Version 9 Release 0

Using IBM i2 iBase

IBM

SC27-5091-00
 Note
1. This edition applies to version 9.0.1 of IBM i2 iBase and to all subsequent releases and
modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions. Ensure that you are reading the appropriate
document for the version of the product that you are using. To find a specific version of this
document go to the IBM i2 iBase documentation.
2. Before using this document and the product it supports, read the information in “Notices” on
page 349.

This edition applies to version 9, release 0, modification 1 of IBM® i2® iBase and to all subsequent releases and
modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.
© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1991, 2020.
US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract
with IBM Corp.
Contents

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase.................................................................. 1

Creating a database...............................................................................................................................1
Creating a database from a template.............................................................................................. 2
Creating a database template......................................................................................................... 3
Types of use..................................................................................................................................... 4
Opening a database...............................................................................................................................4
Selecting a database........................................................................................................................5
Opening the example user guide database.....................................................................................5
Adding your contact details............................................................................................................. 5
Exploring the Database......................................................................................................................... 6
Summary of the database properties..............................................................................................7
Viewing the database design report................................................................................................9
Reporting on database security.................................................................................................... 10
Database statistics........................................................................................................................ 10
Entities.................................................................................................................................................10
Links.....................................................................................................................................................11
Setting Up the Example Database...................................................................................................... 11
Opening the example user guide database.................................................................................. 12
Standard user accounts.................................................................................................................12
Reverting to a clean copy of the User Guide database................................................................. 12
Moving the User Guide database to a new location......................................................................13
Using the User Guide database on SQL Server............................................................................. 13

Chapter 2. Entering records.............................................................................15

Entities.................................................................................................................................................15
Creating an entity...........................................................................................................................15
Data sheets.................................................................................................................................... 16
Show an entity............................................................................................................................... 18
Merging entities............................................................................................................................. 19
Editing entities............................................................................................................................... 20
Changing the icon used for an entity.............................................................................................20
Batch editing.................................................................................................................................. 21
Deleting an entity...........................................................................................................................22
Links.....................................................................................................................................................23
Creating links................................................................................................................................. 23
Using data sheets to add or edit links........................................................................................... 25
Showing Links................................................................................................................................ 26
Merging links.................................................................................................................................. 26
Editing links....................................................................................................................................27
Viewing the valid end types for a link............................................................................................28
Viewing the links for an entity....................................................................................................... 29
Creating multiple links from an entity........................................................................................... 30
Deleting a link................................................................................................................................ 30
Entering and editing data.................................................................................................................... 31
Entering text...................................................................................................................................32
Numbers and currencies............................................................................................................... 33
Dates.............................................................................................................................................. 33
Documents and hyperlinks............................................................................................................34

iii
 Icons and pictures......................................................................................................................... 35
Yes or No fields.............................................................................................................................. 35
Code lists........................................................................................................................................36
Times and time zones....................................................................................................................36
Strength fields................................................................................................................................36
Coordinates in iBase...................................................................................................................... 37
System fields..................................................................................................................................37
Entering and reviewing data on a data sheet................................................................................38
Adding notes to folders................................................................................................................. 41
Selecting the record owner................................................................................................................. 41
Viewing the record history.................................................................................................................. 41
Changes to Code Lists....................................................................................................................43
Viewing charts..................................................................................................................................... 43

Chapter 3. Importing data...............................................................................45

Importing data with an existing specification.................................................................................... 46
Creating import specifications............................................................................................................ 47
Importing from OLE-DB data sources...........................................................................................50
Bulk importing............................................................................................................................... 51
Importing files from a folder......................................................................................................... 53
Importing from Microsoft Excel worksheets.................................................................................54
Transforming source data..............................................................................................................54
Matching entities in importing.......................................................................................................62
Matching links in importing........................................................................................................... 63
Importing charts..................................................................................................................................65
Importing errors.................................................................................................................................. 66
Exporting and importing externally edited iBase data.......................................................................67
Managing import and export specifications....................................................................................... 67
Batch import or export........................................................................................................................ 68
Setting up the import and export specifications...........................................................................68
Running a batch import or export................................................................................................. 69
Managing batch specifications...................................................................................................... 69
Information on formats and field types..............................................................................................70
Date, time, and number formats................................................................................................... 70
Time zones..................................................................................................................................... 72
Pictures and documents................................................................................................................76

Chapter 4. Listing and browsing...................................................................... 77

List records.......................................................................................................................................... 77
Browse records................................................................................................................................... 77
Viewing browse reports................................................................................................................. 78
Autorunning browse definitions.................................................................................................... 79
Compare records................................................................................................................................. 79
Viewing link charts.............................................................................................................................. 79
Populating cards..................................................................................................................................80
Menus and record lists........................................................................................................................ 81

Chapter 5. Sets............................................................................................... 83
Listing records..................................................................................................................................... 83
Adding records to sets........................................................................................................................ 84
Managing sets......................................................................................................................................84
Combining sets....................................................................................................................................85
Analyzing sets......................................................................................................................................86

iv
 Finding Out About Set Membership....................................................................................................86

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records........................................87

Finding records....................................................................................................................................88
Selecting records........................................................................................................................... 89
Search 360.......................................................................................................................................... 89
Searching for terms....................................................................................................................... 90
Exact searching..............................................................................................................................91
Fuzzy searching..............................................................................................................................91
Searching for related (linked) items..............................................................................................92
Word search.........................................................................................................................................92
Full-Text Search...................................................................................................................................95
Finding matching records....................................................................................................................96
Checking for duplicates.......................................................................................................................98
Merging duplicate records............................................................................................................. 99
Wildcard characters............................................................................................................................ 99

Chapter 7. Querying your data....................................................................... 101

Existing queries................................................................................................................................. 101
Defining a query................................................................................................................................ 102
Select the source records for a query......................................................................................... 103
Specify query conditions...................................................................................................................104
List of operators................................................................................................................................ 106
Count conditions............................................................................................................................... 111
Queries that prompt..........................................................................................................................113
Querying data using semantic types................................................................................................ 115
Semantic types in iBase.............................................................................................................. 115
Entity and link semantic types in queries................................................................................... 116
Property semantic types in query............................................................................................... 118
Scope........................................................................................................................................... 119
Selecting an entity or link semantic type....................................................................................119
Selecting a property semantic type............................................................................................ 120
Managing queries.............................................................................................................................. 120
Selecting a query or set...............................................................................................................121
Scoring the results of queries........................................................................................................... 121
Finding ranges of values................................................................................................................... 122
Defining coordinate queries..............................................................................................................123

Chapter 8. Alerting....................................................................................... 125

Alert definitions.................................................................................................................................127
Adding alert definitions on records.............................................................................................127
Adding alert definitions on queries............................................................................................. 127
Adding the users who are alerted............................................................................................... 128
Reviewing your subscriptions..................................................................................................... 128
Editing and deleting your alert definitions..................................................................................129
Receiving alerts................................................................................................................................. 130
Details of alerts............................................................................................................................131

Chapter 9. Reporting.....................................................................................133
Producing reports..............................................................................................................................133
Reporting in HTML.............................................................................................................................136
Reporting in Microsoft Access.......................................................................................................... 137
Defining a report................................................................................................................................138

v
 Page setup (General tab).............................................................................................................138
Selecting entity fields.................................................................................................................. 139
Selecting the link types and link end entities............................................................................. 140
Sorting the records...................................................................................................................... 140
Formatting the records................................................................................................................141
Default report definition for the entity type................................................................................142
Document templates........................................................................................................................ 142
Folder for documents used as templates................................................................................... 143
Template styles........................................................................................................................... 143
Formatting a Microsoft Word document as a template.............................................................. 144
Extra content in Microsoft Word reports.....................................................................................145
Report definitions..............................................................................................................................148
Link reports....................................................................................................................................... 149

Chapter 10. Exporting................................................................................... 151

Exporting using an existing specification......................................................................................... 151
Setting up for exporting data............................................................................................................ 152
Exporting to Microsoft Excel............................................................................................................. 153
Exporting data as XML...................................................................................................................... 154

Chapter 11. Removing...................................................................................155

Deleting batches of records..............................................................................................................155
Restoring deleted records................................................................................................................ 156
Purging deleted records....................................................................................................................157

Chapter 12. Databases..................................................................................159

Logging in to iBase............................................................................................................................ 159
Selecting a database.........................................................................................................................159
Editing the Most Recently Used list (MRU)....................................................................................... 160
Changing passwords......................................................................................................................... 160
User permissions.............................................................................................................................. 160
Database permissions.......................................................................................................................162
Adding your contact information...................................................................................................... 162
Managing database connections...................................................................................................... 163
Database subsets..............................................................................................................................164
Creating a database subset definition........................................................................................ 164
Creating database subsets (Microsoft Access)...........................................................................165
Create advanced database subsets (SQL Server)...................................................................... 168
Cases................................................................................................................................................. 171
Select a case................................................................................................................................173
Create or edit a case....................................................................................................................173
Replication........................................................................................................................................ 174
Reviewing replication conflicts................................................................................................... 174
Load files for replication.............................................................................................................. 176
Updating the schema of a replicated database.......................................................................... 177
Shutting down replicated database............................................................................................ 178
Checking whether replication is running.................................................................................... 179

Chapter 13. Working with other applications................................................. 181

Analyst's Notebook........................................................................................................................... 181
Charting iBase records................................................................................................................ 181
Extracting charted items............................................................................................................. 205
Welcome to IBM i2 iBase Plate Analysis.......................................................................................... 214

vi
 Introduction to iBase Plate Analysis...........................................................................................214
Geographical Profiling................................................................................................................. 215
Convoy Analysis........................................................................................................................... 216
Generating VRM Lists.................................................................................................................. 218
Finding Common Vehicles........................................................................................................... 219
Combining Vehicle Data Sets...................................................................................................... 219
Retrieving Images........................................................................................................................220
Configuring iBase Plate Analysis.................................................................................................223
IBM i2 iBase GIS Interfaces............................................................................................................. 225
Setting up mapping configurations............................................................................................. 226
Geocode data...............................................................................................................................230
Changing the display of map items............................................................................................. 231
Identifying records without geocode data..................................................................................232
Removing temporary mapping files............................................................................................ 232
Coordinates in iBase....................................................................................................................233
iBase Audit Viewer............................................................................................................................ 238
Opening an audit log....................................................................................................................239
Example of using the audit viewer.............................................................................................. 241
Working with log entries..............................................................................................................242
Inspecting logs for different audit levels.................................................................................... 243
Viewing audit histories................................................................................................................ 243
Viewing code list histories...........................................................................................................245
Working with security logs.......................................................................................................... 246
Creating an active audit log report..............................................................................................246
Archiving audit logs..................................................................................................................... 247

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment............................................. 249

Configuring the iBase Environment.................................................................................................. 249
Setting Field Values for the Session................................................................................................. 249
Code Lists.......................................................................................................................................... 249
Editing a Pick List.........................................................................................................................250
Editing an Icon List...................................................................................................................... 251
Editing an SCC List....................................................................................................................... 251
Filtered Pick Lists........................................................................................................................ 252
Editing Filtered Pick Lists............................................................................................................ 253
Using Filtered Pick Lists to Enter Data........................................................................................ 253
Categorizing queries, sets, and definitions...................................................................................... 254
Setting default categories........................................................................................................... 256
Saving items into categories....................................................................................................... 256
Moving items between categories.............................................................................................. 257
Group access to categories......................................................................................................... 257
iBase Settings....................................................................................................................................258
Managing Plug-ins.............................................................................................................................262
Defining Common Folder Objects.....................................................................................................263
Labeling and Charting Schemes....................................................................................................... 265
Labeling Schemes........................................................................................................................265

Notices......................................................................................................... 349
Trademarks....................................................................................................................................... 350

vii
viii
Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase
IBM® i2® iBase provides powerful solutions for configuring, capturing, controlling, analyzing and
displaying complex information and relationships in link and entity data. iBase is both a database
application and a modeling and analysis tool.

Entering data
As a database application you can do all the things you would expect, such as adding records,
deleting records, and importing, and exporting records.

Modeling and analysis

The modeling and analysis facilities are based upon the concepts of entities and links. Entities are the
things that are being represented, such as people and addresses. Links represent relationships
between entities, such as 'shareholder' and 'account holder'. For each entity and link, there is a
database record.
Analysis is made easy in a number of ways; entities and links can be grouped together in a variety of
ways using sets. Sets can be analyzed to find common members. There are sophisticated visual query
facilities that allow you to construct queries as simple or as complicated as you need to reveal the
information in your database. Data can be reported upon using flexible reporting tools.

Additional features
The features available in iBase depend on the type of database you have. If you have an SQL Server
database, you may be able to manage data on a case-by-case basis, and add alerts to monitor when
records of interest change or are viewed. Search 360 provides powerful tools for both simple and
complex searches.

Integration with other products

iBase is closely integrated with IBM® i2® Analyst's Notebook® and some third-party mapping
applications. If these products are installed on your machine, you can use:
• Analyst's Notebook as a 'front end' or interface to iBase, so you can use it to create records for
example, and you can send records from iBase directly onto an Analyst's Notebook chart for further
analysis and presentation.
• IBM® i2® iBase Geographic Information System (GIS) Interfaces to send iBase data to third-party
mapping applications.

Creating a database
If your user account has the permission Database Creator, you can create a new database from a
template supplied by your database designer. The template defines the type of information that can
be stored in the database: the entity types, link types, and other items including any queries and
browse definitions.
Certain details, such as the file type, are not defined in the template and you should discuss these
details with your system administrator before creating a new database. Specifically, you should
discuss:
• Which database type to use, either Microsoft Access or SQL Server.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 1

 • How auditing should be used, specifically which audit level to use and whether the value of a
specific field should also be audited.
• Whether a database identifier is required.
• Whether soft delete is used.
For background information on creating new databases, the help for iBase Designer.
Note:
A 20-character password is generated for you when the Microsoft Access database is created. You
will need to keep a record of this password as it will be required in the event, for example, that you
need to repair the database using Microsoft Access utilities.
To see the password, start iBase Designer, select Tools > Options, and select the Advanced tab.

Creating a database from a template

Database templates contain standard components. Creating a database from a template reduces the
time that is taken, and ensures that databases for a specific task are created consistently.

Procedure
To create a new database from a template:
1. Ensure that you are logged into iBase, but have no databases open.
2. Select File > New Database.
3. Click the Template tab.
4. Select a template. Click View if you wish to see the entity types, link types and fields in the
template.
Note: You can also create a template from a different database, and use that template instead. For
more information, see Creating a template from an existing database.
5. Click the Configuration tab, and select the database type.
6. Click the Details tab, and enter the name of the database and some information about the purpose
of the database or its contents.
7. Click the Advanced tab, and enter the details:
Option Description

Database Optionally, enter a short string of text in the Database Identifier box. Do this
Identifier if you wish to identify entity and link records as belonging to this database.
This database identifier is only necessary if you plan to perform operations
outside iBase on records taken from different databases.

Attention: The use of a database identifier has an impact on

performance since the database identifier is appended to the record
identifier on every record.

Extra Detail Type the name of a field (in this database) in the Extra Detail Field for Audit
Field for Audit Log box if you wish to have the audit log record the value of this field when
Log recording actions that affect records.
Soft Delete Turn on the Soft Delete check box if you wish to use a two stage process for
deleting records. With Soft Delete turned off, all delete operations take place
immediately. If the Soft Delete check box turned on, all Delete commands

2 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description
mark records for deletion and make those records unavailable for most
analysis, but do not delete the records. .
Read Only Turn on the Read Only check box if you wish to make the entire database
read-only, and prevent any changes to records. Users can still create sets,
queries, and other folder objects.
Security Determines whether the database uses Standard Security Classifications or
Classification restricts information based on specific cases. If you select Standard (SCC),
Codes / Case you can additionally opt to Restrict SCC lists to accessible items only. Turn
Control on this option to restrict any lists of Security Classification Codes to
accessible ones only. This will apply when you add or edit a record that
includes an SCC list.

First Day of Displays the first day of the week as set for this database. This defaults to
Week <System> which is Sunday for Microsoft Access databases. For SQL
databases, this is derived from the current locale as set on your machine or
via the locale ID of the SQL Server machine.
You should only need to change this if the locale on the SQL Server machine
is different to your local machine or you are working with statistics and you
want your week to start on a different day.
Note: The start day of the week may affect calculations on dates and date
parts.

8. Click OK to create the database with the settings you have made.

Creating a database template

Database templates hold no data records but that do contain definitions of database objects to allow
databases to be created quickly that match frequently used configurations. You can use any database
that you can access to create a database template.

Procedure
1. Select File > New Database Template.
2. In the Template Manager, click New.
3. Browse to the database that you would like to use as the basis for your template.
4. Review the entity and link types to check that you opened an appropriate database.
5. Enter a name for the new database. Choose a name that is suitable for use as a file name.
6. Click OK to create the template.

What to do next
If you create a template from an existing database, create a new database from the template and
check in both iBase Designer and iBase that the new database includes only useful components.
If your organization uses semantic types, check that the IBM i2 Semantic Type Library is up-to-date
and contains no duplicates. If any semantic types are missing, do not create new ones but instead
load them from file as described in Loading the Semantic Type Library.

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase 3

 If there are any inappropriate items, remove the items, then close the database and create a second
template, based on the database that you prepared. You can then discard the first template and
database, leaving you with the second template for ongoing use.
You can copy the template file to other iBase installation folders to make it available to other users.

Types of use
iBase can be used by both Designers and Users. Designers are responsible for designing databases
and setting up the properties of entities and links and for configuring security, these tasks are referred
to as administrative tasks. Users can use databases, add or import records, and manipulate or analyze
the data.
For example if you wanted to add a new type of entity to your database, such as an airport, then the
Designer would do that and set up all the required properties of an airport. But if you wanted to record
the details of an actual airport, and then run queries about airports, these would be user tasks.
Typically a database would have maybe one or two people who carry out the administrative tasks but
may have many people who can carry out user tasks. iBase has separate modules for Designers and
Users so you log on to whichever is appropriate for you.
The roles of designers and users can be summarized as follows:

Designers
Designers use iBase Designer to:
• Design databases - this process usually involves consulting with the intended users to decide
exactly what information is to be stored and in what form.
• Create new databases - includes creating all the required entity and link types.
• Update databases - adding new entity and link types as requirements arise.
• Configure databases - setting up code lists, labeling schemes and all the other things that affect
how the database is used.
• Administer the database - for example: adding users, setting security, deleting old records, and
backing-up the data.

Users
Users use iBase to:
• Add, modify and delete records.
• Create sets and queries to find data of particular interest.
• Analyze the data using a variety of tools.
• Create reports or charts based upon the data.

Opening a database
To use iBase you need to log on and open a database. Logging on happens automatically if iBase is set
up to use your existing Windows username and password. You will be prompted to enter an iBase
username and password if iBase is not set up in this way.
If you have previously opened a database, iBase may offer to open that database the next time you
start.You can only have one database open at a time in any iBase session. When you have opened a
database, you can perform all of the actions that your access control settings allow.

4 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 You can only have one database open at a time in any iBase session. When you have opened a
database, you can perform all of the actions that your access control settings allow.
Note: An administrator, using iBase Designer, must have created a database before you can use it.
Alternatively, you may be able to create a new database from a template supplied by the database
designer.
Note: You cannot open a non-Unicode database created in a different language environment. For
details of supported language groups, see the iBase Release Notes.

Selecting a database
To use iBase, you need to log on and open a database. Logging on happens automatically if iBase is
set up to use Windows authentication, alternatively, you are prompted to enter an iBase username
and password.

About this task

You can only have one database open at a time in any iBase session. When a database is open, you
have access to all of the actions that your access control settings allow.

Procedure
1. Select File > Open Database, and browse for the database (*.idb) to open.
2. Click Open.
3. If prompted, enter your iBase username and password (the password is displayed as asterisks (*)
for added security).
4. Click OK to view the database summary.
5. Click OK.

Opening the example user guide database

The iBase example user guide database provides you with an environment with sample data. This
example database can be used to explore the features of iBase without changing your live databases.

Procedure
To open iBase and the example database at the same time:
1. From the start menu, select:IBM i2 iBase > iBase User Guide Database
2. Enter your username and password and click OK. The username and password for the User Guide
database are 'general' (both are lowercase).
3. Click OK.

Adding your contact details

Depending on your organization, you may need to record additional information about yourself to
assist other iBase users. For example, other users may have queries about the data that you add to
the database, or may need to talk to you before editing, merging, or deleting records that you own.

About this task

The contact details are for the username that you used when you logged on.

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase 5

 Procedure
1. From the File menu, select Change User Information. The User Information dialog is displayed.
2. Enter your full name, telephone number, e-mail address, and any notes. You should be able to
select your location from the Location list (if not, contact your system administrator).
3. Save your details by clicking OK.

Exploring the Database

The Database Explorer window is a complete view of your database. The top window shows all the
objects in the database, and the lower Explorer Detail window displays information on the selected
folder or folder object. Depending on the database design some of these object types may be empty,
for example if chart attributes are not used.

Object type Description

Name of your database Right-click on this to see statistics for the
database, for example how many entity types are
defined in the database.
Entities Click on this to list the entity types defined in this
database. The entity types are shown in the
Explorer Detail window. To view the fields and
field types, expand Entities, and then click on the
required entity type.
Links Click on this to list the link types in this database.
The link types are shown in the Explorer Details
window. To view the fields and field types,
expand Links, and then click on the required link
type.
Labeling Schemes Click on this to list the labeling schemes defined
in this database for use in iBase itself and on
Analyst's Notebook charts. To see which fields
have labels, expand Labeling Schemes, and then
double-click on the required scheme.
Alert Definitions Click on this to list the alert definitions.
Sets Click on this to list the sets in this database. The
sets may be organized into categories (folders).
Queries Click on this to list all the queries saved in this
database. The queries may be organized into
categories.
Report Definitions Click on this to list all the report definitions saved
in this database. The report definitions may be
organized into categories.
Browse Definitions Click on this to list all the browse definitions
saved in this database. The definitions may be
organized into categories. For background
information, see Listing and Browsing Records.

6 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Object type Description
Scored Matching Click on this to list the queries that have been run
with scored matching to identify how well the
results match a query.
Import/Export Specifications Click on this to list the specifications for
importing (or exporting) data for single entity
types or single link types. These may be
organized into categories.
Import/Export Batch Specifications Click on this to list the batch specifications for
importing (or exporting) data for a series of entity
types or link types.
Charting Schemes Click on this to list the charting schemes defined
in the database.
Mapping Configurations Click on this to list the mapping configurations
defined in the database. These will only be
available if GIS Interfaces is installed.
Functions Click on this to list some of the tools available in
iBase. Some of these are also available on the
Tools menu or the Analysis menu.

Summary of the database properties

The properties of the database provide detailed information about the database.
At any time you can view the properties of the database in iBase Designer, by selecting File >
Database Properties.

Option Description
Title The title for the database, as displayed in the
application title bar.
Description The description of the database, as displayed
when any user first opens the database.
File The location of the database (.idb) file.

Version The database version number.

Audit Level The detail level at which the audit log collects
data on changes to the database and security
file. You can change the audit level: level 1
means that the audit log collects the lowest
amount of detail and level 5 collects the highest
amount of detail (SQL Server databases only).
Level 4 and higher collect large amounts of data
about user activities so you should use these
levels with care, and monitor the size of the log
file. See Controlling What is Audited.

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase 7

 Option Description
Audit History In SQL Server databases only, all updates to
data, including code lists, are logged and can be
viewed either in Audit Viewer or in the iBase
History. In a database that is set to audit level 5,
records that are viewed but not updated are also
logged.
Note: This property is automatically turned on if
the database is initialized for alerting and cannot
be turned off while alerting is in use.
You can configure the audit history and disable
the guest account in Configuring Audit History.

Configuration details
The configuration page shows details of the database file and format, and the security mode. You can
change the authentication mode when connecting to the SQL Server instance on this page or by using
the Database Configuration tool (see Managing SQL Server Connection Settings).

Database Type The file format of the database, either Microsoft

Access or SQL Server.

Database Name The name of the SQL Server database on the

server. See SQL Server Database Names.
Note: You cannot rename an SQL Server
database in iBase Designer. See SQL Server
Database Names for further details.

Server The name of the database server. You can

change to a different server provided that the
database exists on that server. Enter a name in
the field to use a known server or click Refresh
to search for available servers. Only select the
(local) option if the database is for personal use.
Note: This and the following changes do not take
effect until you reopen the database.

8 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Login Name, Password An SQL Server login name and password is
displayed if SQL Server authentication is used to
secure access to the SQL Server instance. See
Authenticating Connections to SQL Server for
details.
For security reasons, the login that is used to
create the database might be different from the
one used after creation. After creation, you might
prefer to change the login to one with a lower
level of SQL Server permissions. After creation,
you might also want to change the authentication
mode by turning on the Use Windows
Authentication check box.

Use Windows Authentication The Use Windows Authentication check box is

turned on if Windows authentication (integrated
security) is used to secure access to the SQL
Server. Each user that attempts to connect to use
the iBase database is validated by the server
using their network credentials. See
Authenticating Connections to SQL Server for
details.

Advanced properties
The Advanced page displays the current setup of the database, which you can change with caution.
For more information, see iBase Designer https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/
SSXVXZ_latest/com.ibm.i2.ibase.designer.doc/advanced_settings.html

Passwords for Microsoft Access databases

A 20-character password is generated for you when the Microsoft Access database is created. You
should keep a record of this password. The password is the same for all the Microsoft Access
databases created from the same security file.
To see the password, select Tools > Feature Availability > Options > Advanced.

Viewing the database design report

The database design report summarizes the design of a database that you have open. For example,
database statistics, entity and link type fields, code lists, and semantic types. To gain a full view of the
database design, you must ensure that you run the report with the correct access permissions.

Procedure
To generate a report:
1. Click File > Properties > Database Design report.
2. Once you have generate the report you can:
• Browse through the pages
• Refresh the information it contains
• Print the report

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase 9

 • Export the report as a spreadsheet, a PDF, or a Microsoft Word document.

Reporting on database security

The security design report provides details about the security groups, users, and their consequent
permissions or restrictions that have been applied to the database. You can select the items you want
to include in the report.

Before you begin

To view the details of the database security, you must be assigned the SecurityAdministrator
role.

Procedure
1. In iBase User, Select File > Properties > Security Design Report.
2. Select the types of details to include in the report:
• Groups - For each security group that has been defined for the database, you can list:
– Permissions and restrictions - What members of the group can access, and what they are
explicitly prevented from doing (for example, editing read-only items).
– Users - The users that are currently members of the group.
– Denied SCC items - The types of entities or link that have restrictions in place, to prevent
members of this group from accessing particular records.
• Users - For each user that can access a database, you can list:
– User Information - The information entered centrally about the specified user.
Note: This report only uses information added in iBase Designer.
– Groups - The groups the user is a current member of.
– Permissions - The specific permissions for the user.
3. Once you have generate the report you can:
• Browse through the pages
• Refresh the information it contains
• Print the report
• Export the report as a spreadsheet, a PDF, or a Microsoft Word document.

Database statistics
Database statistics are provided to give you a summary of the number of records in the database for
each of the entity types and link types. When you are working in multi-case analysis mode, you can
view the number of entity types and link types in each case.
To view the database statistics, select File > Properties > Database Statistics.

Entities
The modeling and analysis facilities in iBase are based on the concepts of entities and links. Entities
are the things that are being represented, such as people, vehicles, and addresses. Links represent
relationships between entities, such as owner, daughter, associate, or account holder.
The different entity types and the details that are held for each (in the entity fields) are already
defined by the database designer in iBase Designer.

10 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 In Database Explorer, select an entity type to display the fields for that entity type in the Explorer
Detail.
There is one record in the database for each entity and link in the database, and each record has a
unique record number. Generally, you create entities and then the links between the entities.
You can add entities to the database or case:
• On an individual basis
• By importing them
• By using a custom data sheet, in which case you can enter an entity and its links in one operation.
To speed up the entry of data, you can set up:
• Session defaults to automatically insert data into those fields that are common to all the entities
and link types in the database, for example for a source reference field.
• Lists, such as code lists and pick lists, to include those values that you use frequently.

