Database Administration

This form is displayed from the Database - Administration tool.

Database Administration

Some of the functions are only available if you are connected as ADMIN, as they require all other users to be disconnected from the database.

WARNING: It is possible to seriously damage an Impact database if you do not understand what you are doing. You should contact your distributor if you are unsure. You should also keep the ADMIN password secure.

The form comprises:

• the menu
• the tree list on the left hand side - showing the main administration areas
• the information panel - the contents of this depend on which item in the tree list is highlighted
• the legend or key (optional) - use ? on the menu to display or hide this information

Menu

File

• New DBS - see DBS below
• Open DBS - see DBS below
• Print - prints information on the currently selected connection, DBS or table
• Save To File - saves the contents of the selected database description to a text or xml file
• Close - closes the Database Administration form

Tables

• Add - create a new table; available when a table list is highlighted
• Change - modify the highlighted table
• Delete - delete the highlighted table
• Print - print the structure of the highlighted table
• Print To File - as above, but to a text file
• Import
  • Table Description - add new tables and fields, by importing a DBS
  • Import Prompts - import the field prompts for a single database table from a DBS file
  • V4 Table - imports a table description from an IPDS DOS database (see Import V4 Table) Note: you must first configure your V4 DOS Database environment settings
  • V4 Customers - imports customer information from an IPDS DOS database into the Impact customers table
  • Remote Table - creates a remote connection to a table in another database (see Import Remote Table)
• Export - exports the structure of the highlighted table, as a DBS file
• Maintenance
  • Reindex - recreates the indexes of the highlighted table(s)
  • Pack - packs the data for the highlighted table(s) - this is analogous to defragmenting. Regular packing is necessary for dBase databases only. (Otherwise the file sizes of tables can grow very large and affect performance.)
  • Verify - performs consistency checks on the highlighted table(s)

NOTE: You can perform these maintenance tasks on all tables within the database by clicking the All Tables node, then right-clicking on the right panel and choosing Select > All. Right-click again and choose Maintenance.

Users

• Add - create a new Impact user and configure the properties. This is available when a user list is highlighted
• Change - modify the properties of the highlighted user
• Delete - delete the highlighted user
• Show CAD users only - show CAD users only in User nodes. To view all users, including nServer, users uncheck this item
• Send Message - send a message to the highlighted user (see Send User Message)
• Connected Users - view information about currently Connected Users

Tools

• Wizards
  • Database Window Wizard
  • Import Data Wizard
  • Export Data Wizard
  • Settings Export Wizard
  • Reassign Users Wizard
  • Delete Revisions Wizard
  • Purge Documents Wizard
  • MTS Audit Trail Clean-up Wizard
  • Settings Synchronisation Export Wizard
  • Settings Synchronisation Import Wizard
  • Settings Upgrade Export Wizard
  • Settings Upgrade Wizard
  • MTS Package Export Wizard
  • Create Database Wizard
  • Migration Wizard
  • Convert BLOBS Wizard
  • Decrypt Demo Database Wizard
• Standards
  • Install Set Wizard
  • Create Set Wizard
  • Language Wizard
  • Dependency Wizard
• Advanced
  • Support Engineer Extended Privileges
  • Reset Project Key
• Automatic Updates
• Perform Integrity Check - runs the Database Structure Checker
• Foreign Key Checker
• File Reference Checker - runs the Database File Reference Checker
• Check Master Projects - This option is disabled for Enterprise and Site databases
• Settings - allows you to configure the Database Installation settings

? - shows a legend of icons used for users and for tables/fields

Tree list

The list shows:

• Current Database Connection
  • All Tables - displays a list of all database tables
  • Impact Tables - displays all tables other than layer, remote, v4 and custom
  • Layer Type Tables - displays all tables which define layer types (for example, ONE_UP, MULTI_UP)
  • Remote Tables - displays all tables which are in other databases and accessed remotely 
  • V4 Tables - displays all tables used by IPDS DOS 
  • Custom Tables -  displays all tables which have been custom created for your system
  • Users - lists of users, organised by user group
  • Error Log - a history of the database errors which have occurred 
  • Settings Files
  • Cached Items
• Server Logs
• Workstation Log
• Currently open DBS files - if you have created/opened DBS files, they appear here, containing lists of tables as described above

DBS

Every Impact database has a DBS file which controls the structure of the database tables and fields. The DBS file stores additional information about the structure which is not stored within the database tables themselves. It is important for the DBS file and the tables to be consistent. (When you restructure a database, adding new tables and fields, the DBS as well as the true database is modified.) - See Database Structure Checker below.

You can view/modify a DBS from another database without actually logging onto that database (although you should not do this on a DBS in a live database). To do so, use File > Open DBS. This will create an extra node in the tree list, below which are shown the tables and fields. You may also use File > New DBS to create a structure from scratch. 

Database Structure Checker

This checker can be executed from this Database Administration form (Tools - Perform Integrity Check) or automatically on startup. 

It compares the DBS structure with that of the tables/fields themselves and reports any inconsistencies to the Server Logs area. Impact will attempt to correct any inconsistencies.

Related topics: Database, Database Tools