Altova MapForce 2025 Professional Edition

General Procedures and Features

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This section explains how to add a database to your mapping, select, remove, and edit database objects, handle database relationships, and configure various database settings.

 

Database column icons

Database tables are represented by the icDBTable icon. Database columns are represented by the icDBColumn icon. If there is a constraint set for the column, the column's icon will have an additional symbol. If a column has more than one constraint assigned to it, only the constraint with the highest priority is shown in the column icon. The priority of constraints is described in the table below, starting with the highest priority.

 

icDBPrimaryKeyColumn

This column is used as the table's primary key.

icDBUniqueKeyColumn

This column has a unique constraint.

icDBForeignKeyColumn

This column has a foreign key that references the primary key of a different table.

icDBXMLColumn

This column contains XML data.

icDBDefaultValueColumn

There is a default value set for this column. If no value is supplied to this column, the default value will be inserted instead.

 

Add a database to your mapping

To be able to add a database to your mapping, you must select one of the following transformation languages: Built-In, C++, C#, or Java. SQLite databases are supported only in Built-In. If you intend to deploy the mapping to FlowForce Server, execute it with MapForce Server, or use features such as Bulk Transfer and stored procedures, you must select Built-In.

 

Once the desired transformation language is selected, you can add a database to the mapping in one of the following ways:

 

Select Database in the Insert menu.

Click the mf_ic_insert_db toolbar button.

 

When you take any of these actions, the database connection wizard appears, guiding you through the steps required to connect to the database. For more information about how to connect to a database, see Connecting to a Data Source. Once the database connection is successfully established, you are prompted to select database objects that you would like to add to your mapping (see subsections below).

 

Databases can also be added to the mapping as variables. When you add a database structure as a variable, the same database connection wizard appears.

 

Add database objects

As soon as you have connected to the data source, you are prompted to select data objects you would like to include in your mapping. The Insert Database Objects dialog below shows the structure of the Altova.sqlite database. To include a database object in the mapping, select the check box next to it and click OK. In our example, we have included all the user tables.

mf_db_connect_access_03

Structure of Insert Database Objects dialog

The top node mf_ic_dbcon in the structure indicates the database connection. The subsequent structure varies depending on the database kind. For example, Oracle and IBM DB2 databases have a schema node mf_ic_db_schema under the connection node, while other database types have a catalog (database) ic-component_database node. The bold font indicates the default catalog (database) or schema, as applicable.

 

If your database user account has access to multiple databases or schemas on the server, you can switch to any of them by clicking the mf_ic_switch_db icon (see below).

mf_db_switch_03

Options available in Insert Database Objects dialog

The options available in the Insert Database Objects dialog are described below.

 

 

Edit database objects

To change database objects, right-click the database component and select Add/Remove/Edit Database Objects from the context menu (see below). This opens the Add/Remove/Edit Database Objects dialog, which allows you to define the same settings and properties as in the Insert Database Objects dialog.

mf_db_objects_07

 

SQL auto-completion suggestions

When you type SQL statements in certain contexts, MapForce may suggest text entries automatically. Auto-completion is available in the SQL Editor (see DB Query Pane), the Custom SQL text box in the Database Table Actions dialog box, and the Add SELECT Statement dialog box.

 

To disable auto-completion suggestions, take the following steps:

 

1.Select the Tools | Options menu item or press Ctrl+Alt+O.

2.Open the Database | SQL Editor section.

3.Clear the Automatically open check box in the Entry Helpers section.

 

To invoke auto-completion suggestions manually, press Ctrl+Space.

 

To find out more about other database-related settings, see Database.

 

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