Managing Your tXtFL Database

If you've checked out a tXtFL pre-release, you've probably noticed the new database for storing all the team and player information. We're really excited about the database because it provides a lot more potential for expanding the game. Our last pre-release included a way to keep track of seasons, and we have just added the ability to create new leagues, each with its own rule set.

Of course, a database is only as good as the ability to get data into and out of it. The tools included in tXtFL so far allow you to import player and team information from spreadsheets, but nothing more fancy. Fortunately there's another tool that you can use to access and update the database, from modification of individual player stats to addition of whole new teams and leagues. We'll take you through the setup to hook up with your database and make modifications.

There are a number of ways to access the database, but the way we recommend here is to use OpenOffice.org (OOo). The advantage of OOo is that the same program includes a spreadsheet editor for player and team spreadsheets, and the entire program is completely free (not to mention an awesome alternative to Microsoft Office). OOo runs on every platform on which tXtFL is supported (Windows, Mac, and even Linux).

Here are the steps to access your tXtFL database. It looks long, but once you've completed the steps once, you'll have a file that you can simply double-click to re-access the database.

1. If you haven't already done so, download and install OpenOffice.org.
2. Run OOo, open Tools > Options > Java.
3. Click on Class Path > Add Archive. Select the file derby.jar, found in your tXtFL directory (e.g. Libraries\Documents\tXtFL-2.0.0alpha3-win\derby.jar). Press OK in the Class Path and Options windows. UPDATE: If you're using the Java Web Start download, you can grab the derby.jar file from the Derby website (the lib.zip file should suffice).
4. Select File > New > Database.
5. Choose "Connect to an existing database", select JDBC, and press Next.
6. In the Datasource URL field, enter derby:C:\Users\[username]\.txtfl\FootballDB. Adjust the path to point to the copy of .txtfl\FootballDB on your computer. UPDATE: As of tXtFL 3, the .txtfl folder changed to .txtfl3, so the full path is  derby:C:\Users\[username]\.txtfl3\FootballDB.
7. In the JDBC driver class field, enter org.apache.derby.jdbc.EmbeddedDriver, and press Next.
8. Press Next again, as you do not need a username/password.
9. Save the file with whatever name you like. This file will allow you to access the database without having to enter all of these steps again!
10. Click on Tables on the left hand side, and start viewing/editing the database as you like.
11. When you're done, don't forget to completely exit OOo, as tXtFL won't be able to connect to the database while OOo is still connected.

 Now you can tweak your team at will and micromanage every aspect of it...and just create every fancy league with the most exotic rule sets you can think of.