Links
The modeling and analysis facilities in iBase are based on the concepts of entities and links. Links
represent relationships between entities, and the characteristics of those relationships.
For example:
• People can be linked to organizations as shareholders, directors, or employees.
• A pair of telephones can be linked by a specific call that is made between them.
You can add links to the database:
• On an individual basis
• By importing them
• By using a custom data sheet, in which case you can enter an entity and its links in one operation.
Generally, you add entities and then the links between them. Each link is a separate record in the
database, and has a unique record number.
Note: A link can also have a direction, as shown by an arrow, and a line style that indicates the
strength, such as whether it is confirmed or unconfirmed. In the Database Explorer, you might be
able to get more information about a link type by moving the pointer over it to display a tooltip. For
information on which semantic types are assigned to the link types in your database, run the
Database Design report.
To list the link types available to you, click the plus sign to the left of the word Links. Select a link type
to display the fields for that link type in the Explorer Detail window.
To find out which combinations of entities and links can be used together, right-click on a link type,
and from the menu, selecting End Types.

Setting Up the Example Database

An example database (User Guide) is installed with the product. You can use it to experiment with the
new features in iBase.

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase 11

Opening the example user guide database
The iBase example user guide database provides you with an environment with sample data. This
example database can be used to explore the features of iBase without changing your live databases.

Procedure
To open iBase and the example database at the same time:
1. From the start menu, select:IBM i2 iBase > iBase User Guide Database
2. Enter your username and password and click OK. The username and password for the User Guide
database are 'general' (both are lowercase).
3. Click OK.

Standard user accounts

The user guide database is supplied with a set of example users with different roles. These can be
used to demonstrate different workflows.

User account Password Role

general general A user with all the permissions
required to work through basic
examples.
SYSADMIN SYSADMIN A full system administrator with
all the permissions required to
work through iBase Deigner
examples.
DataEntry DataEntry A Data Entry User with
restricted menu functionality
and access to fewer links
Analyst Analyst An analytical user with read-
only access

Reverting to a clean copy of the User Guide database

When you use the User Guide Database for the first time, the database is automatically copied to your
application data area. This means that you can change the database and the records as you want. At
any point, you can restore the database to an unmodified state (provided you are using a Microsoft
Access database):

About this task

Procedure
1. Select the following from the Programs group on the Windows Start menu: IBM i2 iBase > Tools >
Reset iBase User Guide Database.
2. Click Yes when prompted to reset the database.

Attention: Reverting to an unmodified User Guide database will mean that you will lose any
changes that you made to the User Guide database. For example, you will delete all

12 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 entities, links, sets, queries, and other folder objects that you created or modified. Any files
created independently, such as export files will remain.

Moving the User Guide database to a new location

If you move the User Guide database from the standard location, you will need to open it in the iBase
Designer tool to re-register the location of the security file which controls it. You may need to ask your
system administrator to do this for you.
Note: It is important that the association of the database and security file is maintained. iBase
ensures that this is done and consequently if you move the database and security file you need to
confirm the new location and association by opening the database using iBase Designer.

Using the User Guide database on SQL Server

The User Guide database is supplied as a Microsoft Access database. However, if you want to try out
the features that are only available in SQL Server then you will need to ask your System Administrator
to convert the database to SQL Server for you.

About this task

The following instructions are intended for a System Administrator, who will need permission to
create a database on your SQL Server machine.

Procedure
1. Check that the server does not have an existing database called User Guide. If it does, rename the
User Guide.idb file, for example to User Guide 2.idb. You will also need to rename the other files
associated with the database (with the suffixes .dot, .doc, .ant and .idx).
2. Copy the User Guide Database folder to a suitable place. It is located in: C:\Program Files\i2 iBase
<n>\Resources\<language>\Examples\User Guide Database
3. Start iBase Designer, and then log on to the security file User Guide.ids as user SYSADMIN and
cancel the option to open a database or create a new one.
4. From the Tools menu, select Database Setup > Upsize > Database to SQL Server.
5. Accept the option to make a backup.
6. Enter the name of the SQL Server machine and a login and password that has the dbcreator role on
the server. Do not use the server name (local) since other clients will not be able to use the
database. This server name is intended only for local use on the server computer. If the database
name does not appear when you refresh the list, type in the machine name of the server.
7. Click Finish.
8. In iBase Designer, use the appropriate search option on the Tools menu to build a search index.
For further information, click Help in the appropriate search dialog.

Chapter 1. Overview of IBM i2 iBase 13

14 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 2. Entering records
A record is a discrete collection of information about a real world object (an entity) or the
relationships between real world objects (a link). You can add records directly, or use a datasheet to
target the information that you are adding towards a specific purpose.

Entities
The modeling and analysis facilities in iBase are based on the concepts of entities and links. Entities
are the things that are being represented, such as people, vehicles, and addresses. Links represent
relationships between entities, such as owner, daughter, associate, or account holder.
The different entity types and the details that are held for each (in the entity fields) are already
defined by the database designer in iBase Designer.
In Database Explorer, select an entity type to display the fields for that entity type in the Explorer
Detail.
There is one record in the database for each entity and link in the database, and each record has a
unique record number. Generally, you create entities and then the links between the entities.
You can add entities to the database or case:
• On an individual basis
• By importing them
• By using a custom data sheet, in which case you can enter an entity and its links in one operation.
To speed up the entry of data, you can set up:
• Session defaults to automatically insert data into those fields that are common to all the entities
and link types in the database, for example for a source reference field.
• Lists, such as code lists and pick lists, to include those values that you use frequently.

Creating an entity
You can add new data to create entities. The data is organized into different entity types and each
type represents a “thing” such as a person, a crime, or a bank account.

About this task

When you add an entity, you are warned of matching records if you enter an entity that is a potential
duplicate of an entity already in the database. iBase identifies matches by comparing the values in the
discriminator fields. You might see a warning as soon as you enter data that matches an entity that is
already in the database or when you try to save an entity that matches a record already in the
database.

Procedure
1. In the Database Explorer, right-click on the entity type, and from the shortcut menu, select New.
Note: Depending on how the database designer has configured the entity types in your database,
you will display either the New (entity) dialog or the Datasheet dialog. The Datasheet dialog is
displayed for entity types where the datasheet is set to override the standard form; this can only
be changed using iBase Designer. To choose which to use, select New With > New Record for a
standard dialog or New With > datasheet name for a datasheet.
2. Enter the details for the new entity in the New dialog.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 15

 Note:
• Mandatory fields, those that you must fill in, are shown with a blue label.
• You may be able to get help on what you should enter in each field by hovering the mouse
pointer over the field labels. This displays a tooltip telling you something about the type of data
to enter in each field.
3. Depending on your organization, you may need to select a user as the owner of the record, and
there will be a Owner box or something similar. This person is the point of contact if there are any
queries about the record. You can either type $ to make yourself the owner (your username will be
inserted when you save the entity), or type $, click the Browse button, and then select a different
person from the list.
4. When you have finished entering the data, click Save to save the record.

Results
The new record is displayed in the Show dialog. The title bar of this dialog also shows the unique
number given to the record when it was saved, such as [ADD48\GEN]. If required, in the Show dialog,
click New to add another record of the same entity type.

Copying an entity
You can create a new entity by copying a similar entity and editing it. Copying an entity can be used
when related items are added that share information.

Procedure
1. Find the entity that you want to copy.
2. Right-click the entity and from the menu, select Show With > Show Record.
3. Click Copy.
4. Edit the entity details.
5. Click Save to save the copy as a new entity.

Data sheets
Your database designer can set up data sheets to use instead of the standard process for adding,
editing, and deleting data. Data sheets are customized forms that are designed especially for your
work.
Data sheets show only the fields that you need, arranged in groupings that reflect your way of
working. Depending on the data sheet, you might be able to use it to enter data for related entities
and links. For data sheets that contain linked entities, the upper part is used to enter details of the
main entity while the lower part is used to enter data about any linked entities. The fields in the lower
part can be a mixture of the link fields and the link end entity fields.
To use a data sheet to create a new entity and create links to new or existing entities, you can:
• Select New > Datasheet > datasheet name.
• Right-click on the entity type, and select New With > datasheet name. Data sheets are listed in the
lower half of the menu.
To use a data sheet to review or edit an entity and its linked entities, including adding new links:
select the entity, right-click and from the menu, select Show With > datasheet name.
Note: Your database designer might decide to make the data sheet the default method for entering
record data for a particular entity. When you want to show records that you can choose whether to
show the details in a data sheet. To make this choice, select one of the Show With options.

16 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

When duplicate matches are found entering data
When a match is found while you are entering data in a data sheet, a message is displayed. The record
that you are trying to create is a duplicate of existing records.
They are identified as duplicates by comparing the values in their discriminator fields.
You can:
• Review the matching records and then continue with the 'new' record.
Click Yes to review the matching records. Examine the matching records, and click Ignore to return
to your new record. You can either edit the data in the new record so that it is no longer a duplicate
or you can continue creating a potential duplicate.
• Discard the 'new' record and work on one of the matching records.
Click Yes to review the matching records. Select one of the matching records (to use instead of the
'new' record that you were working on) and click Select. Edit the details of the matching record as
required and then click Save.
• Ignore the message.
Click No to close the message. You can either edit the data in the new record so that it is no longer a
duplicate, or you can continue creating a potential duplicate.

When duplicate matches are found when an entity is saved

If you enable Check for matching records whenever a discriminator field value changes, you are
notified if a match is found when you save an entity. The matching records can be viewed, and you can
decide whether the information you are added is new, or already exists in the database.

About this task

Records can be identified as duplicates by comparing the values in specified unique fields. For
example, in details about a person, a passport number or tax code are unique. By flagging records
that might contain duplicate information, you can ensure that your database contains all the
information about an item in a single record. When you attempt to save a record that contains
duplicate fields, a message appears that warns you.
You can:
• Click Yes to save the record and create a potential duplicate without reviewing any of the records
that are found. Depending on how iBase is configured on your computer, there might be a second
warning message. Click Yes to save the record.
• Click No to review the list of matching records. You can review the summary of each record or use
the commands on the menu to determine whether the record really is a duplicate. For example,
values in the other fields of the entity might indicate that it is not one.
Note: If you want to stop being notified of duplicate records, you can turn off Check for matching
records whenever a discriminator field value changes, in Tools > Options.

Procedure
To review potential duplicate records:
1. Review the list of matching records to determine whether the record really is a duplicate, and if any
new information about a duplicate is available. You can do this by:
• Clicking each record in turn to display a summary of the details.
• Selecting a record and clicking Show Record to display the full details, and edit if necessary.

Chapter 2. Entering records 17

 2. When you are finished, click Close to return to the record you were editing.
3. Do one of the following:
• Edit the record and change the details that make it a potential duplicate.
• Click Save, and select Yes to save the record as a potential duplicate.

Show an entity
You often need to see the contents of an individual record, either to read the details or to edit the
information. To display or work with individual entity records that you find, use Show.
Directly opening a record (Show) always shows all of the fields that are defined for an entity whereas
data sheets might omit some fields.
After you have opened an entity, you can edit its details, copy (and then edit) it to a new entity, or
delete it. Depending on the database, you might also be able to the history of the record.
Showing a record might raise an alert.

Different ways of showing an entity

There are different menu commands for showing the complete record or showing in a data sheet:
• To use the default method for showing records of this type, right-click on the record and from the
menu, select Show.
• To show the complete record, right-click on the record and from the menu, select Show With >
Show Record .
• To use other data sheets (if there are any), right-click on the record and from the menu, select Show
With > datasheet name.
Note: If you selected more than one record, the records are listed to compare the records.
When you have reviewed the record, you can start other operations involving the shown entity.

Contact details for the owner of the record

Depending on your organization, a record might have an "owner" that you need to contact before you
edit, delete, or merge the record. The user's name and their contact details are listed in User
Information.
There are two ways of displaying their contact details:
• Click the username.
• Click Edit and then double-click the username.
The record owner can be a different person to the user who created or updated the record. To find out
who these users were, right-click the entity in any record list and from the menu, select Properties.
Note: Contact details might not be available in this database, or might be available on certain entity
and link types.

Changing the owner of a record

If you have the correct permissions, you can assign a record to a different owner. For any record that
has an owner, the record must be in edit mode before the owner can be changed.
To select a user as the owner of the current record:
• Select the user from the list and click OK.
• Double-click the user.

18 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Note: If there is a long list of names, enter the first letter of the name to scroll to that position in the
list.

Merging entities
You might have two or more entities that you decide relate to the same person or thing. You can
merge these entities into one, however, after entities are merged, you cannot reverse the operation.

About this task

Merging means that one entity (the 'merge' entity) inherits the links from other entities that are
transferred to it before the other entities are deleted. Only entities of the same type can be merged.
Optionally, you can:
• Use the data from the entities that are deleted to replace blank field values in the 'merge' entity.
• Add the data in any Multi-line Text (Append Only) fields to the end of the corresponding fields in the
'merge' entity.
The original creation dates and usernames on the links are preserved, and the update details are
modified to show who merged the entities and when it was done. Where a change is made to a Multi-
line Text (Append Only) field, the text MERGE is also inserted after the username.
Note: The record that is displayed in the upper part is the record that is kept, and the records
displayed in the lower part are deleted once they are merged.

Procedure
1. Select Edit > Merge Entities.
2. In the Merge Entities dialog, select an Entity Type.
3. In the Merge the records below into this record area, either click Select to find and select the
'merge' entity, or drag a single record from a different dialog into the blank icon area.
Tip: The pointer changes shape when you are over the correct part of the dialog.
4. You can check that you have selected the correct entity by reviewing its details. For example, you
can right-click on the icon and from the shortcut menu, select Show.
5. In the Merge these records into the above record area, click Add to find and select entities to add
to the list of entities that you want to be merged. Alternatively, drag a record from a different
dialog into this area.
Tip: You can check the details of the entities by using commands, such as Show, on the menu. To
display the menu, right-click on a record in the record list.
6. Repeat as required to add more entities.
7. Optionally, turn on Use the values from the records above to substitute blank values in the
'merge' record (and merge append-only fields). Turn this on if you want to assign values from
the entities that are to be deleted to blank fields in the 'merge' entity. If there is more than one
record in the Merge these records into the above record area, then the value is taken from the
first record in the list. Any values in Multi-line (Append Only) fields will also update with any
values from the entities that are to be deleted.
8. Check that only the required entities are listed. If you do not want to merge any of these, select
them and then click Remove.
9. Click Merge and then click Yes to confirm that you want to merge and delete the entities.
10. If the link end entity at the other end of the link is not valid for the link type, you see a warning.
Click Yes to perform the merge (you can modify the link later) or No to cancel the merge in order
to modify the link.

Chapter 2. Entering records 19

Editing entities
Entities can be edited to add new information or to modify existing information if you have permission
to do so. If necessary, check with the owner of the record before making any changes.

About this task

Saving your changes stores the text along with your username, and the date and time that you made
the change. Saving your changes can also raise an alert.
Note: On some fields, your administrator can set permissions such that you may not be able to modify
the current contents; you might only be able to append new text. These fields are normally displayed
with a color background (uses the tooltip color, typically yellow).

Procedure
To edit the details of an individual record:
1. Find the entity that you want to change and show the record.
a) From the Edit menu, select Find Entity and then select the required entity type.
b) Enter a piece of information about the entity into the appropriate field and click Find.
c) Right-click the required record, and from the menu, select Show.
2. Depending on your organization, you might need to check with the owner of the record before you
edit the entity. If you need to do this, the owner's username is displayed as part of the record
details.
3. Click Edit. All fields that you can change are displayed with a white background.
Tip: If you double-click a multi-line field, a larger window is displayed.
4. Make your changes and then click Save to store the changes in the database.
Note: You can make the same change to a number of entities at the same time: from the Edit
menu, select Batch Edit.

Changing the icon used for an entity

Icons are used in records and whenever you chart items. You can change the icons that are used to
represent entities of a particular type.

About this task

You can change the icon and icon shading color for an individual entity, all the entities in a set, or all
the entities that are found by a query.
Note: When you apply an icon with a semantic type to an entity, you can affect the results of queries
that use semantic types.

Procedure
To assign a different icon or shading color:
1. Select Edit > Assign Icons and select the entity type from the Entity Type list. The standard icon
for the type is selected automatically in the list.
2. In the Icons list, select the icon that you want to assign to the entity or entities.
The icons that are included in this list depend on the selected entity type. If this entity type has an
Icon type field, then the list is filtered so that you can choose icons from the list that is assigned to

20 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 this field. If the entity type does not have an Icon type field, then you can choose from the whole
set of icons.
3. You can, apply a shading color to the icon.
Option Description
Ignore When you are changing the icon for more than one record, select this option to keep
the existing icon shading setting for each record. The shading that is set for each
record is applied to the new icon.
Apply Use a color that you select. Click Browse and select a color from the Color Picker, or
click Custom to define your own color. If you select a different icon to assign to one
or more records, it also uses the selected color.
By default, the color picker shows the 40 standard colors that are used in Analyst's
Notebook. (To see the name of a color in the picker, move the pointer over it.)
Selecting one of these colors enables searching for the textual value of the color (as
an analysis attribute) in Analyst's Notebook. Choosing a custom color results in only
the RGB values being used for the analysis attribute.

Restore to Any icon assigned to the specified records uses the standard icon color.
Default
4. Specify which entity or entities use the selected icon by selecting one of the following options:
Option Description
Assign to this The icon is assigned to the record that you select.
record
Note: You can also drag a record onto the Assign to this Record.

Assign to records in The icon is assigned to records of the entity type that are in the results of a
this query query, which you select. You can only select from queries that output
records of the specified type.
Assign to records in The icon is assigned to records of the entity type that are contained in a
this set set, which you select. You can only select from sets that contain records of
the specified type.
5. Click Assign to assign the icon.

Batch editing
If you have permission, you can edit the same field in multiple records (of a specified entity or link
type) simultaneously. You can edit all the records of the type, in the database or case, or found by a
query or in a set.

Procedure
To edit a batch of records:
1. Select Edit > Batch Edit, and specify the entity or link type of the records you want to edit from the
Entity/Link Type list.
2. Select the origin of the records from the Source list:
• All records - to work on all records of the selected entity or link type.
• Query - to work on the records that are output by a query, which you select.
• Set - to work on the relevant records contained in a set, which you select.
3. In the Update Field list, select the field whose values you want to edit.

Chapter 2. Entering records 21

 4. Specify how you want to change the field's value by selecting from the different editing options. If
you selected a Text type field for example, you might opt to change the case of the text, or add a
prefix.
Option Description

Set To Enter the value that replaces the existing field value.
If you want to change the text in a Multi-line Text (Append Only) field, you need to
log on as a system administrator.

Append For Multi-line (Append Only) fields, you can append the change to the field. To
amend the existing value, you must log on as a system administrator.
Convert To Changes the case of the text.
Prefix, Enter the value that is inserted at the beginning of the existing field value (as a
Suffix prefix) or at the end of the existing field value (as a suffix).
Extract Text You can keep part of the field value and delete the rest.
For example, entering 2 and 5 for a 10-character word, keeps characters 2 - 5 and
delete the first character and characters 6 - 10 .

Trim You can delete characters from the beginning and end of field values:
Leading Spaces - deletes spaces at the beginning of the field value.
Trailing Spaces - deletes spaces at the end of the field value.
Leading and Trailing Spaces - combines the options.

Adjust Changes a numeric field value by addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

Date and time values can also be adjusted by incrementing or decrementing by,
for example, days, hours, or minutes.
5. Click Update.

Deleting an entity
You can remove records from the database either individually or in batches. When you delete an
entity, all links to that entity are deleted too. Deleting a record might cause an alert to be raised.

About this task

Exactly what you can delete, or even whether you can delete records at all, depends on the
permissions that are granted to you by your system administrator. You might also need to check with
the owner of the record. Depending on how your database is configured, you might have soft delete
enabled. Soft deletion prevents records appearing in search results; however, the deleted records can
still be restored until they have been deliberately purged.
Attention: If soft delete is not enabled, then deleting records will be a permanent and
irreversible operation.

Procedure
1. Find the entity and open the record.
2. Depending on your organization, you may need to check with the owner of the record before
deleting the entity. If you need to do this, the owner's username will be displayed as part of the
entity details.

22 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 3. In the Show dialog, click Delete to remove both the entity and its links (you see a confirmation
dialog before the deletion completes). The dialog closes after the deletion.

Links
The modeling and analysis facilities in iBase are based on the concepts of entities and links. Links
represent relationships between entities, and the characteristics of those relationships.
For example:
• People can be linked to organizations as shareholders, directors, or employees.
• A pair of telephones can be linked by a specific call that is made between them.
You can add links to the database:
• On an individual basis
• By importing them
• By using a custom data sheet, in which case you can enter an entity and its links in one operation.
Generally, you add entities and then the links between them. Each link is a separate record in the
database, and has a unique record number.
Note: A link can also have a direction, as shown by an arrow, and a line style that indicates the
strength, such as whether it is confirmed or unconfirmed. In the Database Explorer, you might be
able to get more information about a link type by moving the pointer over it to display a tooltip. For
information on which semantic types are assigned to the link types in your database, run the
Database Design report.
To list the link types available to you, click the plus sign to the left of the word Links. Select a link type
to display the fields for that link type in the Explorer Detail window.
To find out which combinations of entities and links can be used together, right-click on a link type,
and from the menu, selecting End Types.

Creating links
After you create the entities at each end of the link, you can add one or more links between them. The
link represents the relationship between the entities.

Procedure
To create a link between two entities:
1. Select New > Link > link type.
2. Enter the link details.
3. Select the two entities to be connected. For each entity:
a) Click Select.
You might find the options are restricted. For example, when you select a record for a link end,
the options are restricted to the allowed entity types at the ends of the link type.
b) Enter the values that you want to find. You do not need to enter the whole value.
c) Click Find. The found records are then listed. Click each record in turn to check it.
d) Select the entity that you want to use, then click OK to review its details by right-clicking on the
icon and selecting from the menu.

Chapter 2. Entering records 23

 4. Optional: Set the direction of the link by clicking the arrow on the line between the entities and
from the Direction menu, selecting Add Arrow. You can reverse the direction of the link by
selecting Direction > Reverse Arrow.
Alternatively you can use the following keyboard shortcuts to set the link direction:
• No link direction: Press Ctrl+N
• Right: Press Ctrl+R
• Left: Press Ctrl+L
• Both: Press Ctrl+B
5. Optional: Set the strength of the link - this indicates whether the link is confirmed, unconfirmed, or
tentative. Click the arrow on the line between the entities and select one of the options from the
Strength menu.
Alternatively you can use the following keyboard shortcuts to set the link strength:
• Confirmed: Press Ctrl+O
• Unconfirmed: Press Ctrl+U
• Tentative: Press Ctrl+T

Creating multiple links from one entity

You can create a number of links from one entity, each to another entity, in a single operation. Each
link will be the same link type and share the same field values.

About this task

Creating
Note: If two entities were selected, they are placed at either end of the link. With more than two
entities selected, they are placed at the End 2 of the link, leaving you to specify the End 1 entity.

Procedure
To create multiple links:
1. Select New > Multiple Links.
2. Specify the End 1 Entity by clicking Select and then selecting the entity that you want to add.
3. Select multiple entities to which you want to create links in the End 2 Entities list:
• To add entities, click Add and then select the entities that you want to add.
• To remove entities from the list, click Remove.
4. If more than one link type is valid between the selected entity types, select the type of link from
the list.
5. To add an arrow in the required directions, click the arrow on the line between the entities and
select one of the Direction options. Alternatively use the following keyboard shortcuts:
• No direction: Press Ctrl+N
• Right: Press Ctrl+R
• Left: Press Ctrl+L
• Both: Press Ctrl+B
6. To set the strength, click the arrow on the line between the entities and select one of the Strength
options. Alternatively use the following keyboard shortcuts:
• Confirmed: Press Ctrl+O

24 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • Unconfirmed: Press Ctrl+U
• Tentative: Press Ctrl+T
Note: When creating links, the default value for link strength is Confirmed. However, you can set a
different default value within a given iBase session.
7. Click OK to close the dialog and display the Link Details dialog.
8. Enter the details for the link, or links, in either the Link Details dialog (if you had more than one End
2 entity listed) or the New Link dialog (if you had only one End 2 Entity listed).
Note: If there are no details required for the link type, you are prompted to confirm that you want
to create the multiple links.

Creating links between open entities

Links can be created between entities that have a supported link type available. If you have two
entities that you already have open, you can create a link between valid link end types by dragging
one entity to the other.

Procedure
1. Ensure that the entities you want to link, are both open.
2. Click the entity icon and hold down the right mouse button, then drag the cursor over the Show tab
that shows the entity at the other end of the link.
3. Release the mouse button to create the link.

Copying a link
You can copy a link between two entities.

Procedure
1. Find the link that you want to copy. For example, you can use Find, Links, Records, or Browse.
2. Double-click the link.
3. Click Copy or press Ctrl+Y to copy the link details.
4. Click Save or press Ctrl+S to save the copy as a new record.

Using data sheets to add or edit links

Your database designer can set up data sheets to use instead of the standard forms for adding,
editing, and deleting data. Data sheets are designed especially for your work, and show the fields that
you need, arranged in groupings. Depending on the data sheet, you might be able to use it to enter
data for related entities and links.
Depending on the type of data sheet, you can enter details of a main entity, add links and possibly
create new link end entities. The fields in the lower part can be a mixture of the link fields and the
entity fields.
To use a data sheet to create links between new or existing entities; Select New > Datasheet >
datasheet name. To review or edit the links between entities: select the entity, right-click and from
the menu, select Show With > datasheet name.
Note: Your database designer might decide to make the data sheet the default method for entering
record data for a particular entity. When you want to show records you can choose whether to show
the details with a data sheet. To make this choice, select one of the Show With options on the menu.

Chapter 2. Entering records 25

 When you use the Show With and New With options on the menu, you are shown the name of the
data sheet in the lower half of the menu. Depending on how the database designer has named a data
sheet, it may have the same name as the main entity type. Executing

Showing Links
You often need to see the contents of an individual link, either to read the details, edit the
information, or find out who ownsthe record. In the Show dialog, the link details are displayed in the
upper part of the dialog, and the entities which it connects are displayed in the lower part. Showing a
link may raise an alert.
To find the link record that you want to display in the Show dialog, you can, for example:
• List the link records for a specific link type using dialogs such as Records or Browse
• Search for the link using dialogs such as Find or Query
• List the links in a specific set or query using the Set or Query Records dialog
To list the links from a specific link end entity, use the Links dialog.
In the Show dialog, click New to start entering a new link. The New dialog is displayed in place of the
Show dialog. If an existing link is displayed, you need to click either Save or Cancel to complete your
work on the displayed record before you can click New.
Enter the link details and then select the two entities to be connected by clicking Select. If you were
previously editing a link, you will find that the same link end entities are specified, so that you can
create a new link between them (you can however change these using Select).

Showing contact details for the owner of the record

Depending on your organization, a record may have an "owner" that you should contact before editing
or deleting the record. The user's name is shown in the "owner" (or similarly named) field, and their
contact details in the User Information dialog.
There are two ways of displaying their contact details when using the Show dialog:
• Click on the username.
• Click Edit and then double-click on the username.
The record owner may be a different person to the user who created or updated the record. To find
out who these users were, right-click on the link record in any record list, and from the shortcut menu,
select Properties.
Note: Contact details may not be available to you in this database, or may only be available on certain
entity and link types.

Merging links
If you have two or more links that you decide relate to the same relationship or transaction, you can
merge these links into a single link. However, when links are merged, you cannot split the links back
into the original links.

About this task

You can merge links between the same two entities. Merging means that one link (the 'merge' link)
inherits data from the other links before those links are deleted, listing the record they were merged
into. Only links of the same type, with the same link ends can be merged. Optionally, you can:
• Use the data from the entities that are deleted to replace blank field values in the 'merge' entity.

26 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • Add the data in any Multi-line Text (Append Only) fields to the end of the corresponding fields in the
'merge' entity.
The original creation dates and usernames on the merge link are preserved, and the Update User and
Update Date and Time are modified. Where a change is made to a Multi-line Text (Append Only) field,
the text MERGE is also inserted after the username.
Note: The record that is displayed in the Select the link to merge into section is the record that is
kept, and the records that are selected in the Select the links to be merged section are deleted when
they are merged.

Procedure
1. Select Edit > Merge Links.
2. Select a Link Type.
3. In the Link Ends section, Select the entities at the ends of the links that you are investigating.
When the link ends are selected, a list of the available links is displayed.
4. In the Select the link to merge into section, select the 'merge' link.
Tip: You can check that the correct link is selected by reviewing its details. For example, you can
right-click on the label and from the menu, select Show.
5. In the Select the links to be merged section, select the links to be merged.
6. Optional: If you want to assign values from the links that are to be deleted to blank fields in the
'merge' link, turn on Use the values from the records above to substitute blank values in the
'merge' record (and merge append-only fields).
If there is more than one selected record in the Select the links to be merged section, then the
value is taken from the first record in the list. Any values in Multi-line (Append Only) fields are
updated with values from the links that are to be deleted.
7. Check that only the required links are selected.
8. Click Merge and then click Yes to confirm that you want to merge and delete the links in the Select
the links to be merged section.

