Connecting/reconnecting to a database

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To connect and logon to a different database:

1	Choose File [image] Reconnect to display the Connect dialog box.

2	Fill out the Connect dialog box.

Tips

•	How you connect to a database varies slightly depending on your computer's operating system.  In general, you type your user ID, password, and the connect string (if required).  In SQL*Net Version 2 the connect string is replaced with an alias.  Ask your database administrator for the connect string required for your system.

•	Schema Builder can also be used to connect to other database engines through the appropriate ODBC drivers.  These drivers are supplied by third-party vendors of level-1 ODBC compliant drivers.  In the connect string of the Connect dialog box, type one of the following when connecting:

odbc:[tablename]

or

odbc:*

If you type an asterisk (*), Schema Builder will bring up a list box where you select the appropriate driver.

•	File [image] Reconnect... enables you to connect to a different database than the one you connected to when you started Schema Builder.  Whenever you try to establish a different connection, all open queries are closed.  You are prompted to commit any changes you made to the database schema, and the Datasource panel is cleared before the new connection is established.  When you select Reconnect, Schema Builder brings up the same Connect dialog box you used to log in initially.


Resizing the Datasource panel

To resize the Datasource panel in order to view or hide the Conditions panel:

1	Click and hold on the split bar that appears to the left of the horizontal scroll bar or at the top vertical scroll bar).

2	Drag the mouse left or right (or up and down) to size the panel.

Tips

If the Conditions panel is not yet opened, it will appear when you slide the split bar towards the Datasource panel.


Positioning datasource objects

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To position datasource objects in the Datasource panel:

  To move a table, click with your mouse to highlight the table name, drag the table to a new location, and release the mouse button to anchor it.  Any relationship lines are automatically redrawn.

Tips

•	You can also hold down the CONTROL key and use the arrow keys to move the highlighted table.


Removing datasource objects from the Datasource Panel

  Related Topics

To remove datasource objects from the Datasource panel:

1	Select the table or column you wish to remove.

2	Choose Schema [image] Remove.


Cleaning up the layout

  Related Topics

To automatically arrange and order the objects in the Datasource panel:

  Choose Layout [image] Clean Up Tables to arrange and order the contents of Schema Builder.  This command is helpful when moving, cutting, and adding tables.


Resizing datasource objects

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To resize datasource objects:

1	Click the heading of the table to highlight it.  A resize widget appears in the lower right corner of the table.

2	Click on the resize widget and drag to compress or expand horizontally or vertically.

Tips

•	As with iconifying, resizing tables can help conserve space in the Datasource panel, enabling you to view more tables at once.

•	You can also hold down the ALT key and use the arrow keys to resize a table.

•	If you reduce the height of the table, some of the columns may no longer be immediately visible.  However, you can scroll through the table using the scroll arrows at the lower left corner of the table.  If you resize the width, column names or data may be partially hidden.  Schema Builder always shows the datatype icon for each column name.


Iconifying/deiconifying datasource objects

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To iconify/deiconify datasource objects:

1	Click on the table heading

2	Click on table type icon (in the upper left corner of the table).

Tips

•	Do not confuse iconifying and deiconfying tables with iconifying and deiconifying windows in your operating system.

•	Iconifying tables helps you use screen space more efficiently, especially when you are working with several tables or large tables.

•	The table icon is a rectangle that displays the table name, type, and comment or index icons, if they exist for that table.  It does not show column names.  You can Iconify and Deiconify tables without affecting any of the column or table selections.


Changing the font of datasource objects

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To change the font of datasource objects:

  Choose Layout [image] Font... to open the dialog box used set base window fonts.  You can set the default font and point size using any of the lists in this dialog box.

Tips

•	If you choose a font that does not contain all of the styles required by the window an alternate font will be used instead.

•	The Strikeout and Underline check boxes have no effect in this version of Schema Builder.


Opening the Conditions panel

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To open the Conditions panel:

1	Click and hold on the split bar to the left of the horizontal scroll bar or at the top of the vertical scroll bar.

2	Drag the mouse to shrink the Datasource panel and the Conditions panel will appear.

Tips

•	The Conditions panel also appears when you select an object with a constraint of choose Schema [image] Define Constraints.


Resizing the Conditions panel

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To resize the Conditions panel:

1	Click and hold on the split bar that divides the left and right horizontal scroll bars (or the top and bottom vertical scroll bars).

2	Drag the mouse left or right (or up and down) to size the panel.

Tips

•	If one panel is hidden entirely, the split bar appears at the far left (or top) of the scroll bar.

•	You can hold down the SHIFT key and press the SPACEBAR to hide either the Conditions or Datasource panel (depending on your current cursor location).  SHIFT- SPACEBAR will then toggle between the two panels.  Pressing the SPACEBAR will return you to the original split panels.  The SPACEBAR then toggles between the Condition and Datasource panels.

•	The Schema Builder window contains two independently scrollable panels--the Conditions panel and the Datasource panel.  The Conditions panel may appear to the left of the Datasource panel or above it, according the preferences set in the EditPreferences dialog box.  You can change the size of each panel (or hide one of them entirely) using the mouse and the split bar or the Edit Preferences dialog box.

•	You can also toggle the Conditions and Datasource panel to display vertically or horizontally by double-clicking on the split bar.


Changing the split direction of the panels

  Related Topics

To change the split direction between the Datasource and Conditions panels:

  Double-click on the split bar between the Conditions and Datasource panels.


Setting display options for datasource objects

  Related Topics

To set display options for datasource objects:

1	Choose Edit [image] Preferences.

2	Choose Display preferences from the list on the left of the dialog box.

3	Specify the desired Panel Split Direction.  Vertical means Datasource and Conditions panels will be stacked one above the other, Horizontal means they will be side by side.

4	Check or uncheck the Limit Datasources Display checkbox as desired.  If checked, specify the maximum number of columns to be displayed in the Max Datasources field.

5	Choose Schema Builder preferences from the list on the left of the dialog box.

6	Check or uncheck the Show checkboxes as desired.  If Comments is checked, commment icons are displayed.  If Constraints is checked, an ellipsis appears after the name of each table and column that has constraints defined in the Datasource panel.  If Indexes is checked, index icons are displayed.

7	Check or uncheck Resize Table to Add Columns as desired.  If checked, you can add columns to a table by making it larger in the vertical direction.


Setting the default sze of the Conditions panel
Setting the default size of the Conditions panel

  Related Topics

To set the default size (% of the Datasource panel) occupied by the Conditions panel:

1	Choose Edit [image] Preferences.

2	Choose Display preferences from the list on the left of the dialog box.

3	Enter a number between 0 and 100 in the Conditions Panel Size field to indicate the size of the Conditions panel as a percentage of the size of the Schema Builder window.


Setting default lengths for new columns

  Related Topics

To set defaults for new columns:

1	Choose Edit [image] Preferences.

2	Choose Schema Builder preferences from the list on the left of the dialog box.

3	Specify the default length for columns you create, and the scale and precision for numeric columns.


About datasource objects

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There are four types of datasource objects or you can create and manipulate in Schema Builder:

Database Object	Description
Table	The basic unit of storage in a relational database management system.  A table consists of one or more units of information (rows), each of which contains the same kinds of values (columns).
View	A database object made up of columns from one or more database tables, combined into one logical table.
Snapshot	Read-only copies of a master table or tables located on a remote node.  A snapshot can be queried, but not updated; only the master table can be updated.  A snapshot is periodically refreshed to reflect changes made to the master table.  In this sense, a snapshot is really a view with periodicity.
Synonym	Another name assigned to a database object for easy identification.  For example, if you refer to tables residing in other accounts or databases, you may find it convenient to define a synonym for the long string of identifiers.  If a table name changes, you can simply redefine the synonym rather than rewrite all related queries.


Creating a table

  Related Topics

To create a new table:

1	Choose Schema [image] Create Table [image] Table.  The mouse cursor becomes a cross-hair.

2	Drag an area in the Datasource panel until it is the desired size (the number of columns appears in the lower right corner of the bounding box as you drag the area).  Note that you can always add columns to the table at a later time if necessary.

Tips

•	New tables are assigned the name TABLE, followed by a sequential number.  So the first table you add will be named TABLE1, followed by TABLE2, TABLE3, and so forth.  You can change these default table names at any time.

•	Database objects can only be created in your default tablespace.  Newly created or modified tables are not actually written to the database until you perform a commit.  You can easily tell which tables in your schema have not been committed (do not yet exist in your database) by the "+" character next to the table icon.

•	Each new column in a table is also assigned a consecutively numbered default name, COLUMN1, COLUMN2, and so forth.  As with tables, the column names are also easily changed.


Creating a view

  Related Topics

To create a view:

1	Select an existing object in the Datasource panel.  If the object is not already in the Datasource panel, you can select the object in the Select Data Tables dialog box (click [image] in the Icon bar).

2	Choose Schema [image] Create Table [image] View.  Schema Builder creates a "virtual table" titled "VIEW#"  (where # is the sequential number assigned by the system) that mirrors the selected database object.

Tips

•	You can also create a view based on a subset of a table, or on a join of several tables, using a query.  For example, say you want to create a view made up of a selected number of columns from the Employee and Department tables.  First, create a query in Query Builder that defines the columns you want in your view, and save that query in the database.  In Schema Builder, include this query in your schema through the Select Data Tables dialog box.  Select the object and choose Schema [image] Create Table [image] View.  Schema Builder will create a new view based on the query.  For more information on creating queries in Query Builder, refer to the Query Builder Help System.


Creating a synonym

  Related Topics

To create a synonym:

1	Select an existing object in the Datasource panel.  If the object is not already in the Datasource panel, you need to choose Data [image] Select Data Tables.

2	Choose Schema [image] Create Table [image] Synonym.  Schema Builder creates a private synonym for the selected database object titled "SYNONYM#."  This synonym, once committed, serves as an alias for the original database object.

Tips

•	This is particularly useful if you regularly refer to tables with long or oblique names.  For example, you could create a synonym "ORG" for the unwieldy FUNCTIONAL_ORGANIZATION_TABLE, or create an easier-to-remember synonym "PRODUCT" for the LEDGER_PRODUCT_CHARTFIELD table.


Creating a snapshot

  Related Topics

To create a snapshot:

1	Select an existing object in the Datasource panel.  If the object is not already in the Datasource panel, click [image] to access the Select Data Tables dialog box.

2	Choose Schema [image] Create Table [image] Snapshot.  Schema Builder creates a snapshot of the selected database object titled "SNAPSHOT#." This snapshot retains both the definition of the original database object and the data contained in its rows.

Tips

•	Snapshots are refreshed from the original table according to any schedule you specify.  To setup the refresh schedule, select the snapshot in the Datasource panel and then choose Schema [image] Define Info.


Including datasource objects in the schema

  Related Topics

To include datasource objects in the schema:

1	Click [image] in the Icon bar to display the Select Data Tables dialog box.

2	(Optional)  Check or uncheck the checkboxes under Show to display or hide different kinds of datasource objects in the list.

3	(Optional)  In the pop-up list, choose the user ID for the datasource objects from which you want to select.  To see objects visible to other user IDs in the current database, select the name of the current database from the pop-up list, and double-click the desired user ID in the list.  To look at objects for another user ID in another database, select Databases from the pop-up list, double-click the desired database from the list, and then double-click the desired user ID from the list.

4	Click the desired datasource object.

5	Click Include.

6	Repeat the previous two steps until all of the desired objects have been included.

7	Click Close.

Tips

•	To include more than one datasource object at a time, you can hold down the CONTROL key while clicking on each object name.  To include a range of database objects from the list box, click on the first object name, hold down the SHIFT key, and click on the last object name.

•	The Info... button opens the Get Info dialog box for the selected database object, so you can review information and comments related to that database object.

•	If you prefer, you can double-click on each target datasource object.  This immediately places it in the Datasource panel.

•	If you fail to connect to a listed database, it may be due to an invalid link, caused by a network problem or a changed remote password.  Contact your database administrator for assistance.

•	Schema Builder enables users to access any Oracle database for which a valid database link is defined.  Schema Builder can also access non-Oracle databases across database links using the Oracle Transparent Gateways.


Including related datasource objects in the schema

  Related Topics

To include related datasource objects in the schema:

1	Click on one or more objects in the Datasource panel that has a related table.

2	Choose Data [image] Select Related Tables to display the Select Related Tables dialog box.

3	Click the desired datasource object.

4	Click Include.

5	Repeat the previous two steps until all of the desired objects have been included.

6	Click Close.

Tips

•	The Show checkboxes enable you to filter what is displayed in the dialog box, but keep in mind that if you use the Standard (Oracle-only) Data Dictionary you will only see tables in the list.  If all the boxes are active, the list box shows all available objects in a particular account.

•	The Info... button opens the Get Info dialog box for the selected database object, so you can review information and comments related to that database object.

•	If you prefer, you can double-click on each target datasource object.  This immediately places it in the Datasource panel.


About copying datasource objects

  Related Topics

Schema [image] Duplicate Table provides another method for creating database objects, as it enables you to make a duplicate copy of a table, view, synonym, or snapshot.  Since Query Builder queries stored in the database are really views, you can also make a view that's a copy of an existing query.  You can subsequently rename and modify your duplicated datasource objects as needed.

You can also duplicate any datasource object as a table.  Datasource objects duplicated as tables share the same definition as the original object, and may be duplicated with or without data.  For example, you can create a new table that's made up of the columns defined in a view, but contains no data.  This is useful if you want to subsequently populate that table with fresh data.  Or perhaps you have a query whose results you want to load in a table.  You can copy the query as a table with data--the new table will contain the same data that Query Builder displays for that query in its Results window.

From this type of database object...	you can make these types of database objects:
Table	Table, table with data
Query	Table, table with data, view
View	Table, table with data, view
Synonym	Table, table with data, synonym
Snapshot	Table, table with data, snapshot


Duplicating a datasource object

  Related Topics

To duplicate a datasource object:

1	Include the datasource object that you want to duplicate in the Datasource panel.

2	Click the datasource object that you want to duplicate.

3	Choose Schema [image] Duplicate Table and the desired target type (As Table, As Table with Data, As View, As Synonym, As Snapshot).

Tips

•	You can make as many copies of a database object as you like.  You can only duplicate objects that exist in the database.  If you want to copy a newly-created object, you must first commit it to the database.

•	Schema Builder automatically generates a default name for each object you copy--the same name as the original object, with a sequence number appended to it.  The sequence number is incremented with each copy.  If database objects in the database have the same name as the default (for example, you copy the DEPARTMENT table but already have a DEPARTMENT1 table in the database), the next available unique number is assigned.  You can rename the copies at any time.


Renaming datasource objects

  Related Topics

To rename a datasource object:

1	Include the datasource object that you want to rename in the Datasource panel.

2	Click the object in the Datasource panel.

3	Click the table name.  A text cursor appears and you can edit the name as desired.

Tips

•	Keep in mind, however, that you are not creating a temporary alias.  Changes you make in the schema are committed to the underlying table.

•	Changes you make to a table in Schema Builder are not saved until you commit them.

•	You can also rename objects by clicking the object and choosing Schema [image] Rename.


Clearing datasource objects

  Related Topics

To clear a datasource object from the Datasource panel:

1	Click the object(s) you want to clear.

2	Choose Edit [image] Clear.


Removing datasource objects from the schema

  Related Topics

To remove a datasource object from the schema:

1	Click the object(s) you want to remove from the database in the Datasource panel.

2	Choose Schema [image] Remove.

3	Confirm your request.

Tips

•	The datasource object is deleted the next time you commit.  Until a commit is performed, the object remains grayed and may be returned using Schema [image] Revert Table.

•	You can delete any object in your database by choosing Schema [image] Remove when no object is highlighted.  The Remove Tables dialog box is displayed.  Select an object and click Remove.  You can select multiple objects for deletion by holding down the CONTROL or SHIFT keys.  Objects can be deleted this way regardless of whether they appear in Datasource panel.


About indexes

  Related Topics

An index is a database object that contains an entry for each value that appears in the indexed column(s) of the table.  Indexes provide fast access to rows when generating queries (SELECT statements), but since data must be maintained in both the index and the indexed tables, an index can slow down INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE functions.

Note: If the Indexes checkbox in the Preferences dialog box is turned on, the index icon is displayed in the title bar of each table for which indexes are defined.


Creating indexes

  Related Topics

To create an index for a one or more columns in a table:

1	Click the table containing the columns you want to index.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Index.

3	In the Define Index dialog box, select the column(s) you want to use for the index from the Use Columns list box.  An index can include as many as 16 columns, and cannot be based on LONG or LONG RAW datatypes.

4	Click New Index, and a new index will be created based on the columns you selected.  The indexed columns will move to the top of the Use Columns list box, and will be separated from non-indexed columns by a gray line.  They are also clearly identified by the index icon.  You can modify this index at any time.

5	Enter a name for the index in the Index Name field or accept the default name provided by Schema Builder.

6	(Optional)  Change the order of the order of the index columns as desired.

Tips

•	The index will not be created in the database until you commit the latest changes you have made in Schema Builder.


Modifying indexes

  Related Topics

To modify an index:

1	Click the table whose index you want to modify in the Datasource panel and choose Schema [image] Define Index.

2	Choose the index that you want to modify from the list under Index Name.

3	To add columns to the index, double-click on the name of a column that is not already part of the index.  You can also change the order of the indexed columns by dragging the column names to the desired positions.

4	To remove columns from the index, double-click on the name of a column that is already part of the index.

5	If you want to modify the name of the index, edit Index Name.


Deleting indexes

  Related Topics

To delete an index:

1	Click on the table for which the index is defined.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Index.

3	In the Define Index dialog box, choose the index that you want to delete.

4	Click Remove Index.


Creating new columns

  Related Topics

To define a new column in a table:

1	Click the table in the Datasource panel to which you want to add a column.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Column.

3	Click New Column.

4	Enter a name in the Column Name field.

5	Fill out the Column Attributes as desired.

6	If the column contains data that uniquely identifies rows in the table, select the Primary Key check box.  Select the Unique check box to automatically prevent two rows from having the same value in the same column.

7	Select Required if the column must contain a value other than NULL.  You can only add columns marked Required (NOT NULL) if the table contains no rows, but you can always apply this constraint later, after the column has been populated with data, as long as the column contains no NULL values.

8	From the Datatype pop-up list, select the appropriate datatype.

9	Enter the column's length and precision (if applicable) in the Length and precision field.  You can increment/decrement either of these values by clicking on the up-arrow/down-arrow located just to the right of the precision field.

10	If appropriate, enter a default value for the column in the Default field.  The default value will be inserted in the column if an INSERT statement would normally insert a NULL value.

11	When you have finished defining the new column, click on the Define button to define the column without exiting the Define Column dialog box, or click OK to define the column and return to Schema Builder’s main view.  Click Cancel to abandon your changes.

Tips

•	You can also create a column by choosing Schema [image] Create Column and then double-clicking the column to display the Define Column dialog box.


Adding new columns to a table

  Related Topics

To add one or more new columns to a table:

1	Ensure that the Resize to Add Columns checkbox is checked in the Schema Builder section of the Preferences dialog box.

2	Click and drag on the resize widget in the lower right corner of a table.  As you drag the database object down, the new columns display beneath the existing columns.

•	You can double-click on a newly created column to display the Define Column dialog box.


Copying columns across datasource objects

  Related Topics

To copy a column from one datasource object to another:

1	Click the column you wish to copy.

2	Click [image] in the Icon bar.  The column is copied to the clipboard.

3	Click the table to which you wish to copy the column.

4	Click [image] in the Icon bar.  The column is pasted from the clipboard to the selected table.

Tips

•	Alternatively, you can copy a column from one table to another with the mouse.  To copy a column with the mouse, simply click and drag the column from one table to another.

•	If the target table does not have a column with the same name as the copied column, the column name remains the same.  If it does have a column with the same name, Schema Builder generates a default name (the original name with a sequence number appended to it).  The sequence number is incremented with each copy.


Renaming columns

  Related Topics

To rename a column:

1	Click the column you want to rename.

2	Click the name of the column.  A text cursor appears and you can edit the name as desired.

Tips

•	You cannot rename a column once it has been committed to the database.  You can only rename newly created columns that have not yet been committed.


Modifying columns

  Related Topics

To modify a column definition:

1	Click a table in Schema Builder and choose Schema [image] Define Column.  If you are already in the Define Column dialog box, you can select any table from the pop-up list.

2	The names of all columns in the table appear in the list box under Column Name.  Click on the name of the column you want to modify.

3	Click to check/uncheck the Primary Key, Required, and/or Unique check boxes as necessary.

4	If necessary, select the appropriate datatype from the Datatype pop-up list.  You can only change a column's datatype if the column contains NULL values in all rows.

5	If necessary, enter the column's length and precision (if applicable) in the length and precision fields.  You can increment/decrement either of these values by clicking on the up-arrow/down-arrow located just to the right of the precision field.  You can only decrease a column's size if the column contains nulls in all rows.

6	If necessary, enter the default value for the column in the Default field.  The default value is inserted in the column if an INSERT statement would otherwise insert a NULL value.

7	When you have finished modifying the column, click Define to define the column without exiting the Define Column dialog box, or click OK to define the column and return to Schema Builder’s main view.  Click Cancel to abandon your changes.

Tips

•	Once a column has been committed to the database, you can only change its datatype, size, default value, and required status.  You can change any item in the Define Column dialog box on columns that have not yet been committed.

•	You cannot make a column Required if the column contains NULL values.  You cannot make a column Required or Unique if the table already contains data.

•	You can also change a column's datatype by positioning the mouse cursor over the column's datatype icon, pressing and holding the mouse button, and selecting the new datatype from the resulting pop-up list.


Deleting columns

  Related Topics

To delete a column:

1	Click a table in the Datasource panel and select Define Column, or simply double-click on a column.  If you are already in the Define Column dialog box, you can select any table from the popup list.

2	Click on the name of the column you want to delete in the list box underneath column name.

3	Click on Remove Column.

Tips

•	You cannot delete a column once it has been committed to the database.  You can only delete newly-added columns that have not yet been committed.


Adding comments to datasource objects

  Related Topics

To add comments to a datasource object or column:

1	Click the objects to which you want to add comments.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Info.

3	Enter your comments.

Tips

If the Comments check box in the Preferences dialog box is activated, the Comment icon is displayed to the right of the name of each object for which comments are defined.


About constraints

  Related Topics

Constraints are rules that restrict the values that can be stored in one or more columns in a table.  The Primary, Unique, and Required check boxes in the Define Column dialog box are examples of common constraints.

You can also define constraints for a table or column that are based on calculations, functions, or other operations.  For example, you may want to ensure that all salary figures in the SALARY column are numbers greater than zero, or that Department names are entered in uppercase letters.

The general format of a constraint is:

[expression] [operator] [expression]

Expressions can be dates, literal characters, or numbers.  You can also enter defined columns, functions, and database columns.  The first expression is typically a valid datasource object (e.g., a column in a table).  The second expression is a point of comparison for the first expression.  The operator is a comparison operator (e.g., > or <).

For example:

EMPLOYEE.SALARY > 500

EMPLOYEE.SALARY IS NOT NULL.

Constraints are defined in the Conditions panel, which may not be displayed when you first open Schema Builder.  You can open the Conditions panel once you are in Schema Builder.


About multiple and nested constraints

  Related Topics

You can create multiple constraints at many levels, or you can combine them all at one level.  The top-level operator represents the first level, and always appears at the left.  You can also combine constraints at lower levels, according to your needs.  Once you add a constraint, Schema Builder automatically activates the top level operator to the left of the constraint.  The default top level operator is AND, which combines your constraint with the next constraint.

There is no limit to the number of constraints you can include in a Schema Builder table.  Each time you add a constraint, Schema Builder creates another blank constraint text field.  To activate the next condition field, click in the blank field.

For example, say you've created a constraint that does not allow null values in the column Customer_ID (CUSTOMER_ID IS NOT NULL).  Now you want to restrict it further to values that are greater than 0.  Press SHIFT-RETURN or click on the blank condition field; the first constraint is validated and the operator AND appears to the left of the constraint.  Enter the new constraint, in this case CUSTOMER_ID>0.  Press Return to leave the condition field. When data is being entered into the database, this schema definition will require data to be entered into the Customer_ID column before leaving the row, and it will allow only numeric data that is greater than 0.


Defining a constraint

  Related Topics

To define a constraint on a column:

1	Click the column in the datasource object you want to constrain.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Constraints.  An empty constraint appears in the Conditions panel.

3	Click the empty constraint to activate it.

4	Type the constraint directly or enter it visually using the toolbar.  Clicking the column name in the Datasource panel enters it in the constraint.  Clicking the operator tools enters them in the constraint.

5	Click in an empty area of the Conditions panel or press RETURN.  Schema Builder validates and retains the revised condition.

Tips

•	Pressing SHIFT-RETURN following the entry of each constraint is the fastest way to create multiple constraints.

