Using the Database painter

To open the Database painter, click the Database button in the PowerBar.

About the painter

Like the other PowerBuilder painters, the Database painter contains a menu bar, customizable PainterBars, and several views. All database-related tasks that you can do in PowerBuilder can be done in the Database painter.

The sample Database painter screen is titled Database - 1 Connection: ( Active Conection - E A S Demo D B ). It shows the objects view on the left, listing database interfaces, profiles, and all viewable database components for the E A S demo D B. In the middle, the object layout displays the columns of the employee table and their types. On the right, the general tab of the Object Details view displays owner, table name, and comments for the employee table. Across the bottom, the Columns view lists column names, data types, width, decimal places, whether Null, and any defaults. Editable column values are highlighted.

Views in the Database painter

Table 16-1 lists the views available in the Database painter.

**Table 16-1: Database painter views**
View	Description
Activity Log	Displays the SQL syntax generated by the actions you execute.
Columns	Used to create and/or modify a table’s columns.
Extended Attributes	Lists the display formats, edit styles, and validation rules defined for the selected database connection.
Interactive SQL	Used to build, execute, or explain SQL.
Object Details	Displays an object’s properties. For some objects, its properties are read-only; for others, properties can be modified. This view is analogous to the Properties view in other painters.
Object Layout	Displays a graphical representation of tables and their relationships.
Objects	Lists database interfaces and profiles. For an active database connection, might also list all or some of the following objects associated with that database: groups, metadata types, procedures and functions, tables, columns, primary and foreign keys, indexes, users, views, driver information, events, triggers, and utilities (the database components listed depend on the database and your user privileges).
Results	Displays data in a grid, table, or freeform format.

Dragging and dropping

You can select certain database objects from the Objects view and drag them to the Object Details, Object Layout, Columns, and/or ISQL views. Position the pointer on the database object’s icon and drag it to the appropriate view.

**Table 16-2: Using drag and drop in the Database painter**
Object	Can be dragged to
Driver, group, metadata type, procedure or function, table, column, user, primary or foreign key, index, event trigger	Object Details view
Table or view	Object Layout view
Table or column	Columns view
Procedure or view	ISQL view

Database painter tasks

Table 16-3 describes how to do some basic tasks in the Database painter. Most of these tasks begin in the Objects view. Many can be accomplished by dragging and dropping objects into different views. If you prefer, you can use buttons or menu selections from the menu bar or from pop-up menus.

**Table 16-3: Common tasks in the Database painter**
To	Do this
Modify a database profile	Highlight a database profile and select Properties from the Object or pop-up menu or use the Properties button. You can use the Import and Export Profiles menu selections to copy profiles. For more information, see the section on importing and exporting database profiles in Connecting to Your Database.
Connect to a database	Highlight a database profile and then select Connect from the File or pop-up menu or use the Connect button. With File>Recent Connections, you can review and return to earlier connections. You can also make database connections using the Database Profile button.
Create new profiles, tables, views, columns, keys, indexes, or groups	Highlight the database object and select New from the Object or pop-up menu or use the Create button.
Modify database objects	Drag the object to the Object Details view.
Graphically display tables	Drag the table icon from the list in the Objects view to the Object Layout view, or highlight the table and select Add To Layout from the Object or pop-up menu.
Manipulate data	Highlight the table and select Grid, Tabular, or Freeform from the Object>Data menu or the pop-up menu Edit Data item, or use the appropriate Data Manipulation button.
Build, execute or explain SQL	Use the ISQL view to build SQL statements. Use the Paste SQL button to paste SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements or type them directly into the view’s workspace. To execute or explain SQL, select Execute SQL and Explain SQL from the Design or pop-up menu. (Explain SQL functionality is available for Sybase databases only.)
Define or modify extended attributes	Select from the Object>Insert menu the type of extended attribute you want to define or modify, or highlight the extended attribute from the list in the Extended Attributes view and select New or Properties from the pop-up menu.
Specify extended attributes for a column	Drag the column to the Object Details view and select the Extended Attributes tab.
Access database utilities	Double-click a utility in the Objects view to launch it.
Log your work	Select Design>Start Log from the menu bar. To see the SQL syntax generated, display the Activity Log view.