Working With TopLink Workbench

Using the Menus

TopLink Workbench contains two types of menus:

• Menu Bar Menus

• Context Menus

Using the Toolbars

TopLink Workbench contains the following toolbars at the top of the window:

• Standard Toolbar

• Context Toolbar

Toolbars provide tool tips: each toolbar button provides a brief description when you position the mouse pointer over it.

Using the Navigator

TopLink displays the items included in each project (descriptors, mappings, data source, and so on) in the Navigator on the left side of the TopLink Workbench window, as Figure 4-4 shows.

The numbered callouts on Figure 4-4 identify the following user interface components:

1. Project (relational project)

2. Package

3. TopLink Descriptor (relational descriptor)

4. Attribute/mapping (direct to field mapping)

5. Unsaved/changed item

6. Database

7. Database table

Click the plus ( + ) or minus ( – ) sign next to the item, or double-click the item name to expand or collapse the item.

TopLink Workbench identifies items that have been changed but not yet saved by adding an asterisk ( * ) in front of the item name.

When you select an item in the Navigator, its properties appear in the Editor (see "Using the Editor").

To perform specific functions for an item, select the item in the Navigator and do one of the following:

• Right-click on the object and select the function from the context menu (see "Context Menus").

• Choose a function from the Selected menu (see "Menu Bar Menus").

For information on using the Navigator with a database in relational projects, see "Working With Database Tables in the Navigator Window".

For information on using the Navigator with an XML schema in EIS projects (using XML records) and XML projects, see "Working With XML Schemas in the Navigator".

Active and Inactive Descriptors

Inactive descriptors appear dimmed in the Navigator. Inactive descriptors are not registered with the session when the project is loaded into Java. This feature lets you define and test subsets of descriptors. To activate or deactivate a descriptor, right-click the descriptor and select Activate/Deactivate Descriptor from the context menu.

Figure 4-5 numbered callouts show the following user interface components:

1. Inactive descriptor

2. Active descriptor

Errors and Missing Information

If an element in the project (such as a descriptor or mapping) contains an error or some deficiency (sometimes called neediness), a warning icon appears beside the element icon in the Navigator, and TopLink Workbench displays a message in the Problems window (see "Using the Problems Window").

Chapter 14, "TopLink Workbench Error Reference", contains more information on each TopLink Workbench error message.

Using the Editor

The Editor, on the right side of the TopLink Workbench window, displays the property sheet associated with the currently selected item in the Navigator, as Figure 4-6 shows.

Figure 4-6 numbered callouts identify the following user interface components:

1. Selected element (from the Navigator)

2. Editor property tabs

Using the Problems Window

If an element in the project (such as a descriptor or mapping) contains an error or some deficiency (sometimes called neediness), the TopLink Workbench displays a caution icon (represented by a yellow triangle with a black exclamation point in the middle) to the left of the deficient element in the Navigator (see "Using the Navigator") and displays a message in the Problems window as Figure 4-7 shows.

If you select the error, then TopLink Workbench displays the complete error message in the Problems window. Chapter 14, "TopLink Workbench Error Reference" contains detailed information on each error message.

Double-click any error message in the Problems window to automatically highlight the specific node in the Navigator. To display or hide the Problems window, select Window > Show Problems from the menu.

You can also create a status report (see "Generating the Project Status Report") that includes all errors in a selected project.

Using the Online Help

TopLink Workbench contains an extensive online Help system to assist you in developing TopLink applications. You can use the online Help system in a hosted or local environment (see "Help Preferences").

To receive help on any field, tab, or element in TopLink Workbench, right-click the element and select Help from the context menu or press F1.

To review the complete TopLink documentation and Quick Start, click Help.