•	Schema Builder permits you to string several constraints together on one line of text if you type the appropriate logical operator to separate each one.  For example, you could create two constraints by typing the following in a condition field:

CUSTOMER_ID IS NOT NULL AND CUSTOMER_ID>0

•	An incomplete, invalid, or incorrectly formatted constraint causes Schema Builder to generate an error message once you close the constraint.  Schema Builder highlights the part of the constraint that caused the error and gives you the opportunity to correct your constraint.

•	Schema Builder is in edit mode whenever a plus sign appears next to the mouse pointer (such as when editing a constraint). To select an object in an inactive panel while in edit mode, first click on the panel to activate it, then click on the object itself to select it.


Displaying constraints

  Related Topics

To display constraints for a datasource object:

  Choose Schema [image] Define Constraints.

OR

  Resize the Datasource panel.

Tips

•	If the Constraints check box in the Preferences dialog box is activated, an ellipsis (...) is displayed after the name of each table and each column for which constraints are defined.

•	Once the Conditions panel is open you can select another datasource object to view all constraints associated with it.


Editing a constraint

  Related Topics

To edit a constraint:

1	Click inside the appropriate constraint to activate the Conditions panel and bring up the text cursor.

2	Edit the text of the constraint as desired.

3	Click in an empty area of the Conditions panel or press RETURN.  Schema Builder validates and retains the revised condition.


Deleting a constraint

  Related Topics

To delete a constraint:

1	Display the constraints.

2	Click inside the appropriate constraint.

3	Select the entire text of the constraint.

4	Choose Edit [image] Clear.

5	Click in an empty area of the Conditions panel or press RETURN.


Changing the top level operator
Changing the top-level operator

  Related Topics

To change the top-level operator:

1	Click the operator to the left of the list of constraints in the Conditions panel.

2	Click the desired operator from the toolbar.


Ungrouping constraints

  Related Topics

To ungroup constraints:

1	Click the operator (AND by default) to the left of the list of constraints in the Conditions panel.

2	Choose Data [image] Ungroup Constraints.


Nesting constraints

  Related Topics

To nest constraints:

1	Build each constraint to be nested.

2	Hold down the SHIFT key and double-click the boxes to the left of the constraints that you want to nest.  Note

3	Choose the logical operator you want to use to combine the conditions (AND or OR).  Schema Builder draws a box around the highlighted conditions in the Conditions panel and combines them with the operator you specified.  You can now click to highlight this operator if you want to negate it using NOT.


The text of the selected constraint appears black; when the constraint has not been selected, the text is greyed.


Negating constraints

  Related Topics

To negate a constraint:

1	Click the constraint or nested constraints that you want to negate.

2	Choose  the  NOT operator from the toolbar.  NOT AND allows data except where all the conditions are met, and NOT OR allows data except where any of the conditions are met.

Tips

•	Negated operators (NOT AND, NOT OR) are displayed using an overscore.  To reverse negated operators, click the negated logical operator and choose the NOT operator.  This removes the overscore and the negation from the operator.


Activating constraints

  Related Topics

To activate or deactivate a constraint:

1	Click the box to the left of the constraint that you want to deactivate.  Hold down the SHIFT key to select multiple constraints.

2	Double-click the box to the left of one of the selected constraints.  The same procedure activates constraints that were previously deactivated.

Tips

•	Once you deactivate a constraint and enter data that does not comply with the constraint, Schema Builder will not allow you to re-activate the constraint.  Schema Builder will apply a constraint only if all of the existing data complies to that constraint.


About relationships

  Related Topics

You can create the following kinds of relationships in Schema Builder:

•	Simple relationships relate a foreign key in one table to a primary key in another table.

•	Self relationships relate a table to itself.

•	Composite relationships relates two or more columns in one table with columns in another table.

Tips

•	When you create a relationship in Schema Builder, no primary key is created (you need to specify primary keys in the Define Column dialog box).  Note that creating a relationship is the only way to create a foreign key.

•	It is not required that every table in a query be related to every other table in the query.  But there must be a way to relate or chain them all.  For example, suppose that you wanted to use the Customer, Employee, and Department tables in a query.  You could relate Customer and Employee through EMPLOYEE_ID and SALESPERSON_ID.  Employee and Department could be related through DEPARTMENT_ID.  Note that in this case Customer and Department are not directly related, but they are "chained" together via the Employee table.


About self-relationships

  Related Topics

A self-relationship relates a table to itself.  Self-relationships have a limited, very specific use:  to establish a hierarchical link between two columns that are contained in the same table.  A self-relationship cannot be effective unless the columns in the table are counterparts of one another.

For example, you could use a self-relationship to relate subsidiaries of a company to their parent company, or employees to their managers.  In this example, each row in the table contains the Employee ID, as well as the employee's Manager ID--the same as the Employee ID for that manager.  These columns are counterparts of one another even though they are contained in the same table.  They therefore can be related in a query using a self-relationship.


About composite relationships

  Related Topics

A composite relationship connects, in one relationship, two or more columns in one table with columns in another table.  A composite relationship is required when tables are related by composite keys--when the primary or foreign keys are comprised of two or more columns.  For more information about composite keys, refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual.


Creating simple relationships

  Related Topics

To create a simple relationship between two tables:

  In the Datasource panel, while holding down the CTRL key, click and drag from the foreign key column to the primary key column.  A line is drawn showing the relationship when you are done.

Tips

•	To define a relationship using the menu, choose the Schema [image] Define Relationship....  In the Define Relationship dialog box enter the Foreign and Primary Key(s).  You must type the complete table and column names to relate these columns (separate the table name from its column name with a period).  Instead of typing the table and column names, you can simply click inside each Define Relationship key's field and then click on the appropriate column name in the Datasource panel.  That column and table name will automatically appear in the field.


Creating self relationships
Creating self-relationships

  Related Topics

To create a self-relationship between two columns in the same table:

1	Choose Data [image] Select Data Tables and include the desired table.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Relationship... and enter the appropriate Foreign Key(s) and Primary Key(s).

Tips

•	If a self-relationship already exists in the underlying data dictionary, the foreign key is identified by a self-relationship line.


Creating composite relationships

  Related Topics

To create a composite relationship:

1	Choose Data [image] Select Data Tables and include the desired table.

2	Choose Schema [image] Define Relationship.

3	Enter the primary and foreign keys using commas as separators between columns.

Tips

•	You can use as many composite relationships as are appropriate, and you can include columns in composite relationships regardless of whether they are used in other relationships.


Finding related tables

  Related Topics

To find tables related to a selected table or selected column(s) in a table:

1	Click a table in the Datasource panel.

2	(Optional) Click columns in the table if you only want to see tables related through the selected columns.

3	Choose Data [image] Select Related Tables... from the Data menu.  The Select Related Tables dialog box appears with a list of the related tables.

Tips

•	Include the related tables in the Datasource panel as you would any other tables, click the name and click Include.


Activating and deactivating relationships

  Related Topics

To activate or deactivate a relationship:

  Double-click on the relationship line.  An active relationship will be deactivated and an inactive relationship will be acivated.

Tips

•	You cant tell that a relationship is active because the relationship line and the related columns will be highlighted.


Deleting relationships

  Related Topics

To delete a relationship:

1	If the relationship is not currently active (i.e., the relationship line and related columns are highlighted), activate it by double-clicking the relationship line.

2	Choose Edit [image] Clear.


About the command line

  Related Topics

You can issue commands to Schema Builder directly from your operating system (e.g. DOS or UNIX command line prompt or the Run dialog box in Windows) to perform three types of tasks:

•	Logging on and starting Schema Builder

•	Controlling memory management in Windows

•	Specifying which tables the Select Data Tables dialog box will display.

You execute Schema Builder commands from the command line prompt by typing the application name, followed by a space, the command, and the argument that completes the command.

For example, to start Schema Builder on a local database under the user ID scott with the password tiger, you would type:

obs60.exe USERID=scott/tiger

When you press RETURN, Schema Builder runs with these options selected, bypassing the Connect dialog box.

You can enter several command line options at a time, in any sequence, separating each command with a space.  When you press RETURN, Schema Builder evaluates all commands entered, stacks them in the proper sequence, and executes them.

You can only use each command once at the command line.  For example, you can't type the USERID= command twice to log on as two different users.

Duplicate and conflicting commands are ignored in favor of the last command encountered.


Command line help

  Related Topics

Schema Builder includes a help facility to assist you with command line statements for both interactive and batch operations.  When you enter HELP=YES anywhere in the command line, and press RETURN, Schema Builder displays a list of command line options.  The help file will also appear automatically if you receive errors when running a command.

Note:  When you request help from the command line, Schema Builder automatically cancels any commands you may have entered on the line before typing HELP=YES.


Types of Commands

  Related Topics

Here are the commands you can enter from the command line, their arguments, and a brief description of each. These commands are described in more detail in the help topics that follow.

Command	Argument(s)	Description
USERID=	<userid>/<password> [@connect string>]	Enables you to log onto Schema Builder without using the Connect dialog box.
SWAPDIR	<path><filename>	Sets Swap directory location.
BUFSIZE	<value>	Sets memory buffer size.
MAXMEM	<value>	Sets maximum memory allocation
MAXVMEM=	<value>	Sets maximum virtual memory allocation.
OWNERLIST=	ACCESS, ALL, USER, <account name>, or <list of account names>	Specifies the tables that initially display in the Select Data Tables dialog box.
VERBOSE=	YES or NO	NO causes Schema Builder to suppress warning messages that may halt batch processing.
CMDFILE=	<path> <filename>	Causes Schema Builder to retrieve commands from the path and filename entered.
HELP=	YES	Displays and explains the command line options.


Connect command

  Related Topics

Description

You can use the command line to start Schema Builder and connect to a database.  Logging onto Schema Builder using the command line allows you to bypass the Connect dialog box.  If there is an error, such as an invalid username or password, Schema Builder displays the Connect dialog box so you can log on normally.

Syntax

Type the application name, a space, the command USERID=, followed by your user ID, password, and connect string.  Use the syntax shown in the example below, in which the user, Scott, with password tiger is logging onto the sales database:

obs60.exe USERID=scott/tiger@sales

Notes

•	The USERID= keyword is optional.  The following command line string is also valid:

obs60.exe scott/tiger@sales

•	The arguments in the connect command string are specific to your operating system, database, and networking protocol (For example, SQL*Net Version 2, uses aliases in place of the connect string).  Contact your database administrator if you need further information about the appropriate command line information for your system.

•	If you just enter the application name, obs60, and press RETURN, the Schema Builder Connect dialog box will appear.


Memory commands

  Related Topics

There are four command line parameters that control memory management:

•	SWAPDIR

•	BUFSIZE

•	MAXVMEM

•	MAXMEM

Schema Builder can use an internal virtual memory manager for data retrieved from the database.  This allows you to retrieve more rows than can fit in memory by storing some rows on your hard disk temporarily.  You can specify the buffer size, the location of the swap file, and the maximum virtual memory using the BUFSIZE, SWAPDIR, and MAXVMEM command line parameters, respectively.

The default buffer size is 256 K, the default location for the swap file depends on the temporary environment variable for your operating system, and the default maximum virtual memory size is 64 megabytes.  If the temporary environment variable is not defined, the location is the current working directory.

You can specify a value for the maximum amount of RAM (memory) using the MAXMEM command line parameter.  The default maximum memory is 16000 K, and the minimum maximum memory is 640 K.


OWNERLIST command

  Related Topics

Description

The OWNERLIST= command specifies which tables will be available in the Select Data Tables dialog box when you choose Data [image] Select Data Tables for the first time in a session.  By default, Schema Builder loads a list of all users that own at least one table to which you have access.  If the database has many tables, this could be very time-consuming (even if you have access to only a few of these tables).

Syntax

The OWNERLIST= command has the following syntax:

OWNERLIST={ACCESS|ALL|USER|<name>|<list of names>}

Where ACCESS, ALL, and USER are the arguments that enable you to control the list of users, <name> is a database account name, and <list of names> is a list of account names.

If you later attempt to include a query, view, or synonym which refers to tables owned by users other than those already loaded, Schema Builder loads those users as well.

See OWNERLIST command arguments for a description of each argument for this command.


OWNERLIST command arguments

  Related Topics

When you use the OWNERLIST command in the command line, you can use a series of arguments:

OWNERLIST={ACCESS|ALL|USER|<name>|<list of names>}

Following is a description of each argument.

ACCESS

Specifying ACCESS(the default) loads a list of users who own at least on table to which you have access.  This argument should be used in the case of a database which has many users, and where you normally create more than one query at a time based on tables owned by more than a few users.

ALL

If you specify ALL, the complete list of database users is loaded regardless of whether you have access to any tables for a particular user.  In the case of a database with many users (more than 500), specifying ALL is not recommended.  In the case of a database with a small number of users but a large number of objects (tables, views, synonyms, indexes, etc.), specifying ALL may be preferable to the default ACCESS.

USER

If you specify USER, only the current user (the user you specify when you connect to the database) is loaded.  USER should be used if you open only existing queries or construct new queries from your own tables.  In the following example, Schema Builder is invoked using the user SCOTT, and only the user SCOTT is loaded:

obs60.exe USERID=SCOTT OWNERLIST=USER

<name>

If you specify <name>, the named user is loaded.  <name> should be used if you open only existing queries or construct new queries based on a single user's tables.  In the following example, Schema Builder is invoked using the account SCOTT and the user INVENTORY is loaded:

obs60.exe USERID=SCOTT OWNERLIST=INVENTORY

<list of names>

If you specify <list of names>, the listed users are loaded.  <list of names> should be used if you open only existing queries or create queries based on a short list of users.  The argument <list of names> is a list of database user names separated by commas, plusses, or colons.  The list may not contain spaces; the list may be enclosed in parentheses.

The following lists are valid:

OWNERLIST=SCOTT,WARD

OWNERLIST=(SCOTT+WARD)

OWNERLIST=SCOTT:WARD,SMITH+JONES

The following lists are not valid:

OWNERLIST=SCOTT WARD

OWNERLIST=SCOTT, WARD

In the following example, Schema Builder is invoked and the INVENTORY, SALES, and SCOTT users are loaded:

obs60.exe OWNERLIST=(INVENTORY,SALES,SCOTT)


Using the command line with Windows

  Related Topics

If you are running Windows in enhanced mode, Schema Builder uses memory (RAM) provided by Windows for all of its data.  You can specify a value for this memory using the MAXMEM command line parameter.  The default maximum memory is 16000 K, and the minimum maximum memory is 640 K.

If you are running Windows in standard mode, Schema Builder uses an internal virtual memory manager for data retrieved from the database.  This allows you to retrieve more rows than can fit in memory by storing some rows on your hard disk temporarily.  You can specify the buffer size, the location of the swap file, and the maximum virtual memory using the BUFSIZE, SWAPDIR, and MAXVMEM command line parameters, respectively.

The default buffer size is 256 K, the default location for the swap file is the DOS temporary environment variable, and the default maximum virtual memory is  64 Mb.  If the temporary environment variable is not defined, the location is the current working directory.  In standard mode, you can also specify a value for the memory provided by Windows using the MAXMEM command line parameter, as in the following example:

obs60.exe MAXMEM=8000 MAXVMEM=4000 SWAPDIR=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP


Command line preferences

You can specify default command line settings for memory management, table access, and warning messages by choosing Edit [image] Preferences and then clicking the command line icon to select the command line preferences panel.

Following is a list of the commands for which you can set preferences. Default values are indicated where appropriate.

Preference	Description /Default Setting or Value
SWAPDIR	Swap directory location (path\filename)
OWNERLIST=	Specifies which tables will be loaded when you choose Data [image] Select Data Tables for the first time. From the drop-down list, choose Access, All, or User; or choose Name and enter one or more account names.
MAXMEM	Maximum memory allocation in KB (Default = 16000 KB)
MAXVMEM	Maximum virtual memory allocation in KB (Default = 64000 KB)
BUFSIZE	Memory buffer size in KB.
MAXROWS	Not used by Schema Builder
VERBOSE	NO suppresses warning messages that could halt batch processing; YES enables these messages. (Default = YES)


Command line error messages

If command line statements are not entered properly, an error message is displayed:

Message	Reason
Null Keyword	No command was entered at the command line.  For example,    obs60.exe=scott/tiger is missing the USERID keyword; it should be entered as:    obs60.exe USERID=scott/tiger.
Unrecognized keyword	An invalid or misspelled command was entered.
Unrecognized option	An invalid or misspelled option was entered.
Null argument value	The command was entered without specifying the parameter that goes with it.
Multiple specifications of a keyword	The same command was used more than once.
Multiple logons	The user ID was used more than once.


About operators

  Related Topics

An operator is a character or reserved word that you use in Oracle Schema Builder to perform an operation, such as addition or comparison.  For example, the plus sign (+) is the addition operator, and the greater than sign (>) and less than sign (<) are two of the comparison operators.

You use operators in Schema Builder when you are creating tables and defining constraints on columns. Schema Builder accepts four types of operators:

•	arithmetic operators

•	comparison operators

•	logical operators

•	concatenation operator

For convenience, the arithmetic, comparison, logical, and NOT operators are available on the toolbar in the Schema Builder Datasource panel, as well as on the Data menu.  They become active whenever the Conditions panel is open and a Condition field is active for defining constraints on a column or table.  You can insert an operator into the active Condition field by clicking the operator in the Icon Bar, choosing the operator from the Data menu or typing it directly into the Condition field.


Arithmetic operators

  Related Topics

You use arithmetic operators to perform calculations on numeric data. The (+) and (-) operators can also be used with the date datatype.

When using arithmetic operators, keep in mind the order of precedence—that is, the order in which numeric operations are evaluated.  In any numeric expression, multiplication and division are evaluated first, then addition and subtraction.

For example, since multiplication is evaluated before addition:

1+2*3=7

You can use parentheses () to regroup the operations and change the order of precedence.  For example:

(1+2)*3=9

You can use the subtraction operator (-) to change the sign of a value or expression.

The following table lists arithmetic operators in order of precedence from high to low:

Operator	Description	Example
( )	Overrides normal operator precedence rules. Operators within parentheses are evaluated before those outside the parentheses.	(Shp_Date-Ord_Date)/30
-	Changes sign of current value (negates)	-Rate_Value
*	Multiplication operator.	Ord_Qty*Unt_Prc
/	Division operator	Annual_Rate/12
+	Addition operator	Item_Tot+Tax
-	Subtraction operator	Ord_Tot-Ord_Disc


Comparison operators

  Related Topics

Comparison operators are typically used in conditions. As with all conditions, comparing one expression to another returns either a TRUE or FALSE result.

When you put the operator between a column name and a value in the Conditions panel, you tell Schema Builder that you want it to compare all items in that column against the value, and accept only that data where the constraint statement is true.

For example, to place a constraint on the CREDIT_LIMIT column where the value of the CREDIT_LIMIT is less than $6,000, you would use the less than (<) operator:

CREDIT_LIMIT < 6000

See Comparison rules for using comparison operators with numeric, date, and character datatypes.

Schema Builder supports the following comparison operators:

Operator	Description	Example
( )	Overrides normal operator precedence rules. Operators within parentheses are evaluated before those outside the parentheses.	NOT (EFF_DATE < SYSDATE AND EXP_DATE > SYSDATE)
=	Test for equality.	PROD_ID = 100860
!=, ^= or <>	Test for inequality	PROD_ID <> 100860
> <	Greater than test Less than test	CRED_LMT > 5000 BDATE < 1980
>= <=	Greater than or equal test Less than or equal test	CRED_LMT >= 5000 BDATE <= 1980
IN	Equal to any member of a given set	CSTNO IN (116, 118, 121)
BETWEEN x and y	Greater than or equal to x and less than or equal to y	CRED_LMT BETWEEN 5000 AND 10000
LIKE	Matches a specified pattern.  % is a ‘wildcard’ that matches any string of zero or more characters, except a NULL string	FNAME LIKE Rob% (matches Rob, Robby, Robert, etc.) LNAME LIKE %son SER_NO LIKE ABC%XYZ OCCUP LIKE % Design%
IS NULL	Tests for a NULL value. IS (rather than =) must be used for this test.	SHIP_DATE IS NOT NULL
NOT	Negates a comparison. NOT can be combined with other comparison operators.	LNAME NOT LIKE Rob% AGE NOT BETWEEN 30 AND 40 CUS_ID NOT IN (115, 116)


Comparison rules

  Related Topics

Following are rules for using comparison operators with numeric, date, and character datatypes:

•	A larger value is considered greater than a smaller one.  All negative numbers are less than all positive numbers.  Thus, -1 is smaller than 100; -100 is smaller than 1.

•	A later date is considered greater than an earlier one.  For example, `29-MAR-88' is less than `05-JAN-89', and `1:35pm' is greater than `10:09am'.

•	Character strings are compared up to the first character that differs.  Whichever value has a greater character in that position is considered greater.  If two character values are the same up to the end of the shorter one, then the longer value is considered greater.

•	Characters are compared according to the host system's collating sequence.  Most systems use one of two collating sequences, ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) or EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code).  Additional information about collating sequences appears in the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual.


Logical (Boolean) operators

  Related Topics

Logical operators are used to combine constraints inclusively or exclusively, and to negate constraints. You can also use logical operators to create nested combinations of constraints.

The three logical (also called Boolean) operators are:

Operator	Description	Example
AND	Constrains the data to meet all specified conditions.	CUSTID IS NOT NULL AND CUSTID >0 (only values > 0 are valid)
OR	Constrains the data to meet at least one of the specified conditions	CUSTID >0 OR CUSTID IS NULL (value is either >0 or it is NULL))
NOT	Negates operators or conditions	CUSTID NOT BETWEEN 100 AND 500
You can use logical operators both within a constraint and between constraints. When you negate the logical operators AND and OR (NOT AND, NOT OR), they are displayed with an overscore. Reapplying the NOT operator to these negated logical conditions removes the overscore.

To see how applying the NOT operator affects any of the comparison operators, see Results of negated comparisons .


Results of negated comparisons

  Related Topics

The following table shows the effects of applying the NOT operator to each of the comparison operators.

Operator	Negated Results
NOT > NOT >=	<= <
NOT < NOT <=	>= >
NOT = NOT <>	<> =
NOT IN NOT NOT IN	NOT IN IN
NOT BETWEEN x AND y NOT NOT BETWEEN x AND y	NOT BETWEEN x AND y BETWEEN x AND y
NOT LIKE NOT NOT LIKE	NOT LIKE LIKE
NOT IS NULL NOT IS NOT NULL	IS NOT NULL IS NULL


The concatenation operator

  Related Topics

The concatenation operator (||) enables you to concatenate, or combine, values from two or more columns or literal strings, in a condition.  For example, suppose you wanted to combine the columns FIRST_NAME and LAST_NAME with a space between.  You would use the concatenation operator to do this.

The concatenation operator does not appear on the Data menu or on the Icon Bar.  In order to use concatenation, you must type the operator as follows:

FIRST_NAME || ' ' || LAST_NAME

You can use as many characters and columns as you like in a concatenation, up to a maximum of 255 characters.


About functions

  Related Topics

You can use SQL functions in constraints.  A function is a short program that executes a predefined operation.  When you enter the function's name, followed by the appropriate arguments, Schema Builder carries out the specified operation (usually arithmetic or conversion).

For example, the ROUND function rounds numbers (or dates) to a specified precision:

ROUND(SALARY,2)

where SALARY is the column to round, and 2 is the level of precision (round to 2 decimal places).

Functions are similar to operators in that they manipulate data items and return a result.  Functions differ from operators in the format in which they appear with their arguments.  This format allows them to operate on any number of arguments, including none.  Every time you associate a column with a function name, Schema Builder performs the defined operation on the value(s) in that column.

Schema Builder includes six types of functions:

•	number functions

•	character functions

•	character functions returning numeric values

•	conversion functions

•	date functions

•	other functions

Additional Information: For information about any of the other functions, refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual.


Functions and arguments

  Related Topics

A function is used to manipulate data in a particular column.  Each function can take one or more arguments.  An argument is an expression within the parentheses of a function supplying information for the function to use.

An example is the function ROUND, which rounds a number to the degree you specify.  If you enter the expression ROUND (CREDIT_LIMIT, -2), Schema Builder would round each value for CREDIT_LIMIT to the nearest hundred.  If you enter ROUND(CREDIT_LIMIT, 1), Schema Builder would round the values for CREDIT_LIMIT to the nearest 10th.

The values used within arguments are:

Argument Value	Description
char, set, search,	Character constant surrounded by single quotation
replace	marks or an expression returning character data.
d, e	Date constant surrounded by single quotation marks, or an expression returning date data.
m, n	Any number constant or expression returning numeric data.
x	Argument type depends on the context of the function.
expr	An expression of any type.
fmt	A format used to change the display of data or to enter data into a Schema Builder field or condition in a format other than the default format.


