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diff --git a/doc/kexi/building.docbook b/doc/kexi/building.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9b900c77 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kexi/building.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,248 @@ +<!-- + <!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" > +--> + +<chapter id="building-databases"> +<title>Building Simple Databases</title> +<sect1 id="building-intro"> +<title>Introduction</title> +<para> +To learn the basics of &kexi;, you could build a simple database +utilizing most elementary &kexi;'s features. To make things simpler, +advanced database design topics will not be covered here. +</para> +<para> +Start by creating a new empty <emphasis>Phone Book</emphasis>. +<!-- +See chapter <a href="04_03_00_creating_database.html">4.3. +Creating a new database project</a> for information how to do this. +--> +</para> + +<para>Having a new empty database project, perform the following steps:</para> +<procedure> +<step><para>Design database tables. Read <xref linkend="designing-tables"/>.</para></step> +<step><para>Enter data into tables. Read <xref linkend="entering-data-into-tables"/>.</para></step> +<step><para>Design database queries. Read <xref linkend="designing-queries"/>.</para></step> +<step><para>Design forms. Read <xref linkend="designing-forms"/>.</para></step> +<step><para>Use forms to enter data. Read <xref linkend="entering-data-using-forms"/>.</para></step> +</procedure> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="designing-tables"> +<title>Designing Database Tables</title> +<para> +First, there will be two tables added to your database: +<emphasis>persons</emphasis> and <emphasis>phone_numbers</emphasis>. +These are exactly the same tables as described in chapter <link +linkend="database-and-spreadsheet">Database and spreadsheet</link>. +A layout for <emphasis>Persons</emphasis> can be found in section +<link linkend="data-integrity-and-validity">Data integrity and validity</link> +in that chapter. +</para> + +<procedure> +<step> +<para> +Select <menuchoice><guimenu>Insert</guimenu><guimenuitem>Table</guimenuitem> +</menuchoice> from the Menubar. You can also use the button <guilabel>Create +object: table</guilabel> on the <link linkend="project-navigator-pane">Project +Navigator's toolbar</link>. +</para> +</step> +<step> +<para> +The Table Designer's window will appear. Looking at the top of designer's window +you will notice that &kexi; proposed you a generic name like +<emphasis>template</emphasis> for the new table. The table design is not saved +yet so you will be able to assign more proper name later. Moreover, because of +the same reason, the table name is not yet visible in the +<link linkend="project-navigator-pane">Project Navigator</link>. +</para> +</step> +</procedure> + + +<sect2 id="design-window"> +<title>The Table Designer window</title> +<itemizedlist> +<title>Table Designer window consists of following columns:</title> +<listitem><para> +<guilabel>PK</guilabel> - Primary Key. <!-- It will be discussed this topic in +<link linkend="building-advanced-database">in a later chapter</link>. --> +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +<guilabel>Field Caption</guilabel> - caption of the field +which will be displayed during data entering. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +<guilabel>Data Type</guilabel> - a combo box containing a list of data types, +allowing to set a main rule for entered data for a given field. For example, +when an integer number data type is set for a field, a database user will not +able to enter letter characters into this field. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +<guilabel>Comments</guilabel> - you can enter here any information useful for +understanding what the given field is provided for. This additional text will +be saved within the table design and only visible in design mode. +</para></listitem> +</itemizedlist> +<para> +In the <guilabel>Table designer</guilabel> window, every row corresponds to +a single table field. You can recognize you are in <emphasis>design +mode</emphasis> because the <!-- <img src="icons/state_edit.png" class="icon"> --> +<guibutton>Switch to Design View mode</guibutton> button is toggled on within +the main &kexi; toolbar. +</para> + + +<procedure> +<title>Designing the <emphasis>Persons</emphasis> table</title> +<step><para> +In the first row click on the cell in the <guilabel>Field Caption</guilabel> +column and enter <emphasis>Name</emphasis> as field caption. +</para> +<itemizedlist> +<title>Notes about field names and captions</title> +<listitem><para> +Every table field must have a name and a caption, these cannot be empty. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +Field name is a word used by the database, usually not visible for users of the database application. The name may not contain special (national) characters (like ±, ¶, Ü) +or space characters. The name must only contain roman letters, +<!-- JSTANIEK: TODO: what about for example japanese letters? Are they allowed in japanese versions?