The mgiEditDatabase Tag
Tag Behavior
Use the mgiEditDatabase tag to create, modify and delete custom
databases via a web-based interface.
Tag Syntax
The mgiEditDatabase tag has no required parameters and nine
optional parameters. The tag form is:
<mgiEditDatabase mode="Mode" databaseName="Database"
showMGIDatabases="Yes/No" advancedSearch="On/Off"
mirrorButtons="Yes/No" uniqueIDFieldName="Field"
odbcDatasource="Source Name" odbcUsername="Name"
odbcPassword="Password">
Required Parameters:
Optional Parameters:
- mode - The mode is the function that the mgiEditDatabase
tag performs. In "manageFields" mode, the mgiEditDatabase
tag displays the web-based interface for creating and deleting
database fields. In "manageRecords" mode, the
mgiEditDatabase tag displays the web-based interface for creating,
modifying and deleting database records. If the mode parameter
is not included, then buttons for managing fields and managing
records are displayed in the interface. The
databaseName parameter is required if you include the mode parameter.
- databaseName - The databaseName is the name of the
database to manage. If the databaseName parameter is not included,
then all databases in the region are displayed. The
databaseName parameter is required if you include the mode parameter.
- showMGIDatabases - The showMGIDatabases parameter
determines if databases used internally by MGI are displayed.
If the showMGIDatabases parameter value is "Yes",
then internal MGI databases are displayed. If the showMGIDatabases
parameter value is "No", then internal MGI databases
are not displayed. The default value is "No".
- advancedSearch - The advancedSearch parameter determines
if the advanced search field displays on the search screen of
the edit database interface. If the advancedSearch parameter
value is "On", then advanced search field displays.
If the advancedSearch parameter value is "Off",
then the advanced search field does not display. The default
value is "Off". Search strings should contain field
name and search criteria in the format keyFieldName='criteria'.
Field name and search criteria pairs should be separated by the
search operator "AND", "OR", or "NOT".
To order the results from a search string, include the order
by field in the format ORDER BY keyFieldName. To reverse the
order of results in a search string, specify descending order
by including DESC. The following are example search strings:
"LastName='J*' OR LastName='L'
AND Registration='Yes' ORDER BY CustID DESC"
"FirstName='Ken' AND NOT LastName='Barker'
- mirrorButtons - The mirrorButtons parameter determines
if the navigation and function buttons of the edit database interface
are displayed at the top of the edit database screens. If the
mirrorButtons parameter value is "Yes", then
the buttons are displayed at the top and bottom of the edit database
screens. If the mirrorButtons parameter value is "No",
then buttons are displayed only at the bottom of the edit database
screens. The default value is "No".
- uniqueIDFieldName - The uniqueIDFieldName parameter
is the name of the ODBC database field to use for a unique record
value.
- odbcDatasource (NT only) - The odbcDatasource is the
name of datasource on the server that provides access information
for an external ODBC database. If the odbcDatasource parameter
is included, databases will be created and managed using the
specified ODBC database rather than the internal MGI database.
Inquire with the server administrator for additional information
about the use of ODBC databases. If you
include the odbcDatasource parameter, the odbcUsername and odbcPassword
parameters are required.
- odbcUsername (NT only) - The odbcUsername is the username
required to access the ODBC datasource. The
odbcUsername parameter is required if you include the odbcDatasource
parameter.
- odbcPassword (NT only) - The odbcPassword is the code
required to access the ODBC datasource. The
odbcPassword parameter is required if you include the odbcDatasource
parameter.
Technical Notes
- Field Name Length Limit - The length of field names
in the internal MGI database is limited according to the type
of field and operating system. All field names that are not indexed
are limited to 63 characters. The limit for non-indexed field
names applies to all operating systems. Indexed field names on
Macintosh operating systems 9.04 and prior are limited to 25
characters. Indexed field names on all supported Windows operating
systems are limited to 63 characters.
- Field Name Characters - The characters allowed in
database field names for the built-in MGI database are alpha-numeric
characters (i.e., letters and numbers), underscores (_), hyphens
(-), and spaces. When adding a field, any non-allowed characters
in the field name are automatically replaced with an underscore.
- Field Types - Database fields types are specified
when you create each field. The following is a description of
each field type. Fields can be designated as indexed and/or unique.
A field must be indexed in order to search
for information in the field (in the mgiEditDatabase admin or
using mgiSearchDatabase) or order search results by the field.
A unique field will not allow two records to contain the same
value in that field (even if the value is a blank field).
- Whole Number (Integer) - A whole number field can
contain only positive and negative whole numbers without decimals.
- Positive Number (UInteger) - A positive number field
can contain only positive whole numbers.
- Multi-precision Number - A multi-precision number
field can contain up to 50 significant digits (including decimal
positions) and supports the concept of a NULL number (a blank
number that is not defaulted to 0). When this field is created,
the scale (i.e., the number of digits to the right of the decimal
point) is specified. The maximum scale is 25. The multi-precision
field type does not suffer from the usual rounding errors that
are common when dealing with floating point numbers.
- True/False (Boolean) - A boolean field can contain
the values "True" or "False" to discriminate
records.
- Text - A text field can contain up to 250 alpha-numeric
characters. The maximum length can be specified during field
creation, but defaults to 25 if not specified.
- Long Text - A long text field can contain text that
is greater than 250 alpha-numeric. Search
results cannot be ordered by long text fields.
- Indexed Field Limit - You may create unlimited fields,
but only 31 fields may be indexed.
- Record Data Limit - Each database record can hold
a maximum of 64 KB of data across all fields.
Example Usage and Output
<mgiEditDatabase>
In this example, the mgiEditDatabase tag would display the
web-based database interface with all databases in the region
listed and with options to modify fields and modify records.
Suggested Usage
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