In order for the Database Tools (DBTools) Application to do the work required it must first connect to a database. Although some of the functions available with the DBTools would work with any database, the install application only allows you to select from a list of databases. As the components are installed the information required for them to connect to a database is automatically set up. The DBTools uses this information to first list the available databases and then to connect to the database selected.

The window above is the window that is first displayed when the DBTools application is run. You must fill in the information required for the application to connect to a database.

The Database drop-down box lists all the databases available for the Transactionware applications. Select the database you want the DBTools application to connect to and work with.

In the Login field, enter the user name or the user id the DBTools application will use to connect to the database.

In the Password field, enter the password for the user name or user id entered into the Login field.

After entering the basic information required to connect to the database, click Connect. The DBTools application will attempt to connect to the database. If there is an error an error message window will appear.

To clear the message, click OK. You will return to the previous window. Correct the information entered and click Connect again. If you are still unable to connect to the database there may be a problem with the way the database information is set up. This information is setup when the Transactionware applications are installed. To see how this information has been setup, click More. You will then see additional information, used by the DBTools application to connect to the database.

You now have the opportunity to manually enter all the information regarding the connection to the database that the DBTools application requires. Normally it is not necessary to enter this information manual and should only be done by your system administrator or under the guidance of a technical support team member.

The DBMS field: This is the Database Management System. In this case the only option that should be available is ODBC. Select this option.

The Database File field: It is only necessary to enter information in this field when connection to the database locally (when the actual database file is located on the PC running the DBTools application) and the database server is not currently up and running. Click Browse to locate the database file. The database file name and full path will be automatically filled in for you when selected.

In the Database Name field, enter the internal name of the database. Usually the name of the database is the same as the name of the database file, but not always. Your system administrator or a support team member should know the name of the database.

If the SQL Anywhere database engine or database server is up and running the name of the database could have been set when the engine or server was started.

The Description field: This field is for information only. It is not used to connect to the database. It can be left blank.

The Engine Name field is used to identify which database engine or database server to connect to. When a local database engine is started it takes on, as its name, what is entered in this field. When a local database engine is already running the name entered here is used to find the local database engine. When attempting to connect to a database server the name entered here is used to find the database server on the network.

The Start Line field identifies which executable file is run to manage the connection to the database. To start and connect to a database locally enter dbeng50. To connect to a previously started local database enter dbeng50.

To connect to a database server over the network enter dbclient –xtcpip. The full path is not needed in the above examples. The full path should already be in the path statement in your autoexec.bat file and therefor gets set when you start your computer.

If all the information is entered correctly, the DBTools application connects to the selected database and the system adds a new item to your Windows task bar.