Editing links
If you have permission, you can edit link records to add new information or to update existing
information. If necessary, check with the owner of the record before you make any changes. Editing a
link might raise an alert.

Procedure
1. Find the record that you want to change:
a) Select Edit > Find Link and select the required link type.
b) Enter a piece of information about the link into the appropriate fields and click Find. Records
that are found with this information are listed.
c) Right-click on the required link, and from the menu, select Show.
Note: Depending on your organization, you might need to check with the owner of the record
before you edit the link. If you need to contact the owner, the owner's username is displayed as
part of the record details.
2. Click Edit and all fields that you can change are displayed with a white background.

Chapter 2. Entering records 27

 Note: On some fields, your administrator might set permissions such that you cannot modify the
current contents, but you can append text. These fields are typically displayed with a yellow
background.
3. Make your changes and click Save to store the changes to the link in the database:
• Set the direction of the link by selecting Direction > Add Arrow. When you add an arrow, you
can reverse the direction of the link by selecting Reverse Arrow from the Direction menu.
Alternatively you can use the following shortcuts to set the link direction:
– No link direction: Press Ctrl+N
– Right: Press Ctrl+R
– Left: Press Ctrl+L
– Both: Press Ctrl+B
• Set the strength of the link (whether the link is confirmed, unconfirmed, or tentative) by
selecting one of the options from the Strength menu. Alternatively you can use the following
shortcuts to set the link strength:
– Confirmed: Press Ctrl+O
– Unconfirmed: Press Ctrl+U
– Tentative: Press Ctrl+T
• Change the entity at the end of a link.
– By opening the link, and selecting a different entity.
– By dragging and dropping a different entity onto the icon that is shown at the end of the link.
Note: Editing a link does not change the owner of the record.

Viewing the valid end types for a link

You can check the types of entity that are allowed at each end of a particular type of link. You cannot
change the types of entity, as they are fixed in the definition of the link types in the database design.

About this task

Knowing the valid combinations of entities that can be added to a link is useful information. For
example, it can prevent you trying to create invalid link type and end entity type combinations.
Note: It is the combination of End 1 and End 2 types that matters, not the ends they are at or the link
direction. For example, there would be no difference between these two examples:
• An Account entity at End 1 and a Person entity at End 2
• A Person entity at End 1 and an Account entity at End 2

Procedure
To view the valid end types:
1. Locate the required link type.
2. Right-click the link type and select End Types.

28 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Viewing the links for an entity
You can view the links of a particular entity. For example, you can find out how many links there are of
the various link types, the details of the links, which entities the main entity is linked to, and their
details.

About this task

The Link End Summary lists all the distinct link ends for the selected type, and shows the total
number of links between the main entity and each link end. For non-directional links, the number of
links is shown in the Count column. For directed links, you can also see the number of links to or from
each link end in the To and From columns.
Note: The To and From columns are not displayed, if there are no directed links of the selected type.
If you have added a directed link of a type which previously had no directed links in the current
session, the To and From columns will not be displayed until you close and re-open the database.
When there is more than a single link end for the selected type, an "All" entry is displayed as the first
entry in the list. Click the "All" entry to view all the links of the selected type in the Links area.
The format of the labels is determined by the current labeling scheme. Details about the link end
record are shown in the Link End Details pane.
Note: If there are many links to load, you can press Esc or Pause to pause the loading of the records,
and click Resume when you are ready to continue.

Procedure
1. To view the links for an entity, select the entity or link record that you want to investigate. Then
right-click the record, and from the menu, select Links.
2. View the information available:
• In the Links Summary, click on a link type to view all the current link ends for that type.
• In the Link End Summary, select a link end to display the following information:
– A summary view of the link end details.
– All the links to or from this link end. For each link, you can see a summary of the field values.
Individual links are identified by the label of the entity at the end of the link and the label of
the link itself.
3. Optional: Modify the records:
Option Description

The main entity To modify the main entity, click the toolbar buttons to:
• Show, edit, or delete the main entity.
• Show the main entity, its links, and linked entities on an iBase link chart.
• Find out whether there are any other records in the database that match
the main entity.

One or several In the Links area, select one or more link records, right-click, and select an
links option from the menu.
A link end entity In Link End Details, click Show Link End. You can review, edit, or delete the
entity.

Chapter 2. Entering records 29

Creating multiple links from an entity
You can create a number of links from an entity, each to another entity, in a single operation. Each link
type is the same, and the links share field values. You specify the entities and the link type, and you
are then prompted to enter the link details.

Procedure
To create multiple links:
1. Select New > Multiple Links.
Note: Alternatively, in a list of records, select two or more entities, right-click and select Create
Link. If two entities were selected, they are placed at either end of the link. With more than two
entities selected, they are placed at the End 2 of the link, leaving you to specify the End 1 entity.
2. Specify the End 1 Entity by clicking Select and then selecting the entity that you want to add.
3. Confirm that the entities to which you want to create links are present in the End 2 Entities list.
4. If more than one link type is valid between the selected entity types, select the type of link from
the list.
5. To add an arrow in the required directions, click the arrow on the Link line and select the Direction.
Alternatively use the following shortcuts:
• Right: Press Ctrl+R
• Left: Press Ctrl+L
• Both: Press Ctrl+B
6. To set the strength, click the arrow on the link line and select the Strength. Alternatively use the
following shortcuts:
• Confirmed: Press Ctrl+O
• Unconfirmed: Press Ctrl+U
• Tentative: Press Ctrl+T
7. Click OK.
8. Enter the details for the link, or links.
Note: If there are no details required for the link type, you are prompted to confirm that you want
to create the multiple links.

Deleting a link
Exactly what you can delete, or even whether you can delete links at all, depends on your permission
level. You might also need to check with the owner of the record before you delete it.

About this task

Depending on how your database is configured, you might have soft delete enabled. If soft delete is
enabled, deleted records do not appear in any search results; however, the deleted records can still
be restored until they have been purged.

Procedure
To delete a link:
1. Find the link.

30 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 2. Depending on your organization, you might need to check with the owner of the record before you
delete the link. If you need to do this, the owner's username will be displayed as part of the link
details.
3. Click Delete or press Ctrl+D to remove the link (you see a confirmation dialog before the deletion
completes).

Entering and editing data

You can enter, maintain, and find data in any screen that display records. How you work with the fields
in a record, depends on the field type and where the record is being accessed.

Recognizing mandatory fields

When you enter information in a new record, you must complete all mandatory fields. Mandatory
fields are shown in blue (either the field name or the text box itself).

Entering and editing data

• You can enter and change data in a field with a white background.
• You cannot edit a field that has a gray background.
• You might be able to make a gray field editable by clicking Edit or by selecting a checkbox, for
example for date fields. However, some fields are read-only and can never be edited.
Note: You might be able to move your mouse over a field to display a tooltip that provides helpful
information.

Entering Unicode characters

Depending on your database, you might be able to enter Unicode characters. To find out whether
Unicode characters are supported:
• Select File > Properties > Database Properties.
If Unicode characters are allowed, then the Use Unicode Data types checkbox is selected.
Note: Unless your database supports Unicode characters, do not enter characters into a record that
are not included in the character set for your language group.

Selecting the record owner

Depending on your organization, each type of entity and link record might have an "owner" field or
something equivalent. This identifies the person to contact about the record. When adding a new
entity or link, the field might display $ as the default value, which means that you will become the
owner of the record when the record is saved.
To select a different user as the owner:
1. Type $ in the "owner" field. This indicates that you are looking for a username rather than a file.
2. Click the Browse button next to the "owner" field to display the list of users for this database. If
you know the first few characters of the name, enter these first - this will then scroll the list to that
position in the list.
3. Double-click on a name to select that person as the owner.

Chapter 2. Entering records 31

 Finding out the field type
To find out the type of a field. For example, the type of a Grade field in a Document entity:
1. In the Database Explorer view, click the record's entity or link type.
2. In the Explorer detail window, look up the field type in the Type column.

Entering text
To enter new text or edit existing text, click the text box or in a multi-line text box, double-click to
display a Memo Editor, with scroll bars.

About this task

There are three types of text box:
• Text - text boxes are limited to the number of characters they can contain; this maximum number is
set in the database design for the field.
• Multiline Text - similar to text boxes except that you can start new lines by pressing the Enter key.
• Multiline Text (Append Only) - in fields of this type you can add new text, but you cannot edit
existing text.

Procedure
To edit a Multiline Text (append only) field:
1. Double-click in the field to display the Memo Editor. The original (non-editable text) displays, and a
line is added to the bottom that tags new text with the username, and the date and time.
Note: If you are logged in to the database as the system administrator, you can edit the field
without using the Memo Editor. In this case, any additional text you add is not tagged with your
name and the date and time.
2. Enter text in the bottom pane. To start new lines, press the Enter key.
3. Click OK to save your changes.

Results
The text that you enter in the bottom pane is added to the existing text in the field; none of the text in
the field can be edited or deleted.
Note: In multiline text boxes, you can set the number of rows to be displayed. Select Tools > Options
and select the Number of rows to be displayed.

Checking the spelling on records

When you are entering text for records either directly, or that use a data sheet, you can check the
spelling of the record details. Terms are checked against a standard dictionary for your selected
language and any custom terms in your local dictionary.

Procedure
To check the text stored in records:
1. Open a record and ensure that it is in edit mode.
2. Select Spellcheck.

32 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Note: If you are checking the spelling on a data sheet, the main record and the open link will be
checked. To ensure that spelling is correct on other linked record, you need to run the spell
checker with each linked record open separately.
3. For each term that the spell check flags, decide how you would like to handle the spelling:
Option Description
Ignore To ignore this instance of the term.
Ignore All To ignore all instances of the term in the current spelling session.
Add To add the term to your custom dictionary, marking the spelling as correct.
Change To change the flagged term to one of the suggested terms, select the correct term
and click Change.
Change All To change all instances of the flagged term to one of the suggested terms, select the
correct term and click Change All .
4. Click Close.

Numbers and currencies

You can use a range of field types to enter and maintain numerical and financial data. To enter a
numerical value, select the number or currency field and enter a value or edit an existing value. When
you type numbers and currencies, the figures you enter might be converted to a different format for
saving and display.
The different numerical field types are:
• Calculated numbers are whole numbers that are derived from other field values, such as the sum
of two other numbers. It is not possible to edit calculated numbers.
• Counting numbers are used for whole numbers. You can only enter numbers and a period (.), used
as a decimal point. On saving, a prefix and commas (,) can be added; for example, 1675 might
become gm 1,675. Although you can enter a decimal point, the typed figure is rounded to the
nearest whole number on saving. For example, typing 3.49 or 2.51 is always saved as 3.
• Real Numbers are used for numbers that might have fractions. You can enter numbers, periods (as
a decimal point), and the characters defined by your Windows-defined regional number options
(perhaps commas (,) to separate thousands). On saving, a prefix might be added and decimal places
rounded. For example, 83.47 might become mL 83.5.
• Currency is used for financial values. For the decimal point in a currency value, you use the
character that is specified in the Windows regional currency options. On saving, the value might be
rounded and a currency symbol added. For example, 4856.4872 might become $4856.49.
Note: Only numbers between -2147483648 and 2147483647 are accepted.

Dates
You can enter and maintain many dates on records, and also find and select records by using date
information. You can enter and maintain many dates on records, and also find and select records by
using date information.

About this task

You enter and edit dates, in Date type fields, in the format defined by the Short date Windows
Regional settings.
To specify a blank date for the record (even if a date is already displayed), turn off the Date checkbox.

Chapter 2. Entering records 33

 Procedure
To enter a date:
1. Turn on the Date checkbox.
2. Click the arrow to the right of the field to display the calendar.
Tip: By default the calendar is displayed with today's date highlighted. To go to today's date from
anywhere in the calendar, right-click and select Go to today.
3. Select the date that you would like to use.

Documents and hyperlinks

You can use document and hyperlink fields to include documents, or links to other iBase records, in
your database. When you are editing records, you can load documents or add links to them. When you
are not editing, you can access the documents or records.

About this task

Document fields are used to store documents in a record in the database. The document is
represented on charts by its icon. You add a document to the database by loading it using a Document
type field.
Common document types include:

Type File extension

Microsoft Word document .doc
File format that many word-processing programs .rtf
understand
Text document (no formatting) .txt
Microsoft Excel spreadsheet .xls

When a document is loaded, you can open the file, save a copy, or delete it from the record. Although
the contents of documents can be added to the search 360 index, you cannot search on Document
type fields by using the Find or Select options.
To load a graphic to represent an entity on a chart, use a picture type field instead.

Procedure
Hyperlink fields are used to store links to documents or iBase records. To enter a hyperlink:
1. Browse for the required document or click to type in the target of the hyperlink.
2. To add another hyperlink, click Add to display a blank hyperlink field.
For example,:

Target Format example

Web page http://www.webpage.com
File C:\documents\report.doc
iBase record #PER15 (where PER15 is the Record ID of an iBase record and # identifies the text
as a Record ID rather than a web page or file)

34 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Field attachments
If you would like to add documents or images to add information about a specific field, but that do not
need to be indexed, you can use field attachments. Field attachments can only be used in SQL Server
databases that are set up to use them.

Procedure
• To add an attachment to a field:
a) Open a record and select Edit.
b) Select the attachment icon (a paperclip) next to the field name.
c) Browse and select the attachment to add.
• To save a local copy of an attachment:
a) Open a record that contains an attachment.
b) Select the attachment icon (a paperclip) next to the field name.
c) Browse and select a location to save the file.

Icons and pictures

You use icon and pictures to represent records on iBase link charts, on Analyst's Notebook charts, and
in iBase.
There are two field types:
Icon fields
Icon fields are used to select an icon to represent the record. Select an icon name from the list for
the field. To use the standard icon for the entity type, select the blank option at the top of the list.
The standard icon for each entity type is specified in iBase Designer. If there is no blank option,
then the field is mandatory and you must choose an icon from the list.
To change the icon shading color, select Edit > Assign Icons.
Note: Not all entity types have an icon field. To change the icon for an entity that doesn't have an
icon field, you can also use Assign Icons.
Picture fields
Picture fields are used to store graphics, such as photographs, in the record so that you can
display the actual graphics on charts rather than using icons.
To add a graphic to a record, load it by using a picture type field. For more information, see
“Documents and hyperlinks” on page 34.
A picture can be used instead of the icon to represent the record on charts:
• Select Tools > Options > Charting and turn on Chart pictures to represent records instead of
their icons.

Yes or No fields
Click a Yes or No field to select the option or to deselect it.
The field is:
• Turned on when a check mark is shown in the box, which corresponds to Yes.
• Turned off when there is no check mark, which corresponds to No.

Chapter 2. Entering records 35

 Note: When you import Yes or No fields from a text file into SQL Server databases, blank values are
interpreted as ‘No’. This is useful where a Yes or No field is left blank for ‘No’.
In some situations, for example when you are trying to Find records, there is a third setting that
means either.

Code lists
Code lists can be used to suggest or restrict the values that are added to fields. Ensuring that field
values are aligned across a database can improve search results.
There are three different types of code list:
• Selected from - you can only use the items on the list.
• Suggested from - you can either use an item on this list or enter your own value.
• Security Classification Code - this type of code list controls access to records.

Attention: You can select security classification codes that deny you further access to the
record after you save it.
If you want to find a field value that is no longer included in a list, use a query rather than Find or
Select. In a query, you are allowed a 'free entry' so you can specify non-code list values.
Note: If the list does not contain the item that you want, you can add it by selecting Code Lists from
the Edit menu (provided you have the required permissions as a user).

Times and time zones

You enter new times by turning on the checkbox to edit the time in the format defined by your
Windows Regional Options. Alternatively you can turn it off to specify a blank time (even though a
time might be displayed).

Procedure
To edit a time:
1. Click a part of the time to edit it.
2. Enter the time by using the number keys or the up and down arrow keys. To edit AM or PM, click it
and then press the A key to change to AM or P to change to PM.
On saving, the time might be changed for storing and display. For example, 9:08 AM might become
09:08:00.
Time zones are used along with date and time type fields.

Strength fields
Line strengths are a useful way of indicating the general status or quality of information that is
represented by an item. For example, whether an association between two people is definite or
speculative, or that an event frame contains information that is unconfirmed.
When you add or edit links, you can click a Strength field to select a strength value:
• Confirmed
• Unconfirmed
• Tentative
Note: The default link strength is Confirmed but you can set a session default of your own so that
every link you create or import during that session uses your value.

36 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Coordinates in iBase
To plot an entity or link on a map, you need to enter coordinate values in two fields that are set up for
this purpose. Your GIS package is configured to interpret the values in these fields so that the data
can be plotted in the correct location.
In iBase, you will also be able to store geographic data in a number of formats, which are then
converted, either manually when you enter the record or automatically after an import or using a bulk
conversion. You can also run coordinate queries.

Types of field
The fields used to contain the coordinate data must be defined as Real Number type fields. They can
contain the following types of coordinates:
• Latitude and Longitude values, entered in decimal degrees
• Easting and Northing data, entered in meters
These fields will typically be called Latitude and Longitude or X and Y. If you are not sure which fields
you need to use, move the pointer over the field name to see its tooltip, or speak to your database
administrator.
You might also have a Coordinate type field.
Note: You can only use latitude and longitude (decimal degrees) if Coordinate type fields are used.

Converting coordinates to a standard format

When you convert coordinates, they are always converted to decimal degrees of latitude and
longitude, using the WGS 1984 datum (a global standard for plotting geographic locations).
To convert coordinates, the entity type requires a Coordinate type field in addition to fields for the
latitude and longitude. The Coordinate type field must be directly above the latitude and longitude
fields. You enter the coordinates in the Coordinate type field and the coordinates are then
automatically converted and displayed in the latitude and longitude field.
The original coordinate value is stored so that it can be searched for, and for audit purposes.
Note: The conversion process changes longitude values greater than 180 to their equivalent negative
value in order that they can be plotted correctly.

System fields
Values in system fields are automatically added when the record is saved, and can be displayed by
right-clicking on the record and selecting Properties from the menu. You cannot edit the values in a
system field.
However, you can search using these values:
• Record ID - the record's ID.
• Create Date and Create User - the date and time the record was created, and the username of the
person who added the record.
• Update Date and Update User - the date and time the record was last updated, and the username of
the person who made the change.

Chapter 2. Entering records 37

Entering and reviewing data on a data sheet
You can use a data sheet to create, edit, and review entities and links. How you do this depends on
how a data sheet is designed.
For example, you might be able to:
• Create an entity.
• Create an entity along with some links and link end entities.
• Create links and link end entities for an existing entity.
Before you edit or delete an entity and its links, you might need to check with the owner of the
records. For more information, see “Show an entity” on page 18.

Starting with a blank data sheet

If the data sheet is already displayed for the correct entity type, click New or press Ctrl+W. If you are
currently working on another record, then you must first save your changes or cancel them.

Editing existing data in a data sheet

If a blank data sheet is already displayed, click Select to find the entity you want to edit. If the entity
is already displayed, for example as a result of showing it, click Edit or press Ctrl+E instead.

Working on the main entity

1. Use the upper part of the data sheet to enter, or edit, the details of the main entity. The information
that is required for the main entity might be organized into a series of pages.
Notice that:
• Mandatory fields, those that you must complete, are displayed with a blue label.
• Fields into which you can enter data are displayed with a white background. For more
information about entering data into the different iBase field types, see “Entering and editing
data” on page 31.
• If the database designer has set this up, you can be able to get help on what to enter in each
field by moving the mouse pointer over the field labels. This displays a tooltip that will tell you
something about the type of data to enter in each field.
If you start to enter an entity that matches one that is already in the database, then you might see
a message similar to:
1 record with matching discriminators has been found in the database.

For more information, see “Creating an entity” on page 15.

2. Click Save or press Ctrl+S to save the details of the main entity. If you see a message similar to
the following, you are trying to save an entity that matches one that is already in the database:
WARNING: 1 matching record has been found in the database.

For more information, see “Creating an entity” on page 15.

Note: To continue working on a data sheet after you save it, click Edit or press Ctrl+E.

38 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Working on the links and link end entities
Depending on the data sheet, you can define the entities that are linked to the main entity, and the
relationship between them. There can be more than one link between a main entity and another
entity.
1. In the lower area of the data sheet, go to the appropriate page by clicking its tab or hyperlink. This
determines which entity and link types you can select or add. The page can be further subdivided
with its own tabs or hyperlinks, and you might need to use the scroll bar in order to see all the
fields.
2. Specify the entity or entities that are linked to the main entity. For example, you can:
• Select an existing entity for the link end by clicking Select. Depending on the data sheet, you
might then need to enter some additional information for the link between this entity and the
main entity.
• Enter the details of a new entity for the link end. This entity is saved when you save the data
sheet.
• Add a second entity or link by clicking New (or press Ctrl+W) or Copy and then entering the
details. If you click Copy, you need to change some of the details in the copy otherwise you
create a duplicate record.
• Remove the displayed link from the data sheet by clicking Remove.
3. If required, change the line style of the link. You can choose between Confirmed, Unconfirmed, or
Tentative.
4. You can review the linked entities by clicking '>' to step through all the link end entities, if there is
more than one. The status of the link is shown. For example, ** New Link ** (Changed)
means that you have edited the link but not yet saved it.
5. Save your work by clicking Save or pressing Ctrl+S. To continue working on this data sheet, click
Edit or press Ctrl+E.

Reviewing data using a data sheet

To review entity and link data in a data sheet:
1. Click Select to find the main entity that is the subject of the data sheet. Depending on the design
of the data sheet, this will display the links from the entity and the other entities to which it is
linked - the link and entity types will depend on the design of the data sheet.
2. Review the entity and link details on the main page. You can go to the other pages (if any) by
clicking the tabs or hyperlinks.
For the link end entities in the lower half of the data sheet, you can change between a summary list
view and a more detailed record view by clicking these two buttons:

Button Description

Chapter 2. Entering records 39

 Click this button to display the details of the
selected record. Click '>' to step through all the
link end entities, if there is more than one. For
example, to display record '1 of 2' and then
record '2 of 2'.
You can edit the selected record by clicking
Edit or pressing Ctrl+E.

Click this button to see summary details of all

the records.
3. To review other aspects of this data, for example, all the links from the main entity, right-click on
the icon in the upper left of the dialog, and select from the shortcut menu.

Deleting the records in a data sheet

You can delete the main entity of a data sheet and its links by clicking Delete or pressing Ctrl+D in the
Datasheet dialog. This will not delete the link end entities. To delete these:
1. Find the link end entity. For more information, see “Finding records” on page 88.
2. Right-click on the entity that you want to delete and from the shortcut menu, select Show to
display the Show or Datasheet dialogs.
3. Click Delete to remove the link end entity.

Starting other operations with the entities in the data sheet

You can start other operations with the main entity and the linked entities shown on the data sheet.

Item In this area of the dialog...

The main entity Either, click the toolbar buttons at the top of the
dialog:
• Show links - List full details of its links in the
Links dialog.
• Link chart - View the entity and all its links on
an iBase link chart.
• Matching records - Find out if other records in
the database share common features with this
record.

A link end entity Click the Links button to see full details of the
links from this entity (in list form), or click the
drop-down arrow and select from the shortcut
menu.

40 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Adding notes to folders
You can add notes to sets, queries, definitions, and import and export specifications. These notes can
then be viewed later to provide more information.

Procedure
1. Click Description.
2. Enter the text for the description and click OK.

Results
You can view the text in the list of items, or by moving the mouse pointer over the name.
Note: You might need to scroll to the right to read the complete text.

Selecting the record owner

You can choose the owner of a record from the users with access to this database. When you are
selecting an owner, you might see additional information for those users who enter their details.
To select a user as the owner of the current record:
• Select the user from the list and click OK.
• Double-click the user.
Note: If there is a long list of names, enter the first letter of the name to scroll to that position in the
list.

Viewing the record history

In SQL Server databases, you might be able to view the history of the changes that are made to
records in the database (provided your organization uses this feature). How far back the history goes
depends on how frequently your system administrator archives this data.

Procedure
1. Select the records to view:
• In any list of records, right-click on one or more selected records, and from the menu, select
Show History.
• With a record open, click History.
Note: If Audit History is not configured, these menu commands are missing.
2. To select further records of interest, open the Audit History Viewer, and click Select.
3. Refine your selection:
• Filter the records that are displayed by user, entity and link type, and by time.
• To display all records touched by a specific user, in the Records to display area, select All
records used by and select the username from the list. The selected username is displayed as
a reminder.
• To filter by entity and link types, in the Types to display area, select the entities and link types.
Note: Only types with records in your selection are listed, and the records for a selected type
are displayed only when the appropriate checkbox is turned on.

Chapter 2. Entering records 41

 • To filter by time, in the Time period to display area, select a time period.
Note: Depending on the database, the number of times the records have been viewed, but not
edited, is displayed in the Views column. Viewing includes all the following activities: listing in a
record list, opening a record, listing or viewing in the Audit History.
4. Select the information to display in the edit history:
a) Make sure that by all users is selected from the Show Edits list.
b) Select from the following options:
• Show Headers - to hide or show the shaded line that displays either the date/time/username
or the field name. You cannot expand and collapse when this option is turned off.
• Plus - to expand the history.
• Minus - to collapse the history.
• Audit - groups the entries by the name of the user who worked on the record and when they
were created, updated, or deleted.
• Field - groups the entries by the data that has been added, updated, or deleted. Click again to
sort in ascending or descending order by date edited.
• Edits - displays a history of the changes to the record (only available if the database is set to
audit level 5)
• Views - displays a history of who viewed the record and when (only available if the database
is set to audit level 5)
c) To display the history for a specific user, from the Show Edits list, select the username.

Results
The history of edits area shows information on the changes that are made to the selected record:

Field Name The old and current values.

Edited by The logon name of the user who made the
change.
Date Edited The date and time of the change.
Reason If required by the database, the reason given by
the user for making the change.
OS User The Windows name of the user made the change.
Machine Name The machine that the user was working on.
Location The location as entered in the User Information.
iBase Change When is turned off, the update was made outside
iBase.
Extra Detail You might see an Extra Detail column that
displays additional information for the current
record.

More data might be shown for each record, including:

• The name of the icon if an alternative icon is assigned to the record.
• The icon color (which is blank if the standard icon color is used)

42 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • The record status (applicable only if Soft Delete is used). The record status can be Soft Deleted,
Normal (the record has been soft deleted and restored), and Purged.
• Security Classification, the old and new SC code (if this feature is used and if you have authority to
view this information)
Some information can be displayed that you do not usually see, such as the date the record was
created and the record ID.

Changes to Code Lists

You can view changes to a specific pick list, icon list, or SCC List. In the list, click History.
Note: There is no option to view the history if:
• The database is stored in Microsoft Access.
• The database is not set up to record audit history.
• You do not have access to the audit history.
Changes can include:
• Old and new values
• Old and new descriptions
• Old and new parent pick lists, for filtered pick lists
All the changes that are made in the same session are grouped by username, date, and time.
As there can be several pages of changes, you can print the list or save it as a spreadsheet or PDF file.
To find out whether the audit history is recorded, select File > Properties > Database Properties and
check the setting of the Audit History.

Viewing charts
There are two ways of viewing a chart that is embedded in an entity. You can either view the chart in
Analyst's Notebook, or you can use Chart Viewer.

Procedure
1. To view a chart:
a) To view the chart in Analyst's Notebook: right-click on the chart, and select View.
b) To view the chart in the iBase Chart Viewer: right-click on the chart, and select Chart Viewer.
2. Depending on the chart type, review the cover sheet and then click Open if you want to continue.
Both Chart Viewer and Analyst's Notebook display the chart in the same way but changes cannot
be saved in Chart Viewer.
3. Some chart items might have additional information that is stored on cards, or as part of their item
properties. To display this information, right-click on the chart item, and from the menu, select
Edit Item Properties.

Chapter 2. Entering records 43

44 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 3. Importing data
You can import data from iBase databases, other databases, excel spreadsheets, or text files. Before
you can import any data, you define how the source data is to be interpreted during the import in an
import specification. You can run the import specifications singly or in a batch (if you first set up an
import batch specification).

