Monster Media 1993 #2/Image.iso/os2/sqledit.zip/SQLEDIT.HLP

OS/2 Help File | 1993-05-16 | 8KB | 164 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Select Data Base ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Select the data base whose contents you wish to edit during this session of
SQLEDIT. The data base you choose will be opened for processing. The data base
may be selected by clicking mouse button 1 on its name and then clicking mouse
button 1 on the Enter box.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Select Stored Query ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You have chosen to work with a query previously stored with the data base,
either by executing the stored query directly, or by modifying the stored query
before execution. Choose one of the stored queries by clicking mouse button 1
on its name and then clicking mouse button 1 on the "Enter" box.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Enter Ad Hoc Query ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can now enter a new SQL query in the indicated window. Editing may be done
using the backspace key, the cursor positioning keys and the DELETE key from
the keyboard. This query must be a "SELECT" statement using valid SQL syntax.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Edit Data Item ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can now edit a data item, using the keyboard and the mouse. The data may be
edited without regard for leading or trailing blanks. These will be handled
automatically, depending on the base data type of the item. The edited data
item must conform to the rules for the representation of its underlying data
type. For example, an INT or SHORTINT data type may contain only numeric
characters, aside from an optional leading sign. Errors in edited data will not
be caught until the data is used in an SQL transaction.

When you have completed editing the data item, click mouse button 1 on the
Enter box. The whole process may be aborted by clicking mouse button 1 on the
Cancel box.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Select Query File ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Select a file containing the text of a valid SQL SELECT query. This query will
be executed to select the rows and columns to be edited. You may choose the
logical drive and the directory this file resides in. Also, for HPFS file
systems, you may choose a file with a name whose length exceeds standard
restrictions.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Edit Data ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You can now edit data which has been retrieved from the database by your query.
The data may be scrolled both vertically and horizontally using the scrollbars.
Editing the data will generate the text of SQL transaction(s) which, when
executed successfully, will then store the edited data permanently in the
database. The entire procedure may be terminated at any time prior to actually
executing the transactions by clicking on the Cancel box with mouse button 1.
When you have finished editing the data, you may permanently commit the changes
into the database by clicking on the Execute box. Note that any of these
generated transactions may fail for a large variety of reasons. These reasons
include (but are not limited to) lack of authorization, bad syntax in an
expression, invalid data, impermissible updating of a view, invalid table name,
etc. For every invalid SQL transaction an appropriate error message will be
displayed and must be acknowledged. All valid transactions will run
successfully even if some of the transactions are in error.

No record is kept of the name of the table or view from which the displayed
data is derived. In fact, there may not be such a table if the output data is a
composite of data from more than a single table. For this reason, when the
Execute is selected, you will be asked to enter a table name against which the
transaction(s) will be run.

If you need more room in a column to enter data (as can occur when you enter a
valid SQL expression, as opposed to data, into a column), first click mouse
button 1 on the Widen box. Then move the pointer anywhere within the column of
interest except for the header portion of the display and click mouse button 2.
This will widen the column by a fixed increment. If further widening is needed,
simply repeat this procedure as many times as required.

For INSERT and UPDATE transactions, the edited data must conform to the SQL
rules for valid transactions. Not only must the data conform to the rules
related to the underlying data type of the columns, but the transaction to
update the data base must comply with existing authorizations for the database.

To get information on how to perform specific editing functions, double click
on the name below.

 Insert

 Update

 Delete


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Inserting New Rows ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You may insert new rows into a table or view using existing rows as a model. To
accomplish this, first click on the Insert box with mouse button 1. Then move
the pointer to anywhere within the row that you wish to use as a model and
click on it, using mouse button 2. This will cause a copy of the row to be
added at the end of the display. This row will be colored the same color as the
Insert box. You may now edit individual columns within this row by clicking on
the Select box with mouse button 1. Then move the pointer to the column in the
added row whose data you wish to edit and click on it with mouse button 2. The
data item selected will be presented in an edit window and may now be edited
using standard techniques. Continue this procedure for as many columns as you
wish to modify. Not modifying any columns will create a transaction which
attempts to insert a duplicate row. This may or may not be valid, depending
upon the definition of the table.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Updating Existing Rows ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You may update column(s) in existing rows that have been retrieved by the SQL
query. To accomplish this, click on the Update box with mouse button 1. Then
position the pointer on the column of the row that you wish to update and click
on it with mouse button 2. The selected row will be displayed in the same color
as the Update box. Also the selected data will be put into an edit window where
you may edit the data using standard techniques. If the edited data is too wide
to fit into the column,  it will be truncated. In this case, the  column should
be widened before the data is edited. No check is made at this time as to
whether it is valid to update the column being updated because of key
considerations, etc. This will only be done when the generated transaction is
actually run.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Deleting Existing Rows ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

You may delete existing row(s) that have been retrieved by the SQL query. To
accomplish this, first click on the Delete by using mouse button 1. Next
position the cursor on the row to be deleted and click on it with mouse button
2. The row will be displayed  in the  same color as the Delete box.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 10. Enter Table Name ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Since the displayed columns may be derived from more than a single table or
view, no record is kept of the table name(s) used in the original SQL query
executed to retrieve the data. Instead, you must now enter the name of the
table or view against which the transactions you have generated will be run.
Indeed this table need not even be involved in the original query. Use standard
editing techniques to edit this entry.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 11. Main Menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

To terminate SQLEdit, click on Quit


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 12. Registration ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

To receive a registered copy of SQLEdit whch may be executed an unlimited
number of times, please send $40 in U.S. currency to:

Ammonoosuc Technology, Inc.
131 Ridge Road
Franconia, NH 03580

This will also entitle you to receive fixes for the current version of SQLEdit
and to be notified of the availability of future, enhanced versions of SQLEdit.
Discounts are available for multiple copies of SQLEdit. To receive a copy of
these discount rates, contact Ammonoosuc Technology Inc. at the above address
by U.S. (snail)  mail or by electronic mail directed to 70761,1756 on
CompuServe or to [e-mail] on Internet or to DEV2758 on
IBMLink..