When you have configured a data source, you can use the Data View window to view database records from within the program.

Once you have configured a data source, you can access its database tables from within the program. The Data View is a window where you can view and edit database records. You can open database tables in Read-only mode or in Edit mode. You cannot add, delete, or edit records in a database table that you open in Read-only mode. Opening a database table establishes a connection to its parent database. Some database systems require that you enter a valid user name and password before you can connect to them.

The Data View window is a spreadsheet-like environment that presents a database table's records. With the scroll bars and navigation buttons at the right and at the bottom of the window, you can move through the record set.

The grid in the Data View window contains the following elements:

• Column header. Selects all records in a column when you click it.
• Record header. Selects an individual record when you click it.
• Grid cells. Selects one field of a given record when you click it.
• Grid header. Selects the entire database table.

  

The Data View window provides a great deal of flexibility in how records are displayed. You can

• Move or resize columns
• Hide columns to remove them from the Data View window display
• Sort column data in ascending or descending order
• Freeze a column or combination of columns so that they stay in place and do not scroll with the horizontal scroll bar
• Align text within individual columns
• Apply a variety of font styles and sizes to the Data View window display

Column formatting and database table sorts in the Data View window are not stored. This information is discarded when you open a new database table or close the current table. If you want to create and save a formatted report, you must copy the contents of the Data View window to the Clipboard and paste it into an external program such as Microsoft Excel. You can then use the external program to apply and save the desired formatting. For details about creating a template, refer to the documentation of the external program that you are using to format the data.

Procedure

To open a database table for viewing or editing

1. Click ToolsmenuPalettesDbConnect.At the Command prompt, enter dbconnect.
2. Do one of the following:
   • To open a database table in Read-only mode, click DbConnect menu View Data View External Table.
   • To open a database table in Edit mode, click DbConnect menu View Data Edit External Table.

   If required by the database to which you are connecting, you are prompted to enter a valid user name and password.

3. In the Select Data Object dialog box, navigate to and select the database table you want to open. Click OK.

NoteSome database systems require that you obtain access privileges before you can view or edit database tables. Refer to the documentation for your database system, or check with your database administrator.

To open a database table directly from the Data Sources node of the dbConnect Manager

• Double-click a database table in the dbConnect Manager.

  By default, double-clicked database tables are opened in Edit mode. You can change the default double-click behavior to Read-only mode, if desired.

To change the double-click open setting for database tables

1. Click Tools menu Options.At the command prompt, enter options.
2. On the System tab, select Open Tables in Read-only Mode.
3. Click OK.

To move a column in a database table

1. Click the column header of the column that you want to move.
2. Click the column header again and drag it to the desired location.

To resize a column in a database table

1. In the Data View window, select the grid line at the right border of the column header of the column you want to resize.
2. Drag to the right to enlarge the column, or to the left to shrink it.

To hide a column in a database table

1. In the Data View window, select the column header of the column that you want to hide.
2. Right-click the column header. Click Hide.

To display all hidden columns in a database table

• Right-click any column header in the Data View window. Click Unhide All.

To specify a sort order for the Data View window display

1. Right-click any column header in the Data View window. Click Sort.
2. Select a column to sort in the Sort By list. Select Ascending or Descending to specify a sort order.

   Ascending order sorts the column starting with the smallest value and ending with the largest value. Descending order sorts the column starting with the largest value and ending with the smallest value.

3. If desired, select an additional column to sort in the Then By list. Select the Ascending or Descending option to specify a sort order.

   The sort operation sorts all database table records according to the value specified in the Sort By list, and then continues to sort based on the value specified in the Then By list.

4. Repeat step 2 for any additional fields that you want to add to the sort.

   You can sort by a combination of up to five table columns at a time.

To freeze a column or columns

1. In the Data View window, select one or more columns to freeze.
2. Right-click one of the selected column headers. Click Freeze.

NoteThe Freeze option can be applied only to contiguous columns. If not all of the columns you want to freeze are contiguous, move them as described in To move a column in a database table.

To unfreeze all frozen columns

• Right-click any column header in the Data View window. Click Unfreeze All.

To align text in a column or columns

1. Select one or more columns in the Data View window whose text you want to align.
2. Right-click any column header. Click Align.
3. Select one of the following to align the text:
   • Standard. Right-aligns numeric fields and left-aligns all other fields.
   • Left. Left-aligns the column cells.
   • Center. Center-aligns the column cells.
   • Right. Right-aligns the column cells.

To select a font size and style for the Data View

1. In the Data View window, right-click the empty, top-left square of the database table. Click Format.
2. Select the font settings you want to use. Click OK.

To export data from the Data View window

1. Open a database table by double-clicking it in the dbConnect Manager.
2. Select the records that you want to export from the Data View window.
3. Right-click in any cell. Click Copy.
4. Open the external application to which you want to export the data. Click Home tabUtilities panelPaste. At the command prompt, enter pasteclip.

   The text is inserted into the external application in tab-delimited format.

Quick Reference

Commands

DBCONNECT

Provides an interface to external database tables.