Planning imports
Before you create an import specification, compare the data that you would like to import with the
database structure to determine the item types to import. In addition, determine the fields that are
mandatory, and the fields that can be used as identifiers (used to decide whether data matches
records in the database).
Note: If you are importing entities or links that use multi-line text (append only) fields, you might
want to test the import first. You can only add text to the end of fields of this type - you cannot delete
or edit existing text without removing the record.

Validating and protecting the data

During the import, you can check that values imported into Selected from Code List type fields are
valid; any invalid values are reported as errors during the import.
You can protect existing data by turning on the Do not update existing field values with blank
values checkbox. This option prevents existing data from being overwritten by blank values in the
source data.
If you set up comprehensive record matching, you can control how records are created or updated.
For more information, see:
• “Matching entities in importing” on page 62
• “Matching links in importing” on page 63

Manipulating the data

When you import data, you can transform field values in source records before you assign them to
iBase fields. You can:
• Copy a value to assign it to more than one field.
• Merge two or more values to assign them to a single field.
• Split a value to assign parts to several fields.
• Update specified values with new ones (for example where the source data uses a different code
list) by creating a substitution file.
• Trim unwanted space from the start or end of a source field.
For more information, see “Transforming source data” on page 54.

Recording the results of the import

You can record the results of the import by saving new and modified records in a set.
If required, you can log the numbers of new and modified records to a file.
Note: If you use auditing with a Microsoft Access database, and the audit level is set to 4 then the
audit log only records the start and end of the import. It does not log the individual records.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 45

 Handling errors
You can save the errors that might occur during the import to a file. You can then fix the problems with
the source data by editing the error file, and reimport the remainder of the data by using the error file
as the source for the import.

Bulk imports and importing XML data

A bulk import allows significantly faster importing and importing from XML files. It is also useful for
importing large quantities of data without user intervention. System administrators can set up a bulk
import, that uses an import specification, although there are a few minor differences between a
standard and a bulk import.
Note: In a case-controlled database, you can only import data into the case in which you are currently
working.
After importing large numbers of records, you might want to compact your database.

Importing data with an existing specification

How records are imported is defined in an import specification. Your system administrator might set
up the import specifications for you, or you might need to create your own.

About this task

The import specification defines the following details of the import:
• Which entity type or link type is being imported.
• For links, which entity types are imported as the link ends.
• The path or file that contains the data to import.
• How values in the data correspond to fields in the database.
• If you want to check for potential duplicates, which fields are used to check whether the data
matches any existing records, and what happens when a match is found.
• Whether a set is created to contain the imported data, and its name.
The import specification can be defined to prompt for confirmation before records are updated or
created. If this prompt is enabled, you need to confirm whether:
• An existing record is updated with data from matching information in the import file.
• When there is no matching record, whether a new record is created.
Note: You cannot run import specifications that import entities or links for which you do not have
write permission to all the fields, or if you do not have permission to create sets.

Procedure
To use an existing import specification:
1. Right-click on Import Specifications and from the menu, select List.
2. Double-click an existing import specification to load it.
3. Click Next to review the details of the import specification.
4. Optional: Click Session Defaults to define default values for the standard fields that are common
to all entity and link types in the database and link strength. They are not saved as part of the
import specification.

46 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 5. On the last page, click Run to start the import. You might be prompted to confirm the import of
particular records.
Tip: Click Verify to see any errors without importing the data.

Attention: If the import takes too long to complete, you can stop it by clicking Stop.
Stopping an import does not cancel the records that are already imported but no set is
created.
6. When the import completes, you are shown a summary of the import.
7. The final stage of any import is to check to see that the records are imported as you expect. For
example, examine the records in an import set or run a query.

Creating import specifications

An import specification defines the types of record that should be created from a set of data. You
must use an import specification for each import that you want to complete.

About this task

Before you can import any data, you need to define:
• The type of data you want to import.
• The type and format of the source data
• How you want to manipulate the source data (optional)
• How you want to validate the source data and match it to existing records.
• How you want to record the results of the import (optional)
These definitions are created in an import specification that you can create by using the import
wizard.
Regardless of your progress in creating an import specification, you can:
• Save the current specification.
• Add or view a description of the specification.
Note: To modify an existing import specification; on the first step of the import wizard, click Load.

Procedure
1. Select File > Data > Import.
2. Select the type of record that the import creates and the source of the data:
Option Description
Type Each import specification can import data for single entity type or a link type and two
supported link ends. Specify whether the data corresponds to Entities or Links, and
select the type of record to create.
Options If required, in the Options area, turn on the following options:
• Validate imported 'Selected from Code List' values - If you want to verify that the
values in the source data are valid for the code lists in the current database. Invalid
values are reported as errors during an import.
• Do not update existing field values with blank values - If you want to prevent blank
fields in the source data from overwriting fields in existing iBase records that contain

Chapter 3. Importing data 47

 Option Description

data, turn on this option. This option applies where the action on discovering a match
with existing data is Modify Record.

Source Select the type of file that contains the data:

• Text File - Data in a file.
• OLE-DB Compliant Data Source - Data is held, for example, in a Microsoft Access
database, in a Microsoft SQL Server database, or in an Oracle database. For more
information, see “Importing from OLE-DB data sources” on page 50.
• XML (iBase Schema) File - For more information, see “Bulk importing” on page 51.
• Microsoft Excel Worksheet - Data in a .xls file. For more information, see “Importing
from Microsoft Excel worksheets” on page 54
• Folder Contents - Data is held in a specified folder. For more information, see
“Importing files from a folder” on page 53
• The import source contains 'Record ID's that originate from this database - The
data that is being imported relates to updates to specific records that are already in
this database. For more information, see “Exporting and importing externally edited
iBase data” on page 67.

3. If you selected a link, specify:

Option Description
End (1) A valid entity type for an end of the specified link type.
Note: If you select Fixed, you can select a specific entity that is used as End (1)
for all imported links.

End (2) A valid entity type for an end of a link of the specified type with the specified End
1.
Link Specify the link direction:
direction
• None - no arrows
• End (1) to End (2) - an arrow points to End 2
• End (2) to End (1) - an arrow points to End 1
• Both - an arrowhead at each end
• From Import Source - The direction of the link is derived from the data that is
mapped to the <direction> field using the following code:
– 0 = None
– 1 = End (1) to End (2)
– 2 = End (2) to End (1)
– 3 = Both

Link Select a specified strength or click From Import Source to specify the strength
Strength based on the data that is mapped to the <strength> field that uses the following
code:
• 0 = Confirmed
• 1 = Unconfirmed

48 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description

• 2 = Tentative

4. Identify the location and layout of the data. The format of the data is detected when a file name is
entered, but you can change the options if your data is not aligned properly:
Option Description
File Name The path and file name to import.
Start Import at The first record in the file to be imported.
record
Note: You can use First Import Record Contains Field Names to include
column headings that identify the fields in other records.

Text Qualifier The character that is used to identify where text begins and ends.
Note: You can use Auto Trim Trailing Spaces in Data to remove any
extra spaces from imported fields.

Record Delimiter The character that is used to identify the end of a record.
Field Delimiter The character that is used to identify the end of a field.
Date, Time, and The formats used for data of these types.
Number Formats
5. Assign fields in the data to iBase fields using the lists:
Option Description
Auto Assign Assigns data to iBase fields based on field names.
Note: If the automatic assignment is incorrect, you can use Clear all field
assignments to remove all the assignments.

Field Actions Use Field Actions to transform source data into different formats. For more
information, see “Transforming source data” on page 54.
Identifier Set the fields to use to identify existing records to update.
6. Confirm the action to use for matching records.
• If a match is found:

Option Description
Update it The iBase record is updated with the imported information. Whether blank
source fields overwrite fields that contain data depends on the setting Do not
update existing field values with blank values on the Step 1 page of the
import wizard:
• Turn on the checkbox to prevent blank source fields from overwriting iBase
fields.
• Turn off the checkbox to allow blank source fields to overwrite iBase fields.

Don't update The iBase record is not changed (but can be added to a set for later inspection).
it
Confirm Prompt for the action each time a match is found.
action

Chapter 3. Importing data 49

 • If a match is not found:

Option Description
Create it Create an iBase entity with field values imported from the source record. If
link records are being imported, the link is also created.
Don't create it (or Ignores data if a match cannot be found in iBase. If links are being
the link) imported, the end entities are identified independently, and the link is only
be created if both ends can be identified.
Confirm action Prompt for the action each time a match is found.

For more information, see “Matching entities in importing” on page 62 and “Matching links in
importing” on page 63.
7. Enter the details for running the import (and save the import specification so that you can use it
again later):
Option Description
Session Defaults Assign defaults for standard fields that are stored until you exit iBase.
For more information, see “Setting Field Values for the Session” on page
249.
Create an import set To create a set that contains records that are changed by the import.
Provide the name of the set to create, and specify the types of record to
be added.
Write the import To log of the number of records that are created, updated, or left
statistics summary to unchanged (unchanged includes imported records that are matched to
a file an existing record). Enter a name for the file. By default the file is saved
in the same folder as the database.
Write all records with You can choose to save any error files that might be generated or
errors to a file overwrite them each time that you run you run the import. If you intend
to run this import as part of a batch import, you might prefer to save the
error files.
Note: This file is typically overwritten each time the import. If you want
to keep the file, select Append a timestamp to the file name each time
the import is run.

Automatically stop If you want to stop the import when there are more than a number of
the import errors, enter the number. Enter 0 if you want to import the data
regardless of the number of errors.
8. Optional: Select Verify to check the import.
9. Press Run to run the import. You are prompted to save the completed import specification before
the import starts.

Importing from OLE-DB data sources

To import from an external data source, such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, or Microsoft Access,
iBase must connect to the data source, which it does through facilities in Microsoft Windows.

About this task

The most efficient way to import from a data source is to use one of these providers:

50 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider (for Microsoft Access databases)
• Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Oracle
• Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server
You can use Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers, but this method is slower and less efficient,
and is not described here.
You might need to ask your system administrator for information on the source database to set up a
connection to it. For example, for SQL Server databases, you need to know:
• The server name.
• Whether Windows Integrated security is used or whether you must enter a username and password.
• Which method to use to select the database.
Note: When you import from a Microsoft Access database that contains linked tables, check that the
database that contains the physical tables that are being linked is also available.

Procedure
To import from a Microsoft Access database:
1. In Step 1 of the import wizard, select OLE-DB Compliant Data Source. Click Next.
2. In the Connection area, click OLE-DB Data Source.
3. On the Provider page, select Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider.
4. Enter the connection details for the Microsoft Access database:
a) Click the Connection tab to display the Connection page.
b) Enter the location of the Microsoft Access database and if required, the username and
password for logging on to the Access database.
c) Click Test Connection.
Note:
If the database is an iBase Microsoft Access database, enter the iBase database password: display
the All page, select Jet OLEDB:Database Password, click Edit Value, and enter the password. You
can obtain the password from iBase Designer.
5. Click OK. The OLE-DB Data Source changes to bold to indicate a connection is added (although
not that the connection is correct).
6. From the Source list, select the Microsoft Access table.
7. Click Next to continue in the usual way.

Bulk importing
Bulk imports enable you to import data more quickly, and should be considered if you have large
volumes of data to import or if you find the standard importer too slow. Before you can create and run
a bulk import, the database must be activated for bulk imports.
You can only run bulk import on an SQL Server database. Bulk imports from XML files additionally
require that the database supports Unicode. In addition, you can only run a bulk import from iBase
Designer or the Scheduler utility. Use the Scheduler to run bulk imports at times when the database is
not being used.

Chapter 3. Importing data 51

 What is a bulk import?
A bulk import allows significantly faster importing, and is useful for importing large quantities of data
without user intervention. You set up a bulk import in the same way as any other import, using an
import specification, although there are a few minor differences between a standard and a bulk
import (see the next section).
To define a bulk import specification:
• You need to be logged on as a database administrator.
Note that bulk importing has the potential to create more links than a standard import. In bulk
importing, all specified links between matching link ends are created, in contrast, for standard
imports only the first link between specified ends is created, see the example below:

A bulk import specification is the same as any other import specification, with the following
limitations:
• You cannot import picture and document fields.
• There is no user action during the import to confirm matching records.

Differences between bulk imports and standard imports

Bulk imports have the following features:
• Bulk imports are not sensitive to trailing spaces.
• The order of importing elements can be different. When importing links with ends of the same type,
bulk import will import all end 1 records before all end 2 records. If records are updated by both
end 1 and end 2 data, end 2 updates will take precedence.
• Bulk imports are case sensitive when comparing the contents of Append Only fields.
• String comparisons take account of the locale.
• If no records are imported, an empty import set will be created, to identify the fact that the import
took place.
Bulk import is incompatible with Audit Levels 4 and 5. At audit level 4 or 5 changes to individual
records are audited, but when running a Bulk Import the creation or update of individual records is
not audited.

52 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Defining a bulk import specification
Bulk import specifications are defined, edited and saved in the same way as any other import
specification. You can create a new specification from scratch, typically in iBase rather than iBase
Designer, or load an existing one. For more information on creating import specifications, see the
iBase help.
To mark the import specification as a bulk import, turn on the Bulk Import check box on Page 1 of the
Import Wizard.
Note: The Bulk Import check box is unavailable if the database has not been activated to allow bulk
import.

Importing into a database with case control

If your database is case enabled, you have to specify the case into which you want to import the data
when running the import.
When you run the bulk import, the Select Case dialog is displayed. Select a single case to which all the
imported records will be added.
Note: You cannot run a bulk import into a case-enabled database using the Scheduler utility.

Importing files from a folder

You can import all the documents, charts, images, or text files from a folder. The text files must all
have the same number and type of fields.

Procedure
To import files from a folder:
1. In the Type area on the first page of the import wizard, select a suitable entity or link type. For
example, to import documents you need an entity or link type that has one or more Document
fields.
2. In the Source area on the first page of the import wizard, click Folder Contents and then click
Next.
3. Enter the path of the folder or browse for it.
4. If required, turn on Include subfolders to import files from any subfolders.
5. Select the type of file to import:
Option Description
Importing Imports all documents and charts. This option does not import any
documents and image files:
charts from a folder
a. Select Documents and click Next to continue.
b. Assign the Document row in the Source Field column to document
field.

Importing pictures Imports all pictures:

from a folder
a. Select Pictures and click Next to continue.
b. Assign the Picture row in the Source Field column to a picture field.

Chapter 3. Importing data 53

 Option Description
Importing text files Imports all the text files from a folder although the files must all have the
from a folder same data structure. You might want to keep text files in a separate
folder from other file types.
a. Select Text files and click Next to continue.

Importing from Microsoft Excel worksheets

You can import data from Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, one worksheet at a time. If you would like to
import multiple files, or multiple worksheets from the same file, create multiple import specifications.

About this task

When you import from Microsoft Excel files, you must:
• Format the worksheet consistently because iBase derives the formats for dates, times, and
numbers from the worksheet.
• The first row of the worksheet must contain the field names.
• The last field of every row in a Microsoft Excel worksheet must be populated with data. If necessary,
create a dummy column and populate every cell in that column - you can ignore this row later when
you assign the source data to iBase fields.

Procedure
1. In the Source area on the first page of the import wizard, click Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and
then click Next.
2. Enter the path of the spreadsheet or browse for it. The worksheets are loaded alphabetically.
3. Select the worksheet that you would like to use from the Sheet list.
Note: If you change the names or the order of the worksheets, click Refresh to update the list of
worksheets in the import wizard.
4. Select the worksheet and then click Next to continue.

Transforming source data

When you import data, you can transform values in source records before you assign them to fields. If
the data is being exported from a third-party application, transforming the data in the import
specification allows you to change the format of data to match the iBase schema.

About this task

There are two main types of transformation that you can make:
You can create a new value by combining data from other fields in the source record.
For example, if you want to combine a given name with a surname to create a full name. To do
create the full name, create a new field, choose the fields to combine, and specify how they are
combined. The data is copied from the source data, so you can continue to use the original data
for other fields that you want to import.
You can apply actions to the data in individual fields to change the format or value.
For example, you might change the text in a specific field to all UPPERCASE, prefix it with fixed
text, replace it with a value that is retrieved from a substitution file such as Female for F, or
remove ordinal suffixes such as st, nd, rd, and th from (English-language) dates. These

54 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 transformations are referred to as Actions, and any number of them can be applied to individual
fields.
The actions that you specify are saved as part of the import specification.

Procedure
To specify one or more actions for a field:
1. Click a column in the preview table to select that field.
2. In the Available Actions list, double-click an action to apply it.
3. Complete the settings for the action.
4. Optional: By default, the action is applied to every row of data in the source file. If you want to
apply the action under certain conditions only, you can set a condition.

Available actions
If the data that you are trying to import does not match the field structure of your database, you can
add steps to transform the structure in the import specification. The actions that you can select are
described.

Action Description
Add Prefix Adds text or values immediately before the
import data. For example, Area Code: 01234,
Area Code: 01235, Area Code: 01236 where the
prefix is "Area Code: ".
To add a prefix to the values imported for a field,
enter the text or values in the Prefix to be added
before text box together with any additional
spaces. For example, adding a prefix to a field
that imports a date of birth of an entity, a prefix
"DOB: " might be specified to import a date of
birth in the format DOB: 20/11/58.

Add Suffix Adds text or values immediately after the import

data. For example, ABC Inc., BCD Inc., CDE Inc
where Inc. is the suffix.
To add a suffix to the values imported for a field,
enter the text or values in the Suffix to be added
after text box together with any additional
spaces. For example, adding a suffix to a field
that imports a currency amount, a suffix of "USD"
might be specified to import a currency value in
the format 12383478 USD.

Chapter 3. Importing data 55

 Action Description
Compress Repeated Characters Replaces repeated characters with a single
instance of the character. If you are creating the
source text files automatically using products
such as spreadsheets or databases, you might
find that they insert unnecessary characters into
the data file. For example, if a field is defined to
be 30 characters long and contains text that is
18 characters long, the text is printed followed
by 12 space characters.
To complete the settings for an action to
compress unwanted, repeated characters,
specify the characters that you want to
compress. If you compress alphabetic
characters, you can also turn on Ignore case of
characters to compress both uppercase and
lowercase instances of these characters.

56 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Action Description
Extract Portion of Text Extracts a specific part of the data. For example,
you might have a log of telephone calls of which
only some have an area code, and you want to
extract all the telephone numbers and not the
area codes.
To extract a specific portion of text or data from a
field, complete both the First Character and Last
Character settings:
• First Character - The number of the first
character to use. Select either From start or
From end to specify whether to count from the
start or end of the numbered characters in the
field.
• Last Character - The number of the last
character to use. Select either From start or
From end to specify whether to count from the
start or end of the numbered characters in the
field.
For example, in a list of telephone numbers, you
might want to use the last six characters of the
telephone number. Telephone numbers might
appear as follows in the imported file:
01234 567890
0234567890
441234 567890
567890
If you set the following conditions:
• First character: 6 (from end)
• Last character: 1 (from end)
You create an entity with the identity: 567890.

Chapter 3. Importing data 57

 Action Description
Find and Replace Text Replaces text with different text. For example,
you might remove ordinal suffixes (st, nd, rd, and
th) from English-language dates by adding an
action for each suffix that replaces it with an
empty string.
Note: You might need to add extra actions to
prevent (for example) the action for st also
removing the last two letters of August, perhaps
by replacing August with 08 first.
To complete the settings:
1. Type the text string in the Match value box for
the text that you want to replace.
2. Turn on Ignore case if the value you want to
replace appears in both lowercase and
uppercase.
3. Type the text string that you want to use as
the replacement text in the Replace with box.

Prefix with Another Column Adds the values from another field immediately
before the values imported from the selected
field. For example, you can add a Date field to a
Time field to import a combined date and time.
To complete the settings for an action to Prefix
with Another Column:
1. Select a field from the Select column to add
list.
2. Select the separator that you require to be
inserted between the joined data columns. If
you require a specific character or set of
characters, for example " at " for [Date] at
[Time], select Other separator and enter the
characters and spaces in the adjacent box.

58 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Action Description
Remove Characters Removes unwanted characters such as spaces,
tabs, or specific characters. For example, the
characters () can be removed from (863) 555
0140.
To complete the settings for an action to remove
unwanted characters, turn on the check boxes of
the characters that you want to remove. These
are tab characters, space characters, or other
specific characters that you enter in the box
provided.
Note: If you have turned on Remove other
characters listed below and have entered
alphabetic characters, you can also turn on
Ignore case of characters to remove both
uppercase and lowercase instances of these
characters.

Remove Prefix Removes unwanted text from the beginning of a

field value. For example, MR(space) can be
removed from MR SMITH.
To remove a prefix from the values imported for a
field, type the text or values in the box provided
together with any additional spaces.

Remove Suffix Removes text from the end of a field value. For
example, " Esq" can be removed from Andrew
SMITH Esq.
To remove a suffix from the values imported for a
field, type the text or values in the box provided
together with any additional spaces.

Replace from Substitution File Replaces a value in a field with values that are
taken from a lookup table. The codes for marital
status, for example, might be replaced with a
term from a lookup table where S = Single, M =
Married, D = Divorced.
To replace values in a field with values from a
substitution file, a file must be created or
available for selection.

Chapter 3. Importing data 59

 Action Description
Replace Value Replaces a value with another value that you
specify. For example, you want to replace the
detailed confidential information displayed in a
field with the value CONFIDENTIAL.
To complete the settings to create a Replace
Value action:
1. Click the arrow on the Match value list, and
select the data column value.
2. Turn on Ignore case if the value you want to
replace appears in both lowercase and
uppercase.
3. Enter the value that you want to use as the
replacement value in the Replace with box.

Split Text Divides the content of a column into two parts at

the first occurrence of the split character. For
example, a Full Name field "Andrew Smith" might
be split into two fields: Name1 "Andrew" and
Name2 "Smith".
To split the text that appears within a column:
1. Select the split character that you would like
to use to divide the column. By default this
uses a space, if you require a specific
character, for example " | ", select Other and
type the characters and spaces in the
adjacent box.
2. Choose which side of the split you would like
to use.

Suffix with Another Column Adds the value from another field immediately
after the value imported from the selected field.
For example, you can add a Time field to a Date
field to import a combined date and time.
To complete the settings for an action to Suffix
with Another Column:
1. Select a field from the Select column to add
list.
2. Select the separator that you require to be
inserted between the joined data columns. If
you require a specific character or set of
characters, for example " at " for [Date] at
[Time], select Other separator and type the
characters and spaces in the adjacent box.

60 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Action Description
Trim Characters Trim unwanted characters from the beginning
and end of a field, such as spaces, tabs or
specific characters. For example the character "
can be removed from " Jelico's Restaurant".
To complete the settings for an action to trim
unwanted characters, turn on the check boxes of
the characters that you want to trim. These are
tab characters, space characters, or other
specific characters that you enter in the box
provided.
Note: If you have turned on Trim other
characters that are listed below and have
entered alphabetic characters in the box
provided, you can also turn on Ignore case of
characters to trim both uppercase and
lowercase instances of these characters.

Applying conditions to actions

Transforming actions can be used to change the source data before it is added to field values. You can
use conditions to apply one or more actions to a field, such as add a text prefix under specific
circumstances.

Procedure
For each condition you want to apply to the field:
1. Select from the Condition list:
Option Description
Contains Where the field contains the exact portion of text, which can be at the
start, middle or end of the field.
Does not contain Where the field does not contain the exact portion of text.
Does not end with When the field does not end with the entered value text.
Does not start with When the field does not start with the entered value text.
Ends with Where the field ends with the entered value text.
Is blank Where the field does not contain any text.
Is not blank Where the field contains text.
Length equal to When the field width is equal to a specific number of characters.
Length greater than When the field width is greater than a specific number of characters.
Length less than When the field width is less than a specific number of characters.
Regular expression When the data meets a general pattern set by the specified expression. For
example, the expression [0-9] will match on 1, 2, 3, 4 up to 9.
Starts with When the data starts with the entered value text.
2. Click in the Value column and enter the condition text.

Chapter 3. Importing data 61

 3. If required turn on Stop processing subsequent actions when conditions are met. If selected,
the processing of a particular action is stopped when the condition is met. The import wizard will
then continue by processing the other actions in the Actions Applied list.

Matching entities in importing

When you are importing entities, allow for the possibility that there might be a matching record
already in the database. Similarly, the data source itself might contain repeated records. You can
detect and handle these situations to suit different data and working practices.

Note: The result of using Modify record depends on how you choose to handle blank fields in the
source data by turning on or off the Do not update existing field values with blank values option.
Matching entities have identical values in the identifier fields of the data source and an entity record
already in the database.
Identifiers are suggested for each import specification, as either a combination of fields or a single
field that is unique. The suggestion is based on the discriminator fields, which you can see in the
database design report; you can choose different identifiers if appropriate. All identifier fields must
match for there to be a matching record and you must be importing a field to use it as an identifier.
After a check has established whether or not there is a matching entity, there are two groups of
options.
Note: In case-controlled databases, data can only be imported into the current case. Entities will only
be tested for a match with records in the current case. Identical records may exist in other cases.

Handling a matching entity

Once a matching entity has been identified, the options for using the information in the data source
are:

62 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • Always update the existing entity record - You will usually want to do this if you know that the
import data is reliable and up-to-date.
Note: If you want to change the value of a field, that field must not be an identifier when you make
the import. To avoid overwriting existing data with empty/blank fields from the source data, you can
turn on Do not update existing field values with blank values when setting up the import
specification.
• Always leave the record unchanged, that is, ignore the data source - You may want to do this if you
think that the import data is older, less complete, or less reliable than information already in the
database record.
• At the time of importing each record, ask the user which option to use

Handling a non-matching entity

If an existing entity has not been found, you have a different set of options for using the information in
the data source:
• Always create a new entity record, known not to be a duplicate - Do this if you know that the import
data is reliable and up to date.
• Never create a new record, that is, ignore the data source - Do this if you think that the import data
is old, unreliable, or incomplete; or if working practices restrict how to create a new entity record.
• At the time of importing each record, ask the user which option to use

Creating a potential duplicate entity

In some situations, you may not be able to specify the best option beforehand or decide the best
action at the time of importing data. If this is the case, you can choose not to check identifiers, which
means that all records in the data source are used to create new records and may therefore produce
matching or duplicate records. The import process will not inform you if there are duplicates, so you
should make the detection and handling of duplicates part of your work practices following such data
import.
For example, you can check for duplicates using iBase tools such as the Matching Records or
Duplicate Records Checker, then decide to merge any duplicate records or create links between the
duplicates.

Matching links in importing

A check for a matching link uses information about the link and the two link end entities. You can
check all these records to avoid any duplicates or check none, with results similar to checking an

Chapter 3. Importing data 63

 entity. You can also make a partial check, on the end entities only, allowing potential duplicate links
but not duplicate entities.

Note: The result of using Modify record depends on how you choose to handle blank fields in the
source data by turning on or off the Do not update existing field values with blank values option.

Identifying a matching link

More conditions are checked when you match link records than entity records. For a matching link to
be identified all these conditions must be satisfied:
• The link type must be the same.
• Any identifiers on the link must have identical values, as for entities.
• Both end entities must have matching records (in the database).
• The direction of the link must be the same.
• The strength of the link must be the same.
After a check establishes whether there is a matching link, there are two groups of options.
If an existing link is identified, the options are:
• Always update the existing link record.
Note: To avoid overwriting data with empty fields from the source data, you can turn on Do not
update existing field values with blank values when setting up the import specification.
• Always leave the record unchanged, that is, ignore the data source.

64 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • Ask the user which option to use, at the time of importing each record.
If an existing link is not found, you have a different set of options for using the information in the data
source:
• Always create a new link record, which is known not to be a duplicate.
• Never create a new record, that is, ignore the data source.
• Ask the user which option to use, at the time of importing each record.
• Create the link only if the end entities exist in the database.
You might want to use this option when you know that the link information in the data source is
reliable but the information about the end entities is unreliable or incomplete. (You implement this
option by creating a specification that does not create end entities; without ends, a link cannot be
created.)
You can choose to allow duplicate links in the same way as you can for entities, by turning off the
check for identifiers. If you turn off the check for the link, you can choose separately whether to check
the identifiers of the end entities. With links, often you require duplicates, for example it might be
important to record each instance of an identical relationship link separately.
After any import of this type, detect and handle any duplicate records.

