated by backup to .gbf, and change the load dialog to display both .dbf and .gbf files. Register your complaints in the follow-ups, but this really needs to get done at some point.

> - the suppressing of inapplicable report units in the SOVC report, on a race-by-race basis

This one I don't follow. Races run in a district. If they want to suppress races on an SOVC, set up a reporting set. If they want to suppress report precincts, set up a district.

Ken

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    - From: "Nel Finberg" <nel@gesn.com>

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