You can not select more than 25 topics
Topics must start with a letter or number, can include dashes ('-') and can be up to 35 characters long.
505 lines
16 KiB
505 lines
16 KiB
<!--
|
|
<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd" >
|
|
|
|
-->
|
|
|
|
<chapter id="basics">
|
|
<title>
|
|
&kexi; Basics
|
|
</title>
|
|
|
|
<sect1 id="doc-vs-project">
|
|
<title>
|
|
&kexi; Databases
|
|
</title>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Many applications such as OpenOffice.org or Microsoft Excel create
|
|
files which are called <firstterm>documents</firstterm>. &kexi;
|
|
creates files too, but we refer to them as <firstterm>&kexi;
|
|
database files</firstterm>, or simple <firstterm>database
|
|
files</firstterm> here. &kexi; database files usually have the
|
|
extension <filename>.kexi</filename>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
|
|
<!-- TODO: Picture of Kexi database icon? -->
|
|
|
|
<para>
|
|
In addition to storing your databases in database files, &kexi;
|
|
can also use databases on <firstterm>database
|
|
servers</firstterm>, which is why we refer to them as
|
|
<emphasis>database files</emphasis>, and not simply as
|
|
<emphasis>databases</emphasis>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
|
|
<para>
|
|
The term <firstterm>&kexi; project</firstterm>, or simply
|
|
<firstterm>project</firstterm> is also used to refer to a &kexi;
|
|
database, regardless of whether it is stored in a file or on a
|
|
database server.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</sect1>
|
|
|
|
<sect1 id="new-database">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Creating a New Database File
|
|
</title>
|
|
|
|
<procedure>
|
|
<step>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Run &kexi;, or if it is already running, use
|
|
<menuchoice>
|
|
<shortcut>
|
|
<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>N</keycap></keycombo>
|
|
</shortcut>
|
|
<guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>New</guimenuitem>
|
|
</menuchoice>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</step>
|
|
<step>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Click the <guibutton>OK</guibutton> to confirm the
|
|
creation of the project.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</step>
|
|
<step>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Enter a name for your project, and click <guibutton>Next</guibutton>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</step>
|
|
<step>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Use the file browser to choose a folder where you would
|
|
like to save your database file. You may change the file
|
|
name in the <guilabel>Location:</guilabel> box if you dislike
|
|
the one that is suggested.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</step>
|
|
<step>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Click <guibutton>Create</guibutton>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</step>
|
|
</procedure>
|
|
</sect1>
|
|
|
|
<sect1 id="main-window">
|
|
<title>
|
|
The &kexi; Main Window
|
|
</title>
|
|
<para>
|
|
The <guilabel>Project Navigator</guilabel> and
|
|
<guilabel>Properties Editor</guilabel> are shown in panes on
|
|
each side of the child window. These can be resized or hidden
|
|
as required. A pane can be hidden by clicking the small cross
|
|
at the top of the pane (just below the toolbar).
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Database objects (tables, queries, etc.) listed in the <guilabel>Project
|
|
Navigator</guilabel> can opened by clicking (or
|
|
double-clicking, depending upon your global &tde; settings) on their names.
|
|
</para>
|
|
|
|
<sect2 id="main-application-elements">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Main application elements
|
|
</title>
|
|
<!--
|
|
<br><img src="img/04_06_00_main_window.png">
|
|
<br>Kexi's main window<br><br>
|
|
-->
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>
|
|
Main elements of &kexi; application's window are:
|
|
</title>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis>Menubar</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
contains available commands for the application.
|
|
You will find detailed description of any of the commands in the appendix.
|
|
<!-- @todo: point to the appendix (link) -->
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis>Toolbar</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
contains most frequently used commands.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<!-- @todo: link to the various chapters from the listitems -->
|
|
<para><emphasis><guilabel>Project Navigator</guilabel>'s pane</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
contains a list of any object (tables, queries, forms, ...) created
|
|
within the currently opened database project. The navigator also contains
|
|
small toolbar with most usable commands related to the database objects.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis><guilabel>Opened database objects</guilabel> area</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
a central area of the application taking most of the screen space.
