Data Dictionary Explorer

How to manage complex business logic simply, reliably, and maintainably.

In Visual DataFlex, an application’s business rules are expressed through and managed by Data Dictionaries. Data Dictionaries create a layer between application logic and data. Data Dictionaries are defined as classes; a Data Dictionary class is created for each table in your database. These classes are used while building your application.

The Data Dictionary Object (DDO) Explorer displays an overview of the current file’s data dictionary objects.  The DDO Explorer is used to:

• Maintain Data Dictionary Object (DDO) structures.
• Build the structure of Data Dictionary Objects that serve data to a structure of data "consumer" objects within a component.
• Review or modify the structure of DDOs.
• Create data entry objects (DEOs) binding windows controls to table column data via data dictionary objects.
• Add DDOs.
• Connect DDOs.
• Set Main-Data Dictionaries and maintain relates-to constraints.
• Provide a source for table and column controls that can be dragged and dropped into the Visual Designer:
  • Automatically selscts the appropriate control (form, checkbox, etc.) based on the data dictionary definitions for the data element.
  • Grid columns are selected by dragging table/columns from the Data Dictionary Explorer on to a grid.