public void readDB(String path, String styleYear){
		
		// check to see if the style guide is in the DB already
		
		dbPath = path;
		styleFileName = "styleguide" + styleYear + ".xml";
		
		File styleFile = new File(path, styleFileName);
		if(styleFile != null && !styleFile.exists()){
			Frame window = new Frame();
			// style file doesn't exist!
			new Dialog(window, "Can not open style guide: "+path+"/"+styleFileName+"\n Please check your install!");
			//try reverting to the base styleguide
			styleFileName = "styleguide.xml";
			
			styleFile = new File(path, styleFileName);
		}
		
		try {
			styleDB.clear();
			stockFermDB.clear();
			fermDB.clear();
			stockHopsDB.clear();
			hopsDB.clear();
			yeastDB.clear();
			waterDB.clear();
			
			readFermentables(dbPath);
			readPrimeSugar(dbPath);
			readHops(dbPath);
			readYeast(dbPath);
			readMisc(dbPath);
			importStyles(dbPath, styleYear);
			readWater(dbPath);
		
			
			// sort
			Debug.print(styleDB.size());
			Collections.sort(styleDB);
			Collections.sort(fermDB);
			Collections.sort(hopsDB);
			Collections.sort(yeastDB);
			Collections.sort(waterDB);
		} catch (NullPointerException e) {
			e.printStackTrace();
		}
	}