Number functions

  Related Topics

Number functions accept numeric data and return numeric data.  You can use number functions when defining columns and conditions.

Function (arguments)	Description
ABS(n)	Absolute value of n.
CEIL(n)	Smallest integer greater than or equal to n.
COS(n)	Returns the cosine of n (an angle expressed in radians).
COSH(n)	Returns the hyperbolic cosine of n.
EXP(n)	Exponential notation.  Returns e (2.71828183...) raised to the nth power.
FLOOR(n)	Largest integer equal to or less than n.
LN(n)	Returns the natural log of n, where n is greater than 0.
LOG(m,n)	Returns the logarithm, base m, of n.  The base m can be any positive number other than 0 or 1, and n can be any positive number.
MOD(m,n)	Remainder of m divided by n.
POWER(m,n)	m raised to the nth power.  If n is not an integer, it will be truncated
ROUND(n[,m])	n rounded to m decimal places; if m is omitted, to 0 places.  m may be negative to round digits left of the decimal point.
SIGN(n)	If n<0, -1; if n=0, 0; if n>0, 1.
SIN(n)	Returns the SINE of n (an angle expressed in radians).
SINH(n)	Returns the hyperbolic sine of n.
SQRT(n)	Square root of n; if n<0, NULL.
TAN(n)	Returns the tangent of n (an angle expressed in radians).
TANH(n)	Returns the hyperbolic tangent of n.
TRUNC(n[,m])	n truncated to m decimal places; if m is omitted, to 0 places.  m may be negative to truncate (make zero) digits left of the decimal point.


Character functions

  Related Topics

You can use character functions that accept character data and return character data when defining columns and conditions.

Function (arguments)	Description
CHR(n)	The character with having the binary equivalent to n in the database character set.
CONCAT(char1,char2)	Returns char1 concatenated with char2.  This function is equivalent to the concatenation operator (||).
INITCAP(char)	char, with first letter of each word capitalized.  Words are delimited by white space or characters that are not alphanumeric.
LOWER(char)	char, with all letters forced to lowercase.
LPAD(char1,n[,char2])	char1, left-padded to length n with the sequence of characters in char2, replicated as many times as necessary; if char2 is omitted, with blanks.
LTRIM(char[,set])	char, with initial characters removed up to the first character not in set.  set defaults to ` ' (a single blank).
NLS_INITCAP(char [,nlsparams])	Returns char, with the first letter of each word capitalized.  Words are delimited by white space or characters that are not alphanumeric.  The parameters specified in nlsparams can have the form NLS_SORT=sort where sort is a linguistic sort sequence for your session or BINARY.  If you specify BINARY, this function returns char.  For information on sort sequences, refer to the Oracle8 Server Concepts Manual.
NLS_LOWER(char[,nlsparams])	Returns char, with all letters forced to lowercase. See NLS_INITCAP for the nlspa-rams argument.
NLS_UPPER(char[,nlsparams])	Returns char, with all letters forced to uppercase. See NLS_INITCAP for the nlspa-rams argument.
REPLACE(char,search[,replace])	char, with every occurrence of search replaced with replace. If replace is not supplied, all occurrences of search are removed.
RPAD(char1,n[,char2])	char1, right-padded to length n with the characters in char2, replicated as many times as necessary; if char2 is omitted, with blanks.
RTRIM(char[,set])	char, with final characters removed after the last character not in set.  set defaults to ` ' (a single blank).
SOUNDEX(char)	A char value representing the sound of the word(s) in char.
SUBSTR(char,m[,n])	A substring of char, beginning at character m, n characters long if n is omitted.
SUBSTRB(char,m[,n])	Same as SUBSTR, except that the arguments m and n are expressed in bytes, rather than characters.  For a single byte database character set, SUBSTRB is the same as SUBSTR.
UPPER(char)	char, with all letters forced to uppercase.


Character functions returning numeric values

  Related Topics

You can use character functions to return numeric data when defining columns and conditions.

Abbreviation	Description
ASCII (char)	ASCII value of first character of char.
INSTR(char1,char2[,n[,m]])	The position of the nth occurrence of char2 in char1, beginning search at position n.  If m is omitted, 1 is assumed.  If n is omitted, 1 is assumed.  Position is given relative to the first character of char1, even when n>1.
INSTRB(char1,char2[,n[,m]])	Same as INSTR, except that n and the returned value are expressed in bytes, rather than characters.  For a single-byte database character set, INSTRB is the same as INSTR.
LENGTH(char)	The length, in characters, of char.
LENGTHB(char)	Same as LENGTH, except that char is expressed in bytes, rather than characters.  If char is NULL, this function returns NULL.  For a single-byte database character set, LENGTHB is the same as LENGTH.
NLSSORT(char[,nlsparams])	Returns the string of bytes used to sort char.  The parameters specified in nlsparams can have the form NLS_SORT=sort where sort is a linguistic sort sequence for your session or BINARY.  If you specify BINARY, this function returns char.  For information on sort sequences, refer to the Oracle8 Server Concepts Manual.


Conversion functions

  Related Topics

You can use conversion functions to convert data from one datatype to another when defining columns and conditions.

Abbreviation	Description
TO_CHAR (d[,fmt])	Converts d to a char value in the format specified by the char value fmt.  If fmt is omitted, d is converted to a char value in Schema Builder's default date format, DD-MON-YY.
TO_CHAR(n[,fmt])	Converts n to a char value in the format specified by the char value fmt.  If fmt is omitted, n is converted to a char value exactly long enough to hold the significant digits.
TO_DATE(char[,fmt])	Converts a date from a char value to a date value.  fmt is a char value specifying the format of char.  If fmt is omitted, char must have the Schema Builder default date format, DD-MON-YY.
TO_DATE(n,[fmt])	Converts a number into a date.  fmt must be a format that, when used with TO_CHAR, produces a DATE (e.g., J or MM).
TO_LABEL(char[,fmt])	Converts char, a value of datatype CHAR or VARCHAR2 containing a label in the format fmt, to a value of MLSLABEL datatype.  If you omit fmt, char must be in the default label format.
TO_MULTI_BYTE (char)	Returns char with all of its single-byte characters converted to their corresponding multi-byte characters.  Any single-byte characters that have no multi-byte equivalents appear in the output string as single-byte.  (This function is only useful if your database character set contains both types.)
TO_NUMBER (char)	Converts char, character data containing a number, to numeric data.
TO_SINGLE_BYTE (char)	Returns char with all of its multi-byte characters converted to their corresponding single-byte characters.  Any multi-byte characters that have no single-byte equivalents appear in the output string as multi-byte.  (This function is only useful if your database character set contains both types.)


Date functions

  Related Topics

All date functions return date data except MONTHS_BETWEEN, which returns numeric data.  You can use these functions when defining columns and conditions.

Abbreviation	Description
ADD_MONTHS (d,n)	Date d plus n months.
LAST_DAY(d)	Date of last day of month containing d.
MONTHS_BETWEEN(d,e)	Number of months between dates d and e. If d is later than e, result is positive; if earlier, negative.
NEW_TIME(d,a,b)	Date and time in time zone b when date and time in time zone a are d.  a and b are char expressions with the following meaning:
AST, ADT:	Atlantic Standard or Daylight Time
BST, BDT:	Bering Standard or Daylight Time
CST, CDT:	Central Standard or Daylight Time
EST, EDT:	Eastern Standard or Daylight Time
GMT:	Greenwich Mean Time
HST, HDT:	Alaska-Hawaii Standard or Daylight Time
MST, MDT:	Mountain Standard or Daylight Time
NST:	Newfoundland Standard Time
PST, PDT:	Pacific Standard or Daylight Time
YST, YDT:	Yukon Standard or Daylight Time
NEXT_DAY(d,char)	Date of first day of week named by char that is equal to or later than d.
ROUND(d[,fmt])	d rounded as specified by the rounding unit fmt; if fmt omitted, the nearest day.
SYSDATE	Current date and time.  Requires no arguments.
TRUNC(d[,fmt])	d with time of day truncated up to the specified truncation unit, fmt; if fmt omitted, the time of day is removed.
Additional Information: Refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual for a table of format models to be used with the ROUND and TRUNC date functions.


Other functions

  Related Topics

Schema Builder also accepts these functions:

Function (argument)	Description
USER	Returns the name of the current Oracle user.  Requires no
	arguments.
DECODE(expr,search1,	If expr equals any search, returns the following replace; if not,
replace1[,search2,	returns default.  If default is omitted and there is no match,
replace2,] ... [default])	NULL is returned. expr may be any datatype; search must
	be the same type.  The value returned is forced to the same
	datatype as the first return.
GREATEST(expr1,expr2,...)	Returns the greatest of a list of values.  All expr after the expr1 are converted to the type of the expr1 before the comparison is done.
GREATEST_LB(label[,label] ...)	Returns the greatest lower bound of the list of labels.  Each label must either have datatype MLSLABEL or RAW MLSLABEL or be a quoted literal in the default label format.  The return value has the datatype RAW MLSLABEL.
LEAST(expr1,expr2,...)	Returns the least of a list of values.  All expr after the expr1 are converted to the type of the expr1 before the comparison is done.
LEAST_UB(label[,label] ...)	Returns the least upper bound of the list of labels.  Each label must have datatype MLSLABEL or be a quoted literal in the default label format.  The return value has the datatype RAW MLSLABEL.
NVL(x,expr)	If x is null, returns expr; if x is not null, returns x.  x and expr may be of any type. The type of the returned value is the same as the type of x.
Additional Information:  For more information about the GREATEST_LB and LEAST_UB functions, refer to the Trusted Oracle8 Server Administrator's Guide.


Select Data Tables dialog box

  Related Topics

Description  The Select Data Tables dialog box enables you to include datasource objects from the connected database into your query.

This dialog box contains:

Show	Specifies whether or not to display tables, views, queries, snapshots, and/or synonyms in the list box.
Drop-down box	Specifies from which datasource to display the objects.  You can also select a table from a separate account or database .
Select Data Tables	Lists the available datasource objects you can include in your query.  Tip
Info	Displays information on the selected object:  the kind, name, owner, date it was created, and comments.
Include	Includes the selected item into the Query Builder workspace.
Close	Closes the dialog box without including a datasource object.


Accessing other accounts in the current database

  Related Topics

To access tables in other accounts in the current database:

1	Click the current database name.  The Include button becomes an Open button, and the list box displays a list of accounts in the current database.

2	Click the name of the account you want to open.

3	Click Open, or simply double-click the account name.  Query Builder displays a list of tables in that account, and the Open button again becomes the Include button, enabling you to include tables in the usual manner.


Opening other accounts

  Related Topics

If the table you want is not listed in the current database, you can navigate to other accounts and databases and select tables from those accounts.

To navigate to other accounts and databases:

1	Click the box above the list of tables.  You will see two selections:  the name of the current database and the word Databases.

2	To access tables in other accounts in the current database, click here.

If you are unable to connect to a listed database, it may be due to an invalid link caused by a network problem or a changed remote password.  Contact your database administrator for assistance.


Including a table more than once

  Related Topics

If you include the same table more than once in a query, duplicate tables are automatically assigned system-generated alias names composed of the name for the base table, followed by an underscore and an alphanumeric sequence.


Select Related Tables dialog box

Description  The Select Related Tables dialog box enables you to include tables that are related to the selected table in the Query window.

This dialog box contains:

Show	This option is not available.
Drop-down box	Specifies whether or not to display all related tables.
Select Data Tables	Lists the available related tables.  Tip
Info	Displays information on the selected table:  the kind, name, owner, date it was created, and comments.
Include	Includes the selected table.
Close	Closes the dialog box without including a related table.


Rename Table dialog box

  Related Topics

Description  The Rename Table dialog box enables you to rename the currently active table.

This dialog box contains:

Default Table Name	Specifies the current name of the table.
List box	Lists the tables you have open to rename.
New Name	Specifies the new table name.
Define	Updates the table name while keeping the dialog box open.


Identifying a renamed table

In a stored query, it is not immediately apparent whether a particular table has a user-defined name or its original name.

To find out if a particular table has been renamed:

1	Click [image] in the Icon bar.

2	Click the table in question in the list of Available Tables.

If the table has been renamed, the alias name appears in the New Name: field and a different name (the original table name) in the Default Table Name: field.

SQL users can also identify renamed tables by clicking [image] in the Icon bar. This brings up the Show SQL dialog box, where any name changes appear in the SELECT statement in standard SQL syntax for table aliases.


Set Relationship dialog box

  Related Topics

Description  The Set Relationship dialog box enables you to create simple, self, composite, unmatched, and non-equal relationships between two tables.

This dialog box contains:

Relationship	Specifies the origin (in A->) and target (in B->) column names.
Operator	Specifies the type of relationship between the columns.
Use Relationship in Query	Specifies if your relationship will be used in the query.  Default is checked.
A not found in B radio button	Specifies that the data retrieved is all data common to both tables, in addition to data that is in table A, but not in table B.
B not found in A radio button	Specifies that the data retrieved is all data common to both tables, in addition to data that is in table B, but not in table A.
Suppress Mismatches radio button	Default.  Specifies that the data retrieved is common for both tables.


About relationships

  Related Topics

A relational database consists of a number of related tables.  Each table is made up of columns (sometimes called fields) which are arranged vertically.  Each column has a name, and contains a unique type of data.

Relationships, or joins, define how a column in one table relates to a column in another table.  In many cases, the relationships you need are already defined in the database.  Relationships also reduce data redundancy.  Whenever there is a relationship between columns in different tables, you can use the tables together in a query.  Note

Related columns do not always share the same names.  You can always relate columns that share the same datatype, and in some instances you can relate columns of different datatypes, if the relationship makes sense.  For example, you can always relate a Number datatype column with a Character column, since a number can also be interpreted as a character.  In fact, almost any column (except long text columns) can be related to Character columns.

Relationships can be user-defined (temporary) or established in the underlying data dictionary  Relationships in the data dictionary automatically appear when you include related tables (tables that have a primary/foreign key relationship).  You do not have to do anything to use these relationships, since they are always valid.  These can be created or modified using the Schema Builder.

User-defined relationships are valid only for the query in which you create them.  Creating a user-defined relationship does not establish a corresponding permanent relationship in the underlying table.  The main difference between the two is that in the case of a user-defined relationship, you must draw the relationship line; in a relationship stored in the database, Query Builder draws it for you.

Note (Report Builder only):  Report Builder data links are not the same as Query Builder relationships.  Data links are created between two or more queries, where Query Builder relationships (or joins) are created within a single query.  For more information, see the Report Builder online help.


Activating and deactivating a relationship

  Related Topics

Relationships that you create using the mouse are automatically activated and deactivated as they are needed in a query.  Active relationships are displayed with a heavy black line; inactive relationships are shown as grey lines.

To manually activate a relationship using the mouse:

  Double-click an inactive relationship line.

To deactivate a relationship:

  Double-click the active relationship line.


Define Column dialog box

Description  The Define Column dialog box enables you to create a new column in your query based on values in another column. Defined columns appear in both the Datasource panel and the Results window.

This dialog box contains:

Defined Columns	Specifies the name of the column you want to create.
List box	Lists existing defined columns.
Defined as	Specifies the expression of the selected column.
Define	Applies the definition to the column.
Remove	Deletes the selected column.
Paste Column	Displays the Paste Column dialog box.
Paste Func	Displays the Paste Function dialog box.
Note:  The defined column is only a part of your query and will not modify the table definition saved in the database.


Sort dialog box

Description  The Sort dialog box enables you to sort the data in your query according to columns in your table.

This dialog box contains:

Available Columns	Lists the table columns you can sort in the Results window.
Sorted Columns	Lists the table columns that are currently sorted in the Results window.
Copy	Copies the selected column from the Available Columns list to the Sorted Columns list.
Remove	Removes the selected column from the Sorted Columns list.
Sorting Order	Sorts the selected column in Ascending or Descending order. Default is Ascending.


Query Builder Help

  Related Topics

Building a new query

Adding conditions to a query

Creating a simple relationship

Defining a column

Sorting query data


About Query Builder

  Related Topics

Query Builder is an easy-to-use data access tool designed for analysts, managers, and other business professionals.  It provides a logical and intuitive means to access information from your organization's databases for analysis and reporting.

Query Builder is designed for professionals who do not have a computer programming or database background.  Because of its powerful query features and its support of Structured Query Language (SQL) statements, experienced database users and programmers will find that Query Builder serves many of their needs as well.

In Query Builder's graphical Query window , you can specify a request for data from your organization's database(s).  The request for data is called a query.

You can use Query Builder to define almost any query that you would build using a SQL SELECT statement.  Query Builder automatically generates the appropriate SELECT FROM [table.column] clause based on columns displayed in the Query Builder workspace.


Column Sequence dialog box

Description  The Column Sequence dialog box enables you to adjust your query results in the Query Builder workspace.

This dialog box contains:

Available Columns	Lists the table columns you can display in the Query Builder workspace.  Tip
Displayed Columns	Lists the table columns that are currently displayed in the Query Builder workspace.
Copy	Copies the selected column from the Available Columns list to the Displayed Columns list.
Remove	Removes the selected column from the Displayed Columns list.
Format	Displays the Format dialog box.
Totals	Displays the Totals dialog box.
Execute	Runs the query.


Paste Column dialog box

  Related Topics

Description  The Paste Column dialog box enables you to paste an existing column from a selected table into your query.

This dialog box contains:

List box	Lists the columns you can paste.  Tip


Paste Function dialog box

Description  The Paste Function dialog box enables you to paste a function into your condition or query.

This dialog box contains:

Show Categories	Specifies the types of functions that display in the list box:  number, character, date, conversion, group, other.
List box	Lists the available functions under the selected category.
Paste Arguments	Specifies whether or not to include the argument (the expression within the parentheses of a function that supplies information for the function to use).


Show SQL dialog box

  Related Topics

The Show SQL dialog box displays the SQL statements for your query thus far. You cannot edit or copy the SQL statements in the Show SQL dialog box.


The column or columns that uniquely identify each row of a table.  Primary keys appear in bold.


A column that refers to the primary key values in another table. Foreign keys appear in italics.


The sources from which a query retrieves data, including tables, views, queries, synonyms, and snapshots.


A datasource made up of columns from one or more database tables combined into one logical table.


A string consisting of a function or operation and the database column(s) to be operated on (for example, SALARY+COMMISSION).


To conform to naming conventions, each query name must begin with a letter and can contain up to 30 letters and numbers.  If you don't use naming conventions when naming database queries, Query Builder will convert the name to a "literal" value (enclosed in double quotes).


About the Conditions panel

The Conditions panel is a section of the Query window that contains the Condition field, where you enter expressions and conditions.  Query Builder conditions automatically generate WHERE or HAVING clauses, as appropriate.

The table and column names indicate which columns will be filtered in the condition.  You may omit the table name if the column name is unique.  Tip

Note:  When you activate the Condition field, the cursor will have  a (+) sign, indicating that any item you click on will be added to your condition.  To deactivate this, you can click [image] in the Icon Bar.


About the Query window

When you open a query, Query Builder displays it in the Query window, split into two panels:

•	the Conditions panel, where the Condition field is located.  It is used to refine the query.

•	the Datasource panel, which displays the tables (views, snapshots, and so forth) used in the query.

Depending on your preferences, the panels may be split vertically or horizontally.

Each table is displayed in a box containing the name of the table and the names of columns in that table.  There are a number of icons that help identify the current database object.  The icons indicate whether descriptive comments are attached, the type of datasource, the column's datatype, and whether indexes have been defined for tables in the query.

Lines are drawn to indicate the relationships between columns.  Relationships are set up between tables to identify how a column in one table relates to a column in another table.

A check mark to the left of the column name indicates the column has been included in the query.  This means that Query Builder will search for data corresponding to the column name when you run the query.  No check mark indicates that column's data will not be included.


About the Datasource panel

  Related Topics

The Datasource panel is the section of the Query window where items, such as tables and relationships, display.


About the Icon Bar

  Related Topics

The Icon Bar displays at the top of the Query Builder window.  Click on each icon to view a description.


Save icon

Saves your query to the specified file.


Cut icon

Cuts the selected text and places it on your operating system's clipboard.


Copy icon

Copies the selected text onto your operating system's clipboard while the original text remains intact.


Paste icon

Pastes the current clipboard items into the active location.  If there is nothing on the clipboard, nothing will be pasted.  You can paste any text that you have cut or copied.


Clear icon

Removes the selected item (i.e., text, table).  Unlike the Cut command, Clear does not place the removed item(s) on your operating system's clipboard.


Select All icon

Selects every item in the active window.  For example, if the Conditions panel is active, all conditions in the panel will be selected.


Select Data Tables icon

Displays the Select Data Tables dialog box.


Select Related Tables icon

Displays the Select Related Tables dialog box.  This icon is available only when the table you have selected has a related table in the connected database.


Rename Table icon

Displays the Rename Table dialog box.  This icon is available only when there is at least one table in the Query Builder workspace.


Get Info icon

Displays the Info dialog box and information on the selected database object.  This icon is available only if a datasource object is active.


Set Table Relationship icon

Displays the Set Relationship dialog box.  This icon is available only when there is more than one table in the Datsource panel to relate.


Show SQL icon

Displays the Show SQL dialog box and the SQL for the active query.


Column Sequence icon

Displays the Display dialog box.


Define Column icon

Displays the Define Column dialog box.


Sort icon

Displays the Sort dialog box.


And icon

Inserts the AND operator into your condition.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.  You can also type AND directly into the Condition field.


Or icon

Inserts the OR operator into your condition.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.  You can also type OR directly into the Condition field.


Not icon

Inserts the NOT operator into your condition to negate your condition.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.  You can also type NOT directly into the Condition field.


Ungroup Conditions icon

Ungroups conditions that are combined with logical operators, such as AND, OR, NOT.  This icon is available only when you have selected a logical operator in the Conditions panel.


Accept icon

Validates and accepts the active condition.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.  You can also press the Enter or Return key when the Condition field is active to accept and validate your condition.


Cancel icon

Cancels the current condition.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.


Paste Column icon

Displays the Paste Column dialog box.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.


Paste Function icon

Displays the Paste Function dialog box.  This icon is available only when the Condition field is active.


About datatypes

  Related Topics

The most common datatypes in Query Builder are:

CHAR or VARCHAR2	CHAR is used for fixed length character data, to a maximum size of 255 bytes and a default size of 1 byte.  VARCHAR2 is for variable length character strings to a maximum size of 2000 bytes.  You must specify size for VARCHAR2.
NUMBER	NUMBER indicates that the database column contains numbers (integers, decimals, or any other type of numeric values).  You can perform calculations on numbers represented in the NUMBER datatype, but not on numbers represented by the CHAR datatype.
DATE	DATE indicates that the database column contains date values.  Valid dates ranging from January 1, 9999 BC to December 31, 9999 AD.  Default format is DD-MON-YY as in '01-JAN-92'.
NUMBER(p,s)	The range of p (decimal precision) is 1 to 38. The range of s (scale) is -84 to 127.  Decimal precision is the number of digits to store.  The scale is the number of digits to the right of the decimal point.  If the scale is negative, the actual data is rounded to the specified number of places to the left of the decimal point.  For example, a specification of (10, -2) means round to the hundreds.
Additionally, Query Builder provides limited support for the following Oracle datatypes:

LONG	A LONG column contains alphanumeric data of variable length up to 2 gigabytes (or 231-1).  When you include a LONG column in a Query Builder query, the first 2000 characters are displayed.
RAW	Raw binary data.  Maximum size is 255 bytes.  Values must be inserted as character strings in hexadecimal notation.  Values are displayed in hexadecimal.  You must specify size for RAW datatypes.
LONG RAW	LONG RAW displays raw binary data up to 2 gigabytes (this appears in hexadecimal in the Results window).  LONG RAW datatypes are subject to the same limits as RAW datatype.
Note:  Query Builder supports datatype conversions in cases where conditions and expressions reference different datatypes in their comparison.  Refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual for additional information.


Datatype icons

  Related Topics

The following supported datatypes for all the columns in a datasource object are represented by icons located in the right hand column of the object in the Query Builder workspace.