|
|
For IDEAl user interface mode it contains switchable tabs with
|
|
windows that are always maximized. For Childframe user interface
|
|
mode it contains floating windows.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis><guilabel>Properties</guilabel> pane</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
contains a list of properties of currently activated database object.
|
|
For certain objects (⪚ form's widgets) it can have several tabs.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis>Taskbar</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
contains a list of currently opened windows with database objects.
|
|
For IDEAl user interface mode, it is available as a number of tabs.
|
|
For Childframe user interface mode, it is available as a number of
|
|
buttons, behaving just like your operating system's taskbar.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
|
|
<sect3 id="project-navigator-pane">
|
|
<title><guilabel>Project Navigator</guilabel> pane</title>
|
|
<para>
|
|
The <guilabel>Project Navigator</guilabel> pane is one of the most frequently used elements
|
|
of the &kexi; main window. The pane contains a list of all objects
|
|
created within the currently opened &kexi; database project. The objects
|
|
are split into groups: tables, queries, forms.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para id="project-navigator-pane-toolbar">
|
|
The <guilabel>Project Navigator</guilabel> pane also contains a <emphasis>small toolbar for most
|
|
frequently used commands</emphasis> (from left to right): <guilabel>Open
|
|
selected object</guilabel>, <guilabel>Design selected object</guilabel>,
|
|
<guilabel>Create a new object</guilabel>, and <guilabel>Delete selected
|
|
object</guilabel>.
|
|
<!--
|
|
<img src="img/04_06_01_nav_mini_toolbar.png">
|
|
<br>A toolbar in the Project Navigator pane<br><br>
|
|
-->
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
For each object on the list a context menu is available using the &RMB;.
|
|
For example, this is context menu for the <emphasis>persons</emphasis> table.
|
|
<!--
|
|
<br><img src="img/04_06_01_context_menu.png">
|
|
<br>Project Navigator pane's context menu<br><br>
|
|
-->
|
|
|
|
<!-- TODO Commands of this menu is documented in <appendix>
|
|
|
|
See also a list of available shortcuts in <a href=
|
|
"ab_00_00_shortcuts.html#nav_panel">Appendix B.2. Project Navigator
|
|
pane <! - - TODO (js) APPENDIX number - - ></a> .
|
|
|
|
-->
|
|
</para>
|
|
|
|
<para>
|
|
Double clicking with the &LMB; on the object's name on the list allows to
|
|
open the object in Data View. If the object's window was alread opened,
|
|
the action just activates the window without switching it's view mode.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Note that your operating system or window manager can be set up to handle
|
|
single clicks instead of double clicks. In this case it is enough to single
|
|
click on the object name to open its window.
