Use the Tables tab to list the names of tables that contain the desired data and to define specifications for data in the listed tables, including selection criteria, sampling parameters, and archive options.
You must provide a Default Qualifier, which determines the prefix for unqualified or partially qualified table names. A fully qualified table name is in three parts — dbalias.creatorid.tablename. The Default Qualifier is: dbalias or dbalias.creatorid.
The name of the table from which data is selected first. Any listed table, except a table designated as a reference table, can be the Start Table. If you enter a table name that is not listed, it is automatically added to the list. If you do not specify a Start Table, the first name entered in the Table List becomes the Start Table.
A notation above the Start Table box indicates whether Group Selection or a Point and Shoot list applies to the Access Definition. Possible notations are:
The grid on the Tables tab lists tables and views referenced by the Access Definition. Enter names directly in the Table/View grid column, or right-click to use shortcut menu commands to enter or edit entries on the list. The Access Definition can reference only one version of a table; you cannot reference a view or an alias of a table referenced by name. Also, an Access Definition can reference no more than 24,000 tables.
- GeneralClick OK to return to the Access Definition Editor. (See Cascading Delete/Update Confirmation Dialog for more information about this dialog.)
This option is available if the Extract using Uncommitted Read option in Product Options is set to Default Active or Default Inactive and the DBMS or version supports it. (Refer to the Installation and Configuration Guide .) Optim disables the option if regardless of the Product Options setting.
Use the shortcut menu to edit entries on the Table List and define table specifications. Select a table by positioning the pointer in the appropriate Table/View grid cell. Right-click to open a shortcut menu for the selected table. Choose from the following:
When you select Add Tables or Replace Table from the shortcut menu, the Select Tables dialog is displayed. This dialog is also displayed when you use the Join command from the Table Editor.
The Select Table(s) dialog provides a list of tables for the selected database:
Use a Pattern to limit the list of database tables in the Select Table(s) dialog. After you specify a pattern, click Refresh to redisplay the list based on your criteria. See Use a Pattern for more information.
Select Find Tables Related to Table and enter a fully qualified table name to retrieve the names of related tables. You can use a pattern, specify the type of relationship, and limit the number of generations to consider.
Use a three-part pattern, dbalias.creatorid.tablename, to insert names of tables into the Access Definition table list. You can use the % (percent) wildcard to represent one or more characters or use the _ (underscore) wildcard to represent a single character in a table name.
Enter an explicit number of Levels to Search, or select the All Levels check box to include all levels. The value in the Levels to Search box is combined with the relationship option (Parents, Children, or Both) to determine the related tables.
To understand how Find Tables Related to Table functions, assume that the following four tables are related as shown. The arrows indicate the direction of the relationships, from parent to child.
Following are examples of the sets of tables that match different combinations of relationship options and Levels to Search.
Relationship | Levels | Results |
---|---|---|
Children | 1 | Retrieve names of one generation of children. If the Related to Table name is CUSTOMERS, ORDERS is retrieved. |
Parents | 1 | Retrieve names of one generation of parents. If the Related to Table name is DETAILS, ORDERS and ITEMS are retrieved. |
Both | 1 | Retrieve names of one generation each of children and parents. If the Related to Table name is CUSTOMERS, ORDERS is retrieved. If the Related to Table name is ORDERS, CUSTOMERS and DETAILS are retrieved. |
Children | ALL | Retrieve names of children, grandchildren, and so on. If the Related to Table name is CUSTOMERS, ORDERS and DETAILS are retrieved. If the Related to Table name is ORDERS, DETAILS is retrieved. |
Parents | ALL | Retrieve names of parents, grandparents, and so on. If the Related to Table name is CUSTOMERS, which has no parents, no names are retrieved. If the Related to Table name is ORDERS, CUSTOMERS is retrieved. If the Related to Table name is DETAILS, CUSTOMERS, ORDERS and ITEMS are retrieved. |
Both | ALL | Retrieve names of all tables (children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, and so on). Use any table name in the example as the Related to Table name to obtain the same set of table names. This default option is the one used most often to retrieve table names for an entire data model. |