Datatype	Icon	Description
Character		Use the Character datatype for fixed length character data, to a maximum size of 255 bytes and a default size of 1 byte. Note:  You can represent numbers using the Character datatype, but you can only perform calculations with numeric datatypes.
Varchar2		Use the Varchar2 datatype for variable length character strings, to a maximum size of 2000 bytes.  You must specify a size for the Varchar2 datatype.
Number		Use the Number datatype for integer or floating data. You must enter a precision length (number of digits) for integer data. Floating datatype is for decimal numbers. When you assign this datatype to a column, you must specify both the precision and the scale. The precision (total number of digits in the number) can range from 1 to 38.  The scale (number of digits to the right of the decimal point) can range from -84 to 127.  If the scale is negative, the actual data is rounded to the specified number of places to the left of the decimal point.  For example, a specification of (10,2) means 10 digits with 2 to the right of the decimal point.  A specification of (10,-2) effectively means a 10-digit integer, rounded to the nearest hundred.
Date		Use the Date datatype for any type of date.  Valid dates range from January 1, 4712 BC to December 31,4712 AD.  The default date format is DD-MON-YY, as in ‘01-JAN-97.’
Long		Use the Long datatype for long text fields of alphanumeric data of variable length, up to 2 gigabytes.
Raw		Use the Raw datatype for raw binary data.  The maximum size is 255 bytes.  Values must be inserted as character strings in hexadecimal notation, and values are displayed in hexadecimal.  You must specify a size for raw data.
Long Raw		The Long Raw datatype is for storing up to 2 gigabytes of raw binary data (which is entered and displayed in hexidecimal form).  Long Raw datatypes do not require a specified size.
MLSLABEL		Use the MLSLABEL datatype for storing the binary format of a label used on a secure operating system.  Labels are used by Trusted ORACLE to mediate access to information.  You can also define columns with this datatype if you are using the standard ORACLE Server.  For more information on Trusted ORACLE, including this datatype and labels, see the Trusted ORACLE8 Server Administrator's Guide.


Datasource object notation

  Related Topics

Shown below is an example of two datasource objects, linked by a relationship.

Click any icon, indicator, or part of these objects to display a description.


Object type indicator

The icon in the upper left corner of any datasource object indicates its type:

  Table

  View

  Query

  Snapshot

  Synonym


Object title

This is the name of the datasource object.  You can change the name by clicking on the object title.


Comment indicator

This icon indicates that this object (or column) has a comment associated with it.  Double-click this icon to open the Info dialog box, where you can view the comments.


Column Name

This is the name of one of the columns in this object.  If you double-click a column name, the column will be included in your query.


Datatype indicators

These icons indicate the datatypes of their respective columns. If you click and hold on one of these icons, a pop-up menu appears, and you can choose a different datatype.


Relationship line

A gray line drawn between two columns indicates that a relationship has been created between the columns at either end of the line. The line is drawn from the foreign key to the primary key.


Self-relationship indicator

This icon indicates that a self-relationship has been created between this column (foreign key) and another column (primary key) in the same table.


Primary key

A column name displayed in boldface indicates that this column has been defined as a primary key for the object.


Foreign key

A column name displayed in italics indicates that this column is a foreign key, related to a primary key in another column.  Setting up a relationship between two columns is the only way to define a foreign key.


Using the online help

The following guidelines will help you to make effective use of the online help system:

•	Familiarize yourself with the Contents tab to get an idea of the scope of the topics covered in the online help.

•	Click the Related Topics button directly below topic titles for a list of topics related to the current topic.

•	Click the Options button at the top of any topic to set Keep Help on Top, so that help topics remain on your screen as you develop applications.

•	Click the Glossary button at the top of any topic for definitions of unfamiliar terms.


Documentation roadmap

To get started and become proficient with building applications:

1	Review the Quick Tour for a brief overview of each component:

•	Choose Help [image] Quick Tour.

2	Step through the Cue Cards to learn how to perform the most common tasks:

•	Choose Help [image] Cue Cards.

3	Display the online manuals (also available in hardcopy form):

•	Choose Help [image] Manuals.

4	Access the online help system:

•	Choose Help [image] Help Topics.

•	For context-sensitive help, press [Help] (this is usually the F1 key on most platforms).


Glossary

A

    action
    active window/view
    ActiveX
    Ada
    aggregation
    alert
    alignment
    alias
    All tool
    ancestor
    ancestor group
    anchor
    anchor point
    anonymous block
    antecedent
    applet
    application
    argument
    ASCII
    attached library
    attribute
    attribute columns
    attribute mask
    Attribute tool
    attribute value
    axis chart

 B

    background element
    background process
    baseline value
    Batch
    batch compile
    bind reference
    bind variable
    block
    body
    boilerplate
    border
    bounding box
    break chart
    break column
    break group
    break report
    break trigger
    breakpoint
    builder
    built-in datatype
    built-ins
    built-in macro
    buffer
    button
    button procedure

C

    cache (memory)
    call interface
    call stack
    canvas
    canvas view
    cartridge
    cascading style sheet
    category
    category axis
    cell
    CGI
    CGM
    CHAR datatype
    chart element
    chart item
    chart template
    check box
    checksum
    child
    child query
    classification
    clause
    client
    client/server architecture
    Clipboard
    CMDFILE
    collection type
    color palette
    column
    column object
    command line
    comment
    commit
    comparison operators
    compile
    component
    concurrency
    condition
    confine mode
    connect
    connect string
    constraint
    construct
    context area
    continuous axis
    control point
    coordinate plane
    coordinate system
    coordinates (x, y)
    copy
    correlated subquery
    cross product
    crosstab
    cursor
    custom measure
    cut

D

    damage
    data dictionary
    data link
    data model
    data structure node
    database
    database trigger
    datasource
    datatype
    DATE
    date axis
    debug
    debug action
    debug trigger
    Debugger
    deconstructed object
    default
    deliver
    dependency tree
    dependency view
    dependent data
    descendant
    designer
    Designer (Oracle)
    detail query
    dialog box
    DIANA
    dimension
    dimension hierarchy
    dimension value
    disabled
    discrete axis
    display
    display item
    downward-growing
    drag
    drill
    duplicate
    dynamic saved selection

E

    EBCDIC
    edge
    Edge/Fill/Text Display
    editor
    element
    element type
    Ellipsis button
    enabled
    enclosing object
    encryption
    environment
    exception
    Exception tool
    executable argument
    execute
    export
    export file
    expression
    external PL/SQL library
    external query

F

    family
    Family tool
    field
    field template
    file node
    fill area
    filter
    firewall
    flattened object
    flex mode
    focus
    foreground element
    foreign key
    form layout
    form letter layout
    format mask
    format trigger
    formula
    formula column
    frame
    function

G

    generate
    Generate
    Global Registry
    global variable
    grant
    gridlines
    group
    group filter
    group tree
    GUI

H

    handle
    header
    heading node
    hidden
    hierarchy
    HTML
    HTTP
    hyperlink
    hypertext

I

    ICD
    icon
    image
    implied item
    import
    independent data
    index
    inherit
    inner bounding box
    input item
    insert mode
    internet
    Interpreter script
    intranet
    IP (Internet Protocol) Address
    item
    item node

J

    JAR
    Java
    join
    justification

K

    keyword

L

    label
    Launcher
    level
    Level tool
    layout
    layout unit
    lexical reference
    library
    link
    link file
    list box
    list item
    list of values
    List tool
    local database
    local registry
    local variable
    logical operators
    logical page
    loop

M

    macro
    mailing label layout
    margin
    master/detail layout
    Match tool
    matrix cell
    matrix layout
    matrix report
    measure
    megabyte (Mb)
    message box
    method
    modal window
    modeless window
    module
    multi-line field

N

    NA value
    nested matrix
    NOCACHE
    node
    non-caching column
    NULL value
    numeric operators

O

    object
    object column
    object group
    object handle
    Object Navigator
    object table
    object type
    ODBC
    OLE
    OLE container
    OLE Server
    Oracle datatype
    Oracle Designer
    ORACLE_HOME
    organization node
    origin
    outer bounding box
    overflow

P

    packaged function
    package
    package body
    package specification
    page
    page break
    palette
    pane
    panel
    parameter
    parameter list
    parent
    paste
    pattern
    Pcode
    PDF
    physical page
    placeholder username
    plot type
    PL/SQL
    pld file
    pll file
    pls file
    plx file
    pop-up list
    port
    pre-defined action
    pre-defined type
    preference
    preview
    Previewer
    primary key
    primitive
    printer control code
    prt file
    procedure
    program unit
    project
    project file
    project item
    Project Navigator
    project node
    project registry
    project view
    Project Wizard
    property
    property class
    protocol

Q

    qualifying dimension
    query
    query filter function
    quit

R

    radio button
    radio group
    Range tool
    RC4
    RDBMS
    rdf file
    rep file
    read consistency
    record
    record group
    REF column
    reference line
    refresh
    register
    registry
    relational operator
    remote database
    repeating frame
    replace mode
    report-level objects
    Reports Background Engine (RWRBE60)
    Reports Queue Manager (RWRQM60)
    Reports Server (RWMTS60)
    Reports Web Cartridge
    Reports Web CGI (RWCGI60)
    rex file
    RGB
    root
    root node
    row
    row object
    RTF
    run
    runfile
    Runtime
    Runtime Parameter Form

S

    saved selection
    Saved Selection tool
    schema
    scope
    script
    section
    SELECT statement
    selection
    selection script
    Selector
    Selector tool
    session
    sibling
    socket
    Sort tool
    source
    specification
    split bar
    SQL
    sql file
    SQL script
    SQL statement
    stack
    statement
    static saved selection
    stored program unit
    stored subprogram
    style sheet
    subprogram
    subproject
    subproject node
    summary column
    SYLK
    syntax
    system variable

T

    table
    table type
    tabular
    target
    target node
    TCP
    tear-off menu
    text item
    title bar
    title page
    toggle
    tool
    toolbar
    tool palette
    Top/Bottom tool
    trailer
    transaction
    trigger
    type

U

    update
    URL
    user exit
    user-defined action
    user-defined type
    user-defined macro
    user registry

V

    valid XML
    value axis
    value construct
    variable
    varying array type
    VBX
    VBX control
    view
    virtual directory
    virtual file system
    visual attribute

W

    Web
    Web browser
    Web cartridge
    Web link
    Web server
    well-formed XML
    wildcard
    window
    WKS
    WRB
    WWW

X

    XML

Y

Z

    zoom


In Project Builder, a command string supplied either by Project Builder or by the user that applies to files of a given type.  An action is not restricted to a single file type; for example, if the action "Compile" is defined for both forms and C source files, selecting "Compile Project" will compile all .fmb and .c files using the appropriate tools.  See also:  pre-defined action, user-defined action.


A high-level programming language developed by the U.S. Department of Defense for use in embedded computer systems.


A window or view that can receive user input.


(Oracle Express) The consolidation of data for several dimension values into a single value, such as the total units sold for all the cities, or into a smaller set of values, such as the average units sold for cities in each region. Data is often collected at the lowest level of detail and is aggregated into higher level totals for analysis.


A modal window that notifies you of a condition that occurred because of your last action.  You must respond to an alert.


The way in which data is positioned in a field.  It may be positioned to the left, right, center, flush/left, flush/right, or flush/center of the defined width of a field.


A secondary name used in a SQL statement to reference a table, view, or column.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows you to select all of the values in a dimension, or all of the values in a dimension for a specific hierarchy.


(Oracle Express) A dimension value at any level above a particular value in a hierarchy. The ancestor value is the aggregated total of the values of its descendants.  The following example shows the dimension value "Europe" as the ancestor of "France," "Lyon," and "Paris" in the GEOGRAPHY dimension.


A group that owns another group, either directly or indirectly.


A layout object used to fix a spot on one object to a spot on another object, ensuring the position of the first object in relation to the second object.


(Oracle Express) A specific dimension value that is used when selecting dimension values based on their family relationship or when navigating through a hierarchy.


A PL/SQL program unit that has no name and does not require the explicit presence of the BEGIN and END keywords to enclose the executable statements.  Since they are unnamed, anonymous blocks cannot be referenced by other program units.


An object that appears in another object's group tree at any position above that other object.  Every object is an antecedent of its descendants.


A Java term for small programs that can be dynamically imported into Web pages or applications as needed.


One or more program modules used to achieve a specific result.  Applications can be nested within other applications.  For example, an application to control a company's inventory could consist of various Form Builder applications for input of data, and various Graphics Builder applications to display the data visually.


1. An optional expression passed to a program unit for the program unit to operate on.
2. Clauses containing keywords and their specified values.


Acronym for American National Standard Code for Information Interchange.


A read only collection of PL/SQL subprograms, usually provided with an application to supply necessary PL/SQL source.  Program units in an attached library are implicitly loaded when they are first called by another program unit at compile-time or runtime.  They remain loaded for quick reuse, which reduces runtime memory requirements and improves the performance of an application.  See also:  library .


1. See property.
2.  A part or component of an Oracle8 object type definition.  Each attribute has a name and an Oracle8 datatype.  When an object table is created based on the object type, the columns in the table correspond to the attributes in the object type definition.  When a column object in a relational table is created based on the object type, the column object contains the equivalent of sub-columns, each of which corresponds to an attribute in the object type definition.  Each Oracle8 object attribute in a table is treated as a separate data item, as if it were a separate column.  This is true for both object tables and column objects in relational tables.
3. (Oracle Express) A descriptive characteristic that is shared by dimension values. Attributes represent logical groupings that allow users to select data based on like characteristics. For example, in a database representing footwear, you can use a shoe color attribute to select all boots, sneakers, and slippers that share the same color.


The columns that compose a column object (Oracle8).


In Graphics Builder, the first element in an attribute descriptor.  It is a 32-bit mask that informs the toolkit of the attributes that will be set or retrieved by a subsequent function call.  Only those elements that have their corresponding bits set in the attribute mask are set or retrieved.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows you to select dimension values based on attributes and attribute values. For example, in a database representing soft drinks, you might select all products whose size is 1 liter. In this example, Size is an attribute and 1 liter is an attribute value.


(Oracle Express) The values in the database that make up an attribute. For example, in a database representing ice cream products, the following attribute values might belong to a flavor attribute in a Product dimension: vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Dimension values at various levels in the Product dimension -- brand, form, and size, for instance -- might share the same value for flavor.


A type of chart in which the data is plotted according to where it lies along the chart's edges, called axes.  An axis chart may contain two or three axes, each of which may be one of the following types:  discrete, continuous, or date.


The white part of a pattern.  You apply color to the background element using the Fill Color palette.


A non-interactive process that runs in an operating system environment and performs some service or action.  Certain Oracle products use background processes for different tasks, such as performing and coordinating tasks on behalf of concurrent users of the database, processing and delivering electronic messages, and managing printing services.


The value used as the starting point for plotting fields on the continuous axis of a chart.


The executable that executes an application in batch mode, without using a windowing system.


To translate, at once, several PL/SQL program units into a machine executable form.


A reference to a parameter used to replace a single literal value (e.g., a character string, number, or date) appearing anywhere in a PL/SQL construct or a SQL SELECT statement.  For a bind reference, you must precede the parameter name with a colon (:).


A global variable you can create and use outside of a PL/SQL package.


1. The basic program unit in PL/SQL, defined by the keywords DECLARE, BEGIN, EXCEPTION, and END.
2. In Form Builder, a logical container that relates to a database table or view.


1. Contains the same information as the program unit specification, and also includes the actual implementation of the subprogram (i.e., its sequence of actions).  In most cases, only a body must be defined for a subprogram.
2. In Report Builder, a region that contains the bulk of the report layout (text, graphics, data, and computations).  The report body appears between the report header and trailer pages.


Text and/or graphics that appear in a report every time it is run.  In some products this is called "constant" text or graphics.


A user-defined outline around a layout object, usually used to highlight its contents.  Borders are drawn such that half the width of the border lies outside the edge of the object, and half inside the edge.


See inner bounding box, outer bounding box.


An axis chart that displays two categories of data along one axis.


A query column assigned to a break group.


A group used to break or categorize report data.  All data in query columns assigned to a break group appear above the data in columns belonging to other groups.  Each record fetched for a break group appears only once, while multiple related records in other groups can be displayed.


A report that contains categories that break the report data into sets.


A PL/SQL block that executes each time a breakpoint is reached.  See also:  breakpoint.


A debug action you can place at any executable source line in a PL/SQL subprogram.  A breakpoint interrupts execution of the program unit and passes control to the PL/SQL Interpreter.  Breakpoints allow you to incrementally execute a subprogram and search for runtime errors.  See also:  break trigger.


Refers to a component used to create a specific type of document. For example, Form Builder is used to create forms, while Report Builder is used to create reports.


A datatype defined and supported by the Oracle Server.


A collection of extensions to the PL/SQL language that are designed to be used with the software.  Built-ins include datatypes, procedures, functions, exceptions, and constants.


In Project Builder, macro shipped with Project Builder.  See also:  macro.


A temporary storage area for data during the transfer of that data between the computer and a peripheral, or between parts of a computer.  A buffer prevents loss of information due to differences in the speed or timing of the transfer and speeds up certain functions.


1. An interface element used to select an action item, display a dialog box, or acknowledge the current condition.
2. An object in an application that has a PL/SQL procedure associated with it.  The procedure is generally executed upon a user mouse event.


A PL/SQL procedure associated with an application object, that is executed when a specific mouse event occurs on the item at runtime (e.g. clicking the button).  It does this by establishing a hierarchy for the fetched data containing a break group.


A temporary storage place for database data that is currently being accessed or changed by users, or for data that Oracle Server requires to support users. The terms are often used interchangeably.


An interface that enables you to invoke Forms Developer or Reports Developer component executables from other Oracle products, or a 3GL program.


A chain of subprogram calls, from the initial entry point down to the currently executing subprogram.  Each subprogram call is represented by a frame on the downward-growing call stack, in which newly entered subprograms are added to the bottom of the stack.


   See editor.


In Form Builder, the background object on which you place the interface objects that users will interact with in the runtime application.  A canvas view is usually associated with a window.


Manageable objects that plug in to the client, application server, or database through an open API.


See style sheet.


A label component that allows differentiation between information on the basis of non-hierarchical delineation or compartments rather than sensitivity levels.  With classification, they are used as a means of restricting access to information.


See discrete axis.


An instance of data in a spreadsheet (e.g., Microsoft Excel).


Acronym for Common Gateway Interface. The industry-standard technique for running applications on a Web server.  Whereas standard HTML documents retrieved from a Web server are static (the exact same text is retrieved every time) CGI enables a program running on the Web server to communicate with another computer to generate "dynamic" HTML documents in response to user-entered information.


Acronym for Computer Graphics Metafile.  A file format recognized internationally and used to store and transport object-oriented graphics from one system or program to another.


An Oracle datatype provided for ANSI/ISO compatibility.  A CHAR column is a fixed-length column and can contain any printable characters, such as A, 3, &, or blanks, and can have from 1 to 255 characters or can be null.


A bar, line, symbol, or other graphical object that represents a single value for a field.


A bordered rectangle of any size used to embed Graphics Builder charts in a form or report.


A collection of attributes and properties that defines the format of a chart.


A interface element, appearing as a small square, that a user can toggle on or off.


An error-checking algorithm.


1. An object that is a member of a group, and is immediately below that group object in its group tree.  The objects that compose a group object are children of that group.  Every object is a child of its parent.
2. (Oracle Express) A dimension value at the level immediately below a particular value in a hierarchy. Values of children are included in the calculation that produces the aggregated total for a parent.  A dimension value may be a child for more than one parent if the dimension has more than one hierarchy.  The following example shows the dimension values "Lyon" and "Paris" as the children of "France" in the GEOGRAPHY dimension.


See detail query.


A hierarchical level that denotes the sensitivity of the information that is labeled.  Classifications are used as a means of restricting access to information.


A part of a SQL statement that does not constitute the full statement; for example, a "WHERE clause."


A user, software application, or computer that requests the services, data, or processing of another application or computer (the "server").  In a two-task environment, the client is the user process.  In a network environment, the client is the local user process and the server may be local or remote.


Separation of processing between two CPUs, one acting as the server that provides services in a transaction and the other as the client in the transaction, requesting and receiving services.  All responsibilities of shared data management can be processed by the computer running the database management system while the workstations running the database application concentrate on the interpretation and display of data.


A memory buffer.  An object remains on the Clipboard until you cut or copy another object, or until you quit the application.


A user-defined datatype that describes a data unit made up of an indefinite number of elements, all of the same datatype.  Varying array types and table types are collection types.  (Oracle8)


An argument that allows you to specify a file that contains a set of command line arguments for Forms Developer executables.


Contains all the colors available to the windowing system, the drawing surface, or a window and its views.


1. A vertical space in a database table that represents a particular domain of data.  A column has a column name (e.g., ENAME) and a specific datatype (e.g., CHAR).  For example, in a table of employee information, all of the employees' names would constitute one column.  A record group column represents a database column.
2. In Report Builder, a data model object created automatically for each column expression in a query's SELECT list, or created manually to perform summaries, formulas, or act as a placeholder.


In an Oracle8 relational table or object table, a column whose definition is based on an object type.  The column is a composite, the parts of which correspond to the attributes of the object type.


An operating-system command line.  Most Oracle products can be invoked from a command line using a number of executable arguments.


A language construct for the inclusion of explanatory text in a program, the execution of which remains unaffected.


To make changes to data in the database permanent.  Before changes are stored, both the old and new data exist so that changes can be stored or the data can be restored to its prior state.


(Oracle Express)

>	Greater than

<	Less than

=	Equal to

<=	Less than or equal to

>=	Greater than or equal to

<>	Not equal to

For numbers, the operands are widened to the least common type (Integer is preferred over Long, which is preferred over Single, which is preferred over Double). For Strings, the comparison is case-sensitive and is based on the collating sequence used by the language specified in the Windows Control Panel. The result is 0 for FALSE and -1 for TRUE.


To translate a source program into a binary, executable format.  PL/SQL program units must be compiled before they can be executed.


A specific target object that is a part of a larger application; e.g. a form in an order entry system, or a library that is shared among many other elements.  See also:  target.


The simultaneous access of the same data by multiple users executing different database applications or the same application.  In database software concurrency requires additional logic to ensure that all users see consistent data and that all changes are made in the proper order.


An expression whose value is either true or false, such as X> 100.  For example, you can set a condition in a query when you want the query to display only those rows that evaluate as true in your expression.


Layout editor mode that prevents child objects from being moved or resized on or outside their parent objects.


To log on to a database.  You must connect if you want to create or modify queries or access an application stored in a database.


The set of parameters, including a protocol, that SQL*Net uses to connect to a specific Oracle instance on the network.


A rule or restriction concerning a piece of data (such as a NOT NULL restriction on a column) that is enforced at the database level, rather than the object or application level.


A PL/SQL code structure.  There are two types of constructs: non-value constructs do not return a value; value constructs return a value.


A work area in which Oracle Server stores the current SQL statement, and if the statement is a query, the result's column headings and one row of the result.  Also referred to as cursor.


An axis that plots values that begin with one value and continue until they reach another value.  Thus, these values are mathematically related.  Dependent data is usually plotted along this axis, also called the value axis.


The four corner points of the virtual rectangle that constitutes an object's ideal shape.  When you select an object on the layout, its control points appear.  Depending on the object selected, you may be able to modify it by dragging a control point.


The two-dimensional grid on which drawing takes place.


The type of x, y units used to place and size objects in the Layout Editor view.  The coordinate systems available are 1) character, which uses the platform's native character cell size, and 2) real, which can be in units of pixels, centimeters, inches, or points.


The location points for objects appearing in the layout.  x and y coordinates determine the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) placement of objects.


To store a replica of a selected object on the Clipboard, so that it may be pasted elsewhere in an editor if desired.


A subquery based on the same tables as the parent query (i.e., references columns in the tables included in its parent query).


Group that owns two or more other groups and performs a mathematical cross product (i.e., correlates values between them).


See matrix cell.


1. A small icon representing the position of the mouse.  The shape of the cursor varies, depending on the selected tool.
2. An internal pointer to data retrieved by a query.  A cursor points only to one row of data at a time; however, you can use built-in subprograms to move the cursor to any row in the data set.


(Oracle Express) A formula created by a user, which allows fine-tuning of data analysis. You create custom measures using base measures in the database. For example, if the database contains the existing measure Volume Share, you can use this measure to create a custom measure named Volume Share Year Ago. This custom measure would allow you to look at a product's absolute share from the previous year.


To delete one or more objects and store them in the Clipboard, so that they may be pasted elsewhere in an editor, if desired.


A view is damaged when it is totally or partially occluded by another view.


A set of tables and views owned by the database administrator.  It is a central source of information for Oracle Server and other relational databases.


A data model object used to define a master/detail (parent-child) relationship between a group and a query.


A relational model that defines what data should be fetched from the database, what values should be computed, and how data should be ordered in a report.  Report Builder objects that define the data model are queries, groups, columns, parameters, and links.


A source for data returned by a query, including database objects such as tables, views, synonyms, snapshots, and queries stored as views.


In Project Builder, a node in the Project Navigator denoting a project item that governs the structure of an open project.  For example, the Global Registry node denotes the Global Registry, which contains a list of local registries and a list of global type definitions.


A set of dictionary tables and user tables that are treated as a unit.


A stored PL/SQL block that is implicitly executed when a triggering INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE statement is issued against the associated table in the database.  See also:  debug trigger.


A standard form of data.  Some common Oracle datatypes are CHAR, VARCHAR2, DATE, NUMBER, LONG, RAW, and LONG RAW.


An Oracle Server datatype.  A date column may contain a date and time between January 1, 9999 BC and December 31, 9999 AD.


