Deleting fields in external databases

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have an external database linked to objects in my drawing. I deleted some
fields in Access from the external database that I no longer required. When
I opened the external database in MAP the fields that I deleted are still
there. All fields to the right of the deleted fields have moved along one
column.

Furthermore, I moved the key field (changed the order of the fields) in
Access and now MAP is reading the wrong data into the wrong field and worse
still because the order of the fields has changed the database records are
no longer attached to the objects.

I managed to fix this my adding dummy fields and changing the order of the
fields Access but still have a bunch of fields that I would like deleted.
How do I do this.

I would also like to be able to change the order of the fields for
readability.

What I would really like to know is how and where the Access fields are
mapped to the MAP fields.

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Thanks

Sean

[Anonymous]

Hi, Sean,

simply, this is an old MAP bug

it looks that AutoDesk has not fixed this simple (but very dangerous !) bug
for years now, though this bug has been reported for around 2 years ....


Workaround:

under MAP Options / Data Source set the checkbox "Save format and Style
changes with project"
unchecked ! You will loose some comfort, but your described effects are gone
then.

Usually, Map saves all the database viewer to the drawing, with all columns,
positions etc.,
but Map does not check this saved layout against the real database, when
opening the drawing.

A beginner's failure ....

Hope this helps
Ciao,
Torsten Moses

[Anonymous]

If you are using Map4 or Map5 detach the udl and reattach it to fix the
problem.
If that doesn't work, you can delete the udl and recreate it to fix it.


--
Jim Claypool
jclaypool@kc.rr.com


"Sean Bartleet" wrote in message
news:22EA69E89C6DAE9BEB7AD4B6FEC0DC3C@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Hi,
>
> I have an external database linked to objects in my drawing. I deleted
some
> fields in Access from the external database that I no longer required.
When
> I opened the external database in MAP the fields that I deleted are still
> there. All fields to the right of the deleted fields have moved along one
> column.
>
> Furthermore, I moved the key field (changed the order of the fields) in
> Access and now MAP is reading the wrong data into the wrong field and
worse
> still because the order of the fields has changed the database records are
> no longer attached to the objects.
>
> I managed to fix this my adding dummy fields and changing the order of the
> fields Access but still have a bunch of fields that I would like deleted.
> How do I do this.
>
> I would also like to be able to change the order of the fields for
> readability.
>
> What I would really like to know is how and where the Access fields are
> mapped to the MAP fields.
>
> Any assistance will be appreciated.
>
> Thanks
>
> Sean
>
>
>
>

[Anonymous]

Torsten, all,

this is not a defect, but a feature! Or have you ever heard of a defect that
can be 'fixed' by changing the setting of an option? 😉

Being aware of mentioned option (see Torsten's "Workaround" below) allows
the user to work as flexible with external database tables as possible:
You might want to change the format and/or style of a table when it's opened
from inside Map (changing the field width for instance) without changing the
table itself and without the need to adjust the table to your requirements
every time you open the table or re-open the drawing. That's why this option
is enabled by default.
However, disabeling it is necessary when major changes are done in the table
itself like deleting/addings fields etc.

Hope this clarifies.
Marion Pietsch
GIS Product Support, EMEA
Autodesk, Inc.

"Torsten Moses" wrote in message
news:574FBA4DEF802B132041982BC0957E61@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Hi, Sean,
>
> simply, this is an old MAP bug
>
> it looks that AutoDesk has not fixed this simple (but very dangerous !)
bug
> for years now, though this bug has been reported for around 2 years ....
>
>
> Workaround:
>
> under MAP Options / Data Source set the checkbox "Save format and Style
> changes with project"
> unchecked ! You will loose some comfort, but your described effects are
gone
> then.
>
> Usually, Map saves all the database viewer to the drawing, with all
columns,
> positions etc.,
> but Map does not check this saved layout against the real database, when
> opening the drawing.
>
> A beginner's failure ....
>
> Hope this helps
> Ciao,
> Torsten Moses
>
>

[Anonymous]

Hallo, Marion,

snice to hear from you - and a Happy New Year !

Even if you don't like this - the matter related to that option IS A BUG !!!

And of course, there are many changes to overcome bugs, sometimes with other
preferences - this is called "workaround" -:))

But the facts:
Of course, the option "Save format and Style changes with project" is
intended
to serve for comfort & convenience ...
But the problems is related to how MAP handles that option :
when MAP starts, it reads the formerly saved layouts/designs of the
DB-browser
from the drawing, but it MUST CHECK all those saved settings against the
Real-World
database and its situation. But MAP DOES NOT CHECK this - and so the bug
comes up :
- the browser shows columns, that are already deleted in the table (it shows
WITH data !!!)
- newly created columns are never shown anymore (except: detach & re-attach
the udl)
- sometimes, the browser shows wrong data in wrong columns !
Altogether, this is a extremely dangerous bug !

Dangerous, because :
imagine, the admin reworks a specific database table - one column is
deleted, another is created
(or simply: the existing column is renamed), and also imagine, the customer
is an office or
big company, working with such database tables, with dozens of
floating-point columns and dozens
of integer columns (with reference values 0....10) ..... if MAP now shows
wrong values in wrong columns,
the customer may not recognise that situation - the desaster is programmed !

The special problem is that the user may not be able to detect the wrong
values and/or wrong columns !
Are you able the see wrong integers in dozens of integer columns ? I duess,
No ...

Altogether : this bug is a simple, but very dangerous, stupid beginners
mistake !

You may remember WS-EasyMap, that offers the same comfort without having
that trouble - but
WS-EasyMap even makes these checks against the real database.

So don't tell the people, this is a feature - it is intended to be a
feature, but poor programming
lead into being a BUG !


But new, many greetings from Berlin, please have a nice day -:)
Ciao, Torsten

[Anonymous]

Marion,
have you ever heard of a option that causes massive errors? ;-);-)
Kind regards,
Thomas

[sbartleet]

Hi,

Thanks for the help. Your workaround works perfectly.

I agree that it is very dangerous to not have the fields showing the correct information. This is an accident waiting for a place to happen.

Regards

Sean