The Linked Database Wizard

Select Edit|Linked Database

The Linked Database Wizard guides you through the steps of selecting an linking a database to your design.

USING THE LINKED DATABASE WIZARD

STEP 1

1. Select the type of database you want to link to

- Link to a Personal Database, TXT or CSV File

Select this option to link to one of your personal database files or a TXT or CSV comma delimited text file. Personal Database files are maintained by the Personal Database applet included with this product (Personal Databases on the View menu)

- Create a new Database Link File

Select this option to create a new database link (.DLF) file and link to an external database through ADO or ODBC. A data link file is simply a file that contains information on how to connect to an external database. It does not contain any actual data but you can link to it to access the data in the database it describes.

- Use an Existing Data Link File

Select the options to link to an existing database link (.DLF) file that you have previously created using the option above.

2. Click Next

STEP 2

1. Enter or select a file name.

If you are linking to an existing database or Data Link File select that file.

If you are creating a new Database Link File then choose a folder and enter a name for the data link, click the Build Connection button to build your database connection then select the table. (Click Help on the Data Link Properties screen for additional help.)

2. Click Next

STEP 3

1. Specify the type of record selection.

- I want to use all records directly from the database

Select this option to include all records in the database.

- I want to filter and/or sort the records in the database.

Select this option to specify conditions which a record has to meet to be included and/or to specify sorting options.

2. Click Next or Finish

STEP 4 (if you selected filtering/sorting only)

1. Select the field you want to compare

2. Select the type of comparison:

=

This comparison equates to true when the field is exactly the same as the comparison value

<

This comparison equates to true when the field is less than the comparision value

>

This comparison equates to true when the field is greater than the comparison value

LIKE

This comparison equates to true when the field is similar to the comparison value. There are two special wildcard characters used with LIKE, % and _ % represents zero or more wildcard characters and _ represents exactly one wildcard character.

For example:

Name LIKE 'Pa_' is true when Name is Pam, Pat, Pan, Paw, etc.

Name LIKE 'To%' is true when Name is Tom, Tommy, Top, To, Tomali, etc.

Name LIKE '%a%' is true when Name is cat, dad, daddy, ash or any word than contains the letter a

3. Enter the value the field should be compared to

3. Click Add Condition

4. Optionally click Add AND or Add OR to add additional conditions then repeat steps 1 - 3

5. Click Next

STEP 4 (if you selected filtering/sorting only)

1. Select the field you want to filter

2. Select either Ascending or Descending

3. Click Add Sort Criteria

4. Optionally repeat steps 1 - 3 to add additional sort criteria.

5. Click Next

Notes:

Database and Data Link files are stored, by default, in the database folder specified on the Folders tab under Options on the View menu. You can change this setting or override the location when you select or specify the filename.