dbConnect Manager

Quick Reference

See Also

Configure a Database for Use with PRODNAME Drawings

Provides the primary interface for the connectivity feature.

Access Methods

Menu: Tools

Palettes

dbConnect.

Summary

You can view and edit database tables, execute structured query language (SQL) queries, and link table records to graphical objects. By default, the dbConnect Manager opens as a docked window on the left side of the drawing area.

When you open the dbConnect Manager, a small red X is displayed in the lower right corner of each database and data object. The X indicates that these objects are currently unconnected. To connect to a database or data object, double-click it in the dbConnect Manager.

List of Options

The dbConnect Manager includes the following components:

dbConnect Manager Buttons

Display and manipulate database objects.

View Table: Opens an external database table in Read-only mode. This button is not available unless a single table, link template, or label template is selected in the tree view.
Edit Table: Opens an external database table in Edit mode. This button is not available unless a single table, link template, or label template is selected in the tree view.
Execute Query: Executes a query. This button is not available unless a query is selected in the tree view.
New Query: Displays the New Query dialog box. This button is not available unless a single table, link template, or query is selected. If a query is selected, you can use this button to display the Query Editor, in which you can edit the query.
New Link Template: Displays the New Link Template dialog box. This button is not available unless a single table or link template is selected. If a link template is selected, you can use this button to display the Link Template dialog box, in which you can edit the link template. Not available for link templates with links already defined in a drawing.
New Label Template: Displays the New Label Template dialog box. This button is not available unless a single table, link template, or label template is selected. If a label template is selected, you can use this button to display the Label Template dialog box, in which you can edit the label template.

dbConnect Manager Tree View

Contains nodes for each drawing that's currently open and a Data Sources node that contains all available data sources configured on your system.

Drawing Nodes Shortcut Menu

Provides options available for an open drawing. Right-click the node of an open drawing.

Export Template Set: Opens the Export Template Set dialog box, in which you can save all link and label templates stored in the drawing to an external file.
Import Template Set: Opens the Import Template Set dialog box, in which you can import a set of link and label templates that are stored in an external file.
Export Query Set: Opens the Export Query Set dialog box, in which you can save all queries stored in the drawing to an external file. The exported query set is saved with the file extension .dbq.
Import Query Set: Opens the Import Query Set dialog box, in which you can import a set of queries stored in an external file with the file extension .dbq.
Show Labels: Turns on visibility of all labels in the selected drawing.
Hide Labels: Turns off visibility of all labels in the selected drawing.
Reload Labels: Refreshes the field values of the labels in the selected drawing, updating them to reflect any changes made in the source database table.

Database Objects Shortcut Menu

Provides options available for database objects (such as link templates, label templates, and queries) attached to the drawing nodes. Different database objects have different subsets of menu options available to them. For example, the shortcut menu options that are displayed when you right-click a query differ from the options that are available when you right-click a link template. The following shortcut menu options are available for various database objects.

View Table: Opens an external database table in Read-only mode. Available only for link templates.
Edit Table: Opens an external database table in Edit mode. Available only for link templates.
Edit: Opens a dialog box in which you can edit the properties of the selected database object. Available for link templates, label templates, and queries. Not available for link templates with links already defined in the drawing.
Delete: Deletes the selected database object. Available for link templates, label templates, and queries.
Duplicate: Makes a copy of the selected database object and inserts it in the current drawing. Available for link templates, label templates, and queries.
Rename: Opens a dialog box in which you can rename the selected database object. Available for link templates, label templates, and queries. Not available for link templates with links already defined in the drawing.
New Query: Opens the New Query dialog box. Available only for link templates.
Link Select: Opens the Link Select dialog box. Available only for link templates.
New Label Template: Opens the New Label Template dialog box. Available only for link templates.
Show Labels: Displays all labels that are associated with the selected database object. Available for link templates and label templates.
Hide Labels: Hides all labels that are associated with the selected database object. Available for link templates and label templates.
Delete Links: Deletes all links in the current drawing that use the selected link template. Available only for link templates.
Delete Labels: Deletes all labels in the current drawing that use the selected label template. Available only for label templates.
Synchronize: Verifies that all links in the current drawing based on the selected link template contain valid values. Any detected problems are reported in the Synchronize dialog box. Available only for link templates.
Reload: Refreshes the field values of all labels associated with the selected label template in the current drawing, updating them to reflect any changes made in the source database table. Available only for label templates.
Execute: Executes the selected query. Available only for queries.
Delete Links: Deletes all links in the current drawing that use the selected link template. Available only for link templates.

Data Sources Node Shortcut Menu

Provides options available for data sources. Right-click the data sources node.

Configure Data Source: Opens the Configure a Data Source dialog box where you can configure a new data source or edit an existing one.

Data Objects Shortcut Menu

Provides options available for data objects. Right-click a data object (such as a catalog or table) in the data sources node.

Connect: Establishes a connection to the selected data object. Available for data sources, catalogs, and schemas.
Disconnect: Closes the connection to the selected data object. Available for data sources, catalogs, and schemas.
Synchronize: Opens the Synchronize dialog box. Available only for connected data sources.
Configure: Opens the Configure a Data Source dialog box where you can configure a new data source or edit an existing one. Available only for disconnected data sources.
View Table: Opens the selected database table in Read-only mode. Available only for tables.
Edit Table: Opens the selected database table in Edit mode. Available only for tables.
New Link Template: Opens the New Link Template dialog box. Available only for database tables.
New Label Template: Opens the New Label Template dialog box. Available only for database tables.
New Query: Opens the New Query dialog box. Available only for database tables.