Clarion Community Help

| **Navigation:**  SQL Drivers > ODBC Accelerator Driver >====== SQL Column Properties ====== | [[t2yb.htm|{{btn_prev_n.gif|Previous page}}]][[coming future.htm|{{btn_home_n.gif|Return to chapter overview}}]][[odbc key configuration key properties.htm|{{btn_next_n.gif|Next page}}]] |
|  ||

Typically, you add SQL support to your application by importing the SQL table or view into your Data Dictionary. The Import Wizard automatically fills in the //Column Properties// dialog with default values based on the imported item. However, there are some additional switches you can use to configure the way the SQL Accelerator Driver accesses the column. These //Column level //switches are described below.

{{notebox.jpg|NoteBox.jpg}}

**When adding attributes to the Name attribute you must have a SPACE after the column name before any switches, and**\\ **spaces between each switch. Switches are case sensitive.**

For example:\\

Categories          FILE,DRIVER('MSSQL'),OWNER('rrf\sqlexpress,northwind,'),NAME('dbo.Categories'),PRE(Cat)

PK_Categories     KEY(Cat:CategoryID),PRIMARY

KEY_CategoryName  KEY(Cat:CategoryName),DUP,NAME('CategoryName')

Description       BLOB

Picture           BLOB,Binary

record            RECORD

CategoryID          LONG,NAME('CategoryID |READONLY |NOWHERE')

CategoryName        CSTRING(16)

END

END

To add switches to the NAME attribute in the Dictionary Editor you use the **External Name** entry field, located on the Attributes tab.  The following switches are available:\\

**| NOWHERE**

Adding the NOWHERE switch to the **External Name** tells the driver to exclude the field from any WHERE clauses it sends to the backend server. This is necessary for certain backends when WATCH is in effect. Some backends do not allow certain data types in a where clause, but they fail to advise the ODBC Accelerator Driver of this restriction. The NOWHERE switch lets you manually advise of the restriction when WATCH causes the driver to generate. Not valid for Oracle driver.

**| READONLY**

Adding the READONLY switch to the **External Name** tells the driver not to insert the field when the record is added OR updated. This is necessary for certain back ends that do not allow auto incrementing key fields to be set to null. Some back ends do not allow auto incrementing key fields to be set to null, but they fail to advise the driver of this restriction. The READONLY switch lets you manually advise of the restriction. Not valid for Oracle driver.

**| BINARY**

Adding the BINARY switch to the **External Name** tells the driver to store the data in binary format. This is useful when storing images or non-printable characters. Valid only with STRING data types, and all SQL drivers (except Oracle).