Kinds of Queries

Database Queries

You create database queries when you want to retrieve data directly from a Lawson ERP application table. Security restrictions are the only business rules that are applied to your query.

Database queries are the most common kind of queries that are created with OLE DB Object Services. Customers who use OLE DB Object Services with Crystal Reports might not need to create any other kind of queries.

Form Queries

You use form queries when you want to inquire on and update data from online and batch forms. The business rules of the form are applied to your query.

Because form queries can update as well as retrieve data, they are read-only when you execute them from the Query Builder. This is a way to protect you from the possibility of your data becoming corrupted because of a bug in a query. If you attempt to write a form query from the Query Builder, you will receive a message that only Next statements or Inquires are allowed. After you have pasted a query into your consumer application, you will be allowed to create the form query.

Drill Around Queries

You use Drill Around queries when you want to retrieve Drill Around data. The business rules of the Drill Around are applied to your query.

Drill Around queries are defined against Lawson ERP applications. OLE DB Object Services lets you execute any Drill Around and return the data in a recordset to be used by a client application. These queries are executed as a single query.

It is possible, for example, to create a summary level report taking data from a database query and then attaching a Drill Around query to get to detailed information. The Drill Around query could get its parameters from the results returned from the database query.

Report Queries

Lawson reports are available as data sources to OLE DB Object Services. The print files of a particular user's (or any reports that the current user has access to) are available to be selected from the list of reports. You can paste the report queries into another application, such as a report writer, so that you can format the report to meet your needs.

Attachment Queries

URLs and comments can be attached to some Lawson forms. OLE DB Object Services can retrieve this information. Not all Lawson ERP applications are enabled for attachments.

Metadata Queries

You can create queries to retrieve metadata about the objects you use in queries, such as data areas, tables, fields, forms, attachments, and so on.