How to create your first notes database

Once, I met a friend who just take a course on domino designer. After a
small talk, he ask a question that surprised me. How to create a lotus
notes database? I look at him, and ask didn't he just take a course for
that? It seem a stupid question. then he explain me that he know how to
create form, views etc, BUT he doesn't how to start and how they linked to
each other. Based on my friend experienced, I create this mini how to. This
is a very basic tutorial on how to create your first lotus notes database.

To do this, you must installed domino designer.

First of all, create a blank database.
>From File menu, select Database and click New. Than right click the
database, then click Open in Designer.

Second, create a form.
In the form, you should at least add one field, and action buttons to edit
and save.
For edit button, you can use this simple formula:
@Command([EditDocument])

For save button, you can use this formula
@Command([FileSave]);

If needed, you can add another action button, called Exit or Close
@Command([FileCloseWindow])

Third, create a view to display the form.
In the view, you should add an action button to create the form that you
just created.
Example:
@Command([Compose];"Form A")

That it. Very basic, but your first notes database is ready to go.

To make your database more readable by users or to make it more good
looking, you can add these additional steps.

First, I like how IBM design the mail template. Therefore I like to use the
same design as in the mail template.

Create few pages
As in mail template, create two pages, one for database name, and second to
display your user name.
For page to display your database name, just type the name, no formula
needed.
For page to display your user name, create a computed text, and in the
formula windows type this formula @Name([CN];@UserName).

Create an outline.
Outline will simplify how your notes user will switch on different view.
Create one outline, and click generate default outline and then create a
page to display the outline.

Create a frame.
And to put the whole elements that you just created, you use a frame.

Now from the database properties, in launch tab, select the frame that you
just created as default launcher.

That it. Your database now look more professional with pages and frame. Add
more colors or pictures if you have too.

To add more functionality for your database, create an agent. This, another
story.