Importing charts
You can import batches of Analyst's Notebook charts that can be viewed and searched like other
iBase records.
In addition, if you have charts that contain information you would like to store within your iBase
database, you can extract this data.
Loading charts
You can load charts into iBase if you have an entity type that has a document type field.
You load the charts by importing them individually using a standard import, or in batches from a
folder. How to import all the charts in a folder, and its subfolders, is explained in Importing Files
From a Folder.
Viewing charts
You can view charts without having to open Analyst's Notebook. Using the Chart Viewer, you can
zoom in and out, find text, and examine chart item properties (such as cards), all as if you were
working in Analyst's Notebook.
Finding text on charts
You can use Chart Viewer to find text on a specific chart.
In an SQL Server database, Search 360 searches for text on any chart, including data records and
cards.
Extracting data into iBase
You can use the Chart Item Extractor to extract data from an Analyst's Notebook chart and store it
in iBase. You can extract Analyst's Notebook data into iBase directly from Analyst's Notebook
when connected to your iBase database or from iBase by opening the Chart Item Extractor and
browsing to the required chart.

Chapter 3. Importing data 65

Importing errors
When data is imported into iBase, errors can occur. To ensure that the data is correctly imported, you
can create a file of records that have experienced issues and use this information to correct problems
in the source data.

About this task

Typical errors are:
• Invalid characters (it is not an error if the source file has a blank value).
• Incorrect number of fields in the record (perhaps a text qualifier or delimiter is missing).
• Data is too long for the field.
An error in any field prevents the iBase record from being created or updated. An error file is only
generated if you chose to turn on Write all records with errors to a file on the last page of the import
wizard. Whether the existing error file is overwritten, and how it is named, depends on options that
are specified on the last page of the import wizard.
Note: In the import wizard, you can double-click an error message to display it. Only the first 10,000
errors are reported.
The error file contains one row for each source record that is in error, with tabbed columns of field
values.
The first row contains the assigned iBase field names as headings for the columns, so that when
reimporting from the error file (after you fix the problem), you can use Auto Assign.
In subsequent rows:
• The first column contains the source record number (for example its line number in the source text
file; skip this field on reimporting).
• The remaining columns contain the source record field values (but only for fields that are assigned
to iBase fields).
In addition to the file with the *. txt extension, there is a file with a further *.errl extension. This log file
contains one line per source record that is in error, detailing the error.

Procedure
To correct errors and reimport the data:
1. Open the error file in a text editor.
2. Edit the text to correct the problem that is identified by the error messages displayed at the end of
the import, and then save your changes.
3. In iBase, load the original import specification and then click Next.
4. In the File name box, enter the edited error file as the source data for the import and click Next .
5. Assign the source data to the iBase fields by clicking Auto Assign. Click First and Next to review
the edited records in the source data.
6. Complete the import in the usual way.

66 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Exporting and importing externally edited iBase data
You can export data from iBase for editing in a different application, and then reimport it. There are
two ways of doing this, either by matching the information on import, or by exporting the record IDs,
and by using the ID for record matching during the import.

About this task

Before you export the data, you need to display the record IDs for the entity or link types that you
want to edit. This is done by a suitably qualified user in iBase Designer, by adding the record ID field
to the entity or link types.
Once this has been done, you can export the records that you want to edit in the usual way. You
should export the data to a text file.
When you edit the data:
• Do not change the values in the record ID field.
• Do not add new records - only existing records will be updated using this method.
• Take care not to edit or delete characters such as text qualifiers and field delimiters.

Procedure
To reimport iBase data:
1. In Step 1 of the import wizard, in the Source area, turn on The import source contains 'Record
ID's that originated from this database.
This option is unavailable if the entity type does not have visible record IDs. In this case, you will
need to match the records carefully when you import them.
2. Click Next to display the Step 2 page.
3. Enter the file name. You do not need to set any of other options on this page. Click Next.
4. Click Auto Assign, to automatically assign fields in the source data to the iBase fields.
5. Check that the fields are assigned correctly. You must map the iBase Record ID type field to the
import source field that contains the record ID.
6. You do not need to specify any identifier because iBase uses the record ID as the identifier. Click
Next.
7. You do not need to decide whether to check for matching records because iBase will automatically
check against the record ID and only update existing records. Any new record IDs will not be
accepted; new records will not be created. Click OK to continue.
8. Complete the import in the usual way.

Managing import and export specifications

All the available import or export specifications that you can access, can be listed. The list displays
key information about the specification such as the creation details and the access levels.

Procedure
1. In the database explorer window, right-click Import Specifications or Export Specifications, and
select List.
Tip: To add a specification, click New. Either the import wizard or the export wizard is displayed.

Chapter 3. Importing data 67

 2. To administer the specifications for your database, right-click a specification and then select one
of the following options.
Option Description
Open To start editing the specification, or to import or export data.
Rename To change the name of the specification.
Save As To save a copy of the selected specification under a new name. The name must be
unique not just to the category folder but to the whole database.
Delete To delete one or more selected specifications.
Categorize To move one or more selected specifications, which might be in different categories,
to another category.
Properties Show system type properties for specification, such as its creation date and user.
Only available when a single specification is selected.

Batch import or export

If you receive data from other databases, or you prepare data for others, you can set up batch
specifications, that can run whenever new data is available. A batch specification is a list of
preexisting import or export specifications that can be run with no further intervention required.

Procedure
To create a batch import specification:
1. Select File > Data and then either Import Batch or Export Batch.
2. Choose the specifications to include in the batch.
The specifications are run sequentially in the same order as the list. To change the position of a
specification in the Batch list, click the specification and then click the up and down arrows.
3. Optional: If you want the batch import or export to continue even if there is a problem with one of
the specifications, turn on Continue running .
4. Click Save or Save As to save the batch specification. You might be prompted for a category and
access control settings.
5. Click Run to run the batch specification.

Setting up the import and export specifications

The export and import specifications that can be run by the Import Batch or Export Batch
specification are set up in the usual way. The only difference is in how you record any errors that
might occur during imports and how you log the statistics at the end of each import.

About this task

If you would like to view details of any errors that occur during an batch run, you need to save
individual error files. As a default, error files are overwritten when the batch import runs the next
import specification. You do this on the last page of the import wizard by selecting Append a
timestamp to the file names each time the import is run. The same applies if you want to save the
statistics for each import.

68 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Procedure
If you want a log of what went wrong with an import:
1. Turn on Write all records with errors to a file on the last page of the import wizard.
2. Enter the name of the error file, which will be saved in the same directory as the database. Ideally
use a name that is unique to each import specification.
3. To save it in a different directory, browse for the folder in which to save the file and click Save.
By default the file is overwritten each time you run the import. If you want to keep the error files,
select Append a timestamp to the file names each time the import is run, also on the last page
of the Import Wizard.

Running a batch import or export

A batch import and export can either be triggered to run manually, or by using the iBase Scheduler. If
you are importing or exporting large volumes of data, you might want to run batch specifications when
your system is less busy.

About this task

To schedule a batch import or export, you can use iBase Scheduler, which might be available from the
Programs group of the Windows Start menu: IBM i2 iBase > Tools > iBase Scheduler Configuration.

Procedure
To manually run an existing batch specification:
1. In the Database Explorer view, right-click either Import Batch Specifications or Export Batch
Specifications.
2. From the menu, select List.
3. Load the required batch specification by double-clicking.
4. Review the details of the batch specification.
5. When you are ready to run the batch specification, click Run.

Managing batch specifications

Depending on whether you are importing or exporting, you can list all the batch specifications in the
current category. If the All folder is selected, this is a complete list of all the batch specifications in
the database.

Procedure
1. In the database explorer window, right-click Import Batch Specifications or Export Batch
Specifications, and select List.
Tip: To add a specification, click New.
2. To administer the specifications for your database, right-click a specification and then select one
of the following options.
Option Description
Open To start editing the specification, or to import or export data.
Rename To change the name of the specification.
Save As To save a copy of the selected specification under a new name. The name must be
unique not just to the category folder but to the whole database.

Chapter 3. Importing data 69

 Option Description
Delete To delete one or more selected specifications.
Categorize To move one or more selected specifications, which might be in different categories,
to another category.
Properties Show system type properties for specification, such as its creation date and user.
Only available when a single specification is selected.

Information on formats and field types

The following considerations are specific to certain types.

Date, time, and number formats

You can control how dates, times, and numbers are formatted when you export data, or how they are
interpreted when you import data. The default formats are determined by the Windows Regional
Settings as set on your machine, if the default formats are unsuitable then you can configure the
formats to use.
Note: The text qualifier, record, field, time, date, and number delimiters must generally be set to
different characters.

Date formats
Date Order The order in which to arrange the date parts. For
example, Day, Month, Year, or Month, Day, Year.
Date Delimiter The character that separates the date parts (day,
month, year).
Month A month can be formatted or interpreted:
• As a number. For example, months are
specified by their number; January = 01,
February = 02.
• Using an abbreviated name. For example:
January = JAN, February = FEB.
Note: The month format always defaults to MM
(such as 01) even if the format in the Regional
Settings is set to MMM.

70 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Four-digit years A year can be formatted or interpreted as either a
four-digit or a two-digit number.
When you are importing:
• Turn off this option for two digits in the source
data to be converted to four. The conversion is
as determined by the Windows regional Date
settings (specifically, the ‘When a two-digit
year is entered, interpret as a year between’
setting). The digits that are used for conversion
are the first (or only) two of the year in the
source.
• Turn on, for all year digits in the source to be
used, if present. If not present, then a
conversion is made from the digits that are
present, as detailed above for 'off'.
When you are exporting:
• Turn on for all four-year digits to be copied to
the export file.
• Turn off for only the last two of the year digits
to be copied to the export file.

Time formats
You can specify the format for times by changing the character (delimiter) that separates hours,
minutes, and seconds. Valid characters include: colons (:), spaces, and periods (.). Do not use
alphanumeric characters. The order of the time parts (hours, minutes, seconds) is determined by your
Windows Regional Settings.
When importing, this determines how times are to be interpreted in the source file; and when
exporting, this determines how to specify times in the destination file.
Attention: Use the Auto Detect Formats option carefully as the format it detects may be
incorrect. You will need to verify that the final results are as you would expect. There are
limitations to using this when the regional settings for AM/PM are set to blank.

Number formats
You can specify the format for numbers by changing the character that is used as the decimal point
(delimiter).
When importing, this determines which character is interpreted as being the decimal point in the
source file. When exporting, this determines the character to be used as the decimal point in the
destination file.
Note: In some regional settings, such as Russian, it is usual to use a non-break space character
(<NBS>) as a delimiter for the thousands in a number format. This prevents the number from being
broken up by a word wrap. When using the Import Wizard, the Date/Time & Number Formats derive
the <NBS> character from the default locale settings of the Digit Grouping of the Regional and
Language Options dialog.
If you change this character, iBase will not allow you to type it in (using the key combination Ctrl+Shift
+Space). To re-enter this character, copy it from another application such as Microsoft Word, or from
the Regional and Language Options dialog and then paste it into the Thousands separator box.

Chapter 3. Importing data 71

Time zones
If you want to import records that containing time zones from external data sources, or search for
time zones, then you need to represent each time zone by the appropriate code. For example, in the
import file, the time zone (GMT+00:00) Greenwich Mean Time: Edinburgh, London must be
represented by 32.
If an entity or link type has at least one time zone field, then a Default Time Zone field is displayed on
the final page of the import wizard.
When you export data the time zone is also represented by a code.
You can include a value for the field in the imported data or provide a default.
Time zones sorted by iBase code
The time zones in the following table are sorted in numerical order by their iBase code.

Code Time difference Name

1 (GMT+00:00) Coordinated Universal Time
2 (GMT+04:30) Kabul
3 (GMT-09:00) Alaska
4 (GMT+03:00) Kuwait, Riyadh
5 (GMT+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat
6 (GMT+03:00) Baghdad
7 (GMT-04:00) Atlantic Time (Canada)
8 (GMT+09:30) Darwin
9 (GMT+10:00) Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
10 (GMT-01:00) Azores
11 (GMT-06:00) Saskatchewan
12 (GMT-01:00) Cape Verde Is.
13 (GMT+04:00) Baku, Yerevan
14 (GMT+09:30) Adelaide
15 (GMT-06:00) Central America
16 (GMT+06:00) Astana, Dhaka
17 (GMT+01:00) Belgrade, Bratislava, Budapest,
Ljubljana, Prague
18 (GMT+01:00) Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofija,
Warsaw, Zagreb
19 (GMT+11:00) Magadan, Solomon Islands,
New Caledonia
20 (GMT-06:00) Central Time (North America)
21 (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Urumqi

72 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

22 (GMT-12:00) Eniwetok, Kwajalein
23 (GMT+03:00) Nairobi
24 (GMT+10:00) Brisbane
26 (GMT-03:00) Brasilia
27 (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (North America)
28 (GMT+02:00) Cairo
29 (GMT+05:00) Ekaterinburg
30 (GMT+12:00) Fiji, Kamchatka, Marshall Is.
31 (GMT+02:00) Helsinki, Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius
32 (GMT+00:00) Greenwich Mean Time:
Edinburgh, London
33 (GMT-03:00) Greenland
34 (GMT+00:00) Casablanca, Monrovia
35 (GMT+02:00) Athens, Istanbul, Bucharest,
Minsk
36 (GMT-10:00) Hawaii
37 (GMT+05:30) Calcutta, Chennai, Mumbai,
New Delhi
38 (GMT+03:30) Tehran
39 (GMT+02:00) Jerusalem
40 (GMT+09:00) Seoul
41 (GMT-06:00) Guadalajara, Mexico City,
Monterrey
42 (GMT-02:00) Mid-Atlantic
43 (GMT-07:00) Mountain Time (North America)
44 (GMT+06:30) Yangon, Rangoon
45 (GMT+06:00) Novosibirsk
46 (GMT+05:45) Kathmandu
47 (GMT+12:00) Auckland, Wellington
48 (GMT-03:30) Newfoundland
49 (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
50 (GMT+07:00) Krasnoyarsk
51 (GMT-04:00) Santiago
52 (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (North America)

Chapter 3. Importing data 73

 53 (GMT+01:00) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid,
Paris
54 (GMT+03:00) Moscow, St. Petersburg,
Volgograd
55 (GMT-03:00) Buenos Aires
56 (GMT-05:00) Bogota, Lima, Quito
57 (GMT-04:00) Caracas, La Paz
58 (GMT-11:00) Midway Island, Samoa
59 (GMT+07:00) Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta
60 (GMT+08:00) Kuala Lumpur, Singapore
61 (GMT+02:00) Harare, Pretoria
62 (GMT+06:00) Sri Jayawardenepura
63 (GMT+08:00) Taipei
64 (GMT+10:00) Hobart
65 (GMT+09:00) Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo
66 (GMT+13:00) Nuku'alofa
67 (GMT-05:00) Indiana (East)
68 (GMT-07:00) Arizona
69 (GMT+10:00) Vladivostok
70 (GMT+08:00) Perth
71 (GMT+01:00) West Central Africa
72 (GMT+01:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome,
Stockholm, Vienna
73 (GMT+05:00) Islamabad, Karachi
74 (GMT+10:00) Guam, Port Moresby
75 (GMT+09:00) Yakutsk
76 (GMT-12:00) Yankee (military)
77 (GMT-11:00) X-ray (military)
78 (GMT-10:00) Whiskey (military)
79 (GMT-09:00) Victor (military)
80 (GMT-08:00) Uniform (military)
81 (GMT-07:00) Tango (military)
82 (GMT-06:00) Sierra (military)
83 (GMT-05:00) Romeo (military)
84 (GMT-04:00) Quebec (military)

74 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

85 (GMT-03:00) Papa (military)
86 (GMT-02:00) Oscar (military)
87 (GMT-01:00) November (military)
88 (GMT+00:00) Zulu (military)
89 (GMT+01:00) Alpha (military)
90 (GMT+02:00) Bravo (military)
91 (GMT+03:00) Charlie (military)
92 (GMT+04:00) Delta (military)
93 (GMT+05:00) Echo (military)
94 (GMT+06:00) Foxtrot (military)
95 (GMT+07:00) Golf (military)
96 (GMT+08:00) Hotel (military)
97 (GMT+09:00) India (military)
98 (GMT+10:00) Kilo (military)
99 (GMT+11:00) Lima (military)
100 (GMT+12:00) Mike (military)
101 (GMT+02:00) Amman
102 (GMT+00:00) Dublin
103 (GMT+00:00) Lisbon
104 (GMT-06:00) Galapagos
105 (GMT-06:00) Easter Island (Chile)
106 (GMT-05:00) Cuba
107 (GMT-04:00) Falkland Islands
108 (GMT-04:00) Paraguay
110 (GMT-03:00) Eastern Brazil
111 (GMT-03:00) Uruguay
112 (GMT-03:00) French Guiana
113 (GMT-02:00) Fernando de Noronha (Brazil)
114 (GMT+05:00) Tashkent
115 (GMT+01:00) Windhoek
116 (GMT-01:00) Tunis
117 (GMT-04:00) Tbilisi
118 (GMT-02:00) Beirut
119 (GMT-06:00) Almaty

Chapter 3. Importing data 75

 120 (GMT+07:00) Chihuahua, La Paz, Mazatlan
121 (GMT-08:00) Tijuana, Baja California
122 (GMT+04:00) Manaus

Pictures and documents

A data source such as a text file can include references to picture and document files. You can also
import pictures and documents directly.
You cannot use the iBase xml schema to export pictures and documents to XML to export to XML, use
the Microsoft Rowset xml schema.

Importing pictures
When you are importing from text files, you can import referenced pictures if the picture file
accessible and you assign the file to a Picture field. For example, in the User Guide database, the
Person entity has a suitable field.
When you are specifying picture files in a data file:
• If the picture file is in the same folder as the data file, use a name with the appropriate extension.
For example, you can use: Hoffmann.bmp.
• If the picture file is stored in another location, use the full path. For example, assuming that the
drives, folders, and files exist, you can use: C:\photographs\smith.bmp or \\server-name
\folder\CARTER.BMP
You can import files in which only some of the records have a picture. Records without a picture need
to include a pair of field delimiters with nothing in between to indicate the empty value.

Exporting pictures
When you export data that contains pictures, each picture file is saved in the same folder as the
export file, and in its original file format. The files take the same name as the export file.

Importing documents
You can import document files in a similar way to pictures by placing a reference to the file names in
the data source and assigning the source field to an iBase field of type Document.

Exporting documents
When you export data that contains documents, each document is saved in the same folder as the
export file, in its original file format, with the same name as the export file.

76 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 4. Listing and browsing
Many tasks require you to work through a list of entity or link records. You can select one or more
records, right-click them and select further options from a menu.
There are two types of list that can be produced for an item type:
• Records, which displays all the fields.
• Browse, which displays selected fields.
You can also specify that a particular browse is run by default, by turning on Autorun on your browse
definition. For example, a query might be set up to find all the records entered in the previous week.
The records that are listed depend on whether the database uses cases.

List records
You can list the records for a selected entity or link type so that you can review and modify the data.
In a records list, all the field values are shown including the label for the entity or link type as defined
in the default labeling scheme.
To list the records for an entity or link type, right-click the entity or link type and select Records. The
first 100 records in the database, or case, or set are displayed with the actual number that is shown in
the lower right. To change the number of records displayed, enter the required number in Number of
records to be displayed, and then click Refresh.
The display is limited to the first 40 fields. To see more fields, either open a record, or Browse records.
You can sort the records by the values in specific columns or change the order of the columns.
Note: You cannot select which records are listed; to create lists that include specific records, use
Find, Query, or Show Records.
To work with the entity or link records in the list. Select one or more records, and:
• Right-click and select an action from the menu. For example, select Add to Set to save a group of
records to a set, or Show Records to further compare a selection of the records.
• Use the Copy to Clipboard and then paste the records into another application. Each record
becomes a separate paragraph in a document or a separate row on a spreadsheet.
Note: From time to time, you might need to click Refresh to update the list of records. For example, to
remove deleted records from an open list or display updated values.

Browse records
You can generate a list of entity or link records in the database (or case) that shows just the record
label and any specified fields. If required, you can save the field specification as a browse definition
that you can use again later, or run automatically whenever you open the database.

About this task

Browse definitions are organized into categories (folders).
When you browse links, the browse definition contains three columns:
• Label for the link you are browsing.
• End1 label for any of the possible entities at one end of the link.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 77

 • End2 label for any of the possible entities at the other end of the link.
The position of the end entities (whether in the 'End 1 Label' and 'End 2 Label' column) does not
indicate the direction of the link. To determine the direction, you need to open the link (right-click and
select Show).

Procedure
1. Right-click on Browse Definitions and select New.
Tip: You can open existing definitions by listing the browse definitions and double-clicking a
browse definition to open and run it.
2. To change the browse definition, click Configuration to display the Configuration area.
3. From the Browse the item type list, select the type of entity or link.
4. Specify the source of the records:
• Records - browses the whole the database or case. You need to enter the maximum number of
records to list.
• Query - browses the results of a query, which you need to select; you can only select from
queries that output records of the specified type.
• Set - browses the records that are contained in a set. You need to select a set; you can only
select from sets that contain records of the specified type.
5. Select the Fields to display, and the Sorting order of those fields.
6. Click Browse to list the current matching records.
7. Optional: To set up a browse definition to run automatically as soon as you open the database,
select Autorun.
8. Click Save or Save As to save the browse definition. You might be prompted for a category and
access control settings.

Viewing browse reports

You can generate a report on one or more records.

Procedure
You can either view this on screen or print it:
1. Run a browse by listing the browse definitions and double-clicking a browse definition, and select
the required records.
2. Click the Print toolbar button.
3. Decide how you want to display the selected records. For example:
Option Description
Header The first label for the entity type will appear at the top of every page. To change
this, edit the text in the Header box.
Footer The name of the database will appear at the bottom of every page. To change this,
edit the text in the Footer box.
Hide Record The labels from the default labeling scheme will appear in the report (three labels
Label if you are browsing link records). To hide these, turn on the Hide Record Label
check box. You can only hide these if you have included one or more fields in the
browse definition; see Setting up a browse definition for details.
4. Click OK to generate the report.

78 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Autorunning browse definitions
You can specify one or more browse definitions that you want to automatically run whenever the
database is opened. Each browse definition in the database is listed along with the entity or link type
on which it is based.

Procedure
1. Select Analysis > Browse > Autorun Definitions.
2. Select the browse definitions you want to run.

Compare records
You can compare two or more records that are selected as a result of other operations, such as
browsing, finding, and querying. Each record is identified by its label - the format of the label is
defined in the current labeling scheme.
You can review the values of each record, and then open the selected record or use it in other
operations, such as adding the entity or link to an Analyst's Notebook chart.
You can:
• Double-click to display a record directly or as a data sheet (depending on the default for the entity
type).
• Copy the record details. For example, press Ctrl+C to copy the selected text, ready for pasting into
another application.
• If you want to start other operations for one or more of the records, select one or more records,
right-click, and select an action from the menu.

Viewing link charts

An iBase link chart can graphically represent the links and linked entities of an entity record, in a
similar way to an Analyst's Notebook chart. The chart is centered on one entity (the one you opened
the chart from), and shows this entity, along with its links and linked entities. There is only ever one
'level' of links shown.
You can rearrange the chart by clicking and dragging the objects, and you can simplify it by hiding
specific entity and link types that you do not require.
Note: The labels on the chart are determined by the current labeling scheme.

Producing iBase Link Charts

1. Find the entity to use as the main subject of the chart.
2. Right-click the entity or link and select iBase Link Chart.
3. You can display a series of link charts by right-clicking on an entity or link in the chart and selecting
iBase Link Chart.

Hiding and showing entity and link types

By default all the entity and link types are shown on the chart. To hide item types, click Entity Typesor
Link Types and then, in the list that is displayed, select required entity or link type.
Note: You cannot hide the entity from which you opened the chart.

Chapter 4. Listing and browsing 79

 Hiding and showing chart attributes
Any chart attributes that are set up for the entities may be shown on the chart underneath the entity
labels. To hide or show chart attributes:
1. Select Tools > Options > Charting.
2. Turn on Chart entity/link attributes, and click OK.
Note: The new setting takes effect only when you produce a new iBase link chart.

Starting other operations with the entities and links on the chart
You can work with the entities and links shown on the chart:

Item In this area of the dialog...

The main entity Click the toolbar buttons:
• Show - View full details of the main entity.
• Links - View a list of the links from the main
entity, with full details of the links and the
entities at the other end of the link.
• Matching Records - Find out whether there are
any other records in the database that share
values in common with the main entity.

A link In the chart area, click a link record, then right-

click and select an action.
A link end entity In the chart area, click a link end entity, then
right-click and select an action.

Populating cards
Analyst's Notebook items can contain the details of an iBase record as a card. Adding iBase
information to an Analyst's Notebook chart allows that information to be accessed by anyone who has
access to the chart.

Procedure
To put the relevant entities onto a chart and populate the cards using data from the iBase records:
1. Add the required data to the Analyst's Notebook chart.
For more information, see “Searching iBase” on page 187.
2. In Analyst’s Notebook, select Edit > Select All.
3. On the Selection page of the Data Sources Task Pane , click Populate Cards.
Tip: Alternatively, right-click on one of the selected chart items and from the shortcut menu, select
database > Populate Cards, where database is the name of the iBase database.
4. Save the chart. You now have a saved chart, with populated cards.
5. To check that the cards are now populated:
a) Right-click on one of the chart items and select Edit Item Properties.
b) Select Cards > Card1: entity_name to display the contents of the first card.

80 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 6. When you are working on a chart where some chart items already have populated cards, you can
choose to update existing cards with the new information or leave the cards unchanged.
For each chart item with a populated card, you see a message similar to this:
Record -'My record' has been modified since the chart was created.
Do you still want to populate the card for this item?
Click:
• Yes to update the existing card with new data from the iBase database
• No to leave the card unchanged
• Cancel to stop populating cards and leave all existing cards unchanged
Note: You will need to repopulate the card of any iBase chart item that you edit by using the Show
command on the database menu as this action will remove all the card details.

Menus and record lists

In record lists and from the icons that are used in records, you can work on the selected records by
right-clicking and selecting an action from the menu. The available commands depend on the record
list and the current selection.

Show, Show There are three ways of opening and viewing a record:
With, Show
• Show - displays the selected record, either in the show record view, or the
Records
default data sheet.
• Show With
– Select Show With Show Record to display the selected entity.
– Select Show With datasheet name to use the indicated data sheet.
• Show Records - lists two or more records so that you can compare the
selected records and browse their field values.

Show History Displays the audit history so you can view the changes to the current records
and find out who made those changes.
Note: Only available in databases that are set up to use this feature. See your
system administrator.

Links View the links and the link end entities for the selected record.
Matching Finds any records that match the selected record, and then displays them. iBase
Records searches for matching records using the fields that are defined as discriminators
in the entity type.
Note: It might take a while to retrieve and display the records. To pause the
retrieval, press the Esc key.

iBase Link Chart Shows the links and link end entities for the record in an iBase Link Chart.
Add to Set Adds the selected records to a new or existing set.
Set Membership Lists the sets to which the record belongs.
Create Report Sets up the report wizard to create a report on the selected record. It uses the
default report definition for the entity type selected (if there is one).

Chapter 4. Listing and browsing 81

 Create Link Create links between two or more selected records. Only available when you
select multiple entity records:
• With two entities selected, the entities are placed at either end of the link.
• With more than two entities selected, the entities are placed at the End 2 of
the link, leaving you to specify the End 1 entity.

Chart Add the selected records to an Analyst's Notebook chart:

• Chart > Add to Chart - create chart items for the selected records.
• Chart > Expand - create chart items for the selected records and then
expands them as specified in the Charting Settings dialog to add associated
records to the chart.

Add Alert Monitor activity on a record or changes to the results of a query by adding an
alert.
Note: Only available in databases that have been set up to use this feature. See
your system administrator.

Properties Shows the properties for the selected record. These include the record's system
properties such as its creation date, the name of the user who created it, and its
record identifier (unique record number).

82 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 5. Sets
A set is a user-specified collection of records, possibly of different entity and link types. Entities and
links can belong to more than one set, you can use Set Membership to find out which sets a record
belongs to.
You might want to use sets to:
• Keep the entities found as the result of a query together as a group.
• Analyze only those records that were imported together.
• Define a group of records that you want to add to a chart.
• Group records together on a temporary basis; later you can analyze the set, or combine it with other
sets to form new groupings.
• Analyze deleted records (only possible if with Soft Delete).
You can create sets by:
• Adding records to an existing set or to a new one.
• Adding items on an Analyst's Notebook chart to an existing set or to a new one.
• Combining two sets to form a new one.
Sets are folder items that can be saved and stored in categories.
Note: The set does not store the details of the entities and links that it includes. The detailed
information is always that which is current when the entity or link is shown.
Note: When you delete a set, you do not delete the individual records, you delete the definition of the
set. Sets are automatically updated when you delete records. However, empty sets are not deleted
when the last record is deleted from it.

