Using SOSET UTILITY DATABASE BROWSER
When you need answers quickly, use the SOSET NamoUtility to retrieve the information stored in your tables and views. For example, you might need to know the answers to questions like:
| - | How can I edit and change the Soset database-tables? |
| What customer name and address is associated with a particular ID number? | |
| - | How many orders are outstanding? |
| - | How many customers have overdue balances? |
| - | Which region or salesperson has the best sales record? |
| - | How can I import or append data into the Soset database-tables? |
| - | How can I export data from the Soset databases for import in my popular spreadsheets? |
Now you can search for records that meet the criteria you specify. You can also order and group the records as needed, and create reports, tables.
You can specify and save the import or export of data in many different formats.
Define your own views, filters and specifications and save these for re-use.
Use the File, New-option to open a Soset database, the available indexes are opened automatically (and will be updated as well during any edit!)
Use the View-option to specify the way you want to see the data displayed.
To query the data use the View, Set Filter and specify criterions.
With View, Select Fields you specify the fields you want to see displayed.
Note: you can define user-defined filtering and user-defined fields.
E.g. if you want to see the result of the fields Quantity*UnitPrice in the order-item table you simply select the user defined field by adding the user defined (1-5) field in the field-dialog. (You will find these fields at the end of the field list). In the user-defined expression field you specify: Quantity*Unitprice.
If you want to use pre-defined query’s, you can use the Open-option. This will allow you to select an earlier defined query-file (Soset Queries are stored as files with a .QR1 extension).
Soset will automatically open all necessary files and fields and shows the options in the query-designer.
Of course you can (re-)define the search-criterions with the View, Set Filter-option, which starts the Query-designerEXPRESS_BUILDER.
You also can define your own query using the Query Designer.
Select the table you want information from with the Browse option. A list of the Soset tablesDATABASE_ORDER and field-descriptions is available in this help.
Opening the Soset table will show all the fields of the table in the fields-area. Before you can run a query, you must select some fields to include in the results. In some cases, you might want to use all the fields from the table
Be sure to include any fields you might want to use to sort or group the results of your query. When you select the fields, you can also set the order they appear in your output.
Hold the Control-button and click on the fields you want to you want to include in the results of your query.
Next you specify the criteria to extract records from the table with the Get option, which starts the Query-designerEXPRESS_BUILDER.
Next you direct the results of your query to the type of output you want, such as a View browse window or editBROWSE.
You also specify if you want output to screen, printer or export the selected data to one of the many formats, like CSV-fileCSV_INFO
When you’ve created a query you want to keep, you can save it by giving it a name with the Save-option. Soset Queries are stored as files with a .QR1 extension.
Finally you can define the title of your query in the title-field.
Creating an expression in the Expression Builder
EXPRESSION BUILDER
Allows you to create and edit expressions. An expression can be as simple as a field name or as complex as a calculation involving immediate IF functions, concatenations, and data type conversions. The main purpose of the Expression Builder is to facilitate the creation of expressions by providing you with lists of appropriate options each step of the way. This dialog box can be accessed from designers, windows, builders, and wizards.
To create an expression, you can type it directly into the expression box, or you can select items from the functions drop-down lists in the dialog box to have Visual FoxPro paste them into the expression box for you.
You might find some of the following functions useful when manipulating strings in expressions.
If you want to Use this function
Remove leading and trailing blanks from character expressions ALLTRIM()
Remove leading blanks LTRIM( )
Remove trailing blanks RTRIM( )
Add specified characters to the left, right, or both sides of a string PADL( ), PADR( ), PADC( )
Work with parts of a character string for comparisons SUBSTR( )
Use a specified number of characters starting with the left of a string LEFT( )
Use a specified number of characters starting from the right of a string RIGHT( )
Change uppercase to lowercase, or lowercase to uppercase UPPER( ), LOWER( )
Convert a string to initial capitals PROPER( )
Have a numeric field interpreted as a character string STR( )
Dialog Box Options
Functions
Contains list boxes of four function types. When you select a function from one of the four types, Visual FoxPro automatically pastes it into the expression box. When you are building expressions for remote views, Visual FoxPro lists only the functions specific to the target back-end data.
String Lists available character string functions.
Logical Lists available logical functions.
Math Lists available math functions.
Date Lists available date and time functions.
Expression Displays the expression that you are creating or editing.
Fields Lists the fields in the current table or view.
To paste a field into the Expression box, either double-click the field or select the field and press ENTER.
To display fields from a different table, select a different table in the From Table box.
Fields box.
Variables Lists system memory variables, arrays, and memory variables that you have created.
To paste a variable into the Expression box, either double-click the variable, or select the variable and press ENTER.
Verify Validates the syntax of the expression in the expression box if the corresponding table is open. If the expression is valid, "Expression is valid" is displayed in the status bar. If it is not valid or if the corresponding table is not open, Visual FoxPro displays an error message. This option is not enabled for remote views.
Note If you include a user-defined function call in the expression, Verify will indicate an error, but there will not necessarily be an error when the expression is evaluated at run time.
Options Displays the Expression Builder Options dialog box, in which you can set preferences for the Expression Builder.
Browse <table> Displays the contents of the current table or view in a Browse window, and allows you to examine and make changes to data in the table or view. This command is available when you open a table or view in Browse, Edit, or Append Mode view.
Edit Displays the contents of the selected table or view with the fields in each record listed one below the other, and allows you to examine and make changes to the data in the table or view. This command is available when a table is open in Browse, Edit, or Append Mode view.
Append Mode Automatically adds new records to the end of the current table or view when an entry is made in the last record. You can append records in either the edit or browse view of the table or view. This command is available when a table or view is open in a Browse, Edit, or Append Mode view.
The Browse window displays the records in the active table.
When you are browsing a table in the Browse window, you can view records in two different modes, Browse and Edit. You can switch modes by choosing Browse or Edit from the View menu.
Note When you open a table using Open from the File menu, you have to choose Browse <table> from the View menu in order to see the table.
To select fields, click a cell or press TAB, ENTER, or the arrow keys. Move a column to a new position by clicking on the field name, dragging the column where you want it, and releasing the mouse button.
To enter a null value in a field that accepts null values, press CTRL+0. As long as a field that contains a null value remains active, nothing is displayed in it. After you activate a different field, the one containing the null value will display the string defined by the SET NULLDISPLAY command (for example, ".NULL.")
If you choose Append from the View menu, the Browse window adds a new, blank record. When you fill in the new record, the Browse window automatically adds another new record.
Contact us in case you have any question or comment via our email