I had some time over the past couple days to
think about the tracking software project I
announced last month and thought I'd post a
brief update(This may not mean much to most of you, but here goes anyways).

I thought about how you would calculate
miles for a particular flight and realize a
lot of it comes down to the individual airline and how they do things themselves.
So as I get more and more into the actual implementation, I'm sure these things will sort themselves out more.

Here's a question for you:
How many of you out there have an SQL-based
or SQL-compatible database system on your
laptops? This would be something like Access
or MS-SQL or Oracle Lite or something similar.

I am currently torn between using an SQL-based DB and a flat file system.
The SQL-DB is more likely up to the task and
would be faster. The flat file system would
probably be slower, but I wouldn't have to do
a refresher course on SQL and from the responses I've gotten, you all will be using
this as quick as I can get it going.

Other question:

Here's the basic form/record I'm planning on using. I'd appreciate comments as to anything you think I might have forgotten(or even don't need, but I find that hard to believe w/ this crowd).
Note: I am *NOT* covering hotel and car alliances yet. Eventually, but not yet. I have to draw the line somewhere or I will never get anywhere.

---------------------------------------------
Layout:
Airline name:
Program:
Status:
Gross Balance:
Elite Qualifying Balance:

[Awards] [Partners]

Record structure for each airline:
Name
Reservations:
Std.
Elite-1:
Elite-2:
Cust Svc.:
Std.
Elite-1
Elite-2
Web site:
Mileage page:
FF Program name:
Member?:
Member#:
Elite levels:
Level 1
Name:
Threshhold:
Level 2
Name:
Threshhold:
Level N
Name:
Threshhold:
Domestic rewards:
Econ. ticket:
First ticket:
Econ 2-class Upgrade:
Econ.3-class Upgrade:
Int'l Rewards:
Econ. ticket:
First ticket:
2-class Upgrade:
3-class Upgrade:
Partners/Alliances:
Aircraft types flown:
Hub(s):
---------------------------------------------

'sall for now...
JD