Listing records
You can list the records for a selected entity or link type so that you can review the data and take
action as required. All the field values are shown, as well as the label for the entity or link type as
defined in the default labeling scheme.

Procedure
1. In the left pane of the Database window, select an entity or link type.
2. Right-click and select Records.
The records of that type are displayed. You can sort the records by the values in specific columns
or change the order of the columns.
3. To change the number of records that are displayed, enter the number of records in the Number of
records to be displayed box, and then click Refresh.
Note: If there are a very large number of records, you may prefer to use a different method of
viewing the records. For example, by using Find or Query in iBase.
4. To copy the information about records in the list, select the required records, and click Copy to
Clipboard. You can then paste the records into another application, such as Microsoft Word or
Microsoft Excel. Each record becomes a separate paragraph in a document or a separate row on a
spreadsheet.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 83

Adding records to sets
There are various ways of adding records to a set. You can either use the commands described below,
or you can drag records selected in other dialogs, such as the Browse or Records dialogs, or other Set
dialogs, into a new or existing set.

Procedure
1. Select one or more records from a list.
2. Right-click and select Add to Set.
3. Choose whether to create a set or append the records to a set:
Option Description
Create new set using the name Enter the name of the set.
Append the records to the set Select the set from the list.
4. Click OK.

Managing sets
The sets that are already in a database are organized into categories, and can be restricted using
access control. You can manage the sets you have access to.

About this task

You can manage the sets in the database by using the options on the right-click menu, and you can
also work with the records in an open set by selecting actions from the right-click menu.

Procedure
1. Select Sets > All Sets > Category to list the sets in the category.
2. Select a set in the list, right-click and select:
Option Description
Open Lists the records in the set.
Rename Enter a new name for the set.
Save As Save a copy of the set under a new name.
Delete Delete the set.
Categorize Move the sets to other categories or set access control on them.
Combine Adds the contents of two sets to another set.
Analyze Looks for common or unique records between two sets.
Properties Show the properties of the set, such as its creation date, user, and access type.
Records Lists the records in the set. There is a separate page for each entity and link type in
the set. Click Refresh if you add or remove records in the set.
3. With an open set, you can:

84 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description
Add Add records to the set.
Remove Remove records from the set
Save Save your changes
Save As Create a copy of the set with a different name

Tip: With two sets open, you can also drag records between sets.

Combining sets
You can combine the contents of two sets to isolate the records that you require. The resulting
combination is placed into a new set.

About this task

For example you might have two sets, one called Prime Suspects and one set that comprises all the
records that were added during a recent import session. You can easily discover which members of
the Prime Suspects set were not added during the recent import.

Procedure
You can specify how the records in two sets are combined to form a new third set:
1. In a list of sets, select two sets, right-click and select Combine.
2. Select how to combine the sets from the list:
Option Description
Include all records from both sets Combine the full contents of the sets.
Include all records from set A only Create a copy of set A.
Include all records from set B only Create a copy of set B.
Include records from set A that are not also Create a subset of set A that excludes records
in set B that are also found in set B.
Include records from set B that are not also Create a subset of set B that excludes records
in set A that are also found in set A.
Include records from set A and set B that Create a set of the unique records in both sets.
are not also in both
Include records that are only in both set A Create a set of the common records between the
and set B sets.

Note: The Venn diagram illustration of the selected criterion helps you visualize the results.
3. Enter the set name in Set C.
4. Click OK to create the set. You might be prompted to specify a category and access control for the
set.

Chapter 5. Sets 85
Analyzing sets
You can find the links and entities that are common or uncommon to a group of sets. Looking for items
in common provides information that might otherwise be overlooked.

About this task

If you have sets that contain information that is related, you can find records that match all of those
criteria. For example, if you have sets of people:
• With connections to Boston
• Connected with the crime of arson
• Drivers of BMW cars
You can generate a list of all the records that share all three characteristics to provide suspects in an
arson investigation.

Procedure
To analyze sets:
1. In a list of sets, select the sets to analyze, right-click and select Analyze.
2. In the Analysis Type area, select:
• Common Records- find records that are in all the sets.
• Uncommon Records - find records that are not in all the sets.
3. Optional: Change the list of sets to analyze by clicking Add and Remove.
4. Click Results to find the common or uncommon records.
5. To work on the records in the results list, select one or more records, then right-click and select an
action.

Finding Out About Set Membership

Depending on the reason that sets have been created, set membership can provide additional
information about a record. You can list the sets that a record is in that you have access to.

Procedure
1. Select a single record, for example in the Records or Browse dialog.
2. Right-click and select Set Membership.
3. To view the other contents of a set, right-click on the set and select Records.

86 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching
records
You can find individual records, or groups of records, for adding to or editing the information in your
database or to analyze data for a particular task. There are a number of ways that you can find
records, and each is designed for a particular type of inquiry.

Find For locating one or more records of a specific

type, such as person entities or phone call links,
where you know some fragment of the
information that you are seeking.
Queries For discovering information about the contents of
the database. Queries can be simple or
complicated according to your needs. You can
save queries for future use and in SQL Server
databases, add alert definitions to them to notify
you of changes to the records returned by the
query.
Search 360 For a more flexible type of search across all
entity and link types in the database. This type of
search allows for variations, for example in
spelling and word order. The results are scored
depending on how closely the record matches
your search criteria.

If you are working in a Microsoft Access database, then you can use these tools in place of Search
360:

Word Search For searching by exact word, by wildcard (basic

or complex) or synonym matching, or by Soundex
matching. Word Search highlights all found terms
in context. You can also browse the index and
find words with a high or low frequency of
occurrence or by their leading characters.
Scored matches Very similar to queries but allow you to rank the
results in order of likelihood that the results are
exactly what you require. You can save scored
matches for future use.
Matching Records Allows you to discover if records in the database
share common values with a single record that
you are interested in.
Duplicate Records Checker Allows you to search for records containing
duplicate values. This is similar to Matching
Records but it allows you to work with a set, a
query or even the whole database.

The results returned by these search methods will depend on whether the database uses cases.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 87

Finding records
You can search for particular types of records that you know, or suspect, are present in the database
or case. When you find related records, you can work with them, for example add them to a chart.

About this task

When you use Find to search for information, the following rules apply to the search terms that you
enter:
• You must enter at least one value, even if it is only a partial value, such as the first few characters of
a name. For example, entering John might also find Johns and Johnson.
• Values are not case-sensitive; if Johnson is found, then johnson might also be found.
• Yes/No Check boxes, are set to either value by default.
By clicking the checkbox, you can cycle through the options and search for:
– Records set to the No value.
– Records set to the Yes value.
– records set to either the Yes or No value.
• For fields that use pick lists, you can select the required value from the list. For filtered pick lists,
selecting a value in one list can limit the values available in a subsequent list.
• Date fields are excluded unless you turn on the checkbox next to the date.
• By default, aside from numeric fields, any value you specify is assumed to end with the * wildcard
character. This default means that values only need to start with the value to be a match. For
example, entering John may also find Johns and Johnson.
• You can specify wildcards when you specify the values to search for. In this case, it is not assumed
that value ends with the * character. This means that entering J*n will find John and Jon but not
Johnson. To find Johnson as well, enter J*n*.
The results of your find are listed, but not ordered, by their iBase label, using the label format defined
in the current labeling scheme.
Note: You cannot save the definition of a Find to be used in future searches directly. However, to
prevent the need to re-enter the details each time, you can save the information either as a query, or
as a new record.

Procedure
To find items:
1. In the Database Explorer window, right-click on an entity type or link type and select Find.
You can change the entity type or link type by using the list provided.
2. Optional: To restrict the fields available for selection, turn on Indexed fields only.
3. Enter the values that you are interested in.
4. Click Find. The results are listed in the bottom pane.
5. You can check each record displayed in the record list by selecting it and viewing its details.
6. To work on one or more of these records, select the records, right-click, and select an option from
the menu. For example, add the records to a set.

88 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Selecting records
You can find and select records as part of lager operations. You might be adding records to a chart, or
adding a record to the end of a link, for example.

About this task

You start with a fragment of information, and you find the records in which it occurs. You might find all
the records that include Ken in the Given Name field; the records for Kenton SMITH and Kenneth
BROWN, for example, then select the appropriate one.

Procedure
To select one or more records:
1. Specify the entity type or link type of the records you want to select.
You might find the options are restricted. For example, when you select a record for a link end, the
options are restricted to the allowed entity types at the ends of the link type.
2. Specify the field values.
You do not need to specify the whole value for a field, and you can use wildcards.
3. Click Find.
4. Review the records found. For example, in the record list, select each record to check its field
values.
5. In the record list, select one or more records and click OK to confirm the selection.

Search 360
You can use Search 360 to find records that contain the same text as your search words. All records in
the database are searched, including records that contain embedded documents and charts.
When you search for exact matches, the following allowances are made:

Variation Example
Letter case For example, Peter, peter and PETER are
exact matches.
Punctuation and accents Francoise is an exact match for Françoise
Word order SMITH, Fred and Fred SMITH are exact
matches.
Incidental words "black pullover red baseball cap" is an exact
match for a record with this text "wearing a black
v-neck pullover and a red baseball cap"

You can also use Search 360 to find records that contain similar text to your search terms (a fuzzy
match). In this type of search, the following allowances are made:

Variation Example
Typing mistakes Searching for ROBERTSON might also find
ROBETRSON.
Missing spaces between words Searching for Daniel might also find
Danielsmith.

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records 89

 Spelling mistakes or sounds likes Searching for PETERSON might also find
PEDERSON.

Name variants Searching for MIKE might also find MICHAEL.

Abbreviations Searching for road might also find rd.

Searching for linked entities (related items)

You can also find information that is held in records that are directly connected to each other by a
single link.

Searching for numbers, dates and time

You can search for numbers, dates, and times if the information was entered as text. The only
recognized date and time separators are / (for example 2009/10/23) and : (for example, 15:43).
However, to take account of possible variations in number, date, and time formats you might need to
search for spelling variations. For example,:
• An exact search for 10,000 does not find records where the number was entered as 10000.
• An exact search for 24.50 does not find records where the number was entered as 24.5.
• An exact search for the date 04/11/89 does not find records where the date was entered as
04/11/1989.

What you cannot search for

There are a few limitations on what you can search for:
• Values entered in number fields, date fields, or time fields
• If you are using spelling variations, words with fewer than 4 letters
• Common words, such as "the", "and" or any words in the stop list
• Punctuation
Note: Search 360 is only available in SQL Server databases that have been indexed. The date of the
last index update is shown in the upper right area of the Search 360 pane. For detailed information on
setting up the indexer, see the Administration Center. Although the default setting for Search 360
indexing includes all available fields, your administrator might choose to reduce the scope of the
index. Fields that are not added to the indexing process are be returned as part of the search results.

Searching for terms

When you use Search 360, each word that you enter is matched against all the terms in the
database's index. The results can include matches in embedded charts, documents, and metadata.

Procedure
To start a search:
1. In the search bar, enter the words that you want to search for and press Enter.
The results are displayed. The results with the strongest matches are listed first and the matching
terms are highlighted in yellow. However, what is meant by "matching" depends on how the search
options are set. Click Advanced to set the search options.
For instance, here are the results of a search for "Michael Peterson", with the best match first:

90 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description
Michael Peterson Exact match on both words
Mike Peterson Uses Common name variations to find "Mike"
Michael Pedersen Uses Similar sounding words to find "Pedersen"
Mike Petresson Uses Include weak matches and Spelling variations to find "Petresson"
2. Optional: Use the Filter results pane to filter the results to a specific item or property type.
3. Click a record to see the details.
4. To start another operation:
a) Based on one or more results, right-click on the record and select an option from the menu.
b) Based on all the results or all results of a specific type, in the Filter results pane, right-click on
All Types or on a specific type, and select an option from the menu.

Results
The number of results and their type is shown.
Note: By default, Search results are limited to 100. To change the maximum number of records
displayed, click Advanced, turn on Limit number of results, and then enter the required upper limit.

Exact searching
In an exact search, you are searching for records that are an exact match to your search terms. For
example, an exact search for Ford Thunderbirds will not find results that contain Ford
Thunderbird (singular).

Procedure
To do an exact search for one or more words:
1. In the Search 360 dialog, click the Advanced button.
2. Turn on Exact matches and turn off the options in the Include area.
3. Enter the exact words, and any related items, that you want to search for.
4. If your search is for two or more words, select one of the following:
• Strong matches only to find the matches that contain all your search words (but not
necessarily in the order you gave them)
• Include weak matches to find partial matches, for example a search for Ford thunderbird
might match on the word Ford, leading to results that include other types of Ford as well as
unspecified Fords
Tip: To search for both the single and plural form of a word, enter both forms of the word and
select the Include weak matches option.

Fuzzy searching
In a fuzzy search, you use various techniques to find records that might match your search words.
How useful the techniques are depends on the language of the text.

Procedure
To do a fuzzy search:

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records 91

 1. Select Analysis > Search 360.
2. Click Advanced.
3. Turn on the search methods that you want to use:
• Exact Matches - direct matches to your search term
• Spelling variations - include common typing mistakes or regional variants
• Similar sounding words - include words that phonically match
• Synonyms - include words with the same meaning
4. Fuzzy searching is set to return only strong matches but you can select the Include weak matches
option if required.
5. Enter the words, and any related items, that you want to search for and press Enter.

Searching for related (linked) items

You can extend a search to include related items. The main search is for the words entered in the
search box or in the search bar. If any records are found with your words then the results are filtered
to list only those that also contain the item entered in the Related item box. The results might be an
entity record, a link record or both.

Procedure
To search for additional items:
1. Select Analysis > Search 360
2. Select the plus button next to the search to display the Related item search.
3. Enter the words you want to search for.
4. Click Add to insert the related item in the search box, separated with a semi-colon.
5. Repeat this step for any other related items you want to search for. These items must be directly
connected to the first item listed in the search box.
6. Click Search.
Note: You can enter a related item directly in the search box by entering your original search term
followed by a semi-colon (;) and then the related item term (consisting of one or more words).
Separate each related item with a semi-colon.

Word search
You can find the records anywhere in the database that contain specified text by using a word search.
You do not need to know which field the text might occur in.
In addition to finding specific words you can also use the following to broaden your search:
Synonyms - words that have the same meaning
Synonyms are lists of words such that whenever you specify a particular word to search for, all the
relevant words on the synonyms list are also searched for. The synonyms list might contain all the
words that have the same meaning; for example, synonyms for Firearm might be: Firearm,
Shotgun, Rifle, Hand gun, Revolver, Pistol. The lists are pre-defined in the database design, so you
cannot change them here. However, you can see which synonyms are searched for.
Soundex - words that sound the same
Soundex means that words that sound the same as your specified word are also searched for. For
example, using Soundex you might specify 'check' and find 'cheque'.

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Any words added to the database since the database administrator last generated the Word Search
index will not be found. The date when the index was last updated is shown. If you need to see details
of how the index is defined, click Index on the Enter Words page.
Use the:
• Enter Words page if you are interested in specific words (or synonyms or similar sounding words)
and where they appear.
• Word Index page if you are more interested in how frequently words occur in the database.

Finding records containing specific words

Use the Enter Words page if you are interested in specific words (or synonyms or similar sounding
words) and where they appear:
1. Click
2. In the Word Search dialog, click the Enter Words tab to display the Enter words page.
3. Click the Search for box and enter one or more words to search for, separating words with spaces.
You can use wildcards to broaden the search. The search ignores the lettercase. It may exclude
certain other things, such as entirely numeric values. See What you can and cannot search below
for details.
4. In the Combine area, select one of the following:
• And - the record must contain all your specified words or synonyms of those words if the User
Defined checkbox is turned on in the Synonyms area.
• Or - the record must contain at least one of your words, or one of the synonyms if the User
Defined checkbox in the Synonyms area is turned on.
5. In the Type area, select either Normal or Soundex (includes similar sounding words).
Note: A list of words appears whenever any member of the list is specified in the Search for box.
All of these words are searched for, in addition to the specified words.
6. If you want the search words to be highlighted in any records found by the word search, turn on
the Highlight Words Found checkbox.
7. Click Search. Any records that contain the search words are then displayed. The records are
identified by their label as defined in the current labeling scheme.

Finding by word frequency

Follow these steps if you are interested in how frequently words occur in the database:
1. In the Word Search dialog, click the Word Index tab to display the Word Index page.
2. Select Occurrences and then either Most or Least (frequent).
3. Specify how many words to list; use the upper button next to the number of words to increase it;
use the lower button to decrease it. Alternatively, just click the box and type into it.
4. Click Find. The word list will show the most or least frequently occurring words. No records are
found as a result of this step.
Note: It is possible to exclude unwanted words such as "of", "for", and "from" from your search
results. Ask your database administrator to set up an exclusion list.
5. In the list of words, select one of the words and then click Search for highlighted word to find the
records that contain the selected word. The number of records that will be found is shown in the
Count column.

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records 93

 Finding using the beginnings of words
Follow these steps to find records containing words that start with specific characters:
1. In the Word Search dialog, click the Word Index.
2. Select Beginning with if you want to find words that start with your specified characters.
3. Click the box and type in the starting characters. As you type, the word list shows the matching
words and their frequency. No records are found as a result of this step.
4. In the list of words, select an entry and click Search for highlighted word to find the records that
contain the selected word. The number of records that will be found is shown in the Count column.

What you can and cannot search

Using a Word Search, you can search fields of the following types:
• Hyperlink
• Multi-line Text and Multi-line Text (Append Only)
• Security Classification Code
• Selected from Code List
• Suggested from Code List
• Text
You cannot search:
• Document type fields - to search the text of embedded documents, use a fuzzy search (if available,
SQL Server databases only).
• For punctuation, because punctuation is treated as a word break.
• For special characters, such as €, ~, <, +.
• For words over a certain length (the maximum length is set by the database administrator)
• For purely numeric values (unless your database administrator has chosen to use this option)
To find out the maximum word length or whether you can search for purely numeric values:
1. In the Word Search dialog, click Index. The Word Search Index Build dialog is displayed.
2. Click the Advanced tab to display the Advanced page. The page displays the maximum word
length.
3. If you can search for purely numeric values then the Exclude numerics option will be turned off.
Note: By default, entirely numeric values are excluded from the Word Search index. Consider these
examples:

Example Result if numerics are excluded...

BMW 320 320i is a numeric value, therefore BMW is
indexed but 320 is excluded
BMW 320i 320 is not a completely numeric value, therefore
both BMW and 320i are indexed
0012-3963 0012-3963 is indexed as a single non-numeric
word
-3 Excluded because it is a numeric value
+3 Excluded because it is a numeric value

94 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Full-Text Search
You can find records that contain specified text anywhere in the database by using a Full-Text Search.
The results of the search depend on how up to date the index is. Your administrator can also choose
to exclude certain words.

About this task

Full-Text Search is only available for SQL Server databases. If you use SQL Server 2005 or later, you
might prefer to use Search 360.

Procedure
1. Select Analysis > Full-Text Search.
2. Select the type of search:
Option Description
Word Use the Word Search page to search for specific words.
Phrase Use the Phrase Search page to search for specific phrases or inflections.
Fuzzy If you do not know what exact combination of words or phrases to search for, use Fuzzy
Search. For example, if you want to specify a sentence and find something with a similar
meaning.
3. Enter one or more words to search for. Separate words with spaces. You can use the wildcard * or
%, at the end of words, to match any number of other characters (including no characters).
Note: You can search for words that contain punctuation and currency symbols if you use an exact
match but not for words that start or end with these symbols.
4. In the Combine area, select either:
• And (all your specified words must be present for a match)
• Or (only one of your words need be present for a match).
5. In the Type area, select either:
• Normal For a standard search.
• Soundex To include similar sounding words.
Note: Soundex does not operate on document type fields (embedded documents) or use
synonyms.
6. Optional: In the Synonyms area, turn on:
• User Defined - A list of words appears whenever any member of that list is specified in the
search terms. All of these words are searched for, in addition to the specified words.
• Person Name Variants - When searching for people in the database, you can search for
different versions of common names. For example, a person in your database might have a
given name of Bob. Searching for "Robert" would also find "Bob", "Bobby", "Roberto", and "Rob"
as all these names are defined as variants of each other.
Note: The list of name variants is fixed. Name variants are updated by your database
administrator.
7. Select which fields you want to search:
• All to search all the indexed fields in the database, and also all Document type fields.

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records 95

 • All Name Type Fields to select all indexed fields that are assigned semantic types to indicate
that they contain name information.
• Document to search only Document type fields.
• Non Document to search all indexed fields but no Document type fields.
• Selection to search a selection of indexed fields that you define.
Note: "Indexed fields" refers to fields that are indexed using Full-Text Search Indexing in iBase
Designer rather than set as Indexed Fields.
8. Optional: To highlight the words in the record summary, turn on Highlight Words Found.
Note: When the embedded document in a document type field contains the word being searched
for and Highlight Words Found is turned on, the field name is displayed in Red.
9. Click Search.

Results
In the list of records found by the search, you can:
• Select each record to check the field values. The word or phrase will be highlighted if you turned on
the Highlight Words Found check box before running the search. If the word occurs in an embedded
document, then the name of the document field is highlighted in red (Word Search page only).
If the text is in an embedded document, you need to show the record and then view the embedded
document:
1. Right-click on the record, and select Show.
2. Right-click on the Document icon, and select View. The application for the document type starts
and displays the document, you must have the appropriate application installed for the
document type. For example, you cannot view an .xls file if you do not have Microsoft Excel
installed.
• To work on one or more of the records, select the records, right-click and select an action. For
example, it might be useful to add records to a set.

Finding matching records

You can check for matching records to discover if records in the database, or case, share common
values with the single record that you are interested in. By default, two entities match if the values in
their discriminator fields match, and two links match if the link end entities, link direction and link
strength are the same.

About this task

Note: Matching Records is different from the Duplicate Records Checker where you can search for
records that match the values in a set of records or the results of a query.
Matching records check discriminator fields by default, but you can match on other fields and the
fields that you select are stored.
There are three types of entity match:
• Duplicate matching - where entities are matched if the discriminator fields are identical.
• Characteristic matching - where entities are matched if the characteristic fields are identical.
• User-defined matching - where you specify the fields to match.

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You can choose to search for matches on any combination of fields. However, the combinations that
are most likely to be used (the discriminator fields and the characteristic fields) are selectable as pre-
defined combinations.
The choice of which fields are discriminators and which are characteristic is made as part of the
database design. For example, if you were comparing crime entities, you can use:
• Duplicate matching to see whether records share a crime number.
• Characteristic matching to check for other crimes where the stolen item was the same as the crime
you are interested in.
Matching of links can be much more precise since not only can the field values match, but also end
entities, direction, and strength.
Link records directly match if they share the:
• Same field values (for the discriminator fields if any, otherwise for the fields that you select)
• Same link end entities
• Same direction and strength
Alternatively, link records can match if they share just the field values - the link end entities, direction,
and strength do not have to match. To use this type of match, turn off Same Link Ends and select the
fields that you want to match on.

Procedure
To find matching entity records:
1. Right-click the record in a record list and from the menu, select Matching Records.
2. Turn on the checkboxes next to the fields you want to check for matching values.
3. Click Find to start the search.
Note: You can pause the search at any time by pressing the Esc key or clicking Pause.
4. When the search completes, select a record so that you can check the field values in the Details
box.
5. To work further on the records, select one or more records, right-click and then select a menu
command from the menu. For example, select Add to Set to add the records to a new or existing
set.

What to do next
You can work with the records listed:

Item Task
The main entity or link Select a toolbar option:
• Show Records - to show, edit, or delete the
main entity or link:
• Links - for entities only, list full details of the
links from the main entity, and its link end
entities.
• iBase Link Chart - for entities only, show the
main entity, its links, and linked entities on an
iBase link chart.

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records 97

 A matching record In the Matching Records area, select one or more
records, right-click, and then select an option
from the menu. For more information about the
available options, see “Menus and record lists”
on page 81.

Checking for duplicates

You can search for records that contain duplicate values. The results of this type of search are groups
of records that have duplicate values in the fields that are used in the search.

About this task

When you use the Duplicate Records Checker:
• A duplicate entity record is one that has specific values in common with other records for the entity
type. You choose which fields are checked.
• A duplicate link record is one where the link end entities, the direction, and the strength of the link
are identical. If you want, you can also specify one or more fields to be checked. If required, you can
turn off Same Link Ends in which case only the field values need to match (the link end entities,
direction, and strength are ignored).
For example, if you search for vehicles by color and model, you obtain groups of records that are
divided by color and model. Select the color and model combination you are interested in and then
browse the records in the group. Color and model combinations that are unique to a single record are
not shown in the results.
There are some similarities between Duplicate Records Checker and Matching Records because you
use both of these features to discover which records in the database share common values. However,
you use:
• Matching Records - to work with a single record.
• Duplicate Records Checker - to work with a set, a query, or even the whole database.
In both, you make the comparison against all the other records in the database. For example, you
compare the values in the single record or in the set against the whole database.

Procedure
1. Select Analysis > Duplicate Records Checker.
If the Duplicate Record Checker option is not shown, you need to activate the plug-in (Tools >
Plug-in Manager).
2. In the Duplicate Records Checker, select the entity type or link type.
3. In the Source area, specify the records that you want to check the entity or link type against:
• All records- check against any value in the database.
• Query- check against the records included in the results for a specified query.
• Set- check against the records included in a specified set.
4. In the Fields area, turn on the fields that you want to use in the comparison.
You must select at least one field. Initially, the discriminator fields are selected but you can turn
them off (and your selection will be remembered for the next time you use the Duplicate Records
Checker).
5. If you are working on links, you can:

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 • Turn on the Same Link Ends to search for links where the link end entities, the direction, and
the strength of the link are identical.
• Turn off the Same Link Ends to search for links where only the field values in the link match
(the link end entities, direction, and strength are ignored).
6. Click Find.
The results of the check are shown on the right. Duplicate groups are listed and records with
duplicate values are listed. The number of groups depends on the number of the combinations of
duplicate values found. You can sort both the duplicate groups and the records by clicking the
column headings.
7. Review the records within each duplicate group by selecting it in the top list.

Merging duplicate records

You can merge duplicate records that are found in the Duplicate Records Checker by clicking Merge
or by dragging the records into Merge Entities.

Procedure
To merge duplicate records:
1. In the Records area of the Duplicate Records Checker, select the records that you want to merge.
2. Click Merge to display the Merge Entities with the selected records. The first record that is
selected in the Records area of the Duplicate Records Checker is shown in the 'Merge the records
below into this record' area of the dialog.
3. If the wrong record is displayed in the upper area of the dialog, select a different one from the
lower area and click Use.
Tip: To examine the records in a group of potential duplicates, or use them in a different operation,
select the required records in the Records area of the Duplicate Records Checker, right-click and
then selecting an option from the shortcut menu. For example, you might want to investigate a
single matching value by selecting Matching Records.

Wildcard characters
Wildcard characters can be used to represent non-specific characters in searches. All searching aside
from Word Search can use wildcards, words that include wildcard characters are not included in the
Word Search index.
Wildcard characters can be included in search terms:

Characters Matching letter characters

* or % Any number of characters (including no
characters) - so w*n matches win, won, and
wooden and wn.
? or _ A single character - so w?n matches win, won,
but not wooden.

Chapter 6. Finding, checking, and searching records 99

 [a-z] A single letter character in the range between
and including the two letters - so w[i-o] n
matches win and won but not wan (not case-
sensitive so wIn and wOn are also matches).
To include accented characters in the search, you
must specify the range correctly. To determine
precisely which letters are included in the range,
refer to the character map for the character set
used in your locale. The character map lists the
characters in the order used.
Note: Depending on your system, you might be
able to obtain a character map for your character
set by selecting from the Windows Start menu:
Programs > Windows Accessories > Character
Map.

[abz] Matches any one of the letter characters - so

[wb]ill matches will and bill but not 8ill or till (not
case-sensitive so Will and Bill are also matches).

[! abz] Matches any single letter character that is not in

the list - so [! w]ill matches bill, but not will (not
case-sensitive so Will is also not a match).

Wildcard numbers can be included in search terms:

Numbers Matching numbers

[0-9] Matches a single number in the range between
and including the two numbers - so A[1-3]
matches A1, A2 and A3, but not A4.
[129] Matches any one of the number characters - so
[12]999 matches 1999 and 2999 but not a999
or 3999.

