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Introduction
UTE (Universal Table Editor) is a software application running on the
ezSolutions web server(s) that you can run via your web browser (Internet
Explorer 5.0 or newer recommended) to work with data that is stored within
your database(s) hosted at ezSolutions (including but not limited to
Microsoft Access and PostgreSQL databases). Using UTE you can view,
edit, add, delete and export data (in comma separated value (CSV) format)
stored within your database's tables. Depending on your hosting
account level, you may also be able to send mass emails via the UTE
interface. Your UTE interface is password protected for data
security reasons. Please refer to your account information for your
username, password, and UTE URL (link to your online UTE interface).
Please be certain you understand your database before you edit the data
within it. You database may be driving web page contents. You
may wish to note existing values prior to manipulating data, if your
changes cause adverse affects you can then reverse them. We
recommend testing the effects of all changes. If you feel you do not wish
to work with your database, ezSolutions is available to do so at current
hourly rates.
Main UTE Page
The main UTE page shows your database schema, and offers links to work
with the database elements. The figure below (Fig. 1) will likely differ
from the look of your mail UTE page as your database schema differs from
the database represented below. The database schema represented here
does not include any linked tables, nor does it containing table views
(known within Microsoft Access as "queries"). Tables are
two-dimensional data storage objects with x rows (A.K.A. records) and y
columns (A.K.A. fields), much like a spreadsheet. Linked tables are
just tables that are stored in an external database which can be accessed
from the current database. "Table views" are simply
alternative views of the two table types mentioned above.
Fig. 1
Just click on the name of the object to work with the data stored
within it.
Working with Data (View, Add, Edit, Delete, Export, Mass Email)
When you click on an object, that object will open in view mode.
Here we have clicked on the tblCurr object link in Fig. 1, the object has
opened up in view mode in Fig. 2 below.
If the table has many records (AKA rows) you may wish to filter the
data using the "Where ..." filter tool at the top of the page,
if not, you can ignore this feature.
Fig. 2
You can scroll through/view additional records (if applicable) by using the
navigation buttons and "view 10/20/50/all records (at a time)"
buttons at the bottom of the page (
 
 
  ).
You can sort the data, ascending or descending, by clicking on a field
name at the top of any column.
You can view/hide field definitions, if any, by clicking on the
definition icon ( ).
If your database was designed by ezSolutions the field names should be
intuitive (field definitions may not be present).
Once in view mode, you can choose what you wish to do with the data, if
anything, in addition to just viewing it. Please read on for
specific details.
When you are done viewing an object, click on the exit icon ( )
to "cleanly" close that object.
Adding Data*
To add a record (row of data), click on the plus icon ( )
at the upper left-hand corner of the table. A new screen will
appear, you will have the opportunity to add new data, or cancel the
action.
Editing Data*
To edit a row of data, click on the asterisk icon ( )
that corresponds with the row of data you wish to edit. An edit
screen will appear, you will have the opportunity to edit the data, or
cancel the edit.
Deleting Data
To delete a record click on the minus icon ( )
in the row of data you wish to delete. You will be asked for
confirmation.
Exporting Data
To download the data as a CSV file (comma separated
values), which can be opened in a spreadsheet application such as
Microsoft Excel, click on the download icon ( )
that appears in the object view screen. The exported data cannot
be imported back into your database using UTE.
Mass Emailing
If your account is setup to allow mass emailing from
within UTE, UTE will automatically detect fields that contain email
addresses. This can be a very quick and simple way to send email to
many email accounts at once -- all without revealing the email address of
each recipient to any one recipient.
UTE will offer you a button at the bottom of fields
detected to be fields holding a one or more valid email addresses.
Clicking this button will open en email authoring screen. From this
screen you can send an email to all of the valid email addresses found in
the field.
Further Notes On Using UTE
* If you receive errors when adding or editing data it is likely that
you have not entered required data, or that data you have entered is
invalid for the field(s). If you see data that you can't edit, this
is a key field that can't be edited by design. If a key field value
must be edited for some reason (this is rarely required) you must delete
and recreate the record. Even then it may not be possible to
manipulate the key value if it is a key field with a default value (such
as an auto-number field).
Please feel free to contact us if
you have any questions.
Last updated: Friday, October 01, 2004 12:10:31 PM BJB
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