Adding an Input Table

As a DivePort administrator, you can define additional input tables for your users. To add a new table:

1. On the DivePort title bar, select ADMIN > Input Tables.

   

   The Input Tables dialog box opens.

2. On the lower left, click New.

   

   The Add Input Table dialog box opens.

   

3. In the Name box, enter a name for your new input table.

4. If you want to capture the times when each row in the table is created or modified, select Record creation and modification times.

   This option is selected by default.

5. Click OK.

   The new input table is added to the Input Tables list.

6. On the Input Tables list, click the chevron to the left of the new input table name, and then select Settings.

   

   The Input Table Settings dialog box opens. By default, the id attribute (column) is listed.

   

7. Click Add.

   The Add Attribute dialog box opens. This is where you define the columns (attributes) for the input table.

   

8. Enter the following information for the column that you are adding to the input table.

   • Name—Enter a name for the data or metadata column.

   • Description—Specify the purpose of the column. This description appears as a tooltip on the data entry form. If the description is obvious, you can use this box for a custom message instead.

   • Default value—Specify a default to initialize the column. The value can be explicit or the result of resolving a macro, for example, $(MACRO Threshold).

   • Display label—Specify an alternative column heading. This allows you to change what the user sees when prompted for input for this attribute.

     TIP: You can use this option to separate the programmatic and user-friendly names for an attribute.

   • Perform lookup—Select to enable the Lookup configuration option.

     NOTE: Selecting this option disables Must be unique, Required item, and all five Data type options.

   • Lookup configuration—Opens the Configure Lookup Constraint dialog box, which you can use to define the lookup values.

     

     • Source Attribute—Specifies the column that is used for the lookup. Click the magnifier to see a list of available columns. This attribute can be a free entry column or one with an in a list constraint to match the lookup values.
     • Hide the source attribute—Prevents users from seeing the source attribute.
     • Table—Identifies an entry from the tables subdirectory to be used as a data source.
     • Show '+' button when available—Adds a + button next to the pull-down list or combo box that users with permission can use to add another row to the table.
     • View—Opens the Select a Column Source File dialog box, that you can use to navigate your DiveLine directories and select a model, DivePlan, or Tunnel script file to use as a data source.
     • Change—Opens the Select a Column Source File dialog box, that you can use to navigate your DiveLine directories and select a different model, DivePlan, or Tunnel script file to use as a data source.
     • Lookup ID column/attribute—Specifies the column on which to perform the look up. For a View, you must select a dimension with values that match those of your source attribute and also has info fields attached.

     • Lookup value column/attribute—Specifies the column from which to retrieve a value. For a View, select from the info fields in the list.

       NOTE: The column that you are bringing in must be defined as an Info on the dimension.

     • Use alternate column to sort values—Specifies use of the order resulting from sorting a column that you specify in the table. This overrides the default alphabetical order.
     • Display in form as—Specifies the format of the list (for example: Pulldown list, Dynamic combobox, Radio buttons). When the default, Auto is selected, DivePort determines the presentation based on the size of the data set. To optimize performance, a pull-down list is used for small data sets and a combo box is used for large data sets. Both support a maximum of 120 items for form portlets.

     • Save to Table—Commits lookup values to the underlying text or SQL table. When this option is active, the table editor and input form display the saved data, which could be different from the current values.

       NOTE: This option is intended for special circumstances only. Typically, it is better to run the lookup each time it is needed.

   • Read-only—Select if the value is displayed in the table, but cannot be changed. When on a form, there is no data entry box drawn.
   • Must be unique—Select if the value must be unique for all rows in the table.
   • Required item—Select if this item is required to add the row. Entry forms cannot be committed without it.

   • Text—Specifies that the column accepts any data characters. Click the adjacent Configure option to open the Format text input dialog box, which you can use to specify the number of rows of text. Default is 1 row.

     

   • Number—Specifies that the column accepts only numeric data characters. Click the adjacent Configure option to open the Configure Attribute Constraint dialog box, which you can use to specify the numeric format and a range of acceptable values.