An axis that plots date values that begin at one date and continue until they reach another date.


To detect, diagnose, and eliminate runtime errors in programs.


A user-specified event placed in a PL/SQL subprogram, usually for the purpose of troubleshooting runtime errors.


A conditional debug action you can place at any executable source line in a PL/SQL subprogram.  If the specified condition is met, the specified action is taken before execution of the subprogram resumes.  See also:  database trigger.


The Procedure Builder functionality within the software component used for testing and debugging.


In Oracle8, object types and objects are composites, built of parts or attributes.  Forms Developer or Reports Developer treats each part/attribute as an independent, individually-selectable data item.  This treatment results in a deconstructed object (sometimes also known as a flattened object).  The object is not an homogeneous entity within the Developer environment.


A piece of data that depends on other data for its value.  For example, an employee's  years of service may have the value 10, which is dependent upon the value of the employee's name.  Also called value data.


A value supplied by the system when a user does not specify a required command parameter or attribute.


To prepare and provide a completed application for distribution and deployment.


In Project Builder, the mechanism used by Project Builder to determine how to compile files that are referenced in projects.  Items toward the top left of the tree depend on items toward the lower right; so, for example, if a header file is either out of date or more recent than the executable file it is used to build, then the Project Builder will rebuild the executable file, given a Build command.  Dependencies also extend to subprojects.  For example, if a subproject consisting of a function library has been rebuilt, the Project Builder "knows" the dependent project will need to be rebuilt in order to use the updated library functions.  See also:  dependency view.


In Project Builder, shows files in the Project Navigator in the order in which they depend on each other, with project nodes at the highest point in the hierarchy, followed by target nodes, which are followed by buildable components of those targets.  For example, an executable form depends on and will be followed by an .fmb file, which may depend on and be followed by a library used for a USEREXIT procedure, and so on.  See also: project view, target.


1. An object that appears in another object's group tree at any position below that other object.  Every object is a descendant of its antecedents.
2. (Oracle Express) A dimension value at any level below a particular value in a hierarchy. Values of descendants are included in the calculation that produces the aggregated total for an ancestor.  The following example shows the dimension values "France," "Lyon," and "Paris" as descendants of "Europe" in the GEOGRAPHY dimension.


The interface used to design different components of a Forms Developer or Reports Developer application.


See Oracle Designer.


An application modeling, design and generation toolset.  Using Oracle Designer, you can generate forms and menus from module definitions recorded in the Oracle Repository.


When defining a master/detail report, the detail query retrieves all related records for each record retrieved by the master, or parent, query.


A partial screen or window that prompts you to enter information necessary to complete an operation.


An intermediate representation of a program unit, generated by the compiler.  The DIANA includes all of the syntactic and semantic information for a compiled program unit.  In order to compile a reference to a program unit, the compiler must have access to the referenced program unit's DIANA.  For example, if program unit A calls program unit B, the DIANA for B must be available before A can be compiled.


(Oracle Express) A type of database object that is a list of values that provide categories for data. A dimension acts as an index for identifying values of a variable. For example, if you have sales data with a separate sales figure for each month, then the data has a MONTH dimension; that is, the data is organized by month. A dimension is similar to a key in a relational database.

Any item of data within a multidimensional variable can be uniquely and completely selected by specifying one member from each of the variable's dimensions. For example, if a sales variable is dimensioned by MONTH, PRODUCT, and MARKET, specifying "January" for the MONTH dimension, "Stereos" for the PRODUCT dimension, and "Eastern Region" for the MARKET dimension uniquely specifies a single cell in the variable. Thus, dimensions offer a concise and intuitive way of organizing and selecting data for retrieval, updating, and performing calculations.

A dimension can be simple, with values that are single text or integer values, or it can be conjoint, with values that are combinations of values in other dimensions. A composite is not a dimension, but it is a conjoint-like internal object that Express treats like a dimension for the purpose of handling sparse data.


(Oracle Express) One element in the list that makes up a dimension. For example, a computer company might have dimension values in the PRODUCT dimension called "LAPPC" and "DESKPC." Values in the GEOGRAPHY dimension might include "Boston" and "Paris." Values in the TIME dimension might include "MAY96" and "JAN97."


An interface element state that means a menu item, button, etc., cannot be used in the current context; i.e., it does not respond to keyboard or mouse input.


An axis that plots distinct values at fixed intervals.  These values are not mathematically related.  Independent data is usually plotted along this axis, also called the category axis.


A Graphics Builder document containing any combination of charts, images, text objects and shapes.


In Form Builder, an item that stores or displays information that must be fetched or assigned programmatically with PL/SQL.


As it pertains to the call stack, in which newly entered subprograms are added to the bottom of the stack.  The earliest frame, corresponding to the initial program entry point, is at the top of the stack, while the latest frame, associated with the most deeply nested subprogram call, is at the bottom of the stack.


Press and hold down a mouse button while you slide the mouse pointer to a particular location in a window.


(Oracle Express) To navigate up and down through the levels of aggregation in a dimension that has a hierarchy. When selecting dimension values or viewing data, you can expand or collapse a dimension hierarchy by drilling down or up in it. Drilling down expands the view to include child values that are associated with parent values in the dimension hierarchy. Drilling up collapses the list of descendant values associated with a parent value in the dimension hierarchy.

You can click on a plus icon ( [image]) to drill down on (expand) the hierarchy or on a minus icon ( [image]) to drill up on (collapse) the hierarchy.

In the Selector, you can click on the drill icon ( [image]) to display the Drill dialog box so you can select a level of detail for the entire dimension.


An option that allows you to copy objects directly on the layout without affecting the contents of the Clipboard.


(Oracle Express) A saved selection that can have different dimension values each time it is evaluated. The selected dimension values might differ from use to use. In contrast, a static saved selection is an unchanging list of dimension values. A dynamic saved selection script might include "Select the last three Months", while the script for a static saved selection might have "Select February 1996, March 1996, and April 1996".


Acronym for Extended Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code.


The boundary of an object.


A display box on the Layout Editor tool palette that shows the current settings for the edge, fill, and text patterns and colors.


A work area in which you perform a specific set of tasks, such as creating a program unit or designing an application.


A thing of significance about which you may need to record information.  Elements are described by attributes and associations to other elements.


Any element held in the dictionary is classified as being of a particular type.  Examples of element type are entity, attribute, program module, table, diagram, text, softbox.  Occurrences or instances of these are called elements.


(Oracle Express) Displays a dialog box related to the task you are performing, usually so you can select one or more values that you need.


An interface element state that means that a menu item, button, etc., can be used in the current context, that is, it responds to keyboard or cursor/mouse input.


An object that contains another object.  An object is considered to be enclosed by another object only if all of the following are true:  both objects belong to the same region (Body, Margin, Header, or Trailer);  the outermost of the two objects is a frame or repeating frame;  the outermost of the two objects is behind the other object;  the innermost of the two objects lies entirely within the borders of the other object.


The practice of scrambling (encrypting) data in such a way that only an intended recipient can unscramble (decrypt) and read the data.


The user's computer-based workplace, including the tools typically used and their configurations. For Project Builder, this refers to the subset of tools that are used to complete various tasks related to developing Forms Developer applications.


A warming or error condition generated from a PL/SQL subprogram.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows the user to select dimension values associated with data that meets cutoff terms that the user specifies. For example, the user can select all products whose dollar sales were greater than $10,000 for the week ending December 23, 1995 in the Boston market.


An argument you can pass to a product executable, such as 'OPENFILE=my_disp' and 'PRINT=YES'.  These arguments usually are specified when the executable is invoked from a command line.


See run.


To store a copy of an object, module, selected text or image to a file or database.  In Project Builder, the process of writing out a file containing project, type, action, and/or macro definitions in a portable format for distribution to others who may work on heterogeneous platforms.  See also:  export file, import.


In Project Builder, the shareable, portable file created by exporting a project.


1. A PL/SQL construct combining variables, constants, literals, and operations on their values.
2. (Oracle Express) One or more data values that are specified in an Express language program. For example, you can specify expressions as arguments to programs or functions. An expression can be any of the following:

•	A single, literal value (for example, 10)

•	A variable or formula that contains one or more values

•	A function that returns one or more values

•	A calculation that combines values, such as variables, formulas, or functions, with arithmetic or Boolean operators


See library.


An ANSI-standard SQL SELECT statement that can be referenced by other Oracle products.


(Oracle Express) A group of related dimension values that correspond to the levels of the dimension hierarchy. Dimension values within a family can relate to each other as ancestor, parent, child, and descendant.  The following example shows family relationships for the dimension value "France" in the GEOGRAPHY dimension.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows the user to select a family of dimension values for a particular hierarchy. A family includes a parent and all of its descendant dimension values. For example, the user can select all of the family members below the Chicago market level in the Geography dimension.


1. An interface element in which you enter, edit, or delete data.  2. In Graphics Builder or Report Builder, a layout object that define how the data for a specific query column appears.


In Graphics Builder, a collection of attributes and properties that determines how dependent data (values) are represented as chart fields, such as bars or lines.


In Project Builder, a node in the Project Navigator denoting a file stored in the file system.  For example, the global and local registry nodes correspond to global and local registry files.


The area within an object to which a fill (color or pattern) should be applied.


A PL/SQL function or anonymous function that restricts the data displayed by a group.


A computer that regulates access to computers on a local area network from outside, and regulates access to outside computers from within the local area network.


See deconstructed object.


Layout Editor mode that automatically resizes or shrinks parent objects when child objects are moved or resized, and adjusts the positions of other layout objects that might otherwise be affected by the repositioning or resizing of the objects.


The state of an entity that is able to respond to input from the user or the client.  If an entity has the keyboard focus, it can receive events when the user presses a key.  If a drawn view has the drawing focus, it can respond to client routines that affect drawing.


The black part of a pattern.  You apply color to the foreground element using the Edge Color palette.


A value or column in one table that refers to a primary key in another table.


In Report Builder, a default layout style in which labels appear to the left of fields, and each record prints on a separate logical page.


In Report Builder, a default layout style that intermixes boilerplate and fields, wrapping lines at "word" breaks.


(Field Properties)  A setting that defines the appearance of the value of a field.  For example, a format mask is used to specify the display of currency amounts and dates.


A PL/SQL function that allows you to dynamically change the formatting attributes of an object.


(Oracle Express) A type of database object that represents a stored calculation, expression, or procedure that produces a value. A formula provides a way to define and save complex or frequently used relationships within the data without resaving the data itself. Each time you use a formula, Express performs the calculation or procedure that is required to produce the value.


A user-created column that gets its data from a PL/SQL function or expression, a user exit, a SQL statement, or any combination of these.


In Graphics Builder, the part of a chart template that defines the basic structure of a chart, but does not determine the way the data is plotted.
2. In Report Builder, a layout object used to enclose other layout objects and control the formatting, frequency, and positioning of several objects simultaneously.


A PL/SQL subprogram that performs a specified sequence of actions, and then returns a value.  Can reside and execute on the client and the database server.


To save an application to a file or database in a binary format that can be executed by Runtime and Batch executables.


The Form Builder executable used to save an application to a file or database in a binary format.


A Project Builder registry that stores information common to an entire Forms Developer or Reports Developer installation.  This information is restricted to type definitions, and their associated actions and pre-defined or user-defined properties.  The use of the Global Registry is optional; its functions can be performed by individual user registries.  See also: registry, user registry.


A logical container that exists across an application.  When an application uses a global variable, the application maintains the variable until the application is exited, or until another object explicitly removes it.


To give a user access to a module.  Only a module's creator can grant its access to other users.


In Graphics Builder, the lines that separate rows and columns in the Layout Editor.


1. An object that is composed of several other objects.
2. In Report Builder, a data model object that is created automatically to contain all the columns selected by a query, or created by the user to modify the hierarchy of the data appearing in a report;  it is used primarily for creating breaks in a report, as well as for resetting computations.
3. In Project Builder, collections of related items available via submenus off the Launcher.  Groups allow users to set up the Launcher much like the Windows 95 Start menu, with arbitrary "groups" as entries that pop up to reveal other items and/or groups.  For example, a user could define a group named "Project Docs", containing a project schedule, to-do list, component specifications, etc.; some files may be .TXT files, other .DOC files.


A PL/SQL function that restricts the data fetched by a group.


A hierarchical model-similar to a "family tree"-that describes the relationships between group objects and the objects that compose them.


Acronym for graphical user interface. The use of pictures rather than just words to represent the input and output of a program.  Programs with GUIs run under a windowing system (such as  X Windows, Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh, and so on).  GUI programs display icons, buttons, and so on, in windows on the screen;  users control the GUI programs mainly by moving a pointer on the screen (typically controlled by a mouse).  Also known as a bitmapped interface.


An internal pointer to an application object.  In order to reference an object in a PL/SQL program unit, you must pass its handle as an argument to the appropriate subprogram.


An optional report region that can contain introductory material for the report, including text, graphics, data, and computations.  The report header appears first, before the body and trailer.


A node in the Object Navigator denoting a type of object which can be contained within or associated with a report.  Selecting a heading node does not select an object in the report.


(Field Properties)  A property that specifies whether Report Builder will suppress the indicated field at its location in the layout.  If Hidden is specified, the field's value will appear only where referenced in text objects (using &fieldname).


(Oracle Express) A means of organizing and structuring data. A hierarchy exists when values within a dimension are arranged in levels, with each level representing the aggregated total of the data from the level below. Some dimensions have multiple hierarchies based on them.

The following example shows a hierarchy based on the GEOGRAPHY dimension, in which dimension values are arranged in five levels. Data at the Customers level is aggregated into the Cities level, which, in turn, is aggregated into the Countries/Areas, Continents/Regions, and Global levels.


Acronym for Hypertext Markup Language.  A tag-based ASCII language used to specify the content and links to other documents on Web servers on the Internet.  End users with Web browsers view HTML documents and follow links to display other documents.


Acronym for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The protocol used to carry WWW traffic between a WWW browser computer and the WWW server being accessed.


A reference (link) from some point in one document to (some point in) another document or another place in the same document.  A Web browser usually displays a hyperlink in some distinguishing way (in a different color, font or style).  When users activate hyperlinks (by clicking on them with a mouse) the browser displays the target of the link.


A collection of documents containing cross-references which, with the aid of a Web browser, allow readers to move easily from one document to another.


Cross-references which, with the aid of a Web browser, allow readers to move easily from one document to another.


Acronym for interface C definition-a PL/SQL application programming interface to functionality implemented in C.


A graphic representation of a window or tool.


A bitmapped object that can be stored and loaded into an application.  The client cannot modify an imported image.


In Project Builder, a project item, usually the result of automatic generation, that Project Builder recognizes and for which it automatically creates entries in the Project Navigator.  For example, Project Builder can recognize .OBJ files, generated as an intermediate step during the compilation of C source files, and create entries for them in the Project Navigator.  Although resetting the properties of an implied item is of limited use (the next compilation will destroy changes) such items can be useful, as they can be examined via actions such as Edit, View, and Print.  See also: item, action.


1. To read a module from the file system or database, and incorporate it into an application.
2. To read in a file containing project information.


A piece of data that does not depend on other data for its value.  For example, an employee's name may have the value Jones, which is independent of the values of other employee's names or associated data.  Also called category data.


An optional structure associated with a table that is used by Oracle Server to locate rows of the table quickly, and (optionally) to guarantee that every row is unique.


In Project Builder, to obtain information for an action, type, macro, or property definition from an ancestor node in the dependency tree.  If related attributes exist in an ancestor node, they may be inherited.  Thus, filesystem items like forms and documents may inherit action definitions from subprojects, projects, the user registry, or the Global Registry; projects may inherit type definitions from the local or the Global Registry; and so on.


The virtual rectangle that constitutes an object's ideal shape and connects its four control points, regardless of edge thickness or other attribute settings.


The file used to build a target: for instance, an .FMB is the input for an .FMX.  Also called source.


A mode in which each character you enter is inserted at the cursor, pushing the following characters to the right.  The opposite of replace mode.


A worldwide TCP/IP-based network of computers.


A file containing any mixture of PL/SQL source, Procedure Builder commands, and SQL statements.


An internal TCP/IP network, access to which is restricted (via a firewall) to individuals inside the company or organization.  An intranet provides similar services within an organization to those provided by the Internet, but is not necessarily connected to the Internet.  A common example of an intranet is when a company sets up one or more Web servers on an internal network for distribution of information or applications within the company.


A four-part number with no more than three digits in each part that uniquely identifies a computer on the Internet.


In Project Builder, an object in the file system associated with the project, such as a form or a document, pointed to or represented by a node in the Project Navigator.


In Project Builder, an entry in the Project Navigator window, consisting of an icon and a descriptive title.  Nodes point to actual items in the filesystem, such as Form Builder files and documents.  See also: node, item.


Acronym for Java ARchive.  A file used for aggregating many files (Java class files, images, and so on)  into one file.


A computer language that supports programming for the Internet in the form of platform-independent "applets".


Combining data from two (or more) tables in a single SELECT statement.


  See alignment.


1. Part of a command line syntax that must be supplied with a corresponding argument.  2. A required part of a PL/SQL construct.


Text identifying the values or meaning of an application's visual objects.


(Oracle Express) A position in a dimension hierarchy. Each level above the base level represents the aggregated total of the data from the level below. For example, the TIME dimension might have ascending levels such as Month, Quarter, and Year. Within a dimension hierarchy, a dimension value at one level has a family relationship with the dimension values at the levels above and below that level.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows the user to select dimension values based on their level in a particular hierarchy. For example, the user can select all of the dimension values at the Key Account level in the Geography dimension.


The area of an editor in which you can create, modify, position, or delete objects.


A unit of measurement for ensuring a consistent measurement system across different display devices.  Used to specify a position on the layout, or the dimensions of an object.


A reference to a parameter used to represent a string of text in a SQL SELECT statement.  For a lexical reference, you must precede the parameter name with an ampersand (&).


A collection of one or more PL/SQL program units that are stored together in a file on the client file system or in the database.  Program units stored in a library can be referenced by several applications at once.  Unlike stored program units, which reside and execute in the database, program units in libraries always load and execute within the PL/SQL engine on the client side.  To reference program units that are stored in a library, you must first attach the library.  See also:  attached library.


A data model object used to define a master/detail (parent-child) relationship between a group and a query.


The name of a file to which a boilerplate object is associated.  At runtime, Report Builder imports the file's contents into your report layout.


A list of items within a dialog box.  Usually, the list box offers choices for selection, and it is scrollable.


In Form Builder, an item that displays a list of choices.


Also called LOV. A scrollable popup window that provides the user with a single or multi-column selection list.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows you to select dimension values from a list of the currently selected values in the dimension.


1. The database on the computer running the application.  2. The database to which an application is connected.  This database parses and executes all SQL statements generated by the application.


See user registry.


A PL/SQL variable declared only within the scope of the current program unit.


(Oracle Express)

Not	Unary Not -- Operand can be integer or long. The operation is performed bitwise (one's complement).

And	And -- Operands can be integer or long. The operation is performed bitwise.

Or	Inclusive Or -- Operands can be integer or long. The operation is performed bitwise.

Xor	Exclusive Or -- Operands can be integer or long. The operation is performed bitwise.

Eqv	Equivalence -- Operands can be integer or long. The operation is performed bitwise. (A Eqv B) is the same as (Not (A Xor B)).

Imp	Implication -- Operands can be integer or long. The operation is performed bitwise. (A Imp B) is the same as ((Not A) OR B).


One page of your actual report (it may be displayed on one or more physical pages).


In a PL/SQL subprogram, a conditional statement that is repeated until the condition is no longer met.


In Project Builder, a type-specific variable that may be used to customize and extend actions.  A macro may be either a constant or a simple expression (which, in turn, may contain other constants and/or expressions).  The use of macros adds great flexibility in issuing command options, and in allowing the user to modify sets of commands by changing one property definition.


A default layout that displays records in one or more columns on the page.  Fields appear directly beneath each other in a single repeating frame.


An optional report region that appears at the top and bottom of each logical page in the body region.  The margin may include any layout object, but typically contains boilerplate and fields (for page numbers, page totals, grand totals, and current date and time).


A default layout in which the detail records appear below the master records.  Master records appear in form layout style, while detail records appear in tabular layout style.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows the user to select dimension values by matching characters in dimension value names to characters that the user specifies. For example, the user can select all dimension values in the Product dimension at the Brand level that contain the characters "new."


A repeat direction that displays each record of a repeating frame as a cell of a matrix.


A default layout, resembling a grid, that formats the four sets of data necessary for a matrix report; one set of data displays as a row of labels, one as a column of labels, one set creates the grid, and one set fills the cells of the grid.


A cross-tabulation of four sets of data:  one set of data displays across the page; one set of data displays down the page; one set of data is the cross-product, determining all possible locations in which the across and down data relate and placing a cell in those locations; and one set of data displays as the "filler" of the cells.


(Oracle Express) Data that can be examined and analyzed, such as sales or cost data. You can select and display the data in a measure. Measures can be stored as variables or relations, or measures can be calculated by means of formulas.


A unit of memory equal to 1,048,576 bytes (1024 x 1024). Often rounded to one million bytes.


A modal window that notifies you of a condition that occurred because of your last action.  You must respond to a message box.


Executable code attached to an Oracle8 object through its object type definition.


A window that elicits a response from the operator before the application can continue.


An unrestricted window that can have as much functionality as the runtime window manager can support.


1. An object that can be shared by multiple applications.  External queries and PL/SQL libraries are examples of modules.  2. In Form Builder, a major component of an application (i.e., a menu module).


A field in a window or dialog that extends for several lines, allowing you to scroll vertically through the information.


(Oracle Express) A special data value that indicates that data is "not available" (NA). NA is the value of any cell to which a specific data value has not been assigned or for which data cannot be calculated.


Matrix report in which either the across and/or down dimension contains one or more master/detail relationships.  There is no limit to the amount of nesting allowed.


A datatype indicating that the data will be fetched when the page on which it appears is formatted (instead of fetched and cached until formatted).


1.  A specific location in the Object Navigator object hierarchy.  Nodes can be expanded to reveal information about an object, such as cross references to other objects.  2.  In Project Builder, an entry in the Project Navigator.  See also:  item, item node, organization node.


A report column that references a database column of datatype NOCACHE.


The absence of a value.


(Oracle Express)

^	Exponentiation,

-,+	Unary minus and plus,

*, /	Numeric multiplication or division. For division, the result is a double.

\	Integer division. The operands can be integer or long.

Mod	Modulus or Remainder. The operands can be integer or long,

-, +	Numeric addition and subtraction. The + operator can also be used for string concatenation.


1.  An item that can be placed on the layout.  The following are examples of objects:  rectangle, line, ellipse, arc, polygon, polyline, rounded rectangle, freehand, chart, text, symbol, and text field.  2.  In Oracle8, an instance of an object type.  An object can be a row in an object table, or the portion of a row contained in a column object in a relational table.


See column object.


A container for a group of objects, used to provide the ability to copy or reference related objects.


See handle.


The window containing a hierarchical list of objects for the current session.  The list appears in outline form, and enables the user to accomplish several tasks such as creating, editing, renaming, and deleting objects.


In Oracle8, a table whose definition is based on an object type.  Each attribute in the object type becomes a column in the object table.  Each row in the table is an individual Oracle8 object.


In Oracle8, a user-supplied definition or template, upon which objects can be built.  An object type is a composite, whose parts are attributes.  Each attribute has a name and a datatype, and the object type as a whole has a name.  An object type may also include one or more methods.


Acronym for Open Database Connectivity.  A standard for accessing different database systems.  An application can submit statements to ODBC using the ODBC flavor of SQL.  ODBC then translates these to whatever flavor the database understands.  Using the Oracle Open Client Adapter (OCA), an application can access different database management systems in one consistent manner.  This allows an application developer to develop, compile, and ship an application without targeting a specific DBMS.


Object Linking and Embedding.


An application that can store and display OLE objects.


An application that creates OLE objects.


See built-in datatype.


An environment variable that indicates the root directory of Oracle products.


An entry in the Project Navigator, such as "Types", "Projects", "Form Files", etc., used to help organize the Navigator and indicate the filetypes of child items.  It may also correspond to a data structure within certain types of filesystem objects.


Represented in x and y coordinates.  The origin of a view indicates the location of the view on its parent's canvas.  The origin of a canvas indicates the position of drawing on a drawn view.


The smallest virtual rectangle that completely surrounds an object.


When an object's contents cannot fit on the current logical page.  In the event of overflow, some of the contents are moved to the next logical page.


A PL/SQL function provided with the software that can be referenced anywhere within a program unit.


A method of encapsulating and storing related procedures, functions, variables, and other package constructs together as a unit in the database or on the client.  While packages provide the database administrator or application developer organizational benefits, they also offer increased functionality and database performance.  The software provides several built-in packages which contain PL/SQL constructs that can be referenced by client-side program units (e.g., TEXT_IO package).  Several packages are also supplied with the Oracle database server for referencing by stored program units (e.g., DBMS_OUTPUT package).