[!129] Matches any single number character that is not

in the list - so [!12]999 matches 3999 and 9999
but not 1999 or 2999.

If you do not want a wildcard character to represent other characters, enclose it in square brackets.
For example,:
fin*me finds findme
Whereas:
fin[*]me finds fin*me but not findme

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Chapter 7. Querying your data
You can use queries to run simple or complex searches on your database and display the results. A
query is more powerful than a find in that you can locate several entities at the same time by using a
much larger range of conditions.
For example, you can:
• Construct queries with specific entity types, link types, or a general Any entity type or Any link type.
• Restrict the fields that are searched by setting up one or more conditions on those fields.
• Output all the data that is found by the query or restrict output to specific entity or link types.
• Restrict the records that are queried to the contents of a set or found by a different query.
• Restrict the query to entities with a specific number of links.
• Use semantic types to search entity types, link types, and fields that contain the same sort of data
(in SQL server databases only)
The results of a query depend on the records available at the time that you run the query, so you can
get different results each time you run a query. If you need to save a static copy of the results of a
query, create a set that contains all the results.
You can also define queries that when run, prompt you to enter specific values to be used in the
query. This enables you to set up standard queries that can be used with different values.
Once you have created a query, you can use scored matching to find entities and links and place them
in order of relevance.
You can also query your data to find, for example, the lowest or earliest values.

Existing queries
You can set up and use queries that cover regular searches. Using stored queries ensures that the
same search parameters are used each time that a query is run.

Listing existing queries

To list queries, you can:
• Select Analysis > Queries > List .
• In the Database Explorer, right-click Queries and select List.
Double-click a query to open it. The Description column might contain notes to help you identify the
purpose of the query.
Tip: You can also move the mouse pointer over a query to view a description of the query, if one is
available.

Running an existing query

1. In the Database Explorer, right-click Queries and select List.
2. Double-click the query that you want to run.
The query is shown as a diagram in the Structure area. The diagram contains icons for the entity
types that you want to query and, if there are two or more entity types, links defining the
relationship between the entities. The labels of the entities and links can contain information on
the purpose of the query.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 101

 Distinct counts are shown without an asterisk, as in (Count = n)
3. There might be some conditions (restrictions) on how the records for each entity and link type in
the Structure area are searched. Click each entity and link type in turn to view their conditions.
There can be one condition per entity and link type.
4. When you are satisfied that the query is correct, click Results.
All the records that meet the criteria that are specified in the query are listed on the Results page.
The total number of records is displayed below the Results list. Notice that only the first 40 fields
are displayed.
Note: If any of the entities or links have a parameterized condition, youare prompted to enter it.

Rerunning a query
To rerun a query, click Refresh on the Results page of the query.
If any of the entities or links have a parameterized condition, you can enter new values.

Results of a query
You can work with the records found by running a query:
1. On the Results page of the query, select one or more records.
2. Right-click and then select an action from the menu. For example, select Add to Set to save the
results of the query. This is a convenient way of keeping a permanent record of the results of the
query for this point in time.
Note: From time to time, you may need to click Refresh to update the list of records. For example,
until you refresh the list, a record that you have deleted will remain in the current list, or the old
data for a record will be displayed.

Saving the results of a query

To keep a permanent record of the results of the query when run on a particular date and time:
1. On the Results page of the query, select one or more records.
2. Right-click and select Add to Set.
Note: You can also run an existing query by right-clicking on the query and selecting Records.

Defining a query
A query is constructed in two parts, a structure that defines the record types of interest, and
conditions that define exactly which records are retrieved. When you have defined a query, it can be
saved for future use.

Procedure
To define a simple query, you need to draw a structure diagram containing the entity and link types
that you want to query:
1. Select one of the entity types (or 'any type') in the Query palette and drag it into the empty pane on
the right. The entity type will be shown with an output symbol next to it. This means that records
for this entity type will be included in the results of the query.
If the symbol is not displayed next to the entity type, you need to add it because at least one entity
or link type must be set as output:

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 a) Select the entity. The entity label is highlighted in blue.
b) Click Output Selected Item to add it.
2. Select another entity type and drag it in to the pane on the right.
Note: Once you add an additional entity type to the query, you must link them. However, the link
type drop-down list is only available if there is a link type defined for the two entity types in the
drawing pane.
3. Add a link between the two entities:
a) Select a link type from the drop-down list.
b) Click Add Link.
c) Hold down the left mouse button and drag a link from one of the entities to the other entity.
d) If the link has a direction, right-click on it and from the shortcut menu, select Add Arrow. To
reverse the direction of the arrow or remove it altogether, right-click on the link and select the
appropriate command from the shortcut menu. When you run the query, iBase will only search
for links with this link direction.
4. If required edit the labels on the entity and links. This serves a reminder of the purpose of the
query, if you intend to save the query. To edit a label, click the label to highlight it and then click
again. The label changes into a text box.
Edit the label and then press the Enter key to apply your changes.
5. Click Results to run the query and display the results. For each item in the query, iBase will search
all the records in the database. You can limit the search to a smaller number of records.
Note:
If necessary, you can pause the query at any time by pressing the Esc key or clicking the Pause
button. Click the Resume button when you want to load the rest of the records.
6. In the Results list, select each record to examine the values in its fields.
Note: If necessary, you can refine the query by specifying query conditions.
7. Click Back and then Save to save your query so that you can run it again later.

Select the source records for a query

By default, when you run a query, iBase searches the whole database, or case, for records for each
entity or link type in the query. However, you can restrict the records that are searched, for example,
to a single record, to the records in a set or the results of another query.
To select the scope of the query:
1. Click the entity or link type in the structure diagram of the query and then click Assign Source.
2. Select one of the following options:
• All Records - all records in the database or case are searched.
• This record only - use a single record, which you select. Once selected, the boxes show the
Record ID and label of the record.
• All except this record - all records in the database except the one selected are searched. Once
selected, the boxes show the Record ID and label of the record.
• Query - search on the results of a query, which you select. You can only select from queries that
find records of the appropriate type.
• All except the records in this query - all records in the database except those resulting from the
selected query are searched.

Chapter 7. Querying your data 103

 • Set - search on the records in a set, which you select. You can only select from sets that contain
records of the appropriate type.
• All except the records in this set - all records in the database except those in the selected set
are searched.

Specify query conditions

You can specify query conditions for each entity or link type in the query. The condition applies to a
selected item type, and if there is more than one item type in the query there can be multiple
conditions.
Each line specifies a condition, which is in the form of field name, operator and value.
The available operators vary according to the field type. For more information, see “List of operators”
on page 106.
Note:
• Field values that are used in conditions are not case-sensitive, so entering 'findme' finds 'Findme'.
• Dates are entered in the format that is determined by your Windows regional settings.
• The @ character is a special character that is used to identify parameterized conditions. To find
values that start with an @, you must prefix the entire value with an extra @. For example, if the
value to match is @123 then you must enter @@123.
• For coordinate queries, the conditions are automatically created when you enter the coordinate
data in the Coordinate Query Builder.

Add a condition to a query

1. In the Structure area, click the entity or link type for which you want to specify conditions.
Note: You can only specify conditions on the 'Any Entity Type' item if you have defined standard
fields or if the database is an SQL Server database and semantic types have been assigned.
2. In Conditions, click the first line of the table select a field name from the list.
3. Select an operator from the list.
4. Move to Value 1, and then either select a value from the list or enter a value using the keyboard. If
required, you can use wildcards or parameters.
5. If you chose the between or outside operator, you will also need to enter a Value 2 to specify the
other end of the range.
6. You have now defined a condition for the entity or link type selected. Click Results to see the
records found by this query.
7. If required, you can now add a second condition for the same entity or link:
a. To start a new condition, click a blank row.
b. Define the condition.
c. In the first column of the condition (the column without a heading), specify how this condition
is combined with the other conditions. Select:
• AND - if the record must meet both search criteria, as defined on this condition and the first
condition.
• OR - if the record must meet either the criterion that is defined on this condition or the
criterion that is defined in the first condition.
Note: AND operators are evaluated before OR operators.

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Using wildcards in conditions
You can use wildcards in field values, but only when using these operators:
• is like, isn't like
• contains, doesn't contain
• starts with, doesn't start with
• ends with, doesn't end with
For other operators, the characters are interpreted literally. For example, when using the 'equal to'
operator f*ndme finds f*ndme, not findme.
Note: Using the 'ends with' operator and searching for text, is the same as using the 'is like' operator
to search for *text.

Using parameters for usernames, dates and times

You can use the following parameters in query conditions:

Parameter Represents...
@#USER The logged-on username.
@#NOWDATE The current date.
@#NOWDATE +N/-N The current date. You can include + N which
represents a date ' N' days in the future, or - N
which represents a date ' N' days in the past.
@#NOWTIME The current time.
@#NOWTIME +N/-N The current time plus or minus a specific number
of hours. You can include + N which represents a
time 'N' hours in the future, or - N which
represents a time ' N' hours in the past.

Editing, inserting, repeating, and deleting conditions

At any time you can click a box in the Conditions area to change its contents.
You can also move the rows in the Conditions area - this may have an effect on the results of the
query as the operators will be evaluated in a different order.
You can also insert and delete rows:
1. Click the box at the left end of the row. An asterisk (*) appears in the box to indicate the current
row.
2. You can then:
• Click Repeat to copy the current row and paste it above the current row.
• Click Insert to add an empty row above the current one.
• Click Delete to delete the current row.

Specifying how multiple conditions are combined

To specify clearly how multiple conditions are combined, you must add brackets. Anything within
brackets is interpreted as one part of the query, and evaluated before anything outside the brackets.
AND operators are evaluated before OR operators.

Chapter 7. Querying your data 105

 Examples:
• (Sex is male and age is greater than 20) or eye color is blue - Finds all males over the age of 20 or
anyone with blue eyes.
• Sex is male and (age is greater than 20 or eye color is blue) - Finds all males who are either over 20
or have blue eyes.
• Sex is male and age is greater than 20 or eye color is blue - This is the same as the first example
because iBase evaluates AND operators first.
To add and remove brackets:
• To add a bracket, double-click the '(' or ')', on the row where you want the bracket to appear.
• Double-click a bracket to remove it.

Checking the position of brackets

To check the position of your brackets, you can select a bracket and press the F3 key. The block of
text within the bracket and the other half of its pair is highlighted.
To remove the highlight, click anywhere in the grid.

Prompting for a field value when the query is run

You can parametrize the condition, for example, to prompt for a value when you run the query or to
search for the current date.

Using semantic types in a query (SQL Server databases only)

You can use property (field) semantic types to search fields that are used in several entity types or
link types and have different names, but store the same type of information. This feature is only
available for SQL Server databases with semantic types assigned.
To use property semantic types:
1. In Field, select Property Semantic Type
2. Select the required property type.
3. Continue to construct the condition and then run the query.
4. You can review which particular fields have been searched after the query runs.

List of operators
Operators are available when you define the conditions for a query. The available operators depend
on the type of field. For example, 'Yes or No' fields use a different range of operators to 'Text' fields.

Operators for text

You can use the following operators when you define conditions.

Operators Description and examples

After If Value 1 is set to YOUNG (a surname), the

results exclude YOUNG but include YOUNGER. To
After or Equal to include YOUNG in the results, use the operator
after or equal to.

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Operators Description and examples

Before To find all license plates that start with the

numbers 1 - 3 (in this example, the license plate
Before or Equal to
starts with a maximum of three numbers).
Enter, either:
before 4
Or:
before or equal to 399
Between To find values that start with the letters Sch
through Tho, you might enter: between Sch
Tho in Operator, Value 1, and Value 2 (the value
in the Value 2 column is excluded from the
results).

Contains, To find records that contain the specific value or

records that excluding the specific value.
Doesn't contain
For example, the word pistol must be contained
in a description of the modus operandi. Use
wildcards to find variations on the value.

Ends with, For example, to find all license plates that end
with the letters EW (the letter case is ignored):
Doesn't end with
ends with ew
To find values that start with a specific value and
ending with the letters EW, you would need to
use wildcards.

Equal to, Typically used to query values that were

originally entered from a pick list - you select the
Not equal to value to query from the pick list. For example,
use equal to when the field must exactly match
the specified pick list value, such as the
Vehicle Style must be Sedan.

Is blank, Typically used to find values of fields that were

not specified when the record was saved. Use
Isn't blank isn't blank to search for records with any value in
the specified field or is blank to search for
records that were left empty.

Chapter 7. Querying your data 107

 Operators Description and examples

In list, Finds values in a list of values you specify. For

example:
Not in list
• Directly enter a list of values, separating them
with the pipe | character. For example: US|
UK|GB|
• Enter @ to be prompted for a list of values
when the query is run.
You can also double-click Value 1 to:
• Type or paste a list of value.
• Browse for a text file that contains the required
list of values.
Note: If you type in the path, then you must
enclose it in curly brackets {}.

Is like, Finds exact values (unless you enter a wildcard).

For example, a query on the surname YOUNG
Isn't like
finds records that contain YOUNG, Young, or
young.
Typically used to query values in a field where
there might be variations in the spelling. The field
must contain a wildcard value in Value 1. For
example, *Homicide* finds records with
Homicide and Scene of Homicide.

Starts with, Finds all records that contain fields that start
with a specified value.
Doesn't start with
Note: To find values that start with a specific
value and contain or end with other values, you
need to use wildcards.

Operators for multi-line text

You can use all the operators that are listed in Operators for text, except for:
• After
• After or equal to
• Before
• Before or equal to
• Equal to
• In list

Operators for numbers

You can use the following operators when you define conditions.

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Operators Description and examples
Between Finds all values between, and including, the
figures you enter in the Value 1 and Value 2
columns.

Equal to, Finds records where the field exactly matches

the value that is given in the Value 1 column.
Not equal to Typically used to query values that are originally
entered from a pick list.

Greater than, Finds all values greater than the specified

number. To include the specified number in the
Greater than or equal to results, use the operator greater than or equal
to.

Is blank, Typically used to find values of fields that were

not specified when the record was saved. Use
Isn't blank isn't blank to search for records with any value
in the specified field or is blank to search for
records that were left empty.

Less than, Finds all values less than the specified number.
To include the specified number in the results,
Less than or equal to use the operator less than or equal to.
Outside The opposite of the between operator. For
example:

outside 10 50

finds all values less than 10 (exclusive) and more

than 50 (inclusive).

Operators for dates, times, and time zones

You can use the following operators when you define conditions.
Note: When you define conditions that include time zones, you can use the equal to, or not equal to,
and is blank, or not blank operators.

Operators Description and examples

After Finds all dates after the specified date (including
the date you enter).
Note: When querying a date or time field, a
comparison of after with the time portion of the
date or time that is entered as 00:00:00 does not
find any records for the specified date. You need
to either enter the day before and exclude the
time portion; or change the condition to same as
or after; or set the time to 00:00:01.

Before Finds all dates before the specified date

(excluding the date you enter).

Chapter 7. Querying your data 109

 Operators Description and examples
Between Finds all dates between the two specified dates
(including the dates you enter).

Day is, Finds all dates that fall on the specified day of
the week (day is) or dates that all on any day of
Day isn't the week other than the specified day (day isn't).
Different to Finds records with any date or time value other
than the entered value. This is equivalent to not
equal to.

Is blank, Finds records where the date or time zone was

not specified when the record was saved (is
Isn't blank blank) or where a date and time zone (any date
and time zone) was specified (isn't blank).

Month is, Finds records with the specified month (month

is) or any month other than the one specified
Month isn't (month isn't).
Outside Finds records with a date or time outside the
range of entered values (exclusive). This is the
opposite of between.
Same as Finds records with the specified date or time
only. This is equivalent to equal to.
Same as or after Finds records with the specified date or time, or
later than the specified date or time.
Same as or before Finds records with the specified date or time, or
earlier than the specified date or time.

Year is, Finds records with the specified year (year is) or
any year other than the one specified (year isn't).
Year isn't

Operators for yes or no fields

You can use the following operators when you define conditions.

Operators Description and examples

Equal to The field exactly matches the value that is given
in the Value 1 column.
Not equal to The field contains any value other than the value
given in the Value 1 column.

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Count conditions
Count conditions can be used in a query to find out information that applies to items that are linked to
multiple records. For example, to find out which people are associated with more than two
telephones, or which telephones are involved in multiple calls.
In the structure area, you can set a count condition on either a link or an entity. You can only set one
count condition in the structure, and if the count condition is applied to an entity, it must have a single
link. To set up a count condition, right-click an entity or link in the structure area and select Count.
Note: If you are using an SQL Server database, then you can use a distinct count when you want
multiple links between two entities to contribute only 1 to the count.

Count conditions on entities

If you set the count condition 'more than N', on an entity in the query, then in the matching record
group, there will be in total more than ' N' links from all the entities that match that structure entity, to
any one entity that matches the structure entity at the other end of the structure link.
Note: If you turn on Distinct (only available in SQL databases), then multiple links between the same
entities only contribute 1 to the count. So if, in the example above, an account has 11 transactions all
from the same person, then turning on Distinct will exclude it from the results.

Count conditions on links

If the count condition 'more than N', is set on a link in the query, then in the matching record group
there will be more than 'N' links between two entities that match the link end structure entities.
For example, if your structure contains:

You might set 'more than 15' on the link to limit the results to telephones that have more than 15 calls
between each other. Each telephone in the results is involved in at least 15 calls with one other
telephone in the results.

Setting count conditions in a query

1. In the structure area of the query, select the entity or link.
2. Click Set Count on Selected Item.
3. Select Condition to set a count condition and select the type of count:

Type Count must be...

= Equal to the number you enter. You can only
enter 0 as the count number on entities or links
that are not set as the output.
<> Less than or greater than the number you enter.

Chapter 7. Querying your data 111

 Type Count must be...
< Less than the number you enter. The count
number must be 3 or higher.
Note: This condition does not include 'equal to
0'. For example, if you had a structure
Telephone - Call - Telephone, with less than 3
on one of the telephones, the results would not
include telephones that have made no calls. To
find telephones that have made no calls, you
would must explicitly use the condition equal to
0.
Because you cannot output the entity with the
condition equal to 0, make sure you set the
telephone without the condition as the output.

> Greater than the number you enter.

4. Enter the actual count.
5. If you are using an SQL Server database, turn on Distinct where you want multiple links between
the same two entities to only contribute 1 to the count. For details, see below Using distinct counts
in SQL Server databases.
6. Click OK to confirm the changes.

Distinct counts in SQL Server databases

A distinct count is one that counts the number of different entities linked to a specific entity. In
queries based on linked entities, a distinct count helps you determine how many different entities are
linked to another.
As with other counts, you can look for relationships where the count is less than, equal to, or more
than a number you specify.
For example, you may be interested in bank accounts where one account transfers money into only
one other account, regardless of how many transactions take place. In another example, you might be
interested in telephones that are used in calls with several other telephones, regardless of how many
calls are made in total.
Consider this example:

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 In the example above, 210 321 2134 is linked to three different telephones, so it has a distinct count
of three. All the other telephones have a distinct count of one. The table shows the distinct and non-
distinct counts for comparison.

Telephone Distinct count Non-distinct count

210 321 2134 3 8
876 352 0441 1 3
631 325 2833 1 1
520 325 2333 1 4

With these counts, you can see the effect of non-distinct and distinct count queries:
• Working with an Access database, you can only specify a non-distinct count condition. A query
based on searching for more than two telephones and counting repeated links to the same
telephones is effectively a search for more than two telephone calls and would find 210 321 2134,
876 352 0441, and 520 325 2333.
• Working with an SQL Server database, you can specify a distinct count condition. A query based on
looking for links to more than two different telephones would find only 210 321 2134.
Note: A non-distinct count is shown with an asterisk, as in Count*.
To create a query involving a distinct count, turn on the Distinct check box.

Queries that prompt

You can define a query that prompts you to enter the values for the search conditions when you run
the query. This is useful if you have a standard query that you would like to repeat for different values.
It is also possible to use this type of query to provide the source data for another query.

Example of a query with parameterized conditions

When you run a query with conditions defined like this:

Chapter 7. Querying your data 113

 You will be prompted to enter a value for each field set to the @ character:

To run the query, you must enter a value for all the parameterized conditions.

Setting up a parameterized query

When you define the conditions for the query, in the Value 1 column, enter one of the following:
• @ instead of the actual value.
• @ followed by a default value. For example, you might enter @Yes as the default for a Yes/No field.
You will enter the actual value when you run the query. Depending on the operator you used, you may
need to enter @ in the Value 2 column as well.
Note: You may also find it helpful to give parameterized queries a name that indicates the purpose of
the query, and that it is parameterized. For example, add a # at the front of the name to indicate
parameterized queries.

Available parameters
You can use the following parameters:

Parameter Description
@ There will be a prompt for this field value when
the query is run.

114 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Parameter Description
@default value There will be a prompt for this field value when
the query is run. If you specify a default value,
there will be no user input required to specify
that value (apart from confirming it). For example
'@BMW' specifies 'BMW' by default.

Running a parameterized query

When you click Results to run a query, a separate page for each item in query that has one or more
parameterized conditions will appear. You must enter a value for all the parameterized conditions
before the query can run.
Note: If you know which operator was used to define the condition, then you may be able to use a
wildcard when entering the value. You cannot use wildcards with all the operators. .

Querying data using semantic types

Semantic types can be used to search for data in several different entity types or link types in a single
query. You can also use semantic types to search a number of fields in different entity or link types
that contain the same kind of information.
There are two ways to use semantic types in a query:
1. Entity and link semantic types. You can search across several entity or link types that all represent
the same sort of information.
2. Property semantic types. You can search fields across different entity or link types which may be
called different things but contain the same sort of information.
You will only be able to use semantic types in your query if the database is an SQL Server database
and semantic types have been assigned to the data. If no semantic types have been assigned, none of
the semantic options are available when you define a query. Speak to your database administrator for
more information about the semantic types that are assigned in your database.

Constructing a query that contains semantic types

You construct a query that uses semantic types in the same way as you would create any other query.
You can:
• Specify the semantic type for an entity or link type in the query structure area.
• Use a property semantic type for a condition in the Conditions area.

Viewing the scope of a query that contains semantic types

When you view the results of a query that includes semantic types it is useful to see exactly which
entity types, link types and fields are searched. Unlike other queries, when you use a semantic type,
you do not necessarily know before the query is run which types and fields are included in the query.
You can use the scope to view a list of the searched items.

Semantic types in iBase

Semantic typing is a method of categorizing data to define how to interpret it. For example, the Person
entity semantic type might be assigned to entity types such as Male, Victim and Witness. The

Chapter 7. Querying your data 115

 semantic type indicates that each of those entity types are different ways of depicting people in the
real world.
Semantic types can be assigned to each relevant entity type, link type, field, standard field, and icon.
Semantic types are assigned by your database administrator using iBase Designer.
There are three different kinds of semantic type: Entity, Link, and Property (for entity and link type
fields, including standard fields).

The IBM i2 Semantic Type Library

The IBM® i2® Semantic Type Library contains semantic types that are assigned to data in your data
sources. These semantic types identify the meaning of the data they represent, and are used by
applications such as Analyst's Notebook to properly interpret and align the data from different data
sources.
Each semantic type consists of the following elements:
• Name
• Data type, such as text or number
• Optional synonyms - alternative names that are used when you search for suitable semantic types.
• Description that provides guidance on how the type should be used.
• Notes
Depending on its location in the hierarchy of semantic types, the function of a semantic type is either
general or specific. For example, Motor Vehicle is a specialized type of Transport, and Bus is a
specialized type of Motor Vehicle.

Semantic types in queries (SQL Server databases only)

In SQL Server databases, semantic types can be used to search across several entity or link types that
have been aligned based on the sort of data they contain. For example, your database may contain
several entity types which are all different types of people: Victim, Offender, Officer, Suspect, and so
on. All these types contain data about people. If you are looking for a person, you would search across
all these types. Instead of running several queries, you can use a semantic type in the query.
This can be useful if you are not familiar with the database, and therefore do not know how the data in
it has been structured - which types have been used, and how they are linked. It can also be useful if
you know the Semantic Type library and can therefore construct the same query for use in different
databases.
Unlike other queries, using a semantic type means that you do not necessarily know before the query
is run which types and fields have been assigned the semantic type specified in the query. You can
use the Scope dialog to view a list of what has been searched. The Scope dialog is accessible from the
Query Results page.

Entity and link semantic types in queries

Semantic types can be used to search for data in several different entity types or link types in a single
query. You can use semantic types in this way if your database is an SQL Server database and
semantic types are assigned.

Procedure
To search entities that are assigned a particular semantic type:
1. List the available semantic types by either:

116 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 • Drag the {Semantic Type} icon from the query palette onto the pane on the right.
• Drag the {Any Entity Type} icon from the query palette. Then:
– Click Assign Semantic Type.
– Right-click on the icon, and select Semantic Type.
2. Select the required semantic type from the tree view or type the first few letters in Search
Available Semantic Types.
3. Select the required option:
Option Description
means Finds all entity types that are assigned either the selected semantic type or one
descended from it in the hierarchy.
is exactly Finds all entity types that are assigned the selected semantic type, but not a
semantic type descended from it in the hierarchy.
does not mean Finds all entity types that are not the selected semantic type and are not
descended from it in the hierarchy.
is not Finds all entity types that are not the selected semantic type, but might be a
semantic type descended from it in the hierarchy.
4. Click OK.
The query pane is updated to show the selected semantic type and match option.
5. You can then set more specific conditions on the properties of the entity. In the Conditions area,
click the first line of the table below the Field heading, and then select the field name from the list.
The list is the same as for the {Any Entity Type} entry and contains:
• Fields that are common to all entity types in your database, for example standard fields.
• A <Semantic Type...> entry to search fields that are used by the selected entity semantic type.
6. Continue to construct the rest of your query as usual.

Link semantic types in queries

Semantic types can be used to search for data in several different link types in a single query. You can
use semantic types in this way if your database is an SQL Server database and semantic types are
assigned.

Procedure
To search links of the same semantic type:
1. Create a query by dragging two entity types into the query structure area on the right.
2. From the link type list, select {Semantic Type}.
The available link types depend on the selected entity types. It is possible there might not be any
link types available (if the two entity types are not valid ends for a link type). If so, {Semantic Type}
is not available to select.
3. The pointer changes to a plus sign to show that you can add a link. Drag the link from one entity to
the other.
4. Select the required semantic type from the tree view.
5. Select the required option from the Match Option list.
6. Continue to construct the rest of your query as usual.

Chapter 7. Querying your data 117

Link semantic types between 'Any Entity Types'
You can use a link semantic type between two Any Entity Types to search for all link types that are
assigned the selected semantic type, regardless of the link ends.

Procedure
1. Drag two {Any Entity Type} icons into the query structure area on the right.
2. From the link type list, select {Semantic Type}.
3. The pointer changes to a plus sign to show that you can add a link. Drag the link from one entity to
the other.
4. Select the required semantic type from the tree view.
5. From the Match Option list, select the required option.
6. Continue to construct the rest of your query as usual.

Property semantic types in query

Assigning property (field) semantic types to fields in different entity or link types allows those fields to
be searched together as if they were the same field. This typing can be used to group fields from
various item types that contain the same information.

About this task

For example, Offenders might have a "Surname", Suspects a "Last Name" and Witnesses a "Family
Name". All these fields contain the same sort of information. If these fields are assigned the Person
Last Name semantic type, then you can search all the fields together by using the semantic type as a
condition in the query.
You can search property semantic types in all the entity or link types in your database, or to a specific
entity or link semantic type or specific entity or link type.
Note: To use semantic types in a query, your database must be SQL Server with semantic types
assigned.

Procedure
To search fields of the same semantic type across all entity types:
1. Drag the {Any Entity Type} icon from the Structure area onto the pane on the right.
2. In the Conditions area, click the first line of the table below the Field heading and select <semantic
type...>.
All the property semantic types for semantic entity types are displayed.
Some of the property semantic types that are listed might not be assigned in the database, but are
the parents of types which are assigned. For example, Person First Name and Person Last Name
may both be assigned, so Generic Name (their parent type) is included in the list.
3. Click a property semantic type to view more information about the selected type. If you know the
name of the type you want, you can locate it quickly by typing the first few letters of any word in
the property name in Search Available Semantic Types. As you type, possible matches are
displayed.
If the word matched is part of a semantic type name with several words, the full semantic type
name is shown in brackets. Select the semantic type that you want in the list. It will also be
selected in the main tree view.

