10. Bridging Databases (DDG)

10.2. DDG Structure

10.3. Typology of information providers by activity

10.4. Sources of information

10.5. DDG User interface
10.5.1. General menu
10.5.2. Search for an information provider
10.5.3. Sub-menu "All"
10.5.4. Sub-menu "European interest"
10.5.5. Sub-menu "Favourites"
10.5.6. Sub-menu "Query"
10.5.7. Search for a database product
10.5.8. Add a new information provider (or modelling or software provider)
10.5.9. Modify an information provider (or modelling or software provider)
10.5.10. Delete an information provider (or modelling or software provider)
10.5.11. Add a new database product (or modelling or software product)
10.5.12. Modify a database product (or modelling or software product)
10.5.13. Delete a database product (or modelling or software product)
10.5.14. Add information about web sites of information providers
10.5.15. Add (or modify or delete) the ETIS variables characterising a database product

10.1. Objective: A Directory of European Transport Database Sources

Bridges Digital Data Guide (DDG) is a computerised tool having two main functions: the identification of the sources of information and electronic databases dealing with transport in Europe, and description of the characteristics of these sources and databases.

Initially, the objective of Bridges was to develop a DDG focusing on international information providers and database products available in Europe (transport ministries, statistical offices, professional organisations, sectoral associations) in electronic form. Bridges users could use DDG to find the information they need to carry out a given analysis. Bridges DDG was envisaged as a "reference directory" which could be the basis for other necessary directories (in the ETIS building process):

• Directory of data sources (DDG)
• Directory of models available
• Directory of experts
• Directory of policies

Obviously, not all data and all models available can be integrated within a decision support system. Therefore, a more dynamic strategy has to be adopted: all existing sources can be properly identified and monitored, but not necessarily all their available databases can be included in the system. In its present version, Bridges DDG contains about 1,500 relevant information providers or products. Complementary to database sources, some models and software products have been included to illustrate the overall aim of the "directories" approach but DDG remains focused on data sources.

Bridges DDG has been designed as a "living" tool. Through its software interface, users can introduce additional information, update and remove existing data. Bridges DDG has also been progressively extended to a large number of key "national" information providers, such as transport operators, research institutes or market research companies, even if their databases are neither supplied electronically nor accessible through the Internet.

DDG has been developed in Microsoft ACCESS and its user interface and main management options (e.g. search of particular sources under predetermined and free queries) programmed in Visual Basic. Because of the simplicity of the database structure, migration from ACCESS to other database systems is easy.

As a maintenance mechanism, DDG must be regularly updated by a central body (e.g. EUROSTAT, DGVII specialised cells etc.) and core data sources be disseminated through Intranet and the Internet to all users. An automatic procedure for automatic updating from Internet sources, and quality control check of user's modifications could also be designed.

The DDG is structured in six modules:

• Information providers
• Database products
• Modelling providers
• Modelling products
• Software providers
• Software products

Various information sources are included in the first module called "information providers", with the exception of "modelling providers" and "software providers" which are included in separate modules because specific parameters are necessary to describe them.

The DDG focuses on electronic databases (on-line access, diskettes and CD-ROMs). However, many databases are "paper" based but represent a significant proportion of transport data available in Europe. For this reason, it was also decided to include the most relevant "non electronic" databases existing in Europe in the DDG.

A system of queries allows the DDG user to identify:

• All information providers covering a specific geographical field,
• All information providers engaged in a specific activity,
• All information providers dealing with specific ETIS variables.
  In its current version (revision 1), the number of providers and products listed in the DDG is shown in Table 3:

Each "information provider" is characterised by its main activity, according to the following typology:

• Transport operators
• Ministries of transport
• Statistical institutes
• Environmental agencies
• Road administrations
• Civil aviation administrations
• Professional associations
• International organisations
• Research institutes and universities
• Transport training organisations
• Market research/consulting
• Transport directories
• Transport equipment and systems manufacturers
• Global distribution systems
• Observatories, monitoring centres
• Web directories
• Magazines, newspapers
  

The following sources of information were used to prepare the DDG:

• Interviews with the statistical offices in the 17 European countries
• Interviews with the ministries of transport in the 17 European countries,
• Identification and analysis of 180 Websites at world level
• Data available through the APAS project "databases and scenarios" and the RTD projects INFOSTAT and ASSEMBLING,
• Data from the "Intermodal Expert Group (IMEG)" project.
• Desk analysis of the Eurostat electronic databases,
• Interviews with UNO, ECMT and other international sources.

