This sublist is where you create and manage the data class' table or view fields. Saving the field records stores not only the field objects but also the table field relations, which means that the fields can also be used in masks.
Field Name | name of the table field |
Sequence | field's numerical position in the table |
Type | data type and length of a field |
F | foreign key flag |
Sorting | sort type, for queries to the field |
Group | group |
Path | name of the original table field for a view field |
Index 1-3 | the field's index |
Unique 1-3 | uniqueness flag |
Languages | language list |
Mode | search mode |
Non-Null | non-null flag |
Field Title | field's title in masks |
Description | verbose description of a field |
Check String | string for validating user-entered data |
Default Value | provides a default value for the field |
Form | opens the selected record in the form |
Mask Assignments | shows a field's usage in masks |
attribute | master attribute for field (T_FIELD) |
type, entry | string, no special characters, specification required |
max. no. of characters | 50 |
selection tool | no |
multilingual field | no |
The field's name identifies the field object uniquely.
When you create a new field, the TABELLENNAME/VIEWNAME from the header is inserted automatically. You only need to add the COLUMNNAME.
Note!
Once the database table or view has been created and the field (if new) exists as an object, its name can no longer be changed. To do this, you need to delete the field record, create it again, and then recreate or modify the table or view.
Sequence
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
integer, entry required
max. no. of characters
5
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
The numerical position of a field determines the sequence of fields in the database table or view.
DataView needs the numerical position to determine the field order when creating default masks. This sequence has no meaning within the database table or view itself.
Type
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, no special characters, entry required
max. no. of characters
6
selection tool
menu with all data types
multilingual field
no
The system's default lengths are applied when you leave the field, and you can also use default variables to set your own defaults.
Foreign Key (flag)
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
logical
max. no. of characters
1
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
If you set the Foreign Key flag, DataView uses the field to identify records in a foreign format table. You must have at least one Foreign Flag key, but you may also use several fields together as a combined key.
Foreign Key fields should be defined as indexed (-> Field index), unique (-> Uniqueness flags) and not null (-> Non-Null flags).
More information:
-> Foreign Format Tables
Sorting
attribute
relation attribute for table field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
numeric
max. no. of characters
5
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
The Sort type determines the order of the records returned after a query DataView sorts fields of type integer, real and money numerically, and string fields alphabetically.
n determines the field's priority when sorting by more than one field. 1 has the highest priority.
Example:
Field A: n = 1, Field B: n = -2 -> DataView sorts the records according to field A in ascending order. If there is more than one record where field A is identical, DataView sorts these records according to field B in descending order.
Group
attribute
master attribut for field (T_FIELF)
type, entry
logic
max. no. of characters
1
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
You need to define groups when your view query contains evaluations, such as counts, averages or sums.
More information:
-> Grouping
Path
attribute
master attribut for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, no special characters, entry required
max. no. of characters
255
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
This holds the name of a view field's base field. Base fields are real table fields in the database. If several views have been "stacked" on one another, the complete path to the base field is given.
Formula strings (incl. group functions SUM(), AVG(), MIN(), MAX(), CONT() or statistical functions STDDEV(), VARIANCE()) are permitted, and should be entered in SQL syntax. When the view is generated, they are saved to the database without being validated.
More information:
-> View fields
Index 1-3
attribute
master attribut for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, no special characters, entry optional
max. no. of characters
13
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
Using indices makes looking up the field in the database faster. Looking up several fields can be speeded up by assigning all the fields the same index.
Multilingual fields cannot be indexed.
More information:
-> Indexed fields
Unique 1-3
attribute
master attribut for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, entry required
max. no. of characters
1
selection tool
menu with all uniqueness flags for master tables
multilingual field
no
If the flag is set, DataView saves the field's contents as unique, which means that every record in the table is identified uniquely. If you use the field in masks, altering the data in an existing field will generate an error message.
You should flag fields as unique whenever they are responsible for uniquely identifying records, in particular:
Only indexed fields can be unique.
More information:
-> Unique fields
Languages
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, entry required
max. no. of characters
40
selection tool
menu with all available languages
multilingual field
yes
You can define the languages supported by each multilingual field. The languages field holds a comma-separated list of language keys. Using the menu, you can either select the entire default language list or select one or more language keys individually. When DataView generates the table or view, it also creates the appropriate number of field objects internally, to hold text in various languages. These internal field names are always formed by adding a language key as suffix, e.g. TABLENAME.COLUMNNAME_LNG or VIEWNAME.COLUMNNAME_LNG.
Attention! It is not possible to directly delete single language entries in the language field. Instead, you must select the "Clear Entry" command from the context menu and then select the languages you want to support for multilingual fields.
Multilingual fields cannot be indexed.
Attention! When using views, please note that the language list of a multilingual field may hold fewer language keys than are held in the base field, but may not hold any which are different.
More information:
-> Language management
Mode
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string
max. no. of characters
1
selection tool
menu with all search modes
multilingual field
no
If a field's case sensitivity is defined, the case sensitivity set in the default variable QUERYMODE is ignored for that field.
Non-Null (NN)
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
logical
max. no. of characters
1
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
Of the flag is set to Non-Null, it must hold an entry in the database table. If the field is used in a mask, an entry is forced by setting the field's Access for the mask's Edit Mode to m = mandatory.
The Non-Null flag should be set for every field which provides a record's unique ID, in particular:
attribute | master attribute for field (T_FIELD) |
type, entry | string, entry optional |
max. no. of characters | 50 |
selection tool | no |
multilingual field | yes |
Field titles are crucial in integrating graphics and images into forms.
In lists, the title is a field's column label, displayed in the lists header. In forms, the title can be positioned anywhere relative to the field.
More information: -> Field titles
When you use this field in forms, you can insert a graphic or image as a label and use it to help design the form.
Entry for the type of graphic:
You can also set the stroke width of a line or outline.
Example: for a raised rectangle, enter @RECT2BUMP
More information: -> Graphics and images in forms
An image is displayed in place of the field title.
More information:
-> Graphics and images in forms
Description
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, entry optional
max. no. of characters
50
selection tool
no
multilingual field
yes
When users are editing a record and the cursor enters a field, its verbose description appears in the mask's footer. You should use the description to characterized the field in more detail or warn of potential invalid data.
Check String
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, entry optional
max. no. of characters
50
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
You can use validation strings to check the syntax of the data entered into a field, e.g. whether an article number complies with certain conventions. Validation strings consist of a series of validation characters.
Attention! The validation string may not contain spaces followed by further validation characters.
More information:
-> Validating field entries
Default Value
attribute
master attribute for field (T_FIELD)
type, entry
string, entry optional
max. no. of characters
50
selection tool
no
multilingual field
no
If the field is used in a mask, DataView automatically enters the default whenever a user creates a new record. The user may or may not be able to alter the default, depending on the field's access status.
More information:
-> Automatically filling fields
Form
Mask Assignments