A digital art-image database using Borland Paradox

Abstract

ArtBase, a digital art-image database for the presentation, processing, archiving and retrieval of art-works, has been developed. The platform of the system is Paradox^{© 1}

1

Paradox^© is a trademark of Borland Inc.

a commercially available general purpose, object oriented, relational data base package working under Windows 3.x on Novell networks. In cases where the tools provided by the package were found inadequate to the specific application, we developed our application by programming in C⁺⁺ language. The application has the advantages of low cost, wide applicability and adaptability to individual needs.

The aim of the activity has been the development of a distributed computer system providing storage, processing and communication services required by the art community. Some special features of the system are: handling of multimedia information in a uniform way, fast access to images through the network, open image communication possibilities and the capability of image input and output from devices commercially available (CCD cameras, scanners, printers).

Given the limited resources of museums, galleries and educational institutions, this approach offers a simple, yet robust, PC based, imaging software that focuses on organisations of small to medium size. The system can also be used on education as a teaching tool in Art History and in variety of other applications requiring flexible, low cost multimedia type image database.