Manage Vertex Databases

Vertex databases are used to manage design data.

Create new databases, edit or list already existing databases.

  • Edit
  • List
  • Define Structure
  • List Structure
  • Update Structure
  • Clear
  • Update
  • Update Attributes
  • Export to or Import From XML-file

Edit

Browse database rows and edit the contents of the fields. Editing requires that you know the name of the form file of the database.

Please note that in the databases used for archiving (d_PROREG, d_PICREG, d_MACBASE, d_MACMENU, d_MODREG), you can only delete rows by using the functions intended for managing those archives (See Managing the Document Archive). There are always files associated with the database rows that are saved in the database and can only be deleted from the database by using the archiving functions. There are also separate functions for attribute databases.

There is a separate function for browsing and editing product structures.

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and select Edit.
  2. Select the database you want to edit, and click Open.

    The database can be located in folders:

    • Active project ../shared/projects/[projid].
    • ../shared/dbases
    • ../custom/dbases
    • user's working folder ../user
  3. Select a form file, and click Open. The default folder is ../system/forms.

    If there is no form file, you can create it based on the database fields with the file name defform.tmp.

  4. Browse the database by using the cursor keys arrow up/down.
  5. Edit the contents of the database.

List

Create a list of the contents of the selected database. In order to list a database, you must know the names of the appropriate search screen, selection and list format files.

This function can be used to list database data selected using the search screen and selection format. The list format defines the format in which the database is listed. With the selection format, you can specify the terms of the database rows to be listed. You will need the search screen, selection and list format files to list a database. Save the list with a file name. You can view the list using a word processing program.

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and select List.
  2. Select the database you want to list, and click Open.
  3. Select the search screen, and click Open.
  4. Select the selection format, and click Open.
  5. Select the list format, and click Open.
  6. Enter the search terms.
  7. Enter a name for the text file.

Define Structure

  1. On the tab, in the Database group, click Maintenance, and select Define Structure.
  2. Enter a name of the the new database, or select an old database, and click Save.
  3. Add a row to the database. Enter a name for the new field, and define its type.

    Structure of Vertex Databases

  4. Confirm by clicking OK.
  5. The program asks for the name of the default form file.
    • If there is no form file with the name you entered, the program will automatically create a basic form file.
    • You can pass the function by leaving the field empty.
  6. Save the database by clicking Yes.

List Structure

List the database structure definition in a text file. The list will show the database fields and their indexing, type and length. This function cannot be used to list the structure of an attribute database.

  1. On the tab, in the Database group, click Maintenance, and select List Structure.
  2. Select a database, and click Open.
  3. Name the text file, and click Save.

The file is opened in a word processor.

Update Structure

Update the structure of the selected database according to another database. You can select the fields to be updated by using a comparison table.

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and select Update Structure.
  2. Select the source database, and click Open.
  3. Select the target database, and click Open.
  4. Select the fields you wish to add to the target database, and click OK.

Clear

Delete all the rows in the database. If necessary, make a backup copy of the database first.

The database name and structure definition will not be affected by the clear function. The program will prompt you for confirmation before clearing the database.

Please note that the databases used for archiving (d_PROREG, d_PICREG, d_MACBASE, d_MACMENU, d_MODREG) must not be cleared using this function.

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and select Empty.
  2. Select a database, and click Open.
  3. Confirm the clearing by clicking Yes.

Update

Update the contents of the selected database field by field from another database.

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and select Update.
  2. Select the database to be udpated, and click Open.
  3. Select the updating database, and click Open.
  4. A dialog box including instructions for updating the database opens.
    • Fields of target database. Selec X to the Update field for all the fields you wish to update. The corresponding rows will be retrieved from the source database.
    • Fields of source database. Select X in the Key Field for those fields that define the corresponding row to be updated.
  5. Enter a name for the old database, and click Save.
  6. After this, the program will display the number of the corresponding rows. Accept updating.

Update Attributes

Data, for example material and quantity, is added to the elements of the drawing such as lines, text (part number), and patterns. Data is added to the parts of an assembly model in the same way. Attribute data is added to the elements. The attribute data is saved in an attribute database of the desired type. The attribute database is managed in the same way as other databases, with views. The contents of the attribute databases of a drawing can only be viewed when the drawing is active in the drawing window.

When the attribute database definitions have been changed, a drawing with old definitions can be updated to match the new definitions. We recommend updating the attributes of an old document when the attribute databases have changed, for example after a software update.

Automatic update is done when opening a model or a drawing from the archives, when a part or a subassembly is opened for editing in an assembly, or when opening a drawing of a model. When a group is added to a drawing, only the attributes of the added group are updated.

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and click Update Attributes.

You can enable automatic updates by defining the keyword updadbatread= 1 in the draft keyword group. Edit Settings

Export / IImpot XML-file

  1. On the tab, in the Databases group, click Maintenance, and select:
    • Export to XML file - Select the database, which is exported to XML format. Save the file.
    • Import from XML file - Select the database to which you wish to import data. Select the XML file containing the data to be imported.