Manage Table

This window is used for administering tables. Display this window from the Database Explorer by selecting the Create Table, Properties of Table, Alter Table or Redefine Table functions. This is part of the Administration Component of AQT.

With this window you are able to:

• Create a new table
• Display the full definition of a table.
• Alter a table. This is used to amend the definition of the table
• Redefine a table. This is used to make a significant change to the definition of a table. In order to do this, the table is dropped and recreated with your new definition. Security rights, and other related objects, are reestablished. However the table contents will be lost. You must save your data before running this function.

The appearance of the window will be different for different database types, and whether you are in Create, Display, Alter or Redefine modes. The screenshot below is an example of the Manage Table window for creating a DB2 table.

There are many parts to a table definition, as indicated by the different Tabs on this window:

• the columns
• other properties of the table
• index, keys, triggers and other related objects

This window cannot be used for specifying a table's authorities. For this, use the Manage Authorities window.

Run

Once you have entered / altered the table definition, click on Run. This runs the SQL for creating, altering or redefining your table. If this involves running more than one SQL statement you will be shown the Run Multiple Statements window.

You can also run the SQL with F5.

If you are in evaluation mode of the Admin Component, this button will not be active.

Preview SQL

This displays the SQL which AQT has generated for creating, altering or redefining your table. You can save this SQL to disk or copy it to the Run SQL window (though you can't of either of these if you are in evaluation mode of the Admin Component).

Other notes

Copying the definition from an existing table

If you click on the Copy From button, AQT will copy the table definition from another table. This is described more fully in the next section.

Specifying the Table Schema

This is selected by using the drop-down list (this contains existing table schemas). If you wish to create the table in a new Schema, type the name into the schema box.