The DDG also contains information about Eastern Europe but it is less comprehensive than for Western Europe.

10.5.1. General menu

The general menu of the DDG proposes six categories of information:

• Information providers (sources of data)
• Database products
• Modelling providers
• Modelling products
• Software providers
• Software products

The menu "information providers" contains four items: All, European interest, Favourites and Query.

The list of all information providers contained in the DDG is presented in alphabetical order.

1. If you cannot easily find the name of the information provider you are searching for, you can use the automatic search system. Click on the search area located at the bottom of the list and type the first few letters of the name being searched for
2. Click twice on the name to open the corresponding window
3. Click on the "product" button in order to see the "database products" corresponding to the information provider selected
4. Click on the cross at the top right of the dialogue box to close the "information providers" window

This sub-menu proposes a pre-established list of information providers that are considered as key sources of information at European level. The "European interest" characteristic can be added to a source by checking the corresponding box in the information provider's window. A selection has been set but can be modified at any time by the user.

The DDG user to an "information provider" can add the "Favourites" characteristic by checking the corresponding box in the sources' window. When clicking on "Favourites", the list of sources will be narrowed to "Favourites" sources.

By choosing some criteria in the query (such as the ETIS variable, geographic area etc.), it is possible to narrow the list of "information providers" proposed by the DDG

1. In the general menu, select "Query" in the list at the middle top of the general menu
2. Select some criteria
3. Click on the "execute" button
4. Close the query dialogue box by clicking on the cross at the top right
5. The number of "information providers" which correspond to the criteria chosen in the query is indicated at the bottom of the list
6. Open any source by clicking twice on it

The sub-menu "database products" contains three items: All, Favourites and Query. The list of "database products" is presented in alphabetical order.

In order to see the "information provider" corresponding to any database product, click on the "source" button in the database product window.

1. Select the kind of provider you want to add in the general menu
2. Click on the "add" button on the tool bar
3. Fill the form with information
4. Save the information with the "save" button. "Name", "activity" and "country" have to be filled before saving data (if not, it cannot be saved)
5. Close the window, either by clicking on the "product" button to see the products managed by this provider, or on the cross at the top right of the dialogue box

1. Select the kind of provider you want to modify in the general menu
2. Open the window of the provider by clicking twice on its name
3. Modify the information. "Name", "activity" and "country" must be filled prior to saving (if not, it cannot be saved)
4. Save the information with the "save" button

When deleting an information provider, the next one you enter will automatically replace it with the same code number. So, when deleting an "information provider", it is essential to delete all "database products" attached to this "information provider", in order to avoid automatic linkage between the new "information provider" and the old "database products". If this problem appears, opening each "database product" and deleting it with the "delete" button can solve it.

1. Select the kind of provider you want to delete in the general menu
2. Click on the name of the "information provider"
3. Click on the "delete" button of the tool bar

1. Select the kind of provider you want to add in the general menu
2. Open the provider to which you want to add a product by clicking twice on its name
3. In the "information provider" window, click on the "product" button
4. Click on the "add" button of the tool bar
5. Supply the information required. The field "product name" must be filled prior to saving (if not, it cannot be saved)
6. Save by clicking on the "save" button
7. Quit the window by clicking either on the "source" button to go back to the corresponding information provider or on the cross at the top right of the dialogue box

1. Select the kind of product you want to modify in the general menu
2. Select the product to modify in the list and click twice
3. Modify the information. The name of the database product cannot be modified
4. Click on the "save button". If you want to cancel the modification, click on the cross on the top right of the dialogue box

1. Select the kind of product you want to delete in the general menu
2. Select the name of product to delete in the list
3. Click on the "delete" button of the tool bar

The "WEB" button opens a dialogue box that allows you to specify the Website of an information provider. In the dialogue box, enter all the items corresponding to the contents of the Website. Then click on OK.

1. Select the "ETIS" button to add/modify/delete ETIS variables for a given product.
2. Choose first an "ETIS family" in the list at the top at the dialogue box, then an "ETIS sub-family" and then an "ETIS variable" in the third list.
3. Click on the "Save" button to add (or "delete" button to delete) your selection.
4. Repeat operations 2 and 3 until you have added/modified/deleted all the ETIS variables you want
5. Quit the dialogue box and save modifications by clicking on the cross at the top right of the dialogue box.
   

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