Importing data from external databases
You can import data into Quattro Pro from an external database, including data from a ODBC data source.
You can also link to external database tables. Database tables contain data extracted from a database, arranged in a specified sequence. Tables are useful when a database contains a large amount of data and you need to work with only a portion of it.
In addition, you can open .db or .dbf files directly in Quattro Pro and edit them as if they were spreadsheets, as long as they do not contain index or memo files.
When importing data from external databases, you have several options for displaying data. You can display duplicate rows of information in the data you import. For example, if the imported data lists all customers who have ordered books, any customers who have ordered more than one book can be listed on a new row for each book. In addition, you can include field names as column headings in the first row of data you import.
You can also join external database tables. When using more than one table, you must join common fields in the tables, even if they have different field names, to avoid duplicating their records in the data you import. For example, if two tables contain the same customer identification field, you must use the customer identification field to join the tables.
Because external databases can contain a large amount of information, it is useful to filter the amount of information that you import, retrieving only the portions of data you want. For example, you can list only those customers who have ordered a particular book so that you can send them a letter announcing the sequel.
Once the external database content is imported in Quattro Pro, you can modify the import settings and re-import the content. In addition, when changes are made in the source data, the changes are reflected in the linked table only when you reopen or refresh it. For more information about refreshing date, see “Refreshing data from external databases.” You can also delete the imported content, including the import settings that you specified.
You can open password-protected tables. For security, as you type the password, the pound symbol (#) represents the characters you type.
To import data from an external database |  |
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Click Insert
 External data Import data New. |
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From the Data type list box, choose a type of data to import.
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Do one of the following:
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Choose a database from the Database list.
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In the Database path box, type the path where the database table is stored.
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Click Next.
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In the Select tables dialog box, enable the check boxes next to the database tables you want to import.
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Click Next.
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In the Set criteria dialog box, select the fields to import.
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Click
 to add the fields to the Selected fields list. |
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In the Destination box, type a destination for the import results.
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Click the Finish button.
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or Arrow down 
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You can refresh the data by clicking Insert
External data Import data Refresh. |
To link to an external database table | |
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Click Insert
External data Table link. |
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In the Cells box, select the cells using the Range picker
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In the Table box, select the database file using the Browse
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You can also link to external database tables by clicking the Table link
 button on the Data manipulation toolbar. |
To insert an external database into Quattro Pro | |
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Click File
Open. |
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Choose the drive and folder where the file is stored.
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Choose the filename extension from the File type list box.
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Double-click the filename.
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If the external database file has more than 1,000,000 records, close the file when you are done, but do not save it. If you save the file, records that are not displayed are lost.
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You can also insert external databases by clicking Insert
External data Import database. |
To set import options for external databases | |
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Click Insert
External data Import data Edit. |
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Click Options.
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In the Import options dialog box, enable any of the following check boxes:
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Allow duplicate rows — displays duplicate rows of information in the data you import
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Include column headings — displays field names as column headings in the first row of data you import
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Keep query definition — maintains the parameters you specify the next time you import tables from external databases
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The database must be imported before carrying out this procedure. For more information, see “To import data from an external database.”
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To join external database tables | |
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Click Insert
External data Import data Edit. |
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Choose the database tables to join.
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Click Query properties.
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In the Query properties dialog box, click the Joins tab.
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Choose a field from the first Field list.
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Choose the corresponding field from the second Field list.
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Choose the equal sign from the Operator list.
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Click OK.
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Click Finish.
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The database must be imported before carrying out this procedure. For more information, see “To import data from an external database.”
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You can join more than two tables by clicking And in the Query properties dialog box.
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To filter an external database | |
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Click Insert
External data Import data Edit. |
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Click Query properties.
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In the Query properties dialog box, click the Filters tab.
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Choose a field to filter from the Criteria field list.
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Choose an operator from the Operator list.
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Enable the List values check box.
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Choose a value from the Value list or type a value of your own.
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Click OK.
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Click Finish.
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To modify the external database import settings | |
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Click Insert
External data Import data Edit. |
To delete imported database content and settings | |
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Click Insert
External data Import data Delete. |
To open a password-protected table | |
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Click File
Open. |
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Choose the drive and folder where the file is stored.
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Choose the filename extension from the File type list box.
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Double-click the filename.
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In the Password dialog box, type the password for the table.
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Click one of the following buttons:
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Add — stores the password in memory, so that if other tables you want to query require the same password, you can open them without retyping the password
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Remove — releases the password from memory, so that if any table you want to query requires the password, you must retype the password to open it
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Remove all — deletes all passwords from memory, so that you must type a password for any protected table you want to query
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When you open a password-protected database table the password for the table is discarded when you close the file.
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