Control Nexus

The Control Nexus provides important information about the open database. Open the Control Nexus by clicking File, Control Nexus or by pressing Alt+X or by clicking the Control Nexus icon (a traffic light).

Your database consists of 20 or more files, all in the same folder and all with the same filename, but different extensions. The location of the files and the filename are particularly important because this tells you where to find your database files. If you make a backup copy of your database files (all of the files with the same name in the given location), you will be able to restore your database or move it to a new computer. See Ibidem backup.

The information provided in the Control Nexus is as follows:

Database name: This is the Short Name that was given to the database when it was created. The name of the database that comes with the program and is suggested for your personal use is My Library.

File Name: This is the file name that was given to the database when it was created. It is often the same as the database name, but not always. Your database consists of 20 or more files, all with this filename, but different extensions.

Database Type: Most databases are bibliographic, but non-bibliographic databases can also be created. See Ibid Plus.

Database Folder: All of your database files are stored in one folder. You can make a backup of your database by copying all of the files in this folder that have the specified file name.

Dates: Dates that the database was created, last updated and last accessed are provided.

Number of Records: The number of records that are active, deleted, and total is shown. This information is also available at the bottom of the Ibidem screen.

Database Files: Click the down arrow to see a list of all of the database files. The file with the extension .#00 is your main data file. It contains the records that you have added to your database. Large databases may have additional datafiles with extensions .#01, .#02, etc. Click the blue 'i' icon for more information about database files.

Subsets: Click the down arrow to see the subsets that have been defined for this database, Click the Manage Subsets button to open the Subset Management dialog.

Note-Taking Files: The location of the note-taking files for this database is shown on the next line. Click the Configure Note Files button for a dialog that will list the note-taking files and let you change their location. See Note-Taking Files

Edit Properties: Click this button to customize fields, entry templates, index keys, search groups or the database pane. See Edit/Customize Properties.

Fields and Templates: Lists of the Key/Indexed Fields, the Group/Linked Fields and the Templates for the database are provided.

Rebuild Indexes: Reindexing or rebuilding of indexes is sometimes necessary after you add a lot of entries, especially if the author or year of the new entry matches lots of other existing ones. If you are experiencing any problems with sorting, searching or the way records are displayed in the database pane of the main Ibidem screen, it is likely that they can be corrected by reindexing. Click this button to reindex. Ibidem includes a safety feature that will lock your database if necessary. If your database has been locked, you will be prompted to unlock the database. After unlocking, click the Rebuild Intexes button again.