Tools described in this section:
> Database Window Items
> Customer
> Project
> Symbol
> Template
> Layer
> Custom
> Reports
> Value Mappings
> Project Documents
> View All Documents
> Administration
Notes On Database Tools
The database is used to store information that Impact requires on your customers, projects, layers, revisions, users and so on, in order to keep track of your work. There are some database tables which have fields intended for your use, for example in the one-up layers to store the design dimensions, blank size and area. It is expected that you will probably want to add your own custom database fields to the tables and decide how and when this information is entered or displayed. For this reason, the database - both the structure and the tools for displaying the data - are highly configurable.
Firstly, there are many options in Options>Environment (see Database Installation and Database Operation) that control the functioning of the database tools (the first set of options apply to all users, the second set to you). The Database Operation settings can also be configured for a complete user group, via the Master Tool Settings.
The structure of the database is configured using Database - Administration. This is also where you can perform routine maintenance of the database.
You can create, modify and delete customer data using Database - Customer.
If you have a project open, you can use the Database - Project and Database - Layer tools to modify the data for it. (Similarly use Database - Template or Database - Symbol).
If you have created custom tables, these can also appear on the Database menu (see Database - Custom).
Database Windows
Database Windows (DBW) settings allow you to configure which fields are shown, who sees them, how they appear and whether they can be modified.
In general, each DBW setting applies to one table. You can create as many DBW settings for a table as you like. They are stored as Database Windows in the Master Tool Settings.
DBWs can be used in many places; from the tools on the Database menu, in the Database section of the Impact Explorer and in several places in the Project Browser.
Once you have created DBW settings you can:
- assign them as the default window for the table (using Database Windows from the Database Installation settings)
- set them as your settings (using Database Windows from the Database Operation settings)
- set them as the settings for a user group (using the User Groups and Database Operation Master Tool Settings)
Custom Tables And Lookups
If you wish, you can link your custom database tables to the built-in Impact tables, thereby allowing them to be used in database Queries. These relationships must be defined in the Advanced Queries settings.
Data would normally be added to such tables via automation in order to maintain the relationship.
Crystal Reports
If you wish you can design custom database reports and add them to the Database - Reports menu.
All reports are created by the Crystal Reports application - if you wish to create your own reports then you need to purchase this product.
To run the reports requires only a run-time component of Crystal Reports, which Impact installs automatically.