Adding an IDO

An IDO (Intelligent Data Object) provides a set of properties and methods. It also responds to requests from the IDO request interface (LoadCollection, UpdateCollection, and Invoke).

You can add IDOs to your IDO project using this procedure:

  1. Open either the IDO Projects form or IDOs form, and click New IDO.
  2. In the first page of the IDO Wizard, provide this information:
    Project Name
    (Required) Select the IDO project to which the IDO is to belong
    Primary Base Table
    (Required unless extending) Select the table or view that is to be used to store the values for the properties of the new IDO. To be selectable, the table must already exist in the IDO project.
    Note: Use this option only if you are creating a completely new IDO. To create an IDO that is an extension of an existing IDO, use the Extends option.
    IDO Name
    (Required) This is the name to assign to the new IDO. This name must be unique in the Objects Database (or its equivalent in the All-in-One database).

    This field is automatically populated when you select the Primary Base Table, but you can change it.

    Description
    (Optional) Provide a brief description of the intended use for the new IDO.
    Label String ID
    (Optional) Select a translatable string to use for the label on the IDO.

    If there is a string associated with the Primary Base Table you selected, this field is automatically populated with a recommended string, but you can change it.

    Access As
    This read-only field displays the Access As identifier that is to be associated with the new IDO. This field should display the Access As identifier for your development environment.
    Table Alias
    (Required) Provide a unique, valid SQL identifier for this IDO table. This alias is usually an abbreviated version of the table name.

    This identifier is used to reference the table in join specifications and in generated SQL.

    Extends
    (Optional) To create an IDO that is an extension of an existing IDO, select the IDO you want to extend.

    If you select this option, the Primary Base Table field and the Table Alias field are both disabled.

    Extend And Replace
    (Optional) To have the extended IDO replace the base IDO at runtime, select this option.
  3. Click Next.
    Note:  If you specify a value for the Extends option, page 2 of the wizard is not used and the Next button is disabled. In this case, click Finish.
  4. In the second page of the wizard, create bound properties for this IDO that are based on columns in the primary base table in the Application Database.

    By default, all of the columns in the primary base table are included as properties in the IDO.

    • To remove a column and omit it as a property, clear the Inc check box for that column.
    • To change a property name, specify the new name in the Property Name field for that property.
    • To make changes to all property names at one time, click Massage Property Names, which opens the Massage Options form.
  5. Click Finish.

The IDO is created and, if you are using source control, it is automatically checked out to you. Before it is accessible for general use, you must check it in.