--> +numbers and underscore sign "_". Use the latter instead of +spaces or dashes. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +Field names must be started with a letter or underscore sign +"_", never with a number. +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +It does not matter whether you are using small or capital letters. +For &kexi; the database name "Persons" is the same as +"persons". +</para></listitem> +<listitem><para> +Field caption, on the other hand, allows you to enter any letters and special characters. It will be displayed for users of the database application. +</para></listitem> +</itemizedlist> +</step> + +<step> +<itemizedlist> +<title>In a similar way, enter the following fields into the table design:</title> +<listitem><para><guilabel>surname</guilabel></para></listitem> +<listitem><para>street</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>house_number</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>city</para></listitem> +</itemizedlist> +</step> + +<step><para> +All the above fields, except <emphasis>house_number</emphasis>, are of type +<emphasis>text</emphasis>. +Change <emphasis>house_number</emphasis> field's type to <emphasis>integer +number</emphasis>. To do this, click on a cell in the <guilabel>Data +Type</guilabel> column, <emphasis>house_number</emphasis> row and then +click on drop down list's button <!--<img src="icons/dropdown_button.png" class="icon">--> +(you can also press <keycombo><keycap>F4</keycap></keycombo> or +<keycombo action="simul">&Alt;<keycap>Down</keycap></keycombo>. The list +of data types will appear. Select the <emphasis>Integer number</emphasis> type. +<!-- + <br><img src="img/05_01_01_changing_datatype.png"> + <br>Changing data type of a filed to integer number<br><br> +--> +</para><para> +From now on, the <emphasis>house_number</emphasis> field only accepts numbers. +</para></step> + +<!-- TODO setting additional properties: e.g. caption --> +<step><para> +<emphasis>Persons</emphasis> table design is ready. Click <!-- <img src="icons/state_data.png" class="icon">--> +<guibutton>Switch to Data View</guibutton> button on the toolbar to finish +designing and switch to Data View for the table. This allows you entering +data into the table. +</para></step> + +<step><para> +As the design is not yet saved in the database, the <guibutton>Save Object As</guibutton> +dialog window appears. You need to specify the name for the new table. +<!-- + <br><img src="img/05_01_01_entering_table_name.png"> + <br>Entering table name before saving its design<br><br> +--> +</para> +<para> +&kexi; offers a generic name like <emphasis>Table1</emphasis>. +To change the name, enter <emphasis>Persons</emphasis> into the +<emphasis>Caption</emphasis> field and press the <keycombo> +<keycap>Enter</keycap></keycombo> key or click the <guibutton>OK</guibutton> +button. The <guilabel>Caption</guilabel> field will be used to display the +table to database end-users, ⪚ as a form. Unlike the name, the caption can +contain any characters including spaces and special characters. +</para> +<para> +Note that filling the <guilabel>Caption</guilabel> field automatically fills +the <guilabel>Name</guilabel> field. For your convenience the rule for using +only letters, numbers and the "_" character is kept. You +can alter the contents of the <guilabel>Name</guilabel> field if you want to. +<!-- + <br><img src="img/05_01_01_automatic_names.png"> + <br>Example of automatically filled Name field<br><br> +--> +</para></step> + +<step><para> +You are asked about an agreement for automatic adding of primary key to the table. +<!--The idea of primary keys is described in <a href=""> --> +<!-- TODO chapter # chapter 6</a>.--> Click <guibutton>Add primary key</guibutton> +button to continue. +<!-- + <br><img src="img/05_01_01_pkey_recommended.png"> + <br>A question about automatic adding a primary key<br><br> +--> +</para></step> + +<step><para> +The <emphasis>Persons</emphasis> table has been created and opened in Data View. +Its name appears in the <guilabel>Project Navigator</guilabel> pane. +<!-- <br><img src="img/05_01_01_table_created.png"> + <br><em>Persons</em> table in the Project Navigator pane<br><br> +--> +</para></step> + +<step><para> +Create the <emphasis>phone_numbers</emphasis> table, in a similar +way as <emphasis>persons</emphasis> table. +</para></step> + +<step><para> +Create a <emphasis>person</emphasis> field of type <emphasis>Integer +number</emphasis> and <emphasis>phone</emphasis> of type <emphasis>Text</emphasis>. +Do not use a number type here because phone numbers can have many different +forms and prefixes. +</para></step> + +<step><para> +Click <!--<img src="icons/state_data.png" class="icon"> --> <guibutton>Switch to +Data View</guibutton> button on the toolbar and enter <emphasis>Phones</emphasis> +caption for the table. As for your previous table, allow &kexi; to automatically +create a primary key. +</para></step> +</procedure> + +</sect2> + +</sect1> + +&enteringdataintotables; + +&querydesigning; + +&designingforms; + +&enteringdatausingforms; + +</chapter> + |