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The User Interface |
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The user interface that you see when working with the Definer is exactly the same as your application will have when you run it (assuming you do not make any changes with the Windows Designer), with the exception of the wizards. Wizards provide assistance in the creation and manipulation of objects such as tables and columns, for example. Instead of using the menus and info windows to define a database object, you supply answers to the wizards and they create the definitions for you. The basic elements of the interface are as follows: There is one info window for each database table. These display the contents of the tables, and can also be used for performing queries. Lookup windows enable you to see the parent objects of the currently selected object. Related windows enable you to see the child objects of the currently selected object.
Dialogs are used to communicate with the Definer, in situations where you are not directly defining the elements of your application.
The menu bar appears below the title bar. From here you can choose different options to carry out your design actions. The Objects List is a default menu that allows access to each of the Info Windows individually. The Picklist displays all the database objects that you have used in the current Definer session. You can use this to quickly open a window without using the menus or the Objects List. The workspace allows you to predefine which windows you want to open automatically when you start a Definer session, and which you want to be cached in memory (for faster opening when requested). The toolbar contains buttons that you can click as shortcuts to several actions, instead of using the menus. Related Topics |