Setting Up the Database Fields

If the foreign database does not meet the requirements outlined above, then a warning message to that effect will appear and the attaching process will not be able to continue.  Resolve the problem externally and try again.

The purpose of the dialog which appears next is to allow you to define the fields in the foreign database which are to be used by the Badging Program.  The dialog looks something like this:

Towards the top, in the Index Fields section is a pull-down which allows you to select the field which uniquely identifies each record.  This pull-down will only include fields of the correct type.  It is your responsibility to ensure that this field is completed for every record and that the number is unique in each record.

The  Required Fields section contains a check box and 3 pull-downs.  If your table  includes fields which can be used to store the photo filename, change flag and template number, then leave the box unchecked and select the fields as appropriate.   Those fields which can be used for each of these 4 will appear in each pull-down.  You must select each pull-down and make sure that a field name has been entered.

If your database table does not include suitable fields for all 3 of these purposes, then the program can create its own table to store this information in.  If this is the case, check the check box and proceed to the next section.   The program will automatically create this table, so you must ensure that database permissions allow this to happen.  Also, any table already existing with the same name will be silently deleted.  For this reason, reattaching to a foreign database which has already been attached to by this method, may result in loss of data related to photographs, etc. and template selections.

The next section determines how image file names are created.  Leave Use A Random Name selected to use the normal method of name creation.  If you want the name to be based upon the contents of one of the data fields then select Use This Uniquely Indexed Field and select the desired field.  As the title suggests, the field must be indexed as unique.  The dropdown will be populated with the Datakey Field, once it is chosen, plus any fields moved to the Attached list. However, these fields will only be placed in the dropdown if they are uniquely indexed.  As the dropdown is populated as fields are attached, it is recommend that all fields be attached as required, then the image file source field be selected.

Note that if you create a badge and add photo to it before filling in the field used to supply the name, then a random name will be used instead.  Also note that once the name is created by creating an image file, changing the contents of the source field will have no effect on the file name.

Below that are the User Fields, which can be attached by moving them to the Attached Fields column.  This can be done one field at a time by highlighting the desired field and clicking on the >> button.  Or you can highlight a selection of fields and then press the >> button.  Alternatively all fields can be moved over by pressing the All>> button.  (Note that if there are more fields than are allowed by your configuration of the Badging Program, then only up to that number will be moved over.)

As each field is moved over it is checked for type.  If it is alphanumeric, a dialog will appear asking you to supply an optional field alias name and the type of data to be stored.  The dialog looks like this:

If you enter an alias name, this text will appear throughout the program where a field name is displayed.  If one is not entered, the actual field name will be displayed.  Each alias name entered must be unique.  A pop-up dialog will warn if it is not. 

You can decide the format for data stored in alphanumeric fields.  However, if you select TIME format, it is your responsibility to ensure that the foreign database field contains only times in the appropriate formats.  The same is true for DATE and TIMESTAMP.

If the foreign database contains field types already designated as intended only for date, time or timestamp information, the options are reduced.  For date and time, you will not be offered any formatting options.  For timestamp, you will be allowed to select Date, Time or Timestamp as the format, but not General.  For more information on dates, times and timestamps see Date, Time and Timestamp Fields in the Operation chapter.

If the field is numeric, a dialog like this will appear:

In this dialog an optional field name alias can be entered and the method of display for the numeric field defined in the title is established.  Each alias name entered must be unique.  A pop-up dialog will warn if it is not.  The first box sets the number of decimal places to display.  If the second is not set to zero, the value sets the fixed length of the field.  When fixed length fields are used, the third box sets the fill character to be used to pad the display to the fixed length.  For more information on fixed length fields and fill characters see Entering The Database Fields.

The Next> button will not be available until all 4 Required Fields have been completed and at least one field has been moved to the Attached Fields column.

If all fields are moved to the Attached Fields column, the attachment will not be considered “foreign” as the Badging Program has control over all the fields.  As a result, all program operations will be available.  However, if this is not the case, the Badging Program will not allow deletion of records as they contain fields which are not being managed by the Badging Program.