Topics
Getting Started
How the Database Assistant Works
Quick Start Guide
Setup
About Database Images
Allowing Lowercase Characters
Configuring Databases
Creating Database ASCII
Entering the Database Password
Free-Form Queries
Highlighted SQL Statements
Inserting Records from Database ASCII
Selecting a Data Source
Selecting a Database
Selecting a Table
ShowingFieldnames
Using FTP
Viewing Records in List View
Viewing the Status bar
Viewing Table Attributtes
Viewing the Toolbar
Viewing SQL Statements
Registration
Getting Started
How the Database Assistant Works
The Database
Assistant uses system data sources to connect to the database of your choice.
As long as you have a system data source created for a database that you want to
access, the Database Assistant can be used to view an edit records in that
database. The supported database platforms are Oracle, SQL
Server,
Informix, and Microsoft Access. Other databases may work with the
Database
Assistant.
Ideally, all tables will contain an identity field or a serial field that will be used as a unique identifier.
The unique identifier is used when updating and deleting records as well as
for record navigation. The Database Assistant can automatically discover identity
fields for SQL Server and Access databases, but the user may need to define
serial fields in the Edit Options screen for other database types if no identity
field exists. In Oracle, the internal record id field will be used in the
absence of a true identity field. If no unique fields are provided and no
internal id fields are available for the selected database type, a combination
of all of the fields previous values will be used as the where clause when
performing updates, deletes and when navigating through records.
No serial/identity field needs to be defined if the first field is numeric and
the first field name contains the string "serial". Whenever no identity
field is found for a table and this criteria is met, the first field will be
used as the unique identifier for the table.
Operation
About Images
Image fields can be viewed with the Database Assistant, but the supported images are
limited to the BMP, JPEG, and GIF image types.
Allowing Lowercase Characters
The data found in the field boxes on the main screen default to only allowing
uppercase data entry. However, by adding a check to the Allow Lower Case
menu option under the Tools menu, mixed case is allowed.
Configuring Databases
To avoid having to log into a database at program startup and to make a database available in the
Database drop down menu
for quick access, you may pre-configure databases by supplying the information necessary to connect
to each database in advance.
If you haven't chosen the Alter ODBC Registry Information option in the
Edit Options screen, all you need to enter in order to configure
a database is the Database Type, the Data Source, a Database Description, and the
User Name and Password for the database.
If you have chosen to use the Alter ODBC Registry Information feature, you will be required to enter more data and
the information that is required will vary based upon the database type of the database being configured. For example,
an Oracle database will require a TNS name, while an
Informix database requires a listing for the Informix Server.
Depending on the database type selected, some of the boxes will be disabled because they may not be relevant to the
selected database type.
Once all of the required information has been entered, click the Save button. The new database will then be saved into the
Database drop down menu on the main screen.
Creating Database ASCII
Once some records have been queried into the main screen, you may create a pipe
("|") delimited file that represents the data. This data may be used to
upload into other databases or as a backup file.
Entering the Database Password
If a data source has
not been pre-configured inside the Database Assistant application, it will be
necessary to log into the database using a user name and password.
Free-Form Queries
On the SQL Command Line tab queries can be typed in directly. SELECT, ADD, UPDATE, and REMOVE
statements are supported.
Executing Highlighted SQL Statements
By highlighting the text of an SQL statement,
only the selected text will be executed when the Execute button is clicked.
Inserting Records from Database ASCII
If there are pipe delimited records in the results pane of the SQL Command Line
screen or if there is a file that has been saved as pipe
delimited records, these records can be inserted into a table using the Insert
Records Using ASCII menu option as long as the database schema matches that of
the records and there are no index violations.
Selecting a Data Source
When the application opens, it is necessary to choose a data source to connect
to.
Select the data source that corresponds to the database that you want to review
from the list of system data sources. The system data sources are those
that are defined for your computer via the ODBCAD32.EXE application.
Note: Only Microsoft Access, SQL Server, Oracle, and
Informix databases are currently officially supported. Some DBase
databases may also be compatible.
Selecting a Database
Use the Database drop down menu to select a pre-configured database from the
list of databases. Upon selection, the active database used by the
application will be changed to the selected database.
Selecting a Table
After the main screen opens, click the Select Table button
located on the menu bar or choose the
Select Table menu option from the Commands menu. Once the
dialog screen opens, choose the table you want to query or edit
and click the OK button.
Showing Field Names
When results are returned from free form queries in the results pane, the Show Field Names menu option changes the results from
pipe delimited format to fieldname and value format. In other words, when the
Show Field Names menu
option is not checked the results pane may display this:
DESCRIPTION|CODE|INACT|ADDRESS|CITY|STATE|ZIP|PHONE|EMAIL|
'MARKOSOFT'|'MARK'|'A'|'5013 JUSTIN DRIVE'|'KNOXVILLE'|'TN'|'37918'|'(865)689-3265'|'info@markosoft.net"'|
But when the Show Field Names menu option is checked, the results pane displays this:
|
SERIAL
|
'1'
|
|
DESCRIPTION
|
'MARKOSOFT'
|
|
CODE
|
'MARK'
|
|
INACT
|
'A'
|
|
ADDRESS
|
'5013 JUSTIN DRIVE'
|
|
CITY
|
'KNOXVILLE'
|
|
STATE
|
'TN'
|
|
ZIP
|
'37918'
|
|
PHONE
|
'(865)689-3265'
|
|
EMAIL
|
'info@markosoft.net'
|
Using FTP
Invoking the WS_FTP application can be done directly from the
Database Assistant. However, the FTP feature must be switched
on in the Edit Options screen and some FTP servers must also be
configured in order to use this functionality.
Viewing Records in List View
All of the records in the current query list can be viewed as a list by
selecting the List View
menu option.
Viewing the Status bar
The Status Bar can be toggled on and off with the View Status Bar menu option.
Viewing Table Attributtes
The field properties of a table can be viewed by clicking on the View
Table Attributes menu option and then selecting a table from the drop
down list.
Viewing the Toolbar
The Toolbar can be toggled on and off with the View Tool Bar menu option.
Viewing SQL Statements
The user can view the last SQL statement that was executed by the program by
clicking on the SQL button or by selecting the View SQL
menu option.
Registration
To register the Database Assistant select Register Database Assistant from the Help menu.
At the prompt, enter the 16 character registration code. To obtain a registration number contact
Markosoft at info@markosoft.net.