AX2341

Using Save Type 3

Save Type 3 is a structured save type. It is primarily intended for use in driver files to create driver tables for file groups, but it can also be used in report files and file group utility files if appropriate. The file must be a managed file.

Save Type 3 creates a document reference table, which is a special kind of reference table that is managed within an Axiom file. Each time the data is saved to the database from the file, the table is re-created based upon the structure and data in the Axiom file. If a row or column is deleted in the document, it is deleted in the table. The table itself is never edited directly—all edits occur in the source file.

NOTES:  

  • Use caution when using Save Type 3 outside of driver files. Only use Save Type 3 if you want to manage the table completely within an Axiom file.
  • If Save Type 3 is enabled for a sheet, no other save processes can be enabled for that sheet.

Document reference tables cannot be edited by using the Open Table in Spreadsheet feature. If you select to open a document reference table from the Table menu, Axiom Software opens the associated source file for the document reference table, instead of opening the spreadsheet table editor.

Enabling Save Type 3 for a sheet

To enable Save Type 3 for a sheet, complete the following settings in the Save to Database Setup section on the Control Sheet. Remember to add the sheet name to the Control Sheet if it is not there already.

NOTE: The save-to-database settings are protected on the Control Sheet. You must unprotect the sheet using Advanced > Protect > Worksheet before you can configure a save-to-database process.

Setting

Description

Save Type 3 Enabled

Enter or select On.

Table Name for Save Type 3

Enter the table name for Save Type 3. The name must be unique—no other sheets in this file or any other file can use the same table name.

When data from this sheet is saved to the database, it creates or re-creates a table with this name.

Table Folder for Save Type 3

Specify a folder location for the table in the Table Library. For example, you might have a folder named Drivers, or a folder for each file group. If the folder does not already exist, it will be created.

When entering the folder location, do not place a backward slash in front of the first folder name. For example, enter Drivers or BudgetData\Drivers, but do not enter \Drivers. The folder location is already assumed to be within the Table Library, so you do not need any additional folder path information.

If this setting is left blank, the table is saved to the root of the Table Library.

Table names for Save Type 3 must be unique. If two different sheets use the same table name, then whichever sheet is saved to the database last will overwrite the table. Make sure that all sheets configured to use Save Type 3 have a unique table name, regardless of whether they are in the same file or different files.

To avoid this issue, it is recommended to use dynamic table names. For example, you can use the GetFileGroupVariable function to return a table name defined in the table variables for the file group.

Sheet structure for Save Type 3

Sheets using Save Type 3 must be structured in the following manner:

  • Key codes must be placed in Column A. Cell A1 must contain a column title, such as "KeyCode".
  • All other table columns must be defined as follows:
    • Column names must be placed in Row 1.
    • Column type must be placed in Row 2. You can specify any valid column data type except Identity. In mixed language environments, the English column type name must be used to ensure that the name will be recognized in all environments.
    • If the column type is string, the maximum string length must be placed in Row 3. The string length cannot exceed 4000. If the column type is not string, row 3 must be left blank.

    NOTE: The column name, data type, and string length are the only column properties that can be set for columns in document reference tables. All other column properties will use the default setting as appropriate.

Save Type 3 evaluates the entire used area, so row and column entries do not have to be contiguous—any blank rows and columns are ignored when creating the database table.

Security access and Save Type 3

By default, when you create a table by using Save Type 3, all users have "full access" to the table through the Everyone role. This means that all users can query the data held in the table; it does not mean that users can access the source file. Access to the source file is controlled by the applicable file access setting in security, depending on what type of file the source file is.

In most cases, this is the desired level of access and no security changes are necessary. However, if needed you can modify the Everyone role to remove access to the table, and then grant access to the specific users and roles that need to access the table.

Because document reference tables can only be managed within a spreadsheet using Save Type 3, it is not possible to directly edit the table properties using the Table Manager. Many of the table properties that are configurable for data tables and reference tables do not apply to document reference tables. For example, document reference tables cannot belong to table types, and do not have a current period. Most of the remaining table properties are set for the document reference table by default and cannot be changed.

The table name and folder for a document reference table are defined in the Save Type 3 settings within the source file. All tables created using Save Type 3 are automatically classified as document reference tables. Additionally, document reference tables are always audited, unless the in-memory table feature is enabled for your system. Auditing is automatically disabled on document reference tables if they are being stored in-memory.

See also