Introduction to PowerBuilder

Creating a Database

To create a new database, expand ODBC > Utilities and double click on 'Create ASA Database' option (see picture).

In the dialog box, provide product.db for the Database Name prompt. Make sure you provide full path, in my case it is g:\data\work\. Similarly provide a log file name for the Log Name prompt. If you don't provide one, the default (the database name with the extension replaced by .log in the same directory specified for the database) value will be used. In case if you don't know, log file stores information that is required to undo/redo transactions.

PowerBuilder automatically supplies the User ID as DBA and Password as SQL (remember, each asterisk takes the place of a letter in the Password field). Later, we'll see how you can set up users and permissions for a database, but for now let's enjoy the power of a Database Administrator.

You can also check the Prompt for Password during Connect box at this stage. This option allows you to force the user to type in the password each time they connect to the database. During development, it is a good idea to disable this feature, so click on the OK button and we'll move on.

Other options are self-explained. Blank Padding specifies whether the spaces on the right side of a value to be ignored in comparisons or not. By default, when not turned on, 'Table ' and 'Table' are not same. If turned on, both with match. Java Enabled option determines whether Java classes and related tables to be created in the database or not. Don't turn it on, we are not going to use Java in this project.

Click OK CommandButton when done. PowerBuilder invokes the appropriate tool to create the database and creates the one you have specified. It takes few minutes depending on your computer configuration, so don't be panic. Once done, you will see the connection name—typically the database name, Product in this case—below ODBC and PowerBuilder automatically connects to the database and makes this connection active. From the database painter, you can connect to any number of databases; connected database's connection names have the database icon before the connection name (product in this case) with a check mark. However, only one connection is active at any time, meaning any commands that you issue from this painter are executed in the database that is associated with the active connection. To activate another connection, connection, simply click on that connection name. If that connection is not connected to the database, then, invoke popup menu on the connection name and select Connect option.

You may ask, can I have two connections open to the same database? Yes, you can, provided, you have created two different database profiles for the same database.

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