Includes the actual implementation of the package, which may include private subprograms and datatypes.  The body is optional if the package consists only of declarations.


Declares the public interface to the package-that is, the datatypes and subprograms that can be referenced by other program units.


(Oracle Express) 1. A slice of data included in a report. Additional pages display additional slices of data.

The following figure shows three pages of data.

2. In Express, a page can also refer to a unit of storage in an Express database.


(Oracle Express) A representation of how data selected for a query will appear in your spreadsheet. The page layout shows three edges -- Across, Down, and Page. The edges indicate how the multi-dimensional datacube defined by the query will appear in the two-dimensional spreadsheet. Dimension tiles display the names and positions of the dimensions. A dimension tile on the Across edge indicates that this dimension will appear as a column. A dimension tile on the Down edge indicates that this dimension will appear as a row. A dimension on the Page edge indicates that this dimension will appear in a page box at the top of the results.


A setting that controls whether to move the current object and its children to the next logical page.  You can set page breaks to occur before or after the current object appears in the report output.


An interface element that displays tools, colors, or patterns available in an editor.


A distinct portion of an editor where work is performed, usually resizeable.


The number of physical pages needed to print one logical page.


1. A PL/SQL construct used to pass information to a subprogram.  For example, in the subprogram call MYPROC (x),x is a parameter.  2. In Forms Developer, parameters are used to pass information between components such as Form Builder and Graphics Builder.  3. A variable you can change at runtime.


A group of parameter names and associated values used to pass information between Forms Developer components.


1. An object that is immediately above another object in its group tree.  A group object is the parent to each of the objects that compose it.  Every object is the parent of its children.
2. (Oracle Express) A dimension value at the level immediately above a particular value in a hierarchy. The parent value is the aggregated total of the values of its children.  The following example shows the dimension value "France" as the parent of "Lyon" and "Paris" in the GEOGRAPHY dimension.


To place the contents of the Clipboard (cut or copied objects) at the current cursor location.


A graphical property you can apply to the edge or fill of most objects.


The machine code or instruction list for a compiled program unit.


Acronym for Portable Document Format.  A file format (native for Adobe Acrobat) for representing documents in a manner that is independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create the documents.  A PDF file can describe documents containing any combination of text, graphics, and images in a device-independent and resolution independent format.


The size of a page that is output by your printer.


The type of element used to plot a field on a chart, such as bar, line, or symbol.


Oracle's proprietary extension to the SQL language.  Adds procedural and other constructs to SQL that make it suitable for writing applications.


A Procedure Builder Interpreter script file.


A PL/SQL library file that contains source code and compiled code. The file can be opened in Procedure Builder for editing.


A text file that contains the PL/SQL source of a single program unit.


A runtime PL/SQL library file that contains executable code only.  The file cannot be opened in Procedure Builder for editing.


A list that pops up when the user performs a particular action.


A number that TCP uses to route transmitted data to and from a particular program.


An action shipped with Project Builder and automatically available to the user via a menu item and/or a toolbar button.  Pre-defined actions include Build, Deliver, and several source control options.  When a pre-defined action is defined for a supported file type, the action is invoked for any selected item of that type when the user calls the action from Project Builder.  See also:  action, user-defined action.


See built-in datatype.


A setting that affects the behavior of the application's interface.


(Oracle Express) View the script that would be generated if you accept the current criteria. In the dialog box for any Selector tool you can preview your selection by choosing the Preview button.


The interface with which you view and scroll through report output online.


A column in a database table whose members consist of unique values that can be used to identify a row in a table.


See built-in datatype.


In a printer definition file, an escape sequence to which you assign a printer code that can be referenced in a report.


A file that contains a printer definition in text (e.g., ASCII or EBCDIC) format.


A PL/SQL subprogram that performs a specified sequence of actions. .  Can reside and execute on the client and the database server.


A PL/SQL code structure that can be independently recognized and processed by the PL/SQL compiler.  Anonymous blocks, subprogram specifications and bodies (procedures and functions), and package specifications and bodies are types of program units.  Program units can reside and execute on the client and the database server.  See also:  stored program unit.


The basic data structure created by Project Builder.  Projects are collections of pointers to all the files you consider part of your application, or otherwise want to group together conceptually.  You can define the editors, compilers, and other tools you use to work with the items contained within a project.  All project information is stored within a project registry.  See also:  project item, project file, export.


In Project Builder, project files are all the files associated with an application.  Project files can be of any type, including forms, reports, displays, 3GL modules, documentation, and test scripts. See also:  project, project item.


In Project Builder, anything for which properties may be defined, including all entities stored under the Projects node, types, actions, and macros. See also: project, project file.


The window containing a hierarchical list of project items for the current session.  The list appears in outline form, and enables the user to accomplish several tasks such as creating, editing, renaming, and deleting objects.  Although only one is visible at any time, the user can choose from two different schema by which to organize the objects.


The top-level node for a project.  It represents or points to the project file.  See also: project, project file.


In Project Builder, the file that stores all the information associated with a project:  files belonging to the project, types, actions, and macros defined for the project, and so on.


The project view shows objects organized by their type, and by their project/subproject relationships.  The projects are organized alphabetically by project file, then alphabetically by category.  See also:  dependency view, project, project file, view.


A dialog that assists the user in accomplishing the steps necessary to create a new project or sub project.


A characteristic of an object that determines the behavior or appearance of that object.


A named object that contains a list of properties and their settings used to globally control the appearance and functionality of objects based on that class.


A string you can enter when connecting to a database or server that allows you to connect to a remote database or server.


(Oracle Express) When you select values for one of the dimensions in a measure, the other dimensions that make up that measure are known as qualifying dimensions.

Suppose your Sales measure is dimensioned by Product, Month, and Geography. If you select the top ten cities based on Sales, you must also specify which product and month you want to consider when you compare Sales values. In this case, Product and Month are the qualifying dimensions.


A SQL SELECT statement that specifies the data you wish to retrieve from one or more tables or views of a database.


A PL/SQL function that, when executed, filters data retrieved by a query.  Only the data that meet the conditions in the function are charted.


An option that terminates the current session and returns the user to the operating system.  On some systems, Quit is Exit.


A control (similar to a check box), appearing in sets of two or more, only one of which may be either "on" or "off" at any given time.


A set of two or more radio buttons, only one of which may be either "on" or "off" at any given time.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows the user to select consecutive time periods as dimension values. These time periods can be based on any of the following:

•	A specific number of the most recent time periods

•	A beginning time period and a most recent time period

•	A beginning and ending time period

For example, the user can select dimension values for the range from the week ending November 25, 1996 through the week ending December 30, 1996.


A cipher designed by RSA Data Security, Inc. which can accept keys of arbitrary length, and is essentially a pseudo random number generator with the output of the generator being XORed with the data stream to produce the encrypted data.  For this reason, it is very important that the same RC4 key never be used to encrypt two different data streams.


Acronym for Relational Database Management System.  A database that allows the definition of data structures, storage and retrieval operations, and integrity constraints.  In such a database, data and relations between them are organized in tables.


A file that contains a single report definition in binary format.  .RDF files are used to both run and edit reports.


A file that contains a single report definition in binary format.  .rep files are used solely to run reports; you cannot edit a .rep file.


The ability to query the data throughout a database as of a single point in time.


One row fetched by a SQL SELECT statement.


An internal data structure object with a column/row framework, that belong to the form module in which they are defined.


A type of column that points to data in other column objects or object tables (Oracle8).


A line that appears at a specified value on a chart.


(Oracle Express) Fetch the most recent data from an Express database after query results are displayed in your report. When you open a saved Express query, the results are refreshed automatically.


To add the definition of a type or a new project to either the global or local registry.  Upon being registered, a new type can have actions defined for it, while a new project can have its referenced files identified as specific types, so that actions can be invoked against them.  See also:  registry.


A global and/or user-specific configuration file used to store project definitions and environment information.  See also:  Global Registry, user registry.


A symbol used in search criteria to indicate a comparison between two values, such as the equal sign in "WHERE DEPTNO = 10." Rows in which the comparison results in "true" are returned in the result (fetched), while rows in which the comparison returns "false" are rejected from the result.


A database on a computer other than the local database.  Usually a computer on the same network, but at a different node (i.e., a database that you use through a database link).


A layout object used to display rows of data that are fetched for a group.


A mode in which each character you type replaces the current character at the cursor.  The opposite of insert mode.


The objects that are used to define a report's data model and layout.  Report-level objects are assigned to a single report, and cannot be shared by other reports or other Oracle products. Objects include reports, queries, external queries, external PL/SQL libraries, groups, columns, parameters, links, frames, repeating frames, fields, boilerplate, and anchors.


Available on Windows NT and Windows 95 only, waits for any command lines to run a report, then places that report in its queue to run in the background on the local server.  Typically command lines are received from Form Builder or Graphics Builder via RUN_PRODUCT, or from another report via SRW.RUN_REPORT.  You can also use RWISV60 to submit a report to the Reports Background Engine.


Maintains timestamp and status information about reports managed by the Reports Server.


Available on Windows NT, Windows 95, and UNIX, enables running reports on a remote server.  Queues job requests and allows you to schedule when to run reports.  Use RWCLI60 to send a report to the Reports Server.


Provides an interface between your Web Server and Reports Runtime, enabling you to run reports dynamically from your Web browser.


Provides a connection between a Web Server and the Reports Server.


A file that contains a report definition stored in text (e.g., ASCII or EBCDIC) format.  .REX files are used to port reports from one platform to another. Note that .REX files are no longer required. They are available for backward compatibility.


Refers to the intensities of the red, green, and blue components of a color.


The group object to which all other objects in an application belong.


Top-level node for a project representing user's environment.  May correspond to the user registry or the Global Registry, depending on which registry has been chosen to set defaults.


1. One set of field values in a table; for example, the fields representing one employee in the example table EMP.  2.  To generate a runtime version of an application.


An object in an Oracle8 object table.  Each row in the table is an object.  However, in Forms Developer an object table is deconstructed into individual columns, so that the row object no longer exists as a single entity (only as its separate attributes).


To execute a runtime version of an application or program unit.


Acronym for Rich Text Format.  A non-platform-specific file format based on control words used to represent unformatted text and images in various applications and operating systems.  RTF uses the ANSI, PC-8, Macintosh, or IBM PC character set to control the representation and formatting of a document, both on the screen and in print.


See rep file.


The interface in which users view and interact with a runtime application.


A screen or window appearing optionally at runtime in which a user can modify print options and parameters prior to report execution.


(Oracle Express) A set of dimension values that has been saved either as a list of values or as a script. You can save selections that you build, or your database administrator can create saved selections and make them available to you.

Saved selections are a time-saving feature: each time that you need to re-use a selection, you can simply retrieve a saved selection without having to recreate it.


(Oracle Express) A Selector tool that allows you to retrieve a selection of dimension values that has been saved.


A collection of related database objects, usually grouped by database userid.  Schema objects includes tables, views, sequences, stored program units, synonyms, indexes, clusters, and database links.


The level at, or range in which, an object operates.  For Project Builder:  1.  Describes the range of files affected by Compile and Compile All commands invoked against compilable project items.  2:  Describes the range of files influenced by inheritable definitions.


See SQL script, Interpreter script.


In Report Builder, one of multiple layouts in the same report, each with a different target audience, output format, page layout, page size, or orientation.  For example, a single report can include an executive summary for senior management in one section and also a detailed breakdown for  individual managers in another section.


A SQL statement that specifies which rows and columns to fetch from one or more tables or views.


(Oracle Express) The set of dimension values currently chosen for a dimension, or the script that contains conditions or criteria to specify those values.


(Oracle Express) As shown on various dialog boxes in the Selector, a description of the choices that a user has made in selecting dimension values. It is a translation, in ordinary language, of the Express Language script.


(Oracle Express) A set of tools that you use to choose the dimension values to include, for instance, in a report, table, graph, or dimension list box. For example, you can use the Selector to choose the top 10 cities based on Sales or those cities whose Sales exceeded Quota by 15 percent. The Selector also allows you to sort dimension values and to create and retrieve saved selections.


(Oracle Express) A dialog box or group of dialog boxes that provides a particular way of selecting or sorting dimension values. Each Selector tool is part of the Selector. You can use Selector tools to select dimension values based on their level in the hierarchy, their attributes, the characters in the value name, and so on. You can also use Selector tools to sort the dimension values.


The period between invoking and quitting the executable.


One of two or more objects that have the same parent object in its group tree.  All objects that belong to one group object are siblings.


The combination of an IP address and a port number.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows you to rearrange the order of dimension values in a displayed selection. You can sort a selection in ascending or descending order by the following:

•	Alphabet

•	Order in the database

•	Data value

•	Order or level in the hierarchy

•	Time period

You can also sort a selection manually, by dragging and dropping dimension values.


In PL/SQL:  Statements provided in a subprogram or package.  You must have the source code for a program unit before you can compile it into executable form.  In Project Builder:  The input types required to build target types.


Defines only the names, parameters, and return type (applies to functions only) of the subprogram.


A small rectangle at the bottom of the vertical scrollbar and to the left of the horizontal scrollbar in an editor.  Dragging and releasing the mouse button creates a new pane, and divides the scroll bar into separate scroll bars for each pane.


A standard interface for storing and retrieving information in a relational database.  SQL is an acronym for Structured Query Language.


A that contains a query stored in text (e.g., ASCII or EBCDIC) format.


A file containing SQL statements that you can run to perform database administration quickly and easily.  Several SQL scripts are shipped with Oracle products.


A SQL instruction to Oracle.  A SELECT statement is one type of SQL statement.


See call stack.


A PL/SQL construct used for conditional, iterative, and sequential control, and for error handling.  A semi-colon (;) must terminate every PL/SQL statement.


(Oracle Express) A saved selection that contains the same dimension values every time it is evaluated. Static saved selections list the dimension values that are to be selected, rather than the selection criteria. For example, a static saved selection script might include "Select February 1996, March 1996, and April 1996", while the script for a dynamic saved selection might have "Select the last three Months".


A procedure, function, or package that resides and executes in the Oracle database server.


A procedure or function that resides and executes in the Oracle database server.


HTML extensions that provide powerful formatting flexibility in HTML documents.  To view an HTML document that takes advantage of style sheets, display it in a browser that supports style sheets.


A PL/SQL procedure or function.


In Project Builder, a project contained within another project file, rather than being stored in its own file.  See also:  project.


In Project Builder, a node denoting a subproject.  See also:  project, project node, subproject node.


A column, with a type of summary, which computes subtotals, grand totals, running totals, and other summaries of the data in a report, using one of the packaged summary functions provided by Report Builder.


The file format used by the Microsoft Excel program.


The orderly system by which commands, qualifiers, and parameters are combined to form valid command strings.


One of the variables that are provided with Reports Developer (e.g., &Logical Page, DESTYPE).


A named collection of related information, stored in a relational database or server, in a two-dimensional grid that is made up of rows and columns.


A collection type, which defines a data unit made up of an unordered set of elements, all of the same data type.  The corresponding data unit is a single column nested table, the column type of which is a built-in type or an object type.  (Oracle8)


A default layout displaying labels at the top of the page and rows of data underneath the labels.


In Project Builder, any item in the middle of the dependency tree; for example, an executable is a (compile) target for a library; while a library is a target for a group of objects; and an object is a target for a source file.


A node denoting a target.  See also: target.


Acronym for Transmission Control Protocol. The underlying communication protocol for exchanging HTTP requests between clients and Web servers.


A submenu that the user can remove from its source using a mouse or other pointing device and drag to another part of the display screen.


In Form Builder, an item that displays a character string value.


The horizontal area at the top of a window that displays the name of the application or interface element in that window.


See header.


To turn a setting alternately on or off.  For example, you can hide or show the Object Navigator.


An iconic button used to create and manipulate objects in an application.


Collection of iconic buttons that perform product commands.  Usually aligned horizontally along the top, or vertically down the side of a window.


A collection of tools.


(Oracle Express) A Selector dialog box tool that allows the user to select dimension values based on the top x, bottom y, or top x and bottom y data values. For example, the user can produce a dimension selection that contains products whose Volume Sales were among the top 10 percent of products in the Total U.S. for the four-week time period ending December 30, 1995.


A optional report region that can contain closing material for the report, including text, graphics, data, and computations.  The report trailer appears last, following the header and body.


A sequence of SQL statements treated as a single unit.


A PL/SQL procedure that is executed, or "fired," upon a specific event.


A description of a file type, such as a form, a document, etc., containing such information as type name and description. Each description applies to a single file type.  In addition, there are four meta-types: "updtext", which applies to all text files, “updproj” which applies to all project files, “updlink”, which applies to all project links, and "all" which applies to any file type.  Types are the foundation for defining actions and macros.


To change the values for table data, in particular, by altering data values using the SQL command UPDATE, but also by deleting values using the SQL command DELETE or by inserting values using the command INSERT.


Acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. The "address" used to specify a WWW server and home page.  For example:
http://www.acme.com/
which indicates that the host's address is www.acme.com. An URL most often is a filename (possibly with a long path to it and usually with an extension of .HTML, or .HTM (for PC-DOS filenames).


A way in which to pass control (and possibly arguments) from Forms Developer to another Oracle product or 3GL, and then return control (and possibly arguments) back to Forms Developer.


A custom action defined by a Project Builder user.  Such actions may apply to any single file type, or to all file types.  See also:  action, pre-defined action.


See object type.


A custom macro defined by a Project Builder user.  Such macros may be used to modify both built-in actions and user-defined actions.  See also:: macro, built-in macro, action, pre-defined action.


A project file storing configuration information on a per-user basis.  This enables users to customize their individual development environments.  The user registry inherits type information from the Global Registry, and may define new types as well as override aspects of type definitions stored in the Global Registry.  It also stores environment and preference information, such as the user's preferred connection string, UI settings such as "Display Toolbar" and certain general project information such as "Author."  See also:  registry, Global Registry.


See continuous axis.


A PL/SQL code structure that returns a value.  Value constructs include functions and expressions.


A named object that can be assigned a value and whose assigned value may change over time.


A collection type, which defines a data unit made up of an ordered set of elements, all of the same datatype.  The corresponding data unit is a varying array or VARRAY.  The number of elements in a VARRAY (size) is variable.  However, you must specify a maximum size when you declare a varying array type.


Visual Basic extension.  Used as the file extension for special dynamic link libraries distributed on files that contain predefined VBX controls.


A widget, built with the Microsoft Visual Basic language, used to enhance the user interface, obtain user input, and display output  (e.g. sliders, grids, and control knobs).


A virtual table whose rows do not actually exist in the database, but which is based on a table that is physically stored in the database.


A directory mnemonic (essentially a shortcut or synonym) that the virtual file system uses to map files stored in the file system on the host machine.


A mapping that associates the pathnames used in URL to the file system maintained by the host machine's operating system.


The font, color, and pattern properties that you set for objects that appear in your application interface.


See WWW.


A program that end users utilize to read HTML documents and programs stored on a computer (serviced by a Web server).


A program executed on a Web server via the Web Request Broker.


A server process (HTTP daemon) running at a Web site which sends out Web pages in response to HTTP requests from remote Web browsers.


A character used to mean 'any one character' or 'a contiguous set of characters' within a word or phase.


1. A rectangular area of the desktop that contains an application.  Each window has an area where you can interact with the application.  Windows can be opened, resized, moved, reduced to an icon, or enlarged to fill the entire desktop.  2. In Form Builder, an object type you can associate with a canvas view.


The file format used by some spreadsheet programs, such as SQL*Calc, or by Lotus 1-2-3 programs.


Acronym for Oracle Web Request Broker.  Provides a powerful distributed runtime environment for developing and deploying applications for the Web.  The WRB runtime platform enables application developers to write applications that are independent of, and work with a number of, Web servers.


Acronym for World Wide Web.  The network of servers on the Internet, each of which has one or more home pages, which provide information and links to other documents on that and (usually) other servers.


To expand an object to allow more room for editing the contents of the field.


The secondary toolbar docked (by default) to the left of the Project Navigator.  It provides simple organization and application launching abilities.


 the latest version of OLE controls (OCX)


XML output complying with general XML principles such as proper tagging, nesting, and the inclusion of an XML declaration, e.g. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>.


A placeholder username enables users to log on to the database using their personal username rather than the Oracle database username (e.g., $user_name@database) when running reports from a Web browser.


Extensible Markup Language -- a metalanguage using SGML to define and structure data. Report Builder supports XML output to enable Web publishing as well as electronic data exchange with third-party applications. You can also use XML to build report definitions that can be merged with other report definitions at runtime or run separately


XML output with structure and element content conforming to a document type definition (DTD). Valid XML is also well-formed.


Database accounts

 Related Topics

Each Oracle database contains a number of accounts.  Each account belongs to a user, who has a username and password.  The username and password allow each user access to the database.  Users can store information in their own accounts.


Ownership and administration

 Related Topics

In an Oracle database, the user is the owner of his or her account.  An owner controls access to all the information in the account.  An owner can grant other users access to the account's information and likewise, can be granted access to information in accounts belonging to other owners.

A person called the database administrator (also known as the DBA) sets up all accounts, usernames, and passwords.  The DBA also allocates privileges (database permissions) to enable each user to work with the data appropriate to the user's needs.


Structured Query Language

 Related Topics

The uniformity of the data structures inherent in a relational database system gave rise to a high-level database language that has become the industry standard for issuing database commands.  Structured Query Language, or SQL (pronounced "sequel") includes a set of instructions for selecting data from the database.

Schema Builder supports SQL instructions that enable you to create, alter, or drop database tables.

Note:  It is not necessary that you know SQL to use Schema Builder.  In fact, Schema Builder is designed to provide an intuitive, graphical view of the database that insulates you from the underlying SQL commands, so that you can concentrate on what you want, not how to find it.

Schema Builder translates your menu commands and mouse operations into the appropriate SQL statements.  Schema Builder users who are also familiar with the SQL language can view the SQL generated from a Schema Builder definition by choosing Schema [image] Show SQL.


Database and object documentation

  Related Topics

By documenting the database, you can make the most of Schema Builder's data location features.  You can use these features to maintain your database schema information, and users can utilize these features to more easily find the data they need without assistance.

The Oracle Data Dictionary provides comment fields for all tables and views in the database and their associated columns.  Users and administrators can use the SQL COMMENT command to create comments of up to 2000 characters for tables, views, and columns.  You can also use the Oracle Schema Builder’s Schema [image] Define Info command to create and edit comments.

If Comments is checked in the Schema Builder Preferences dialog box, the comment icon [image] is displayed to the right of the name of each object or column in the Datasource panel for which comments have been defined. Users can double-click on these comment icons or select an object and choose Schema [image] Define Info to view the comments and learn more about the objects and columns.


Naming datasource objects

  Related Topics

You should name database objects with descriptive names to help users more easily browse the database, and to help database administrators maintain consistency between objects.  For suggested naming guidelines, see the Oracle SQL Language Reference Manual.

Note: You should not rename database tables, views, and synonyms used by existing applications.


Key references

  Related Topics

You should ensure that all foreign-to-primary key relationships are defined in the Oracle Data Dictionary.  Oracle Schema Builder uses the foreign-to-primary key relationships to:

•	Generate relationship lines between related tables.  When a relationship exists between two tables, Oracle Schema Builder automatically draws a relationship line between them.  The line is an object that can generate a join condition between the tables when activated.

•	Include other tables related to the selected table.  Schema Builder's Select Related Tables dialog box lists tables that have a foreign-to-primary key relationship with the selected table.

For information about when and how to create primary and foreign keys, refer to the Oracle SQL Language Reference Manual.


National Language Support (NLS)

Oracle Schema Builder provides 16-bit national language support.

Sorting

All local sorting in Oracle Schema Builder uses NLS_SORT().  If your Oracle Server is using a binary sort instead of NLS_SORT(),Schema Builder may sort data in a different order than the RDBMS.  For more information on NLS_SORT(), consult the ORACLE RDBMS Database Administrator's Guide.

Character set conversion

Oracle Schema Builder can properly retrieve data stored in a different character set than the default character set for the operating environment.  Schema Builder automatically determines the character set by issuing the following SQL statement to the Oracle Server upon connection:

SELECT USERENV('LANGUAGE') FROM DUAL


Committing changes to the schema

  Related Topics

To commit changes to the schema:

  Choose Schema [image] Commit Schema.  Commands are issued to the database to update database objects.  A percent complete display is shown and updated as your additions, deletions, and modifications are processed.

Tips

•	Make certain of your changes before you commit, as you cannot undo a commit.

•	You cannot select individual database objects and only commit them--all changes reflected in your schema are committed.


Discarding changes to the schema

  Related Topics

To discard changes to the schema:

1	Click the objects you wish to return to their most recently committed state.

2	Choose Schema [image] Revert Table.  The selected table(s) will revert to their most recently committed state.

Tips

•	If you have created database objects but not yet committed them to the database, Schema [image] Revert Table will drop them from the schema.