|
|
<!-- TODO (js) but then how to select an object without opening it? -->
|
|
</para>
|
|
|
|
</sect3>
|
|
|
|
<sect3 id="database-object-windows">
|
|
<title>Database object windows</title>
|
|
|
|
<orderedlist>
|
|
<title>Opening an object's window</title>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Select the object in the <link linkend="project-navigator-pane">Project Navigator
|
|
pane</link>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para>
|
|
<!-- <img src="icons/edit.png" class="icon"> -->
|
|
Click the <guibutton>Open</guibutton> button on the <link
|
|
linkend="project-navigator-pane-toolbar">Project Navigator pane's toolbar</link>.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
</orderedlist>
|
|
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>Commands related to object windows</title>
|
|
<listitem><para><emphasis>Closing an object window</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
When the IDEAl user interface mode (the default) is used, each window has
|
|
its own tab. Place the mouse pointer on the icon on the tab. A
|
|
<!-- <img src="fileclose.png" class="icon"> --> <guibutton>Close</guibutton> button will become
|
|
visible. Click it to close the tab.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
In the Childframe on the right hand of each opened window there are
|
|
buttons you can use to control the window. Click the first one on the
|
|
right hand to close the window.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Alternatively, regardless of the user interface mode you are using,
|
|
you can select <menuchoice><guimenu>Window</guimenu>
|
|
<guimenuitem>Close</guimenuitem></menuchoice> from the Menubar.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para><emphasis>Window buttons for Childframe user interface
|
|
mode</emphasis></para>
|
|
<!--
|
|
<para>
|
|
<br><img src="img/04_06_02_window_buttons.png">
|
|
<br>Window's buttons<br><br>
|
|
</para>
|
|
-->
|
|
<para>
|
|
The other buttons (from right to left) can be used to: maximize, minimize
|
|
and undock the window.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
There's a small icon on the left side of the title bar which can be clicked
|
|
to show a context menu with commands related to the window.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<!--
|
|
<para>See also Docking and undocking of the windows.</para>
|
|
-->
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
|
|
</sect3>
|
|
|
|
<sect3 id="property-editor-pane">
|
|
<title><guilabel>Property Editor</guilabel> pane</title>
|
|
<para>
|
|
In the <guilabel>Property Editor</guilabel> pane you can change properties of the object
|
|
displayed in the active window. Depending on the context, the pane is
|
|
consisted of one or more tabs. The first, always visible tab, Properties,
|
|
contains the list of available properties.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<!--
|
|
<para>
|
|
<img src="img/04_06_03_prop_panel.png">
|
|
<br>Property Editor<br><br>
|
|
</para>
|
|
-->
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>Rules for using the Property Editor:</title>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para>Each row contains a single property.</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para>You can use the mouse or the keyboard to change values of particular
|
|
properties.</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>Most frequently used types of property values are:</title>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis>a number;</emphasis> you can enter the value directly
|
|
or increase or decrease its value by clicking with the &LMB; on the arrows.
|
|
<!-- <img src="img/04_06_03_prop_arrows.png" class="icon"> -->
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>text</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>drop down list of values</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para><emphasis>Yes/No;</emphasis>
|
|
you can toggle the value by clicking on the button;
|
|
<guibutton>Yes</guibutton> (<emphasis>true</emphasis>) means that the button is
|
|
toggled on, <guibutton>>No</guibutton> (<emphasis>false</emphasis>) means that
|
|
the button is toggled off.
|
|
<!-- see the above figure -->
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
There is no need to confirm a changed value: changes are visible immediately
|
|
after moving to a different row of the Property Editor's list or by pressing
|
|
the <keycombo><keycap>Enter</keycap></keycombo> key.
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Names of the recently changed properties that not yet were stored in the
|
|
database are marked with bold text.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para>
|
|
After changing the value of a property, a special <guibutton>Undo changes</guibutton>
|
|
button appears on the right side of the Property Editor's list.
|
|
<!-- <img src="img/04_06_03_prop_undo.png" class="icon"> -->
|
|
By clicking it you can revert the value of the property to the original value
|
|
that was loaded from the database upon opening the database object. The button
|
|
is only visible when the property is actually highlighted.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>The Property Editor pane is empty if:</title>
|
|
<listitem><para>no single database object's window is opened, or</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
the active database object's window does not offer properties; it is usually
|
|
the case when it is opened in Data View instead of Design View
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
|
|
<!--
|
|
<para>
|
|
See also the list of keyboard shortcuts available for the Property Editor
|
|
pane in appendix Property Editor pane.
|
|
</para>
|
|
-->
|
|
|
|
</sect3>
|
|
|
|
</sect2>
|
|
|
|
</sect1>
|
|
|
|
<sect1 id="project-opening">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Opening an existing &kexi; database file
|
|
</title>
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>
|
|
To open an existing &kexi; database file:
|
|
</title>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
select it in the <guilabel>Open Existing Project</guilabel>
|
|
dialog; or
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
open it by clicking on the .kexi file icon.
