Lookups allow you to define user friendly selection lists that can be used to select parameter values when a query is run.
Lookups retrieve data from tables in your business application to build the selection lists. This data can be cached on the client, to improve performance. You can use the Update Lookups Wizard to force Lookups to be refreshed on the client.
Lookups can be assigned to fields in a subject in the subject wizard. Lookups can also be assigned to input parameters in business logic subjects. If a lookup is assigned to a field or input parameter, the lookup will be used to prompt for values in the query wizard and run query wizard.
The Lookups Wizard allows you to create and modify lookups. |
Lookups - Introduction
When you Create A New Lookup or Modify An Existing Lookup the Lookup Wizard Introduction screen is displayed.
If you do not wish this screen to be displayed in the future, click on the check box labelled 'Skip this screen in the future'.
To continue and Create or Modify a Lookup, click on the 'Next >' button and the Lookup Wizard - Name form will be displayed. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time if you wish to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving your changes.
Lookups - Create a New Lookup
To Create a new Lookup you must be in the inmydata Configure Data Sources screen.
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Ideally Select the System prior to creating a Link using the Tree view, this will preselect the System in the Wizard |
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Click on the 'New Link Icon on the toolbar.
The Lookup Wizard - Introduction form will then be displayed |
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Click on File (On the menu bar), and then click on New Lookup
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Lookups - Modify an Existing Lookup
To Modify a Lookup you must be in the inmydata Configure Data Sources screen.
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First choose the system you wish to work with using the System Selection Combo box, and then click on the Links tab. Any existing Links which have been previously created or imported will be displayed in the List View. | ||||||
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The Details will be displayed on the right hand side.
To amend the name of the Lookup Select the 'Name' Tab.
To modify the table your lookup will be based on select the 'Table' Tab
To change the conditions select the 'Conditions' Tab
To set the index and description Columns select the 'Columns' Tab
To modify the other options select the 'Options' Tab
After making any Changes, ensure you Save your Changes |
Lookups - Name
When you Create a Lookup you must give it a name. The name will be used to identify the lookup in the subject wizard. The name should be entered in the text box labelled 'Name'.
Click on the 'Next >' button to go continue to the Lookup Wizard - Select System form. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving any changes. Click on the '< Back' button at any time to step back and review your work.
Lookups - Select System
The Lookup Wizard - Select System form allows you to choose which system you are creating a lookup for. The System combo box is only enabled if this is a new Lookup, as it is not possible to transfer existing Lookups between systems.
Once you have chosen a system using the drop down combo, its name will be displayed in the list view underneath. If you are not already connected to the chosen System, DataPA will display a message letting you know that it is now connecting.
In order to build a lookup DataPA needs to read the database structure of the connected business application. This can take a significant amount of time if the business application is complex. To improve performance, DataPA stores the database structure on the client. If you know the structure has changed, tick the Update database structure check box to force DataPA to read the database from the server.
Click on the 'Next >' button to go continue to the Lookup Wizard - Select Table form. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving any changes. Click on the '< Back' button at any time to step back and review your work.
Lookups - Select Table
The Lookup Wizard - Select Table form allows you to choose which table in the business application your lookup will be based on.
Use the table combo box to select the required table. If necessary the list of tables can be updated by clicking on the Refresh button.
Click on the 'Next >' button to go continue to the Lookup Wizard - Add Conditions form. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving any changes. Click on the '< Back' button at any time to step back and review your work.
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Lookups - Add Conditions
Adding conditions to a lookup is a way of controlling the data that will be returned to build the selection criteria. .
To add a condition click on the 'Add' button to bring up the Subject Condition form which will guide you through building the conditions for your lookup. |
If you wish to Edit or Delete any of the conditions on your lookup, simply click on the condition in the list view to highlight it, and then click on the 'Delete' or 'Edit' button. If you click on the 'Edit' button, the Subject Condition form will be displayed to allow you to make your changes.
Click on the 'Next >' button to go continue to the Lookup Wizard - Select Columns form. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving any changes. Click on the '< Back' button at any time to step back and review your work.
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Lookups - Select Columns
The Lookup Wizard - Select Columns screen allows you to define the columns that will be used with your lookup.
The Index column will be used to populate a parameter value when the lookup is used in a condition for a query. Select the required index column in the Index Column combo box.
If necessary the list of tables can be updated by clicking on the Refresh button.
The Description Column will be used to populate the selection list when the lookup is used in a condition for a query.
If you wish to use a database column to populate the description column, make sure the Calculated Column check box is not ticked, and select the database column.
If you wish to use a calculated column to populate the description column, make sure the Calculated Column check box is ticked, and press the Build Expression button to open the Calculated Column dialog box to define the expression for your description column.
Click on the 'Next >' button to go continue to the Lookup Wizard - Lookup Options form. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving any changes. Click on the '< Back' button at any time to step back and review your work. |
Lookups - Lookup Options
The Lookup Wizard - Lookup Options screen allows to to define options for your lookup.
Lookups retrieve data from tables in your business application to build the selection lists. This data can be cached on the client machine until you determine it needs to be refreshed, to improve performance. You can use the Update Lookups Wizard to force Lookups to be refreshed on each client.
To ensure data for the lookup is cached on the client, tick the Cache lookup data on client check box.
If you want DataPA to omit any items that have a blank description from your lookup, tick the Omit items with blank description check box.
If you want the lookup to ensure that every item that appears in your lookup as a unique description, tick the Ignore Duplicate items check box.
If you want the items in your lookup sorted by description, check the Sort items check box.
If you want to allow multiple items to be selected in your lookup, check the Allow Multiple Selections check box.
Click on the 'Next >' button to go continue to the Lookup Wizard - Finished form. Click on the 'Cancel' button at any time to leave the Lookup Wizard without saving any changes. Click on the '< Back' button at any time to step back and review your work. |
Lookups - Finish
The Lookup Wizard - Finished screen lets you know that you have entered the information required for your Lookup to be created or Modified. It also gives you the opportunity to go back and review the information you have entered before finally creating or modifying the Lookup.
If you are happy with the details you have entered, click on the 'Finish' button to complete the Lookup. If you want to review your work click on the '< Back' button to go back through the Lookup Wizard - Lookup Options and all the previous forms.
If you want to, it is still possible to discard your changes by clicking on the 'Cancel' button.
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