Saving the schema as SQL

  Related Topics

To save the schema as SQL:

1	Choose File [image] Save SQL.

2	Specify the path and filename where you want to store the SQL statement.  If you do not enter a file extension, Schema Builder automatically appends the  .sql file extension.

Tips

•	You can preview the SQL statement before saving it by choosing Schema [image] Show SQL.


Previewing the schema SQL statements

  Related Topics

To preview the schema SQL statements:

  Choose Schema [image] Show SQL.

Tips

•	You can save the SQL to a text file by choosing File [image] Save SQL.


Granting privileges to other users, roles and PUBLIC

  Related Topics

To grant privileges to other users, roles, and PUBLIC:

1	Choose File [image] Set Privileges to open the Set Schema Privileges dialog box.

2	Select an object from the Tables list box on the left.

3	Select Users or Roles in the Users/Roles drop-down list on the right.

4	Select a user or role from the Users/Roles list box on the right.

5	Click on the Privileges checkboxes (select, schema edit, insert, delete,and update) to grant privileges to the selected user or role.

6	Click Apply to save these changes and grant immediate access to the objects, or click Revert to undo the changes and leave the database unchanged.

Note:  Revert  only resets the privileges if you have not yet clicked Apply.


Schema Builder messages

  Related Topics

Click a message range, then page using the browse buttons to find the message you are looking for.

BRS-15000 through BRS-15169

BRS-15170 through BRS-15359

BRS-15360 through BRS-15399

BRS-15400 through BRS-15459

BRS-15460 through BRS-15489

BRS-15490 through BRS-15649

BRS-15650 through BRS-16660


BRW-15000: Internal error in Oracle Query Builder error handler

Cause:	Error handler couldn't be started.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRW-15001: <message number>

Cause:	The message file could not be found or is incompatible with this version of Query Builder.

Action:	Check the Query Builder directory in Oracle Home for the proper message file.


BRW-15002: Out of memory!

Cause:	Out of memory.

Action:	Save documents and restart Oracle Query Builder.


BRW-15003: Invalid file name: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid file name (for example, too many characters).

Action:	Enter a new, valid file name.


BRW-15004: Internal error (<value1>:<value2>)

Cause:	Internal Error Occurred--Oracle Query Builder is in an unreliable state.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRW-15005: No file name specified

Cause:	User did not enter a filename in the Export Data dialog box.

Action:	Enter a filename.


BRW-15006: Unable to DESCRIBE data table

Cause:	Internal message.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRW-15007: SQL statement is too complex to display

Cause:	Exceeded the edit buffer size on MSWINDOWS.

Action:	Exclude some columns from the query to reduce the SQL statement size.


BRW-15009: Insufficient privileges to log in through Oracle Query Builder

Cause:	Connect privileges are disabled in the SYSTEM.BROWSER_PROFILE table.

Action:	Contact your DBA.


BRW-15065: Syntax error

Cause:	User typed a formula incorrectly.

Action:	Re-type the expression.


BRW-15066: Expression is too complex

Cause:	Expression is too complex.

Action:	Simplify the expression.


BRW-15068: Invalid function: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid function name.

Action:	Specify a valid function.


BRW-15069: Invalid column: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid column name.

Action:	Enter a valid column name.


BRW-15070: Invalid table: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid table name.

Action:	Enter a valid table name.


BRW-15071: Invalid owner: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid user or business area name.

Action:	Enter a valid user or business area name.


BRW-15072: Invalid condition

Cause:	User entered an invalid condition.

Action:	Delete the condition and enter a valid condition.


BRW-15073: Invalid expression

Cause:	User entered an invalid expression (usually blank).

Action:	Enter a valid expression.


BRW-15074: Invalid use of reserved word <name>

Cause:	User used a reserved word as an identifier.

Action:	Identifiers cannot be reserved words. Refer to the help or documentation for details.


BRW-15075: Invalid number of arguments to function <name>

Cause:	User entered too few or too many arguments for the given function.

Action:	Enter the appropriate arguments. Refer to the help or documentation for details.


BRW-15077: Ambiguous name: <name>

Cause:	User entered an ambiguous column name.

Action:	Enter a specific column name. You may have to include qualifiers.


BRW-15078: Redefinition of name: <name>

Cause:	User redefined a column or data table using a name that already exists.

Action:	Define the column or table using a new name.


BRW-15079: No columns selected in query

Cause:	Query was either built or entered with no displayed columns.

Action:	Select columns before re-executing the query.


BRW-15080: No tables specified in query

Cause:	User entered a query without specifying any tables.

Action:	Select tables before re-executing the query.


BRW-15081: START WITH requires CONNECT BY

Cause:	SQL statement contained a START WITH clause without a CONNECT BY clause.

Action:	Specify a CONNECT BY clause if you intend to use START WITH.


BRW-15082: PRIOR requires CONNECT BY

Cause:	SQL statement contained a PRIOR clause without a CONNECT BY clause.

Action:	Specify a CONNECT BY clause if you intend to use PRIOR.


BRW-15083: Bad argument type to function <name>

Cause:	User entered the wrong argument type for the function.

Action:	Enter the correct argument type.


BRW-15084: Unterminated comment
BRW-15084: Unerminated comment

Cause:	Buffer being read in has an unerminated C-type comment in it.

Action:	Edit the file (see that it terminates correctly) and reopen from Query Builder.


BRW-15085: Circular reference detected in defined column

Cause:	Modification of a defined column has led to a circular reference.

Action:	Redefine the column so that it doesn't refer to itself in its own definition.


BRW-15086: Arguments to a correlated subquery function must be columns

Cause:	A complex argument was given, such as avg (sal, deptno*2).

Action:	Specify only valid columns, not expressions, in the subquery.


BRW-15087: Invalid location: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid database location for a table.

Action:	Enter a valid database location.


BRW-15088: Ambiguous table: <name>

Cause:	User entered an ambiguous data table name (more than one table uses this name).

Action:	User must further qualify the data table. Refer to the help or documentation for details.


BRW-15089: Only one PRIOR operator allowed on an expression

Cause:	User typed 2 or more PRIOR clauses in an expression.

Action:	Remove one of the PRIOR clauses.


BRW-15090: The name <name> is already in use

Cause:	User entered a name that was already being used.

Action:	Enter a new name.


BRW-15091: Invalid name: <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid name (with spaces or unprintable chars).

Action:	Enter a new name.


BRW-15092: Bad usage of outer relationship

Cause:	User specified an outer relationship on a non-column element.

Action:	Outer relationships are only valid for columns.


BRS-15093: Invalid number of elements in corresponding record

Cause:	User entered two records with different numbers of elements.

Action:	Re-enter the condition.


BRS-15094: Group function is nested too deeply

Cause:	User entered a double(triple) aggregate condition(expression).

Action:	Simplify aggregate condition/expression.


BRS-15098: Duplicate table <name> in FROM clause

Cause:	Data table appears more than once in FROM clause (without an alias).

Action:	Remove the duplicate data tables in the FROM clause.


BRS-15099: Subquery returns incorrect number of values

Cause:	Subquery returns either too many or too few values.

Action:	Re-enter the condition.


BRS-15100: Correlated expressions are not allowed here

Cause:	User entered a correlated expression outside a condition.

Action:	Re-enter the condition/expression.


BRS-15110: Invalid number or precision exceeded: <column name>

Cause:	Non-numeric input or the number exceeded this column's precision.

Action:	Re-enter a valid number and precision.


BRS-15111: Invalid date: <value>

Cause:	Couldn't format using the columns format mask or either default mask.

Action:	Re-enter a valid format mask.


BRS-15112: Entry exceeds the size limit for this column: <##>

Cause:	User entered a string longer than the limit for this column.

Action:	Enter a shorter string.


BRS-15128: Parser internal error: <value>

Cause:	Internal error in the parser/scanner.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15131: Invalid relational operator

Cause:	User applied an invalid operator to a condition.

Action:	Enter a valid operator.


BRS-15132: FROM clause was not found where expected

Cause:	Encountered no FROM clause or GROUP/HAVING clause before a FROM clause.

Action:	Edit SQL statement.


BRS-15133: FROM clause was found without corresponding SELECT clause

Cause:	Encountered FROM clause before SELECT clause.

Action:	Edit SQL statement.


BRS-15135: Condition cannot be changed

Cause:	User attempted to change the top condition in Schema Editor.

Action:	Perform the operation on the children conditions.


BRS-15136: SQL contains set operators

Cause:	Set operations are not supported.

Action:	Run the query in SQLPlus.


BRS-15138: CONNECT BY clause existed, and was ignored

Cause:	Connect By is not supported at this (top) level.

Action:	Run the query in SQLPlus, if results of CONNECT BY were desired.


BRS-15139: Cannot ungroup condition

Cause:	Attempt to ungroup top condition.

Action:	This operation is not supported.


BRS-15142: Two or more columns have the same name: <name>

Cause:	Encountered duplicate column names when creating view.

Action:	Use the Define command to rename duplicate columns.


BRS-15148: Relationship must be between compatible data types/size

Cause:	User tried to relate two columns with incompatible data types.

Action:	Relate only compatible datatypes.


BRS-15152: Illegal column in defined relationship

Cause:	User specified an illegal expression when defining a relationship.

Action:	Retype in a new column.


BRS-15170: Invalid Constraint for table <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid constraint for the selected table.

Action:	Reenter constraint.


BRS-15171: Invalid Constraint for table column <name>

Cause:	User entered an invalid constraint for the selected column.

Action:	Reenter constraint.


BRS-15172: Subqueries are not allowed in Constraints

Cause:	User entered an invalid constraint.

Action:	Reenter constraint.


BRS-15173: Aggregate conditions are not allowed in Constraints

Cause:	User entered an invalid constraint.

Action:	Reenter constraint.


BRS-15174: Constraints can only be on one table

Cause:	User entered an invalid constraint.

Action:	Reenter constraint.


BRS-15175: Table not loaded because all columns are hidden

Cause:	All columns are hidden.  At least one column needs to be displayed.

Action:	Use the Schema Builder Administrator Utility to display hidden columns.


BRS-15195: Incompatible column type in relationship: <name>

Cause:	Trying to create illegal relationship.

Action:	Column types are incompatible.


BRS-15197: Error in restoring position for <name> column(s)

Cause:	Unable to reposition column because database was modified or object doesn't exist.

Action:	Check your connect string (or contact your DBA).


BRS-15198: Error in restoring join: <value>

Cause:	Unable to restore link during open because database was modified or object doesn't exist.

Action:	Check your connect string (or contact your DBA).


BRS-15199: Error in restoring inclusion state for join: <value>

Cause:	Unable to set the inclusion state during open because database was modified or object doesn't exist.

Action:	Check your connect string (or contact your DBA).


BRS-15200: Error in restoring outer join state for join: <value>

Cause:	Unable to set the outer join during open because database was modified or object doesn't exist.

Action:	Check your connect string (or contact your DBA).


BRS-15270: Error reading file <name>

Cause:	Operating system error or file was not of the correct format.

Action:	Specify another file.


BRS-15271: Error writing file <name>

Cause:	Operating system error or I/O core error.

Action:	Retry operation.


BRS-15320: Internal I/O core error (<value>, line <##>)

Cause:	Internal State is invalid.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15321: Resource not found (<name>).

Cause:	Resource names do not match Schema Builder code (or file is corrupted).

Action:	Get a correct version of the Schema Builder resource file.


BRS-15322: Resource file not found.

Cause:	directory structure incorrect, or file is missing for some reason.

Action:	Locate the resource file (check NLS_LANG file name).


BRS-15324: Unable to start up windowing system

Cause:	Incorrect/missing environment variables (e.g. DISPLAY, APIPATH).

Action:	All required environment variables must be set correctly.


BRS-15337: Maximum columns in index is <##>

Cause:	Maximum columns in index reached.

Action:	Create/modify index with less columns.


BRS-15338: Cannot remove/modify index used to enforce unique/primary key

Cause:	User tried to remove/modify the index used to enforce unique/primary key.

Action:	First remove/modify primary key or unique key.


BRS-15339: Create, modify, or remove index of synonym is not allowed

Cause:	User tried to create, modify, or remove the index for a synonym

Action:	Create, modify, or remove index from base table instead.


BRS-15340: Cannot modify constraints for a synonym.

Cause:	Modifying constraints of a synonym is not allowed.

Action:	Modify constraint of base data table instead.


BRS-15341: Base table can only be modified after committing duplicated table

Cause:	User tried to modify a base data table that has been duplicated.

Action:	Commit the duplicated table first.


BRS-15342: Unable to find snapshot information

Cause:	This database does not support snapshots (or database error).

Action:	Check that you have a snapshot dictionary table.


BRS-15343: Insufficient privileges to use DICTIONARY=NATIVE

Cause:	You do not have access privileges to use the NATIVE dictionary.

Action:	Use DICTIONARY=ENDUSER instead.  This can be specified on the command line.


BRS-15344: Insufficient privileges to use DICTIONARY=ENDUSER

Cause:	You do not have access privileges to use the ENDUSER dictionary

Action:	Use DICTIONARY=NATIVE instead.  This can be specified on the command line.


BRS-15345: Loading MVIEW$_ or SNAP$_ is not allowed.  Load snapshot instead.

Cause:	Trying to import sql which uses MVIEW$_ or SNAP$_ of snapshot.

Action:	Load the snapshot itself instead.


BRS-15346: Cannot REVOKE privileges you did not grant

Cause:	User trying to revoke privileges that he/she did not grant.

Action:	The user who grants the privileges should revoke those privileges.


BRS-15347: EXECUTE privilege is not allowed for tables

Cause:	Trying to grant EXECUTE privilege on tables.

Action:	EXECUTE privilege is only allowed on packages.


BRS-15348: ALTER, INDEX, REFERENCES, or EXECUTE privileges not allowed on views

Cause:	Trying to grant ALTER, INDEX, REFERENCES, or EXECUTE on views.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15349: Only SELECT privilege is allowed on snapshots

Cause:	SELECT privilege is only allowed for snapshots.

Action:	Grant only SELECT privilege on snapshots.


BRS-15350: No privileges is allowed for synonyms

Cause:	Trying to grant privileges on synonyms.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15351: Insufficient privileges.  Operation denied.

Cause:	User try to perform an operation without sufficient privileges.

Action:	Try again after obtaining proper privileges from your DBA.


BRS-15352: Cannot remove existing table columns

Cause:	Trying to remove an existing table column.

Action:	This operation is not supported by the database.


BRS-15354: Cannot rename existing table columns

Cause:	Trying to rename an existing data table column.

Action:	This action is not supported by the database.


BRS-15355: Changing column type to LONG is not allowed on indexed column

Cause:	Trying to change an indexed column type to a LONG datatype.

Action:	This action is not supported by the database.


BRS-15356: Removed tables caused referenced synonyms to be removed

Cause:	User removed some data tables that have synonyms refer to them.

Action:	None.  This is a warning that synonyms are removed automatically.


BRS-15357: Error in removing constraint <value>

Cause:	Error in removing constraint.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15358: Error in enabling/disabling constraints for <name>

Cause:	Error in enabling/disabling constraints.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15359: Disabling PRIMARY/UNIQUE key which is referred by a newly created FOREIGN key is not allowed

Cause:	Trying to disable a primary key that a foreign key depends upon.

Action:	Commit it first then disable.


BRS-15360: Foreign key refers to disabled PRIMARY/UNIQUE key <name>

Cause:	Foreign key refers to a disabled primary key.

Action:	Enable primary key for the foreign key to be created successfully.


BRS-15361: Error in creating PRIMARY/UNIQUE constraints for <name>

Cause:	Error in creating PRIMARY/UNIQUE constraints.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15362: Error in creating FOREIGN constraints for <name>

Cause:	Error in creating FOREIGN constraints.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15363: Error in creating CHECK constraints for <name>

Cause:	Error in creating CHECK constraints.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15364: Length of VARCHAR2 column must be between <##> and <##>

Cause:	Illegal range for length of VARCHAR2 column.

Action:	Specify a legal length parameter.


BRS-15365: PRIMARY/UNIQUE constraint on non-unique INDEX column is not allowed

Cause:	User tried to create PRIMARY/UNIQUE constraints on a non-unique index.

Action:	Remove the index, and recreate as a unique index.


BRS-15366: Non-unique index is not allowed on PRIMARY/UNIQUE columns

Cause:	Trying to create a non-unique index with PRIMARY/UNIQUE columns.

Action:	Set the index to UNIQUE.  Remove and recreate.


BRS-15367: Renaming snapshot is not allowed

Cause:	User tried to rename a snapshot.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15368: Error in altering snapshot <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15369: Error in creating snapshot <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15370: Adding columns to table duplicated with data is not allowed

Cause:	Trying to add columns to an uncommitted data table (duplicated with data).

Action:	Commit first, then add columns


BRS-15371: Comment too long (max <##> bytes)

Cause:	The comment specified for the data table or column is too long.

Action:	Shorten the comment.


BRS-15372: Cannot set comment for synonym

Cause:	User tried to create a comment for a synonym.

Action:	Create the comment on the table or view instead.


BRS-15373: Cannot create primary, unique, foreign key, or index on LONG columns

Cause:	These operations cannot be performed on LONG columns.

Action:	Don't try this at home, kids.


BRS-15374: Cannot remove tables that are referenced

Cause:	User tried to remove a table with primary or unique keys that are referenced.

Action:	Remove referencing table first.


BRS-15375: Cannot create index through database link

Cause:	User tried to create an index through a database link.

Action:	Login directly then create index.


BRS-15376: Cannot create constraint through database link

Cause:	User tried to create a constraint through a database link.

Action:	Login directly then create constraint.


BRS-15377: Create or remove constraint is only for table

Cause:	User tried to create or remove a constraint on non-table database object.

Action:	This action is not supported.


BRS-15378: Table already removed.  Create/remove on constraint ignored

Cause:	User tried to create or remove a constraint on an already removed table.

Action:	Revert table before further modifying it.


BRS-15379: Primary or unique key already exists

Cause:	Duplicate primary or unique key.

Action:	No action required.


BRS-15380: Foreign key must reference primary or unique key

Cause:	The specified foreign key does not reference a primary or unique key.

Action:	Make sure the foreign key references a primary or unique key.


BRS-15381: Number of columns mismatch between foreign and primary/unique key

Cause:	The foreign key does not match the number of columns in the primary or unique key.

Action:	Make sure the number of columns are the same.


BRS-15382: Foreign key already exists

Cause:	Foreign key already exists.

Action:	No action required.


BRS-15383: A table can only have one primary key

Cause:	User tried to specify more than one primary key per table.

Action:	Remove the old primary key and recreate it.


BRS-15384: Cannot remove or modify a primary or unique key referenced by foreign keys

Cause:	Primary or unique key is referenced by foreign keys.

Action:	Remove foreign keys first then remove primary/unique keys.


BRS-15385: Cannot duplicate view from PUBLIC database link as a view

Cause:	Unable to read SQL statement (LONG column) from PUBLIC database link.

Action:	This action is not supported.


BRS-15386: Circular reference detected in synonym <name>

Cause:	The synonym has a circular reference in the data dictionary.

Action:	Do not include the particular synonym.


BRS-15387: Login failed

Cause:	Database or SQLNet error occurred.

Action:	Check the login information and try again.


BRS-15388: Unable to load database relationships

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading database relationships.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15389: Unable to load list of accessible owners

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading list of accessible owners.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15390: Unable to load list of accessible tables

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading list of data tables.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15391: Unable to load table

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading data table.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15392: Unable to load table

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading table.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15393: Unable to load synonym

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading synonym.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15394: Unable to load query

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading query.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15395: Unable to load table column information

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading column information.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15396: Unable to load synonym column information

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading synonym column information.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15397: Unable to load constraints

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading constraints.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15398: Unable to find primary key information

Cause:	Schema internal error in finding primary keys.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15399: Unable to find foreign key information

Cause:	Schema internal error in finding foreign keys.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15400: Unable to load table and column comments

Cause:	Schema internal error in getting comments.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support if this is not expected.


BRS-15401: Error in loading database link <name>

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading database link.

Action:	Refer to accompanying error messages for more information.


BRS-15402: Error in loading owner <name>

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading database link.

Action:	Refer to accompanying error messages for more information.


BRS-15403: Error in loading table <name>

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading data table.

Action:	Refer to accompanying error messages for more information.


BRS-15404: Error in loading primary key constraint for <name> (<value>)

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading primary constraint.

Action:	Refer to accompanying error messages for more information.


BRS-15405: Error in loading foreign key constraint <name>

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading foreign constraint.

Action:	Refer to accompanying error messages for more information.


BRS-15406: Error in loading synonym <name>

Cause:	Schema internal error in loading primary constraint.

Action:	Refer to accompanying error messages for more information.


BRS-15407: Table referred to by synonym <name> no longer exists

Cause:	User tried to create a synonym for a nonexistent data table.

Action:	Recreate the synonym.


BRS-15408: Error in loading column information for <name>

Cause:	Oracle error or the data table has been removed.

Action:	Recreate the data table.


BRS-15409: Error in loading constraint information for <name> (<value>)

Cause:	Oracle error.

Action:	Try it again.


BRS-15410: Table that foreign key <name> (<value>) refers to is inaccessible

Cause:	The table that the foreign key refers to is inaccessible.

Action:	Grant the table to the current user.


BRS-15411: Logout failed

Cause:	Internal error in logging out.

Action:	Exit or close the document.


BRS-15414: Table <name> no longer exists

Cause:	This data table no longer exists in the database.

Action:	Contact system administrator if you need this table.


BRS-15415: Maximum number (254) of table columns exceeded

Cause:	User tried to load a data table that has more than 254 columns.

Action:	Contact system administrator.


BRS-15416: Maximum number (8192) of tables per user exceeded

Cause:	User owns too many data tables.

Action:	Contact system administrator.


BRS-15417: Maximum number (1024) of owners and databases exceeded

Cause:	User tried to load too many user, owner, and database links.

Action:	Contact system administrator.


BRS-15418: Unable to find database link information

Cause:	This database does not support database link, or database error.

Action:	Try again later if this is unexpected.


BRS-15419: Unable to find synonym information

Cause:	This database does not support synonyms, or database error.

Action:	Try again later if this is unexpected.


BRS-15420: Unable to find constraint information

Cause:	This database does not support constraints, or database error.

Action:	Try again later if this is unexpected.


BRS-15421: Unable to find table comment table

Cause:	This database does not support comments on table, or database error.

Action:	Try again later if this is unexpected.


BRS-15422: Unable to find table Column comments table

Cause:	This database does not support comments on column, or database error.

Action:	Try again later if this is unexpected.


BRS-15423: Synonym to SEQUENCE is not currently supported

Cause:	User tried to load a synonym that refers to a sequence.

Action:	This action is not supported.


BRS-15424: Maximum number of login attempts (3) exceeded

Cause:	User tried to login too many times.

Action:	Contact system administrator for correct username, password, and/or connect string.


BRS-15430: Index information not loaded

Cause:	Cannot find index table.

Action:	This is a non-Oracle database; try an ODBC driver.


BRS-15434: Maximum columns in table is <##>

Cause:	User tried to create more than the maximum number of allowed columns in a table.

Action:	Create fewer columns.


BRS-15435: DBA privilege is needed to perform this operation

Cause:	Need DBA privileges.

Action:	Ask your system administrator to grant you DBA privilege.


BRS-15437: Index already exists

Cause:	User tried to create an index that is the same as an already existing index.

Action:	No action required.


BRS-15438: Index must be on columns from the same table

Cause:	User tried to create an index on columns from different tables.

Action:	Create the index on columns from the same table.


BRS-15439: Cannot create new tables through database links

Cause:	User tried to create data tables through database links.

Action:	This operation is not allowed. Login directly then create.


BRS-15440: New columns cannot be created through database links

Cause:	User tried to create columns through database links.

Action:	This operation is not allowed. Login directly and create.


BRS-15441: User has no CREATE INDEX privilege

Cause:	User tried to create an index on data table without proper privileges

Action:	Obtain CREATE INDEX privilege on this data table.


BRS-15444: Adding columns is only supported for tables

Cause:	User tried to add columns to a view, snapshot, synonym, or query.

Action:	This operation is not allowed.


BRS-15445: Removing columns of synonym, snapshot, duplicated view, and duplicated snapshot are not allowed

Cause:	User tried to remove columns from a view, snapshot, synonym, or query.

Action:	This operation is not allowed.


BRS-15446: Unable to copy constraints for <name>

Cause:	Error duplicating constraints.

Action:	No action required.


BRS-15447: Cannot remove Query.  Use File Delete... from Query window

Cause:	User tried to remove a query.

Action:	This is not legal from the Schema Editor.  Use the Query window instead.


