Entity tab for ODBC

You must create the interface code and populate the General tab before continuing. Special interfaces, in which more than one entity is interfaced simultaneously, include an entity and format page for each entity.
Note: If the bulk check box is selected on the Format tab, the expressions for the attributes are disabled.
  1. Double-click the attribute or use the right arrow to select the attribute that you require to include in the interface.
  2. Select a column from the list or specify the column name to use an attribute that is not available in the database.
    Note: 
    • You can change the column in the interface definition first, and adapt the database afterwards or modify interfaces that are supposed to write to databases when you do not have the access to the database at the moment.
    • You can use ODBC functions.
  3. Ensure that the attributes are linked to a column name in the external database.
    Note: 
    • For a read interface, an expression can be used to make a conversion when interfacing. You can use a tilde (~) as an abbreviation for the column name. For example, ~+1 to add 1 to the value interfaced.
    • The expression for the attribute cannot be used in a write interface.

In the attribute's expression field, you can use these ODBC functions:

  • Write an ODBC function in this form: 
    {fn FUNCTIONNAME(params)}

    In this example, FUNCTIONNAME is the function name and params is a comma-delimited list of parameters.

  • To specify, in the case of an export interface, the current field value or, in the case of an import interface, the column value, you can use the tilde character "~" as a parameter.
  • Specify a column name as a parameter.
  • Nest ODBC functions.

This table shows the examples of ODBC functions:

Description Code
Changing a field value to uppercase 
{fn UCASE(~)}
Appending the as_code column value to the current value of the field 
{fn CONCAT(~, as_code)}
Appending the as_code column value to the current value of the field and changing the field value to upper case 
{fn UCASE({fn CONCAT(~, as_code)})}
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