LOB Columns

LOB columns display icons that provide options for browsing:

browsing extract file rows with lob columns

The original Access Definition stored with an Archive or Extract File does not include file attachment pseudocolumns. To create column associations for these pseudocolumns, you must create a new Access Definition. For more information, see LOB Column Associations.

When you browse a Compare File that contains a LOB column, and the Source 1 LOB column is different from the Source 2 LOB column, the background in the LOB column contains a bitmap pattern of dots to indicate that a difference exists.

LOB Column Associations

LOB column associations are stored in the Access Definition embedded in the Archive or Extract File. If the file does not contain an embedded Access Definition, the Browse Utility creates one based on the columns in the file. While browsing a file, you can change the LOB associations in an Access Definition, use the associations in another Access Definition, or create a new Access Definition. If you modify an Access Definition, you are prompted to save it. You cannot reuse an Access Definition that has not been saved.

To associate a LOB column with the application required to view or edit the LOB data (e.g. MS Word, NotePad, Paint, etc.), right-click the column and select Access Definition from the shortcut menu to display the following submenus:

Create Local

Click Create Local from the submenu to create a new Access Definition based on the columns in the file. The new Access Definition will not contain any file associations.

Reload Default

Click Reload Default to reload the original Access Definition stored in the file.

Select

Click Select from the submenu to select a named Access Definition. Associations in the named Access Definition you select are used for corresponding columns in the browsed file.

Note: For a Compare File, right-click the Source 1 row or Source 2 row to select an Access Definition for the corresponding Source File. If the rows are equal, the Access Definition you select is for Source 1, by default.

The fully qualified (dbalias.creatorid.tablename) table names in the selected Access Definition are matched with names in the browsed file. If no match is found, a two-part (creatorid.tablename) table name match is attempted, and finally, a table name only match. If no match is found, a message prompts you to select a different Access Definition.

If you attempt to browse a LOB column for which an association is not found in the selected Access Definition, a message prompts you to open the Columns dialog to create one.

If you attempt to browse a LOB column that is not in a table referenced in the selected Access Definition, a message prompts you to select a different Access Definition. You can select a different Access Definition as often as required.

Note: When selecting or saving an Access Definition for a Compare File, the dialog will contain “Source 1” or “Source 2” as part of the title, for reference.

Columns

Click Columns from the submenu to display the Columns dialog.

columns dialog display, explained below

The grid on the Columns dialog contains a column labeled Association. Use the Association column to associate a LOB column with the application required to view or edit the LOB data, in one of two ways:

  • Type a file name extension in the Association column that corresponds to the type of LOB (for example, type the extension .doc to associate a LOB Word document with Microsoft Word).
  • OR
  • If the table contains a reference column used to identify the LOB data, you can enter the name of the reference column in the Association column. The first three characters in the reference column are used as the file name extension for the LOB data in the corresponding row of the LOB data column. The reference column must be a character-type column. Click the Association column to display a drop-down list of the names of character-type columns in the table, and select the reference column name.
Note: The check box in the Native LOB Mode column corresponding to the LOB column must be selected in order to display the LOB in the associated application.

When you attempt to browse a LOB column associated with an application that is inaccessible from the workstation, Windows 2000 displays the Open with... dialog to enable you to select an accessible application. (Older versions of Windows may display an error message. To manually assign an accessible application to use, select Options from the Windows View menu, then select File Types.)

An Archive or Extract File created on the OS/390® mainframe does not contain an embedded Access Definition that is usable by Optim. Therefore, an Access Definition is created dynamically, when necessary, with DEFAULT as the DB Alias. Since DEFAULT is not a valid DB Alias for Optim, the Access Definition can only be used for LOB column associations.

Export LOB Data

Right-click and select Export LOB to export LOB data to a file. Enter a name for the Export File.

prompt to supply an export file name for lob data