BRS-15448: Cannot copy Query.  Use File Save As... from Query window

Cause:	User tried to copy a query.

Action:	This is not legal from the Schema Editor.  Use the Query window instead.


BRS-15449: Cannot copy with data from table with only LONG columns

Cause:	User tried to copy a table with a LONG column.

Action:	Database doesn't support this.


BRS-15450: Operation not allowed on removed table

Cause:	User tried to do something to a removed data table.

Action:	Undo the remove first.


BRS-15451: Operation not allowed on removed column

Cause:	User tried to do something to a removed column.

Action:	Undo the remove first.


BRS-15452: Cannot rename another owner's table

Cause:	User tried to set the name of a granted data table.

Action:	This is not allowed.  Ask the owner to do it for you.


BRS-15453: Cannot rename table at database link

Cause:	User tried to set the name on a data table at a database link.

Action:	Ask the owner to do this for you.


BRS-15454: Renaming columns is only supported on table and view columns

Cause:	User tried to set column name for a snapshot, synonym, or query.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15455: Setting column type is only supported on table columns

Cause:	User tried to set column type for a view, snapshot, synonym, or query.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15456: Cannot change column type of an existing column

Cause:	User tried to change column type of an existing column.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15457: Default values are allowed only on table columns

Cause:	User tried to set default for a synonym, snapshot, view, or query.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15458: Setting length is supported only on table columns

Cause:	User tried to set length for a synonym, snapshot, view, or query.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15459: Cannot set length for DATE, LONG, or ROWID datatypes

Cause:	User tried to set the length for DATE, LONG, or ROWID datatypes.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15460: Setting scale is allowed only on table columns

Cause:	User tried to set scale for synonym, snapshot, view, or query columns.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15461: Cannot set scale for DATE, LONG, or ROWID datatypes

Cause:	User tried to set scale for DATE, LONG, or ROWID columns.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15462: Setting precision is allowed only on table columns

Cause:	User tried to set precision for synonym, snapshot, view, or query columns.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15463: Setting precision is allowed only on NUMBER datatype

Cause:	User tried to set precision on columns other than NUMBER.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15464: Altering column position is allowed only on table columns

Cause:	User tried to set column position on non-table database objects.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15465: Cannot change the position of existing column.

Cause:	User tried to change column position of existing table.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15466: Table name too long (Max <##> bytes)

Cause:	Data Table name to long.

Action:	Shorten the name and try again.


BRS-15467: Name already in use.  Please choose another name.

Cause:	Name already in use.

Action:	Choose another name.


BRS-15468: Column name too long (Max <##> bytes)

Cause:	Column name too long.

Action:	Shorten the name and try again.


BRS-15469: Length of NUMBER column must be between <##> and <##>

Cause:	Illegal range for length of NUMBER column.

Action:	Specify a legal length parameter.


BRS-15470: Length of CHAR or RAW column must be between <##> and <##>

Cause:	Illegal range for length of CHAR column.

Action:	Specify a legal length parameter.


BRS-15471: Precision must be between <##> and <##>

Cause:	Illegal range for precision.

Action:	Specify a legal length parameter.


BRS-15472: Cannot decrease length of existing column

Cause:	User tried to decrease the length of an existing column.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15473: Cannot decrease scale of existing column

Cause:	User tried to decrease scale of an existing column.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15474: Cannot decrease precision of existing column

Cause:	User tried to decrease precision of an existing column.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15475: Table can have at most one LONG column

Cause:	User tried to create more than one LONG or RAW column per table.

Action:	This is not allowed.


BRS-15476: Error in loading index for <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15477: Error in creating table <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15478: Error in creating view <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15479: Error in creating synonym <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15480: Error in creating index <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15481: Error in dropping <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15482: Error in dropping table <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15483: Error in dropping view <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15484: Error in dropping synonym <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15485: Error in dropping index <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15486: Error in renaming <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15487: Error in setting comment for table <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15488: Error in setting comment for column <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15489: Error in loading index <name1> for <name2>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15490: Error in loading table privilege for <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15491: Error in loading column privilege for <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15492: Error in altering table <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15493: Operation currently not supported

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15494: Error in loading SQL text of views

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15495: Error in loading SQL text for view <name>

Cause:	Internal error.

Action:	Contact Oracle Customer Support.


BRS-15496: Scale must be between <##> and <##>

Cause:	Illegal value for scale.

Action:	Input legal value for scale.


BRS-15497: Index can only be created on TABLE columns

Cause:	User tried to create index on a database object other than a TABLE.

Action:	Create index on TABLE columns only.


BRS-15498: Cannot modify a query

Cause:	It is not legal to modify a query.

Action:	Open the query and modify it as a Schema Builder document.


BRS-15499: Cannot set column attributes of table duplicated with data

Cause:	User tried to set the column type of a table duplicated with data.

Action:	First commit the table then try again.


BRS-15501: No more application virtual memory

Cause:	No more disk space or system memory for Virtual Memory Manager.

Action:	Close a document or make some room on your disk.


BRS-15502: Can only have <##> rows per document

Cause:	Exceeded self-imposed, compile-time row maximum.

Action:	Consider adding conditions to the query.


BRS-15504: Unable to determine database character set

Cause:	There was a problem with SELECT USERENV('LANGUAGE') FROM DUAL.

Action:	Non-Oracle database--not supported.


BRS-15505: Unable to open virtual memory file

Cause:	No write permission or file system full.

Action:	Change permission on directory or delete some files.


BRS-15506: Unable to close virtual memory file

Cause:	Operating system error.

Action:	Ask system administrator for assistance.


BRS-15507: Unable to read from virtual memory file

Cause:	Virtual memory file does not exist.

Action:	Make sure the virtual memory file is opened.


BRS-15508: Unable to write to virtual memory file

Cause:	File system is full, or virtual memory file was not opened.

Action:	Delete some files.  Make sure virtual memory file is opened.


BRS-15509: Unable to create virtual memory manager

Cause:	Internal error, or out of memory.

Action:	Ask system administrator for assistance.


BRS-15511: Maximum virtual memory size exceeded

Cause:	User input is too big for virtual memory size.

Action:	Try again.


BRS-15513: Null value in command '<name>'

Cause:	User entered <command>= on the command line with no option selected.

Action:	Add a value for <command>.


BRS-15514: Null command in command line

Cause:	User entered =<value> at command line but didn't specify a command.

Action:	Add the command.


BRS-15515: Unrecognized command '<name>' in command line

Cause:	User entered an illegal command at command line.

Action:	Change command.


BRS-15516: Command '<name>' specified twice in command line

Cause:	User entered a command twice at command line.

Action:	Remove one.


BRS-15517: Incompatible commands '<name1>' and '<name2>' specified

Cause:	User entered 2 incompatible commands at command line.

Action:	Remove one.


BRS-15518: Invalid option '<name1>' in command '<name2>'

Cause:	User entered an illegal option to a command at command line.

Action:	Change option.


BRS-15519: Multiple login specifications in command line

Cause:	User entered 2 login specifications at command line.

Action:	Remove one.


BRS-15520: Invalid document name '<name>' in command line

Cause:	User entered an illegal document name at command line.

Action:	Change document name.


BRS-15521: '<name>' command specified without a document

Cause:	User entered a command without specifying a document at command line.

Action:	Add missing document.


BRS-15522: '<name1>' command specified without '<name2>'

Cause:	User entered a command without another required command.

Action:	Add missing command.


BRS-15523: Mismatched parentheses in '<name>' command

Cause:	User entered mismatched parentheses in the command line.

Action:	Correct mismatched parentheses.


BRS-15581: Cannot add columns to table created with duplicate data

Cause:	User tried to add columns to a table created with duplicate table data.

Action:	Commit the duplicate table then try again.


BRS-15582: New or duplicate table is only allowed on existing table.

Cause:	Create new table on another new/duplicate/modified table.

Action:	Commit the new/duplicate/modified table first.


BRS-15583: Index requires at least one column

Cause:	User tried to remove the last column of an index.

Action:	Add other columns then remove.


BRS-15584: Column <name> is of type LONG and will not be copied

Cause:	Cannot copy a LONG column when creating a snapshot.

Action:	Column cannot be copied.


BRS-15641: Help system initialization failed.  Help will be unavailable.

Cause:	Unable to locate help document or help resource file.

Action:	User may continue but help menu is unavailable. Use online or paper documentation.


BRS-15643: Resource file not found (<name>), trying default resource file.

Cause:	NLS_LANG set but file not found.

Action:	Try to open the resource file using the default language.


BRS-15644: Unable to locate help document (<name>), trying default help document.

Cause:	NLS_LANG set but file not found.

Action:	Try to open the help doc using the default language.


BRS-15647: Unable to locate help document

Cause:	Couldn't find help file in correct directory with correct language.

Action:	Check Query Builder directory structure. Make sure NLS_LANG is set correctly.


BRS-15648: Help system creation error

Cause:	Help system couldn't start up.

Action:	Query Builder couldn't find the help resource file, or NLS_LANG is not set, or memory is low.


BRS-15649: Input for <name> was too low.  Minimum valid number is <##>.

Cause:	The value input was too low.

Action:	Try again with a higher value.


BRS-15650: Input for <name> was too high.  Maximum valid number is <##>.

Cause:	The value input was too high.

Action:	Try again with a lower value.


BRS-15651: Input for <name> was out of range.  Must be between <##> and <##>.

Cause:	The value input was out of the valid range.

Action:	Try again with a valid number.


BRS-15652: Value was reset to <value>.

Cause:	The value input was changed because it was out of the valid range.

Action:	Try again with a valid number or Query Builder will use the value shown.


BRS-15653: Pref file error: Value <value> was too low.  Minimum valid number is <##>.

Cause:	The value input was too low.

Action:	Try again with a higher value.


BRS-15654: Pref file error: Value <value> was too high.  Maximum valid number is <##>.

Cause:	The value input was too high.

Action:	Try again with a lower value.


BRS-15655: Pref file error: Value <value> out of range.  Must be between <##> and <##>.

Cause:	The value input was out of the valid range.

Action:	Try again with a valid number.


BRS-15656: Pref file error: Value for <value> not recognized

Cause:	The value set in the preference file was invalid.

Action:	Try again with a valid number.


BRS-15657: Value for OWNERLIST=NAME must contain at least one name

Cause:	The value for OWNERLIST=NAME was NULL.

Action:	Try again with a valid name


BRS-16549: Revert will undo all changes on these tables.  Revert anyway?

Cause:	Confirmation before reverting data tables.

Action:	Click OK to revert all selected data tables, Cancel to cancel the operation.


BRS-16550: Table <name> has primary/unique keys that are referenced.  Remove?

Cause:	Table contains constraints.

Action:	Click OK to remove the data table, Cancel to cancel the operation.


BRS-16551: Column has primary/unique keys or indexes.  Remove anyway?

Cause:	Column is used by constraints or indexes.

Action:	Click OK to remove the column, Cancel to cancel the operation.


BRS-16552: Disable all constraints?

Cause:	Message to confirm that all constraints should be disabled.

Action:	User may confirm or cancel.


BRS-16553: Enable all constraints?

Cause:	Message to confirm that all constraints should be enabled.

Action:	User may confirm or cancel.


BRS-16575: There are uncommitted edits which will be lost.  Commit?

Cause:	User has tried to exit the Data Editor without committing changes.

Action:	Click Commit or lose changes.


About error messages

Each component has a unique error message prefix:

Prefix	Component
FRM	Form Builder
OG	Graphics Builder
PDE	Procedure Builder
REP	Report Builder
BRW	Query Builder
BRS	Schema Builder
NX, XBD	Translation Builder
Note:  On UNIX, Report Builder sets the value of the $status variable that appears in some messages to be 0 (successful completion) or 1 (unsuccessful completion).

In addition to the Forms Developer or Reports Developer error messages, you may encounter error messages from other sources:

Prefix	Source	Help
ORA	Oracle Server	Oracle8 Error Messages manual
PLS	PL/SQL	Oracle8 Error Messages manual
NET	SQL*Net	Oracle Network Products Messages manual
The Oracle8 Error Messages manual contains error message codes and descriptions for all database utilities such as SQL*DBA, SQL*Loader,SQL*Module,Export, Import, and the Oracle Precompilers.

System-specific error messages are documented in your operating system documentation.


Calling Oracle Support Services

Some errors (that is, internal errors) will require that you call Oracle Support Services to report the error.  When you call Support Services, please have the following information at hand:

1	Your name, company, and Oracle Support ID number.

2	The hardware, operating system, and release number of the operating system you are using.

3	The complete version number of the component you were using when you encountered the error, including revision number and port release number, if any.  (If you are unsure of the component's version number, choose Help [image] About.)

4	All other products (and version numbers) in use when you encountered the error (for example, Oracle 8.0.4).

5	If you encountered one or more error messages, the exact message numbers and descriptions, in the order they appeared.

6	A description of the problem, including any unusual conditions.

7	The problem severity, according to the following codes:

•	1:  Program not usable.  Critical impact on operations.

•	2:  Program usable.  Operations severely restricted.

•	3:  Program usable with limited functions.  Not critical to overall operations.

•	4:  Problem circumvented by customer.  Minimal effect, if any, on operations.


Abnormal conditions

Sometimes you may encounter an error that is known as an abnormal condition, which may arise from one of the following causes:

•	Someone has done something that prevented your application from completing the requested task.  For example, if someone bypassed the user interface and changed data in a database table, they might have typed an invalid value.

•	A software bug prevented the requested task from completing.

Action   First contact your system administrator to determine if the message was caused by something other than Forms Developer or Reports Developer.  If you determine that the message was not the result of user error or a system problem, then contact Oracle Support Services.


About Schema Builder

  Related Topics

A schema is simply a collection of logical database objects.  Oracle Schema Builder is an easy-to-use graphical tool that enables you to create, copy, modify, and remove database objects and their relationships, quickly and intuitively.

Schema Builder is designed to look very much like Query Builder.  But rather than manipulating queries on existing tables, Schema Builder actually lets you perform SQL Data Definition Language (DDL) operations.  So you can edit your data dictionaries and redefine database objects in an environment that lets you visualize your changes before you commit them to the database.

Note:  Because Schema Builder enables you to change or delete vital tables, you cannot access it unless you have the proper database privileges.

The schema is a logical construct, designed for convenience, so you won't create or save the schema itself. Instead, Schema Builder automatically sets up a series of SQL operations representing your schema.

Important Note:  Nothing you do in Schema Builder will have any effect on the database until you click [image] on the toolbar or choose Schema [image] Commit Schema.  If you quit Schema Builder without committing your schema, any work you did (i.e., changes to the schema) will be lost.


About Query Builder

Oracle Query Builder is an easy-to-use data access tool designed for analysts, managers, and other business professionals.  It provides a logical and intuitive means to access information from your organization's databases for analysis and reporting.

Query Builder is designed for professionals who do not have a computer programming or database background.  Because of its powerful query features and its support of Structured Query Language (SQL) statements, experienced database users and programmers will find that Query Builder serves many of their needs as well.

In Query Builder's graphical Query window, you can specify a request for data from your organization's database(s).  The request for data is called a query.

You can use Query Builder to define almost any query that you would build using a SQL SELECT statement.  Query Builder automatically generates the appropriate SELECT FROM [table.column] clause based on columns displayed in the Datasource panel.


Databases and Schema Builder

  Related Topics

Because Schema Builder is designed for use with Oracle databases, it enables you to access your organization's data regardless of where the data is stored or the type of hardware or system storage used.

The graphical representation of a table or datasource in Oracle Schema Builder contains the table name and column names, but does not display any of the associated records.

While tables are the only database objects that actually store data in a database, there are other types of database objects that you can query just like a table.  For example, views are a kind of virtual table--an object that acts like a table when you execute a query, but is really a pointer to either a subset of a table, a combination of tables, or a join of two or more tables.

Schema Builder translates your menu commands and mouse operations into the appropriate SQL statements.  Schema Builder users who are also familiar with the SQL language can view the SQL generated from a Schema Builder definition using the Schema [image] Show SQL command.

Note:  Although useful, it is not necessary that you know SQL to use Schema Builder.  Schema Builder is designed to provide an intuitive, graphical view of the database that insulates you from the underlying SQL commands, so that you can concentrate on what you want, not how to find it.


The Datasource panel

  Related Topics

The Datasource panel is the main window that opens when you start Schema Builder or when you reconnect to a different database.  Think of this panel as a "layout board," where you can graphically create, arrange and define relationships between datasource objects.

Regardless of any schemas you may have built and committed previously, the Datasource panel is always empty when it first opens.  You can then create datasource objects and/or include objects that you previously defined and committed to the database schema.

A datasource is a graphic that Schema Builder displays in the Datasource panel to depict database objects and column names.  Database objects include tables, views, synonyms, snapshots, and queries stored as views.  All of these objects can be manipulated and queried in a similar fashion, so the differences may not be important to you.

Notes

•	All datasources are built from tables and behave like tables.  So we'll use the generic terms "table" and "datasource" interchangeably.

•	If you need to exit from Schema Builder and want to continue working where you left off at a later time, you must commit the schema to the database before exiting.  When you re-open Schema Builder, you will need to include each of the objects you had been working with in order to continue.


 Datatypes

  Related Topics

Datatype refers to the kind of data contained in a column.  When you define a new column in a table, you must assign it a datatype. For example, a column such as HIRE_DATE would contain dates, while a column such as LAST_NAME would contain alpha characters.  The datatypes for all the columns in a datasource object are represented by icons located in the right hand column of the object in the Datasource panel.

Schema Builder supports the following nine datatypes:

Datatype	Icon	Description
CHAR		Use CHAR (Character) for fixed length character strings, to a maximum size of 255 bytes and a default size of 1 byte. Note:  You can represent numbers using the CHAR datatype, but you can only perform calculations with numeric datatypes.
VARCHAR		Use VARCHAR for variable length character strings, to a maximum size of 2000 bytes.  You must specify a maximum length for the VARCHAR column. Note:  The VARCHAR datatype is currently synonymous with the VARCHAR2 datatype.
NUMBER		Use the Number datatype to store integer and decimal numbers.  When you assign the NUMBER datatype to a column, you must specify the precision and the scale in the Length field of the Define Columns dialog box. The precision (left field) is the total number of digits in the number, ranging from 1 to 38.  The scale (right field) is the number of digits to the right of the decimal point, ranging from --84 to 127.  Use a scale value of zero to specify fixed point numbers of a given precision. If the scale is negative, the actual data is rounded to the specified number of places to the left of the decimal point.   For example, a specification of (precision=10, scale=2) means 10 digits, with 2 to the right of the decimal point.  A specification of (precision=10, scale=--2) means a 10-digit integer, rounded to the nearest hundred.
FLOAT		Use FLOAT to specify the ANSI Floating datatype.  With this datatype, you must specify a binary precision, ranging from 1 to 126.   Note:  To convert from binary to decimal precision, multiply the binary precision by 0.30103; to convert from decimal to binary precision, multiply the decimal precision by 3.32193.
DATE		Use the DATE datatype to store date and time information, including: century, year, month, day, hour, minute, and second.   Valid dates range from January 1, 4712 BC to December 31,4712 AD.  The default date format is DD-MON-YY, as in ‘01-JAN-97.’
LONG		Use the LONG datatype for variable length character strings, up to 2 gigabytes long.  Use LONG columns to store long text strings. Note:  LONG columns are subject to a number of restrictions.  See the Oracle SQL Language Reference Manual for more information.
RAW		Use the RAW datatype for raw binary (byte-oriented) data.  The maximum size is 255 bytes.  Values must be inserted as hexadecimal character strings and displayed in hexadecimal notation.  You must specify a size for raw data. Note:  RAW is equivalent to VARCHAR2, except that there is no conversion between database and session character sets.
LONG RAW		Use the LONG RAW datatype for storing up to 2 gigabytes of raw binary data (which is entered and displayed in hexadecimal form).  LONG RAW datatypes do not require a specified size. Note:  LONG RAW is equivalent to LONG, except that there is no conversion between database and session character sets.  Also, LONG RAW is subject to the same restrictions as LONG data.
MLSLABEL		Use MLSLABEL for storing labels in binary format on secure operating systems.  MSLABEL is a Trusted Oracle datatype.


The Conditions panel

  Related Topics

The Conditions panel is used for applying constraints (or conditions) to the columns of a datasource.  A constraint is a criteria which restricts the values that can be stored in one or more columns of a database.

Initially, when you open Schema Builder, the Conditions panel may be hidden.  The panel opens automatically when you choose Schema [image] Define Constraints.  You can also open the panel at any time by dragging the panel split bar.


Edit mode

  Related Topics

Schema Builder is in edit mode whenever the mouse pointer changes from an arrow to a crossbar (such as when editing a condition).  To select an object in an inactive window while in edit mode, first click on the window to activate it, then click on the object itself to select it.


What is a schema?

  Related Topics

A schema is the set of definitions and relationships that provide a logical structure for a database  A schema includes the column definitions of all tables and other datasource objects that comprise the database, as well as the set of constraints applied to various columns.  Most important, a schema includes a set of relationships that link the various tables or other datasource objects together.

In the past, database schemas were typically created directly in SQL by database designers and administrators.  This meant that only persons well versed in SQL could set up and maintain database schemas.  By providing a graphical and intuitive user interface, Schema Builder opens the process of designing database schemas to a much wider audience.  Now, you can focus on database design and let Schema Builder generate the necessary SQL commands automatically.


Database relationships

  Examples	  Related Topics

Tables are often joined by relationships, known in SQL as references or referential integrity constraints, that help enforce data integrity and identify primary/foreign key relationships.  If you're a technical user and want to know more about these concepts, refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual.

For the typical user, all you need to know about relationships is that you can set them up between tables to identify how a column in one table relates to a column in another table.

Note: When you highlight a table in your schema and choose Data [image] Select Related tables, Schema Builder shows you a list of tables that already have relationships defined with the selected table.


Database relationship example

Suppose the Customer table includes a column "Salesperson ID" that identifies the sales representative for that customer.  The Salesperson ID is the same as the Employee ID in the Employee table, so we create a relationship between the two tables (shown by the relationship line) that ties these columns together.

Because we've defined the relationship between Salesperson ID and Employee ID, we can perform queries on the Customer table while also drawing in information from the Employee table for each salesperson.

This is what enables us to combine in one query, for example, the Customer ID, Name, and Salesperson (Employee) ID with the salesperson's Name and Commission, even though that information is stored in two different tables.

Relationships help reduce data redundancy as well.  In this example we've created a Department table that stores each department by ID, and we relate those IDs to the Department ID column in the Employee table.  So you don't need to repeat the same department Names and Locations over and over in the Employee table; instead you only need to store, for each employee, their Department ID.


Relationships and datatypes

  Related Topics

You can always relate columns that share the same datatype, and in some instances you can relate columns of different datatypes, if the relationship makes sense.

For example, you can always relate a Number datatype column with a Character column, since a number can also be interpreted as a character.  In fact, almost any column (except long text columns) can be related to the Character columns.

In general, Schema Builder will allow you to relate any columns that can be interpreted using the implicit conversion feature of the Oracle database.  For technical information on implicit conversions, refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual.


Primary-to-foreign key relationships

  Related Topics

Schema Builder will automatically create foreign key relationships and unique constraints for you when you draw a relationship.  Simple relationships in Schema Builder appear foreign-to-primary key.  The arrow originates on the foreign key and terminates with an arrow head on the primary key.  In temporary relationships, you can draw the lines in either direction.

In the Datasource panel, primary keys appear in bold typeface, and foreign keys appear in italics.  A column that appears in both boldface and italics is a primary key (or part of a composite key) in one table and a foreign key in another.

Additional Information:  For detailed information about primary and foreign keys, refer to the Oracle8 Server SQL Language Reference Manual.


Changed object indicator

An asterisk next to an object ( [image]) means that this object has been modified since the schema was last committed. When you next commit the schema all astrisks will disappear.


Index indicator

The index icon [image] indicates that this datasource object has indexes defined for one or more of its columns. If the object has a primary key defined on one of its columns, it automatically has an index for that column.

Double-clicking the index icon opens the Define Index dialog box, where you can create or modify indexes for this object.


Constraints indicator

An ellipsis [image] next to a column name indicates that one or more constraints have been applied to that column. To view or modify the constraints, either choose Schema [image] Define Constraints (CTRL+F), or drag the split panel bar to open the Constraints panel.


Column scroll buttons

If the datasource object has more columns than its current size will display, up and down arrows [image] appear so you can scroll to the other columns.


Resize table handle

This corner icon is a handle for graphically resizing a datasource object horizontally and vertically.

If the "Resize table to add columns" preference is checked in the Schema Builder preferences, dragging down on this handle [image] will automatically add more columns to the object.  If this preference is turned off, you can only resize the object vertically as far as the last defined column.


New column indicator

The plus sign (+) before a column name indicates that this column has been added to the object since the last time the schema was committed. When you next commit the schema, these new column indicators will disappear.