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Dashboard - Database

Database

The Database section shows the type of database connection, the number of tables, and associated data dictionaries.

Concepts

Workspace

The DataFlex Studio operates within a workspace. A workspace defines the areas where your source files reside. The workspace is the area where you build your projects. Projects are built by assembling components into a single file. The components will use classes that are known to the workspace. These classes can be defined within the workspace, within libraries used by the workspace, and within the System Library.

Projects

A project is the code that you compile and run. A project consists of a file (usually a .src file) that uses other components (component files, class files, Data Dictionary files, etc.) to create an executable program. A project can be large (e.g., MyBigApplication.src), containing all of the components and classes within your workspace, or it can be small (e.g., MyTest.src), consisting of a few components that you wish to test.

You can create as few or as many projects within a workspace as you wish. Projects must be registered within a workspace. This is really just a simple process of adding a file to a list that Studio maintains. Projects can easily be added or removed from this list.

Current Project

The Studio, and the Workspace Dashboard, are current project oriented. You are expected to select a current project and then work within this project. When you tell the Studio to compile, debug, or run, it will always operate on the current project. When the Studio provides you with code-sense (interface information), it provides it from the current project’s perspective.

The Database section of the dashboard is not current project oriented. It can include some or all of the following section details:

Manage Server/Database Connections

This section detail describes the database connections used in this workspace. Clicking on it will launch the SQL Connection Manager.

Tables

The number of tables currently available in the workspace is represented by a number to the left of this detail. This section detail has the following behaviors:

  • If the workspace does not contain any tables, this detail will show a red exclamation point to the left.
  • If the workspace contains tables, this detail will show the number of tables to the left.

Regardless of the number of tables present in the database connection, clicking on this detail will open the Create New Table dialog. Once you type in a name for your new table, the Table Editor will open, and you can start creating columns, indexes, and relationships.

Data Dictionaries

The number of data dictionaries currently available in the workspace is represented by a number to the left of this detail. This section detail has the following behaviors:

  • If the workspace does not contain any data dictionaries, this detail will show a red exclamation point to the left.
  • If the workspace contains data dictionaries, this detail will show the number of data dictionaries to the left.

Regardless of the number of data dictionaries present in the database connection, clicking on this detail will open the Table Explorer.

Once Table Explorer is open, you can select a table from the tree-view and expand it to see its associated columns, indexes, relationships and data dictionaries.

Learn More About Building a Database

Clicking on this link will launch the DataFlex Help System and display the Workspace Dashboard Help.

See Also