How to Work with Processes > Working with the Local Database Processes Group

Process Purpose

The "Local File to DB" process is used to import data (insert records) from a data file into a local database table.

When you add a process, you are required to define its settings. This occurs in the process's properties window which is displayed automatically after having added the "Local File to DB" process. The properties window includes two tabs - "General" and "Advanced".

If any subsequent edition is required, double-click the process to open its properties window and enter the necessary modifications.

"General" tab

Fill in the following options:

Import to Database Table
Table Name	Select the local database table that will receive the imported records from the drop-down.
From Local File
Local File Name	Define the source local file that contains the records to import OR click and select a variable with that value.
File Type	Select the local file type from the drop-down (CSV, SCSV, Text (tab-separated values) or Text (pipe-separated values)).
File Charset	Select the character codification from the drop-down list (UTF-8; ANSI, US_ASCII, windows-1252 or ISO_8859_1). When selecting the charset/encoding, consider the characters used in the data file or database in question – some special characters may NOT be displayed if the wrong charset/encoding is defined. Ex: The Hindu character “अ” (included in a data file in use) can only be viewed with a “UTF 8” or “UTF-16 without BOM” encoding. The recommended codification for Android developed projects is "UTF-8" (or “UTF-16 without BOM”, if "UTF-8" is not available).
File with Header(first line)	Check this option, if the selected local file has a first line header.
Append to Current Data	Check this option, if the imported data is to be appended to the local database table.
Replace with Imported Data	Check this option, if the imported data is to replace the existing data in the local database table.

Go to the "Advanced" tab.

"Advanced" tab

Option
Field Mapping	Check this option to enable the "Value / Variable" column. When enabled, it allows for the mapping of fields from the local file into the local database table fields.
Value/Variable	Select the local file field to map from the drop-down OR click and select a variable with that value. You can insert records with up to 80 values at once.
DB Field Name	Select the field(s) to map that will receive the imported record(s) from the drop-down.
If ... Go to
SQL Error	Select a target location from the drop-down or the list, if an "ODBC Error" occurs. See Detail of a window below. When defining a screen as a target destination (ex: via a “Go to” process), you CANNOT use variables to specify the name of that target screen. You must select the intended screen from the available drop-down/list.

Use the editing icons to the right of the table to move the rows up and down and to delete or add more rows.

Detail of a window:

"S:Menu" is a screen included in the same program as the process.

"R:Routine_1" is a routine included in the same program as the process.

If required, use the icons on the upper right corner of the properties window:

Click it to create a new table in a local database. See Creating a Table.

Click it to test SQL scripts. See To Test SQL Scripts.

Use the icon to attach any relevant notes to this process. Click it and enter your notes in the resulting text box. These notes will be displayed in the corresponding "Actions" tab or "Process" window (in the "Notes" field) and in the "Developer Report".

After filling in the required options, click to conclude or to abort the operation.

The added process is displayed in the corresponding "Actions" tab or "Process" window.

You can use relative paths to refer the file(s) you want to use in your project. See Working with Aliases.

If you want to use a label as a target destination, you can use the "Auto-Label" mechanism. This alternative to the "Set Label" process allows you to create a label in the properties window of a process - specifically, in the fields used to define target destinations (ex: the "If Error..." type fields). See To Automatically Create a Label.

Use the right-click in MCL-Designer's input boxes to access some related options as well as the general "Cut", "Copy"; "Paste"; "Search" actions (active/inactive according to the current context).

Ex: If you right-click the "Variable" input box (included in a "Conversion's" properties window), you are provided with general editing/search actions and other more specific options such as "Variable Select" (see "Variable Select"); "Variable Insert" (see "Variable Insert"); "Insert Special Character" (see To Insert Special Characters into a Control's Text Input Field) and "Localization Select" (see Localization List).

If you right-click another input box, it may provide other possibilities.