Standard Functions in System Masks

The standard functions in system masks are used to create, query and update records. Here you find a survey. Details for the individual standard functions will follow.

Button Context menu item Key Comment
Refresh
- Fill mask with all records from the database
Query
[End] Searches records in the database for certain criteria
Insert
[Ins] Insert new record into mask
Print
- Prints all records in the mask
Update
- Edit selected record, also double click on record
Copy
[Ins] Copy selected record within a mask
Delete
[Del] Delete selected record (put into the trash-basket)
Access
- Opens the Access form for selected record
- - [Ctrl+B] Opens the Record Export form (Binary loader)

Refresh

Fill mask with all records from the database.

After opening system masks are always empty. you have to fill the mosque with records, i.e. trigger a query in the database and load the records found locally into the mask. Refresh will start such a query without search criteria and will load all records found into the mask.

Note! It is a precondition for searching for all records that no old search terms are entered in the search line (e.g. from a previous query).

Query

Searches records in the database for certain criteria (also [End]).

Via query you shift the mask into Query mode (Query mode of mask-edit state). his sewage line will appear, where you formulate the query. You can use the -> edit functions. Then you start the query or cancel.

Button Context menu item Comment
Fetch
Fills the mask with the records complying with the search criteria and leaves the Query mode
Count
Counts the records in the database complying with the search criteria and ouputs the result in the message window. The mask remains in Query mode.
Quit
Leaves the Query mode without executing the query.

If after a Fetch more than 0 records are found in the database, DataView will only display the first 0 records. Then a message is shown. In this case there are two possibilities:

The record that has been the current record in the mask prior to the search (marked by position indicator in list or displayed in form) will remain current after Fetch if it is part of the query result.


Search Query Conventions

A query consists of search terms. Search terms can be entered in one or several fields of the search line. Search terms in several fields are automatically combined by UND. A search term can contain the following operators and special characters.

Comparison operators (for field types: String, Integer, Float, Money, Date):

Comparison
operator
Comment
> Alphabetically or numerically bigger
>= Alphabetically or numerically bigger or equal
< Alphabetically or numerically smaller
<= Alphabetically or numerically smaller or equal

Combination operators (for all field types):

Combination
operator
Comment
& AND combination of several search words within one search term (all must be fulfilled).
Operator and search turn must be separated by spaces.
| OR combination of several search words within one search term (one must be fulfilled).
Operator and search turn must be separated by spaces.
! or <> NOT combination of several search words within one search term (none has to be fulfilled)

Replacement characters (wildcards):

Replacement
character
Comment
% Replaces no or any number of unknown characters
? Replaces exactly any one unknown character

Expressions:

Expression Comment
" (2 single quotation marks) Query for ZERO values
'Expression' Query for an expression containing spaces

If you do not enter any search terms (empty fields in the search line), DataView will fetch all records (just as standard function Refresh).


Sorting Query Results

Query results can be delivered by the database in a sorted order or they can be sorted locally in the mask after delivering.

Sorting in the database (slow):
With [Ctrl+O] the mask for entering the database search criterion can be opened for each field in the search line. This entry specifies the priority of the field in sorting the query result. 1 has the highest priority. Entering negative numbers results in a descending sort order. Empty entries result in no sorting in the database at all.

Local sorting (fast):
The records delivered after a query can be sorted alphabetically/numerically ascending or descending by a mouse click on the field title (possible in lists and forms). The function is alternating. The first mouse click on the field title sorts in an ascending, the second in an descending order. The currently active sort order is indicated by an arrow shown in the field title.


Searching in Combined Forms

In all combined forms the currently displayed sub-list will also be shifted into query mode after searching in the header form. Search requests can then be formulated both in the header form and in the sub list. This allows combined search. For instance, you can search in an item form with a supplier sublist for an item with a certain supplier.

Insert

Insert new record into mask (also [Ins]).

With Insert the mask is shifted into Insert mode of Mask-Edit state. A new empty record is prepared for data entry. You can use -> edit functions. After entering data the record can be stored or the function can be cancelled.

Button Context menu item Comment
Store
Stores the new record in the database and leaves the Insert mode.
Quit
Cancels the function and leaves the Insert mode without any changes.

Print

Prints all records in the mask.

DataView writes all field contents - including invisible fields - without any special layout into a print file and sends them via the Print command to the printer entered in a start procedure dtv_pri in the server directory < com> . The print file name is automatically created from the mask name and the path to the server directory < tmp> .

Update

Prepares one or several selected records for editing (also double-click on record).

Update puts the mask into Update mode of Mask-Edit state. The data of the selected record (or several selected records) can be edited. You can use -> edit functions. After manipulating the data the record can be stored or the function can by cancelled.

Button Context menu item Comment
Store
Stores the changes in the database and leaves the Update mode.
Quit
Cancels the function and leaves the Update mode without any changes.

Copy

Copy selected records within a mask, also [Ins]).

With Copy a selected record (or several selected records) is doubled and the mask is shifted into Insert mode of Mask-Edit state. The doubled record must be edited (at least the entries of the significant fields, e.g. number field) in order to get an unambiguous representation of the records in the database. You can use -> edit functions. After copying and editing the record can be stored or the function can by cancelled.

Button Context menu item Comment
Store
Stores the new record in the database and leaves the Insert mode.
Quit
Cancels the function and leaves the Insert mode without any changes.

Delete

Delete selected records, also [Del]).

With Delete the selected record (or several records) are removed from the mask and put into the trash-basket. The deleting process can be reversed or the record can be finally deleted. In both cases the trash-basket has to be opened.

Trash-basket Context menu item Key Comment
Roll back -

When entry is selected, Roll Back is possible.

Puts the record back into the original mask (will only be visible there after Refresh).

Clear Trash-basket [Shift+Del]

When no entry is selected, Clear Trashbasket is possible.

Finally deletes all records in the trash-basket.

Note! When master records are temporarily deleted (i.e. a mask object), DataView will check for existing relations to other system entities (i.e. to field objects). If this is the case, a message will appear asking you to delete the relation records first.

Access

Opens the Access form for selected record.

The access form informs you about the owner of a record, about access privileges to the record, about the date of creation and the date of the last change. If you are the owner of the record yourself, you can set the owner, the owner group, the access for the owner, the group and the world in the form. Detailed information about this can be found in -> the access form.

Record Export

Opens the Record Export form of the binary loader (no button, only [Ctrl+B]).

Using this form you can export meta records or an individual mask object locally stored in the mask. DataView will automatically determine all dependent objects, e.g. all field objects connected to the mask, and export them.