Data Connection Fundamentals
Spider Writer data connections allow you to connect to various types of databases.
Once connected, you can enumerate assorted database objects and use the data objects
in a number of ways. Each type of data provider has different capabilities.
Connecting to Data Sources
To connect to a new data source, execute the
New Data Connection command
from the Environment menu.
The Connection Wizard window will take you through the
steps of connecting to various data sources. This window also describes the capabilities
of each data provider. Once you connect to a data source, it will appear in the
Environment sidebar.
It will continue to appear there until you remove the data connection.
Removing a Data Connection
To remove a data connection from the
Environment sidebar,
select it in the treeview and execute the Remove Data Connection command
from the Environment menu.
Enumerations
Spider Writer can enumerate different database objects for each data source depending on which
data provider the connection uses. Spider Writer can currently show objects like tables, views,
stored procedures, columns, parameters, and more. Spider Writer can also display properties of
data objects. For instance, when you click on a table in the
Environment sidebar treeview,
the list at the bottom of the sidebar displays each table column's data type, side, and attributes.
Building Queries
You can use the SQL Query Builder
to construct complex SELECT queries. See the help topic for this window for more information on its use.