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# Using the Navigator

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TopLink displays the items included in each project (descriptors, mappings, data source, and so on) in the Navigator on the left side of the TopLink Workbench window, as Figure: Sample Navigator shows.

Sample Navigator

Description of "Sample Navigator"

The numbered callouts on Figure: Sample Navigator identify the following user interface components:

1. Project (relational project)

2. Package

3. TopLink Descriptor (relational descriptor)

4. Attribute/mapping (direct to field mapping)

5. Unsaved/changed item

6. Database

7. Database table

Click the plus ( + ) or minus ( – ) sign next to the item, or double-click the item name to expand or collapse the item.

TopLink Workbench identifies items that have been changed but not yet saved by adding an asterisk ( * ) in front of the item name.

When you select an item in the Navigator, its properties appear in the Editor (see "Using the Editor").

To perform specific functions for an item, select the item in the Navigator and do one of the following:

- Right-click on the object and select the function from the context menu (see "Context Menus").

- Choose a function from the Selected menu (see "Menu Bar Menus").

For information on using the Navigator with a database in relational projects, see "Working With Database Tables in the Navigator Window".

For information on using the Navigator with an XML schema in EIS projects (using XML records) and XML projects, see "Working With XML Schemas in the Navigator".

Active and Inactive Descriptors

Inactive descriptors appear dimmed in the Navigator. Inactive descriptors are not registered with the session when the project is loaded into Java. This feature lets you define and test subsets of descriptors. To activate or deactivate a descriptor, right-click the descriptor and select Activate/Deactivate Descriptor from the context menu.

Sample Active and Inactive Descriptors

Description of "Sample Active and Inactive Descriptors"

Figure: Sample Active and Inactive Descriptors numbered callouts show the following user interface components:

1. Inactive descriptor

2. Active descriptor

Errors and Missing Information

If an element in the project (such as a descriptor or mapping) contains an error or some deficiency (sometimes called neediness), a warning icon appears beside the element icon in the Navigator, and TopLink Workbench displays a message in the Problems window (see "Using the Problems Window").

TopLink Workbench Error Reference, contains more information on each TopLink Workbench error message.

See Also

  Working With TopLink Workbench