DBMS Constraints on File/Table Upload
The file/table upload feature used by some Exoplanet Archive services is connected to a database that imposes some formatting and structural constraints on input files. This document describes these constraints in detail.1.The Table File Name
Due to database restrictions: table file names can be no more than 40 characters and use only letters, numbers or underscores ("_"). File
names are case-insensitive, may not begin with a number and should not contain any
spaces.
Examples of valid names:
Examples of invalid names:
Caution:
The database treats "MyTable" and "mytable" as the same table name, because table names are case-insensitive.
Examples of valid names:
Seyferts.tbl, MyListJ2k, LBD4_16A.dat
Examples of invalid names:
PleaseGoALongWithTheseFileNameConventionsForThisService.tbl
(too many characters), 2mass.tbl (begins with
a number), my file name (contains spaces).
Caution:
The database treats "MyTable" and "mytable" as the same table name, because table names are case-insensitive.
2.Column Name
- Column names are case-insensitive and should be no more
than 16 characters long.
Please avoid using lower- and upper-case letters to clarify the column name. Instead, use underscores to break up multiple words in a column name. - Do not include columns with names "x", "y", or "z"
(lower or UPPER case).
The table ingesting software (DBIN) automatically computes unit sphere coordinates with column names x,y,and z and adds them to the DBMS table for efficient spatial searches.
For example,zfor redshift must not be used; simply give the column a unique name, such asredshift. - Alpha, numeric, and underscores characters
only.
No blanks or white spaces are allowed, and table column names cannot start with an numeric character (0-9).
Invalid column names for a database table:
B-V (includes dash "-")Valid column names for a database table:
L+V (includes plus "+")
U mag (includes space)
2mass (starts with a number)
mag.b (includes dot ".")
B_V
U_mag or
twomass
- Positional comparisons require column names
"ra" and "dec."
Positional comparisons (rather than a relational join on an integer or character columns) require columns named ra and dec, in equatorial J2000 coordinates in decimal degrees, which are reserved names for that purpose only. Your table must contain valid ra and dec columns for positional searching to be performed. More flexibility on input coordinate names and types will be considered in future versions.