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
|
|
<sect2 id="window-open-existing">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Opening a database file in the <guilabel>Open Existing
|
|
Project</guilabel> dialog
|
|
</title>
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
Run &kexi;. <!--(see <a href="04_02_00_running_kexi.html">Running Kexi</a>).-->
|
|
You should see <guilabel>Choose Project</guilabel> startup dialog.
|
|
Choose <guilabel>Open Existing Project</guilabel> tab.
|
|
You will see the following dialog:
|
|
<!-- image: <img src="img/04_04_01_startup_open_existing.png"> -->
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
From <guilabel>Current location</guilabel> drop down box, pick a folder
|
|
containing a file you are looking for.
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
You can either pick a file or enter its name in the
|
|
<guilabel>Location:</guilabel> box.
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
Click <guibutton>OK</guibutton>.
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
|
|
<sect3 id="open-existing-notes">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Notes
|
|
</title>
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
By default the <guilabel>Filter:</guilabel> drop down list has
|
|
<guilabel>Kexi Database File-Based Project</guilabel> selected.
|
|
In case the file you are looking for has an other extension,
|
|
you can change the selection of the <guilabel>Filter:</guilabel>
|
|
drop down list to <guilabel>All Files</guilabel> to display
|
|
all available files (regardless of an extension).
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
If you have selected a file of an external type, like a MS Access .mdb
|
|
file, &kexi; will provide you with the option to import the file.
|
|
<!-- todo an advice to read "importing" chapter will be placed here -->
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
<listitem><para>
|
|
If you have selected a <emphasis>connection data</emphasis> file
|
|
(with .kexic extension) or a <emphasis>shortcut to a project on
|
|
database server</emphasis> file (with .kexis extension), &kexi;
|
|
will display appropriate dialogs.
|
|
</para></listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
</sect3>
|
|
</sect2>
|
|
|
|
<sect2 id="open-icon">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Opening an existing &kexi; database file by clicking on .kexi file's icon
|
|
</title>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Click file's icon using your file manager or desktop.
|
|
&kexi; will open this database project automatically.
|
|
</para>
|
|
<!-- <img src="icons/mime-kexiproject_sqlite.png" class="icon"/> -->
|
|
<sect3 id="open-icon-notes">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Notes
|
|
</title>
|
|
<para>
|
|
<emphasis>Note about database files accessed remotely.</emphasis>
|
|
You may want to open a database file that is located on a remote
|
|
source (⪚ a web or FTP server or a MS Windows network share).
|
|
K Desktop Environment allows you to open files from remote sources
|
|
directly in applications and to save changes back to the source, but
|
|
this is not the case with database files. By clicking on a database
|
|
file located on a remote source, a copy of the file will be
|
|
downloaded to a temporary directory on your computer and all your
|
|
changes will be made to this local file. The remote original of
|
|
the file will remain unchanged, so it's recommended to copy
|
|
(download) the file to your computer first, then open the file and
|
|
copy it back to the remote source if you want to make it up to date.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</sect3>
|
|
</sect2>
|
|
</sect1>
|
|
|
|
<sect1 id="using-help">
|
|
<title>
|
|
Using built-in help
|
|
</title>
|
|
<itemizedlist>
|
|
<title>
|
|
The following ways to get built-in help in &kexi; are available:
|
|
</title>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis>The Handbook in form of electronic document.</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
The Handbook is available by pressing <keycombo><keycap>F1</keycap></keycombo>
|
|
key or selecting <menuchoice><guimenu>Help</guimenu><guimenuitem>&kexi;
|
|
Handbook</guimenuitem></menuchoice> from the menubar.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
<listitem>
|
|
<para><emphasis>What's This? hints.</emphasis></para>
|
|
<para>
|
|
Select <menuchoice><guimenu>Help</guimenu><guimenuitem>What's
|
|
This?</guimenuitem></menuchoice>from the menu bar and click on
|
|
an area of the application to get hints about it.
|
|
</para>
|
|
</listitem>
|
|
</itemizedlist>
|
|
</sect1>
|
|
|
|
</chapter>
|