     

     For more information, see Formatting Numeric Values.

     NOTE: When entering Minimum and Maximum number values, do not include commas. Decimal points are allowed.

   • Date—Specifies that the column accepts a date. Click the adjacent Configure option to open the Configure Date Constraint dialog box, which you can use to specify the date format and other restrictions.

     

     • Format—Select a format from the list. Default is mm-dd-yyyy. Other options are mm/dd/yyyy, dd-mm-yyyy, dd/mm/yyyy, yyyy-mm-dd, and yyyy/mm/dd.

     • Earliest/Latest Allowed Date:

       • No Restriction—All dates are allowed.

       • Fixed Date—Enter a date or select a date from the calender picker.

       • Today—Limit the date to the current date (unless using an offset).

       • Offset—Enter an offset number of days to use the current date as a reference point. A positive number moves the date forward from today; a negative number moves the date backwards.

       • From Marker—Set the date from a marker.

         Click Change to specify the marker file.

         Column—Select a column from the marker.

         Row—Select a row from the marker

   • In a list—Requires that you indicate where the set of values resides. You can enter a short fixed list when you define the constraint, or select a library table, or a DiveLine file. Click the adjacent Configure option to open the Configure In A List Constraint dialog box, which you can use to define the list and other constraints.

     

     • Fixed List—Specifies that the list values are entered in a comma-separate list in the adjacent text box. This option is useful when the values do not change very often and do not need to be stored in a separate table.
     • List Ordering—Specifies the order of the values in a fixed list. The default, As Listed displays the values in the order that they were entered. Other options are Ascending and Descending. Sorting is case-insensitive and locale-aware.
     • Table—Specifies that the list values are retrieved from an input table. The Table list provides all options for your portal.
     • Show '+' button when available—Adds a + button next to the pull-down list or combo box that users with permission can use to add another row to the table.
     • Column—Locate and select the column from the specified table.
     • Sort Column—Specifies an alternative sort order resulting from sorting a specified column.

     • View—Specifies that the list values are retrieved from a cBase, cPlan, model, DivePlan, or Tunnel file. The View must have a dimension that matches the column specified in the next text box. Click Change to open the Select a Column Source File dialog box, from which you can select the cBase, cPlan, model, DivePlan, or Tunnel script.

       If using a Tunnel script, see About Tunnel Script Values.

     • Column—Locate and select the column from the selected file

     • Display in form as—Specifies the format of the list (for example: Pulldown list, Dynamic combobox, Radio buttons) on a form portlet. When the default, Auto is selected, DivePort determines the presentation based on the size of the data set. To optimize performance, a pull-down list is used for small data sets and a combo box is used for large ones. Both have a limit of 120 items for form portlets QuickView.

       NOTE: If you select the Radio buttons format, and no default value is specified, the first value in the list is selected by default in DivePort 7.1(6) and earlier. Later versions of DivePort do not select a default value unless one is specified on the Edit Attribute dialog box.

   • Boolean checkbox—Specifies that two values are available: one displays as a selected check box, and another displays as a cleared check box. Click the adjacent Configure option to open the Configure Attribute Constraint dialog box, which you can use to specify the Boolean values.

     NOTE: If the column contains more than two values, including empty or null values, DivePort treats the unspecified values as if they are unchecked by default and presents a cleared check box. Alternatively, you can select Treat values other than the two as checked, in which case the check box representing those values is selected.

     

     • Value (checked)—Specifies the value to use if the check box is selected.

     • Value (unchecked)—Specifies the value to use if the check box is not selected.

     • Treat values other than the two as checked—Specifies that values that do not match either the checked value or the unchecked value are to be interpreted as checked.
9. Click OK to save your changes.
10. Add as many columns to your table as needed, and then in the Input Settings dialog box, click OK.

See also: 

• About Input Tables
• Input Table Access Control
• Creating a Form Portlet
• Creating a Table Editor Portlet

• Recording Table Creation and Modification Times