The extended attribute system tables are a set of tables maintained by the Database painter. They contain information about database tables and columns. Extended attribute information extends database definitions by recording information that is relevant to using database data in screens and reports.
Extended attribute information applies to forms, too
InfoMaker uses extended attribute information when generating
a form the same way it uses it when generating a report.
For example, labels and headings you defined for columns in the Database painter are used in the generated report. Similarly, if you associated an edit style with a column in the Database painter, that edit style is automatically used for the column in the report.
When generating a report, InfoMaker uses the following information from the extended attribute system tables:
For |
InfoMaker uses |
|---|---|
Tables |
Fonts specified for labels, headings, and data |
Columns |
Text specified for labels and headings Display formats Column widths, heights, and justifications Edit styles |
If there is no extended attribute information for the database tables and columns you are using, you can set the text for headings and labels, the fonts, and the display formats in the Report painter. The difference is that you have to do this individually for every report that you create using the data.
If you want to change something that came from the extended attribute system tables, you can change it in the Report painter. The changes you make in the Report painter apply only to the report you are working on.
The advantage of using the extended attribute system tables is that it saves time and ensures consistency. You only have to specify the information once, in the database. Since InfoMaker uses the information whenever anyone creates a new report with the data, it is more likely that the appearance and labels of data items will be consistent.
If you have installed InfoMaker without the Database
painter
You cannot create extended attribute information if you have
installed InfoMaker without the Database painter. An InfoMaker user
with the Database painter or a PowerBuilder user can add extended
attribute information to the database for you, or you can change
the extended attributes individually in each report.
For more information about the extended attribute system tables, see Chapter 3, “Managing the Database,” and Appendix B, “The Extended Attribute System Tables.”
