Boston User Manual

Boston Data Type Descriptions

The following are descriptions and examples for each data type in Boston. These descriptions provide a clear understanding of each data type's purpose and use case, along with an example to illustrate how they might be used in a practical context. The additional notes offer further clarification when necessary.

Data Type	Description	Example	Notes
DataTypeNotSet	Reserved for future use or to indicate an undefined data type.	N/A	Used as a placeholder when the data type is not yet determined.
Boolean	Stores true or false values.	`true`	Often used in control flow as flags.
LogicalTrueFalse	Stores decisions as true or false.	`false`	Explicitly for binary logical operations.
LogicalYesNo	Stores decisions as yes or no.	`Yes`	Used for clarity in user interfaces.
AutoCounter	Numeric type that increments with each record.	`101` (after `100`)	Typically used as a primary key in databases.
Decimal	Stores numbers with decimal points.	`123.45`	Suitable for precise calculations like financial transactions.
FloatCustomPrecision	Stores floating-point numbers with user-defined precision.	`3.14159`	Precision can be set according to the required accuracy.
FloatDoublePrecision	Stores floating-point numbers with double precision.	`3.141592653589793`	Ideal for scientific calculations requiring high precision.
FloatSinglePrecision	Stores floating-point numbers with single precision.	`3.1415927`	Balances precision and performance for general use.
Money	Formatted to handle monetary values.	`$19.99`	Ensures accuracy for financial data.
SignedBigInteger	Stores very large integers, both positive and negative.	`-9223372036854775808 or 9863452304601236333`	Can represent a wide range of integer values.
SignedInteger	Stores integers with a sign.	`-2147483648 or 8346423194`	The standard integer type in most programming languages.
SignedSmallInteger	Stores smaller ranges of signed integers.	`-32768 or 34756`	Used when storage efficiency is important.
UnsignedBigInteger	Stores very large non-negative integers.	`18446744073709551615`	For when the value range will not include negatives.
UnsignedInteger	Stores whole non-negative numbers.	`4294967295`	Commonly used for counts and sizes.
UnsignedSmallInteger	Stores small ranges of non-negative whole numbers.	`65535`	Efficient for small quantities.
UnsignedTinyInteger	Optimized for storing very small whole non-negative numbers.	`255`	Minimal storage space required.
ObjectID	Unique identifier for objects.	`550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000`	Often used in programming for object references.
RowID	Unique identifier for database rows.	`000001F4`	Ensures precise retrieval of database records.
RawDataFixedLength	Stores raw binary data with a fixed length.	`10101010` (8 bits)	Fixed length ensures consistent storage size.
RawDataLargeLength	Stores large volumes of raw binary data.	Binary data of a .zip file	Used for storing files or large data blobs.
RawDataOLEObject	Stores OLE objects for embedding complex data types.	Embedded Excel chart	Enables embedding objects like spreadsheets into documents.
RawDataPicture	Specifically for storing image data.	Binary data of a .jpg image	Ensures images are stored in their native format.
VariableLength	Accommodates raw binary data with variable length.	Binary data of varying length files	Flexible storage for binary data of unpredictable size.
AutoTimestamp	Records the date and time when a record is created or modified.	`2023-11-13T10:45:30Z`	Timestamps are crucial for tracking changes.
TemporalDate	Records dates without time of day.	`2023-11-13`	Used for storing simple date information.
TemporalDateTime	Records both the date and the time.	`2023-11-13 10:45:30`	Useful for logging events to a precise moment.
Time	Dedicated to recording time of day.	`10:45:30`	When only the time component is needed.
TextFixedLength	Stores strings of a specified, fixed length.	`Hello` (10 characters)	Good for data that will always be the same length.
TextLargeLength	Stores longer strings of text.	Entire paragraphs of text	For text data that can be very large, like comments or articles.
TextVariableLength	Stores strings of varying length.	`Hello, World!`	Most flexible for text, as it can store a wide range of lengths.