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Expanded Connectivity and Database Improvements

Multi Column Relationship Support

Multi-column relationships are enabled in the embedded database and for SQL database servers. This advance helps developers build applications that model real-world data and make connections to SQL databases that have multi-segment relationships.

This significant change provides two major advantages to developers:

  1. Overlaps are no longer needed to simulate multi-column relationships.
  2. Connecting to existing SQL tables that use multi-column primary keys (which is quite common) is fully supported.

Existing applications will continue to function without change.

Support for Non-Recnum Based Tables (RowId)

Database tables with alphanumeric primary keys are now supported (the traditional DataFlex “Recnum” is no longer required).

Most database servers allow primary keys to be alphanumeric. This enhancement enables DataFlex and Web Application Server applications to connect to a database provided that an alphanumeric or numeric primary key is defined. Recnum support is still provided for compatibility with existing applications.

This significant change provides these major advantages to developers:

  1. If a suitable unique identifier (either single or multi-column) exists “naturally” in a table definition, you are no longer required to create a single numeric column to act as the identifier.
  2. Connecting to existing SQL tables that use alphanumeric primary keys (which are quite common) is fully supported.
  3. When used in conjunction with multi-column relationships, virtually all foreign table structures are now supported.

Please note that when we use the term “supported” above, we are referring to “native” table support, including full data dictionary support and the full use of all the capabilities of the development environment (including all wizards). The various connectivity options have always supported using Embedded SQL to open and manipulate tables that did not have a unique, single-column, numeric identifier (i.e., recnum).

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New Connectivity Kits

The Studio installation will automatically install the latest connectivity options.

Default Database

Workspaces now support the concept of a default database. The default database includes information about the type of database (embedded, MSSQL, PSQL, DB2, ODBC, etc.) and, where applicable, the server, database, DSN, and connection string. Once the default database information for a workspace is set, table operations (mainly through Database Builder) will take on the “flavor” of that default environment. For instance, if you go into Database Builder and create a new table, it will use all of the information about the default database as the setting for the new table creation.

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