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 4. To filter the list of properties to show only property semantic types that have been assigned to a
field in every entity type being searched in the query, turn on Show only common types. This can
result in an empty list.
5. Click OK to update the Field column of the Conditions area with the selected property.
The field is identified as a semantic type as it is enclosed in curly brackets { }.
6. Specify the rest of the condition using the available operators.
Note: Certain operators are not available when using property semantic types, including any that
are negative.
7. Click Results to run the query.

Scope
The scope of a query is all the entity types, link types and fields that have been searched. Each entity
type and link type, and any fields within that item type that were searched in the query can be shown.
Listing the scope of a query is useful when you have a run a query that uses semantic types. You
might not know before you run the query which entity types, link types or fields are assigned the
semantic type selected in the query.

Selecting an entity or link semantic type

Entity or link semantic types can be used in your query. When you choose a semantic type for {Any
Entity Type} or {Any Link Type} in the query, then all the entity or link semantic types available in the
database are shown.

About this task

When you choose a semantic type for a specific entity or link type, only those semantic types relevant
to that entity or link type are displayed. This filtering is useful when the entity type uses different
icons to represent specializations of the type. For example, if you select a Telephone entity type in the
query, several Phone semantic types are available.
You might narrow your query to search just cellphones by selecting the Mobile Phone semantic type.
Note: All the ancestors of the semantic type are still displayed, indicating from which more general
semantic types the Mobile Phone is type is derived.

Procedure
To select an entity or link semantic type:
1. In a query, right-click an item and select Semantic Type.
2. Select the required semantic type from the tree view.
3. You can widen your search by changing the text that is displayed in Search Available Semantic
Types:
Option Description
Shorten the displayed text "Documents" to "Document"
Simplify the displayed text "End date" to "date" or "end"
Consider alternative spellings "tire" to " tyre"
4. If none of the semantic types in the Ordered Results area are suitable, you can browse the
semantic types that are displayed in the tree view.
5. From the Match Option list select the required option:

Chapter 7. Querying your data 119

 Option Description
means Finds all entity or link types that are assigned either the selected semantic type
or one descended from it in the hierarchy.
is exactly Finds all entity or link types that are assigned the selected semantic type, but
not a semantic type descended from it in the hierarchy.
does not mean Finds all entity or link types that are not the selected semantic type and are not
descended from it in the hierarchy.
is not Finds all entity or link types that are not the selected semantic type, but might
be a semantic type descended from it in the hierarchy.
6. Click OK. The query pane is updated to show the selected semantic type and match option.

Selecting a property semantic type

Select the required property (field) semantic type for use in your query. The available semantic types
are shown as a tree view.

Procedure
To select a property semantic type:
1. Drag an entity type from the query palette.
2. In the Conditions area, select Semantic Property
3. Select the required semantic type from the tree view.
4. If you know the name of the type you want, you can locate it by typing the first few letters of any
word in Search Available Semantic Types. The list of matching properties is updated in the
Ordered Results area as you type more letters.
5. Click OK.

Managing queries
A list of all the queries in a category can be displayed. Categories are represented in a hierarchy that
you can expand and collapse.
The list displays information on when the queries were created and updated, who created and
updated them. You can sort the queries by clicking the required column heading.
To administer the queries for your database, right-click on a query and then select:

Open To run or edit the selected query.

Rename To rename the query. Only available when a
single query is selected.
Save As To save a copy of the selected query under a new
name. The name must be unique not just to the
category but to the whole database.
Delete To delete one or more selected queries. You are
prompted to confirm the deletion.
Categorize To move one or more selected queries, which can
be in different categories, to another category,
and set access control on them.

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 Properties Show properties of the query, such as its creation
date and user. Only available when a single query
is selected.

Selecting a query or set

You can select an existing query or set, for example, as part of the process of adding records to the
set.

Procedure
To select a query or set:
1. In the pane to the left, navigate to the category that contains the query or set you want to select.
2. In the window to the right, click to select a set or query.
Only the sets or queries that contain the selected entity type are listed.
3. Click OK.
Tip: Move the mouse pointer over the name of a query or set to view a tooltip containing more
information about it, if a description for that query or set has been entered.

Scoring the results of queries

Scored matching provides a way of finding relevant records and listing them in order so that you can
identify how well those records match a query. It is a useful analysis method where several fields and
values might contribute to what makes the records interesting to you. The result of a scored match is
always a list of entities of one type, which is listed in order of score.

About this task

Scored matching relies on you assigning a score, or weighting, to fields that match specified
conditions. Those records with the highest combined score are listed first. You specify how the score
is to be applied to individual fields. For example, you might be interested in dark haired people, so you
score the Hair Color field: you weight the Black field value with 10, the Dark Brown value with 9, down
to Fair with 1.
If you select a query as the source, the scored matching considers only the results of the query that
are selected in the Entity Type to match list. Selecting a query makes it possible to score fields and
values that relate to any of the other entities and links in the query.
For a query to be used as a source of data:
• It must be saved.
• The results must include the entity type that you want to see in the results of the scored match. You
can include other entity and link types.
• If it has two outputs of the same entity type, the names used for the entities in the query structure
should be meaningful. For example, you are unlikely to understand the significance of names such
as Person 1 and Person 2 without examining the query.
• It should be as general as possible so that it does not exclude records that are unlikely matches but
where you might want to define low scores.

Procedure
To use scored matching:

Chapter 7. Querying your data 121

 1. From the Entity Type to match list, select the type of entity you want to find (the 'match type').
2. In the Match on records from the following source area, select the scope of the search.
If you select a query, you may see Match to this item if there is a choice of output entities for the
‘match type’. Select the entity you want to match.
Note: You cannot select a query that has a count condition on a link, such as count = 0, meaning,
for example, 'give me all the people who have no address links'.
3. Set the minimum score you require in the Minimum score box.
4. Specify conditions and the scores to apply when the conditions are matched. In each line, specify
the Field, Operator, Value 1 and Score (for some operators Value 2 is also required). The *
character indicates the selected line.
You can:
• Click an empty row to start a new scored condition or click Insert. However, the order of the lines
will have no effect on the results.
• Use the same operators as in querying. Note: in list/not in list are not available for scored
matching.
• Use wildcards in field values.
• Click Repeat to copy the selected line.
• Click Delete to remove the selected line.
If you specify a query for the source, you can also specify conditions and scores for links and
linked entities in the query. There are pages for each link and link end entity.
5. Click Results to list the records with their relevant scores on the Results page.

Finding ranges of values

You can perform calculations on groups of entity or link records containing numeric and date type
fields, and report the results. The calculation is performed on the values of a particular field, across all
the records in the group, which is either the whole database, a query or a set. For example, you could
calculate the total of all the Goods Value fields of the Crime records in a Jewelry Theft set.

About this task

The calculations you can choose from depend on the type of the selected field
For Date or Time type fields, you can choose from:
• Earliest - the earliest date or time
• Latest - the latest date or time
For numeric type fields you can choose from:
• Lowest - the lowest numerical value
• Highest - the highest value
• Average - the average value
• Sum Of - the total value
• Standard Deviation - the standard deviation

Procedure
1. In the Field Calculator, specify an item type by selecting it from the list.

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 2. Specify the group of records from:
• All records to work with all records in the database of the specified entity or link type.
• Query to work with the results of a query, which you select. You can only select from queries that
output records of the specified entity or link type.
• Set to work with the records contained in a set, which you select. You can only select from sets
that contain records of the specified entity or link type.
3. In the Fields list, click to select the field you want to perform calculations on. You can only select
from numeric, date, or time type fields.
4. In the Functions list, select the calculation you want to perform.
5. Click Calculate.

Defining coordinate queries

Coordinate queries can find entities or links of a particular type within a defined geographic area or
close to a location.

About this task

You can use coordinate queries to search entities or link types that have coordinate fields. You can
only run coordinate queries on entity or link types that have a Coordinate type field, followed by two
real number fields that contain coordinate data.

Procedure
1. Select Analysis > Coordinate Query Builder.
2. Select the entity or link type that contains the coordinate data.
3. Select the Coordinate type field. This will typically be selected automatically, as there is usually
only a single Coordinate field for each entity or link type.
4. In the Source area, specify which records you want to include in the coordinate query.
5. In the Query Operator area, select the required operator:
• Is near - finds records with coordinate data that is within a specified distance of a location you
enter. Enter the location using coordinates and then specify the required distance and units.
• Is between - finds records with coordinate data that falls within a rectangle whose corners you
define. Enter the two sets of coordinates to form the corners of the search area.
6. In the Coordinates area, enter the coordinates
If you selected 'Is near', enter one set of coordinates and then enter a value in the Tolerance box
and the units for that value, for example kilometers or miles. This value is used to calculate the
distance from the entered coordinates.
The Tolerance is calculated by adding the specified distance to both the horizontal (longitude) and
vertical (latitude) part of the coordinates to create a square with the original coordinates in the
middle. Any record with coordinates that are located within this square is found.
If you selected 'Is between', enter two sets of coordinates. These coordinates form two corners of
a rectangle. Records with coordinates that fall within the defined square are found.
7. Click Next to create the query.
8. Click Results to run the query.

Chapter 7. Querying your data 123

124 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 8. Alerting
You can monitor records to detect when an item of interest changes or is viewed by someone else. To
monitor items of interest, you add alert definitions to records (single or multiple) and to queries. When
a change is detected, an alert is raised. On receiving an alert, you can drill down into the detail to find
out what changed, who viewed the record, or mark the alert for follow up later.

Adding alert definitions

You add an alert definition so that alerts are raised when:
• A record is viewed or changed
• A record in the Query results is viewed or changed
• Additional records appear in, or no longer appear in, the Query results
Alert definitions are not linked to the queries or records they are based on. For example, modifying,
copying, or deleting a Query does not affect any alert definitions based on it.

Where are alerts found?

Depending how alerting is set up, you might see one alert for each item of interest:
• In the alerting status bar
• In the alerting Inbox
• As an email message
• In your Windows system tray (most recent alert only)
Click Refresh Settings to set the frequency at which you receive new alerts. Your system
administrator sets the frequency for email messages.

How are alerts followed up?

To view the item on which the alert was raised:
• Click the alert in the alerting status bar
• Click the alert in the alerting Inbox

Which types of action raise alerts?

There are four types of alert:
Record Viewed alerts
A Record Viewed alert is raised whenever the record is:
• Displayed in a record list, for example as a result of finding, browsing, or opening a set
• Displayed in Show or on a datasheet
• Displayed when soft deleted records are purged or restored
• Listed or viewed in Audit Viewer or the Audit History (but not when you are setting up alert
definitions or viewing alerts)
• Listed as a link end record
• Viewed on an iBase link chart
• Exported or sent to an Analyst's Notebook chart

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 125

 The alert is raised when the record is first shown or listed.
Record Changed alerts
A Record Changed alert on entities is raised when:
• Any entity fields are changed
• New links are added to the entity
• The strength or direction of any link to the entity is changed
• The entity is deleted
• Any links to the entity are deleted
• Entities or links are soft deleted or restored
Note: Changing a field on any links to the entity is not a change to the entity itself.
A Record Changed alert on links is raised when:
• Any link fields are changed
• The strength or direction is changed
• A link end entity is replaced by a different link end entity
• The link is deleted
• A link end entity is deleted causing the link to be deleted
• Link end entities or links are soft deleted or restored
Note: Changing a field on any link end entities is not a change to the link itself.
Records Added alerts
A Records Added alert is raised whenever an extra record is found that matches the selection
criteria for the Query. This might be for the following reasons:
• New record added that matches the Query
• Changed so that it now matches the Query
• Restored (having previously been soft deleted)
• Changes to your permissions, which mean that you can now see more records
Records Removed alerts
A Records Removed alert is raised whenever a record that previously matched the selection
criteria for the Query is no longer found. This removal can be for the following reasons:
• Changed so that it no longer matches the Query
• Deleted
• Changes to your permissions, which mean that you can now see fewer records
Note:
• Alerting is available in SQL Server databases only
• You can only add alert definitions if you are permitted to do so
• Email alerts can only be sent if your system administrator has enabled this feature
Further details for administrators are available in the Administration Center.

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Alert definitions
An alert definition defines a set of conditions that when met generate an alert to specified users. You
can add an alert definition that monitors access to specified records or the results of a Query.
Alert definitions are set up to generate alerts when specific criteria are met. For example, you might
want to know if a record is updated with information, or an additional record is added to a set. Alert
definitions have the following core components:
• Information on the records or query to be monitored
• Details of who to inform
• An expiry period if the alerts are only required for a set period of time
Note: Alert definitions are not directly linked to the original records or Queries, this means that:
• deleting a record does not delete any associated alert definitions
• modifying the Query does not update the alert definition, and deleting the Query does not delete it.

Adding alert definitions on records

You can set up an alert definition to generate alerts when changes to records are detected. Alerts can
be generated when records are viewed, edited, or deleted.

Procedure
1. Find the record or records you are interested in.
2. Right-click on the records, and from the shortcut menu, select Add Alert.
3. Enter a unique name for the alert definition and an optional description. The name of the alert
definition is used every time that an alert is sent to the subscribers of this alert.
4. Decide what the alert definition is monitoring by turning on the check boxes in the Alert when area.
These definitions raise alerts when:
• Records are viewed
• Records are edited
• Records are no longer found
5. If required, set an expiry date. No further alerts will be sent after the expiry date.
6. Click Save. The alert definition is listed in the Alert Definitions area of the Database Explorer.
Note: As the owner of the alert definition, only you or the system administrator can edit or delete
the alert definition. If other users do not want to receive alerts, they can unsubscribe.

Adding alert definitions on queries

You can set up an alert definition to generate alerts when changes to the results of a Query are
detected. Alerts can be generated when the resulting records are viewed, edited, or deleted.

Procedure
1. Find the Query that you are interested in (it must not be a parameterized Query or a semantic
Query).
2. Right-click on the Query, and select New Alert.
3. Enter a unique name and an optional description. The name of the alert definition is used every
time that an alert is sent to the subscribers of this alert.

Chapter 8. Alerting 127

 4. Click Select Users to add the subscribers to the alert.
5. Decide what the alert definition is monitoring by turning on the check boxes in the Alert when area.
These raise alerts when:
• Records are viewed
• Records are edited
• Records are no longer found
• Extra records are found
6. If required, set an expiry date. No further alerts will be sent after the expiry date.
Note: As the owner of the alert definition, only you or the system administrator can edit or delete
the alert definition. If other users do not want to receive alerts, they can unsubscribe.
The alert definition will not be updated after a change to the Query on which it is based. To monitor
a modified Query, you need to add an alert definition.

Adding the users who are alerted

Alert definitions can be used to generate alerts that are sent to multiple users. Adding multiple users
to an alert definition reduces the need to set up extra alert definitions.

Procedure
1. In New Alert Definition, select Select Users. Any existing subscribers are listed on the right.
2. Select the users to receive the alerts.
3. Click OK.
4. Specify the type of alert that each subscriber receives. You can choose that the user is alerted
when they open the database (an iBase alert), that they receive an email, or both. Both alert types
also display in the computer's system tray.

Reviewing your subscriptions

Your alert subscriptions list the alert definitions that are currently generating alerts that you will be
notified about. You can review your alert subscriptions to ensure that the alerts that are being
generated still match your requirements.
To view the list of alert definitions that you are currently subscribed to:
• In the Database Explorer, expand Alert Definitions. The alert definitions that you subscribe to are
listed with a blue icon.
• In the Alerting dialog, click Subscriptions to list the current alert definitions for which you are a
subscriber.
To remove yourself from an alert definition, select the alert definition and click Unsubscribe. You will
receive an alert that you have been unsubscribed but existing alerts will not be removed from your
Inbox, and the detail of those alerts will remain available to you.

Reviewing expired alert definitions

Once an alert definition has expired, no additional alerts will be generated unless you modify the
expiry date. You might want to reactivate an expired alert definition if the alerts are still required.
There are two ways of finding out which alert definitions have expired:
• In the Database Explorer, expand Alert Definitions. Expired alert definitions are listed with a gray
icon.

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 • In the Alerting dialog, click Expired Alert Definitions to list the expired alert definitions that you
own.
As the creator of these, you can do any of the following:
• Change the expiry date, for example to make an alert definition active again.
• Change the actions that are being monitored.
• Delete the alert definition - this will not delete the alerts that have already been sent (or that are in
the process of being sent).

Editing and deleting your alert definitions

Alert definitions that you have created can be edited and removed. You can maintain alert defintions
to ensure that the information remains relevant to your investigations.

About this task

After you have created an alert definition, you have permission to modify or remove that definition in
the following ways:
• Add or remove subscribers - You can modify the users that are alerted
• Modify the expiry date - You can change the length of time that alerts are generated for
• Change the actions that are being monitored
• Delete the alert definition
Note:
• You cannot add or remove records from an alert definition or change the query saved as part of the
alert definition. If you would like to change these options, create a new alert definition.
• Alert definitions are automatically deleted if a change to the entity and link types in the database
makes the alert definition invalid. As the owner of the alert definition, you will receive an alert
informing you of the deletion.

Procedure
1. In the Alerting dialog, select Alert Definitions to list the alert definitions that you own.
2. Click Edit to open the Alert Definition in an editable form.
Note: Alternatively, click Delete to remove the alert definition entirely and prevent any further
alerts from being generated.
3. Make your changes:
• To modify the subscribed users, click Select Users and add or remove the users.
• Use the Duration options to change the duration that the alert definition is active.
• Modify the alert definition. For more information on the available options, see:
– “Adding alert definitions on records” on page 127
– “Adding alert definitions on queries” on page 127
4. Save your changes.

Chapter 8. Alerting 129

Clear alert data
If you have removed an alert definition, you might also want to clean up any alert data that has been
generated since the alert was originally defined. You can use the Clear Alert Data option to remove
alert information that is not connected to an alert definition.

About this task

When alerts are generated from an alert definition, details of the alert are stored in the database, and
users are notified either within iBase or via email. When alert definitions are deleted, either directly, or
automatically, the alert information is retained in the database, but can be removed when required.
For alerts that are no longer associated with an alert definition, using Clear Alert Data removes the
following:
• iBase inbox notifications
• Information about the alert in the database

Procedure
1. In the Alerting dialog, select Alert Definitions.
2. Select Clear Alert Data.
A message displays informing you of the consequences of this action.
3. Select Yes to confirm that you would like to proceed.

Receiving alerts
When an alert is generated for a Query or record that you are interested in, you are notified in the
status bar. When you receive an alert, you can open the details, mark the alert to be followed up, or
delete the information.

Alert status bar

When you have the alert status bar open, you are notified when an alert is detected.
Tip: To display the alert status bar, in the Database Explorer, right-click Alert Definitions > Status
Bar.
The most recent alert is displayed in the status bar. You can click:
• The alert name to find out why the alert was raised.
• Follow up - to mark the alert for follow up in the Inbox.
• Read - to mark the alert as read in the Inbox.
• Delete - to move the alert to the Deleted Items folder in the Inbox.
To read or follow up the alerts later, click Inbox.
With the status bar open, you can set the frequency at which you receive new alerts. The alert
frequency is initially the same as the server that manages alerting. You can change the setting to
receive alerts more or less frequently, or immediately, if required.

Alerting inbox
To view all your alerts in the Alerting Inbox, in the Database Explorer, right-click Alert Definitions >
Inbox. Alternatively, you can open the inbox from the Alerting status bar.

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 Alerts are either current and listed in the Inbox, or ready to be deleted and listed in the Deleted Items
folder. Both views summarize what happened to raise the alert:
• Viewed - the number of times the records were viewed
• Edited - the number of times the records were opened, modified and then saved (rather than the
number of changes made to the data in the records). Deleting a record also counts as an edit if the
alert definition monitors edits only.
• Added - the number of new records or, if the alert was raised by a Query, that has been edited so
that the records now match the conditions in the Query
• Removed - the number of records that were deleted or, if the alert was raised by a Query, that has
been edited so that the record no longer matches the conditions in the Query
• Unsubscribed - as a result of security changes you are no longer subscribed to this alert definition
or, if you are the owner of the alert definition, users that you added as subscribers are unsubscribed
Note: In a database that uses cases, the Inbox always lists all your alerts. In Multi-Case Analysis
mode, you can view the detail of any of these alerts. When you are logged in to a single case, you can
only view details of alerts that are relevant to the current case.

Details of alerts
When you are notified about an alert, you can open the alert details to discover more information. The
records that triggered the alert are listed, along with the reason the alert was made.
Note: Security changes can mean that the records that are covered by an alert are no longer available
to you. In this situation, the records are displayed without their icon, and no details are displayed.
The following details are available in the alert summary:

Views A view is defined as an instance in which the records details are loaded. For
example:
• Listing the record and then opening the details is counted as two views.
• Finding a record and then showing it counts as three views: it was viewed in the
record list, again in the Find details pane, and again when the record is shown.
For details of who viewed a record, and when, select the record in the alert, and
click Views.

Edits An edit is defined as an instance in which the records details are changed. Notice
that:
• Adding or removing a link counts as one edit.
• Editing several fields in the record in the same session counts as one edit.
• Clicking Edit and then canceling counts as a view and not an edit.
For details of who edited a record, select the record and then click Edits.

When you select an edited record, the details of the changes are displayed. If an entity or a link was
added, the full record is shown, for edits, only the changed fields are shown.

Information shown...
Field Name The old and current values for the fields in the
entity or link.

Chapter 8. Alerting 131

 New Value The updated value.
Old Value The previous value.
Edited by The logon name of the user who made the
change.
Date Edited The date and time of the change (on the server).
Reason If required by the database, the reason given by
the user for making the change.
OS User The Windows name of the user who made the
change.
Machine Name The machine that the user was working on.
Location The location as entered in User Information, for
example the team or department name.
iBase Change This indicates whether the change was made
within iBase or in an external system.
Extra Detail Additional information for the current record.

Some information might be displayed that you do not usually see. In particular:
• Alternative icon representation shows the name of the new icon if a different icon is assigned to an
entity type. This representation applies to entities that do not have an icon field.
• Icon Color shows the selected color shade if the default icon color was changed.
• Record Status is Normal unless the record is deleted (soft deleted and can therefore be restored) or
Purged (permanently deleted).
When the change is a new, updated, or deleted link, the header, which is displayed in the blue band,
summarizes the link details. For example:
• New Link: Shareholder[SIL31\GEN]
• Link Updated: VERMILLION Janet[PER:GEN\159]
For a new link, the New Value column lists:
• Entity type of the link end entities (Entity Type End 1 and 2)
• Link type
• Link direction and strength
• Record ID of the link
• Record IDs of the link end entities (Record ID End 1 and 2)
If a link is updated, only the changed fields are listed. For deleted links, only the changed status is
listed.
Note: If the alert definition is monitoring a linked entity, changes to existing links are not reported
because these changes are not directly changing to the entity.

Filtering by user
If several users edited or viewed the record within the time interval, then it can be useful to filter the
details by user:
• From the Show Edits list, select the user name. Select by all users to display the full list again.

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Chapter 9. Reporting
Reporting collates the significant data in a database. The report can either be printed, copied to the
clipboard, or output as a file.
The following file types are supported:
• HTML
• Rich Text Format (RTF)
• Microsoft Word document.
• Microsoft Access database.
There are two types of report that can be produced:
• Standard Reports - Each report covers a single entity type and can include none, one or several link
types.
• Link Reports - Each report covers a single link type and can include none, one or several entity
types.
Reports always show a snapshot of the data at the time the report is created.
Before you can produce a report, you need to define its contents and appearance in a report
definition. Since you might need to create the same type of report many times, for example a weekly
status report, report definitions can be saved and used to rerun reports as required. To speed up the
preparation of reports, you can set a particular report definition as the default for a specific entity
type.
Note: When data is added to report, it is no longer under any form of access control. It becomes your
responsibility to ensure that access to any restricted or secret information is controlled in an
appropriate way.

Producing reports
You can produce a report on entities and links in the database. Before you can produce a report, you
might need to define its contents and appearance in a report definition.

About this task

When you produce the report, you specify the scope of the report and how the report is output. You
can also define sets or queries first if you want to report on specific records, rather than on all records
in the database.

Procedure
1. Open the Report wizard:
• In the toolbar, click Create Report.
• In the Database Explorer, right-click an entity type, and from the menu, select Report.
• In a record list, right-click a record, and from the menu, select Create Report.
2. Select the report definition and the data:
a) Select a report definition from the list.
Some details of the report definition are displayed below the list:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 133

 • The name of the main entity type, the subject of the report (you can only report on one entity
type at a time)
• Whether this is the default report definition for the main entity type
• The number of link types included in the report definition (if any)
b) In the Source area, specify which main entity records you want to report on:
• All records to report on all records for the main entity type.
• Single Record to report on a single record
• Query to report on the results of a selected query.
Note: You can only select from queries that output records of the main entity type. If you
want to filter the linked items by applying a query to the records, turn on Filter linked items
using query.
• Set to report on the records that are contained by a set, which you select.
Note: You can only select from sets that contain records for the main entity type.
c) Click Next to continue.
3. Specify the title and output format:
a) The Report Title displays the default title as defined in the report definition.
b) Select the output format and enter a path and file name. The different formats are:

Output Format Description

Standard Report Displays the report on the screen in the iBase
report viewer. You can then print the report or
copy pages to other applications.
Note: There is no saved record of the report.

Microsoft Access The report is saved in a Microsoft Access

database.
Using this format, you can create reports for
several different entity types, and then
combine them in Access. Each iBase report
creates a new table in Access; you need to
use some of the facilities in Access to make
your report more usable.
Output pictures as OLE objects
By default, any pictures are output in a
format that does not allow them to be
viewed in Microsoft Access. To output
them in a format that can be viewed, turn
on Output pictures as OLE objects.
Update existing databases
Turn on Update existing database to
update an existing Microsoft Access
report (.mdb) file rather than create a new
database. Browse for the existing

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Output Format Description

database file. If you select this option,

when you click Finish you can either:
• Refresh the data in the selected
Microsoft Access report database with
that generated by the report The
selected report database must contain
all the necessary fields and tables for
the report definition.
• Extend the Microsoft Access report
database to include the report data
This option adds tables to the selected
report database to generate reports that
contain different but related data in a
single report database.

Microsoft Word The report is saved in a Microsoft Word

document. The following options are
applicable:
Open report when complete
Turn on to direct the document to open as
soon as it is generated.
Use Styles in this template
To use the styles in a Microsoft Word
document rather than the fonts defined in
the report definition, turn on Use Styles in
this template, and select a document
from the list. When this checkbox is
turned off, the report uses the formatting
that is specified in the report definition.
Use template content to define report style
If you specify a Microsoft Word document
or template, you can also turn on Use
template content to define report style
to apply the sections and table layouts in
the template to the report.

Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) The report is saved as an HTML file (.htm file)
and can be viewed in a web browser. It is also
displayed in the iBase report viewer (but the
viewer displays the path to the graphics file
instead of the actual picture).

Rich Text Format (RTF) The report is saved as a rich text format file
(.rtf file). It can be displayed in the iBase
report viewer, where you can print it or copy
pages.

Chapter 9. Reporting 135

 Output Format Description

Note: This format includes icons but not

pictures.

4. Click Finish to generate the report.

Reporting in HTML
You can share your iBase reports using your organization’s intranet, or the internet. To do this, you
need to have your data in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) format.
You can specify some limited formatting of the report data using the options available in the report
definition.
If your report includes pictures, they are associated with the report using links; to make the report
viewable on other computers (portable) you need to save the report using Internet Explorer, while
iBase is still open, to establish the links correctly.
Note: To take full advantage of the features of HTML, you will need to understand how to work with
HTML using a specialist HTML editor or a text editor such as Notepad.

Creating a Report for the Web

1. On the first page of the report wizard, enter the details of the report in the usual way.
2. Click Next to display the second page and, in the Output to area, select Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML) and then specify a file name and location.
3. Click Finish.
4. Click Close to close the Report Viewer, and Close to close the wizard. Do not close iBase at this
stage.
You have created an HTML file containing an iBase report, and any icons and pictures have also been
saved as separate graphic files. Using a text editor, or any specialist HTML editor, you can now add
text and formatting using all the options that are available in HTML.
Note: To view any icons in the report, you must view the report on a machine on which iBase is
installed. You cannot view any pictures. To establish links between the HTML file, the icons, and the
pictures follow the steps below.

Making sure that icons and pictures remain linked to the HTML file
If you want to make your HTML file portable, such that links are established to the icons and pictures
referenced in the HTML file, you need to save the file in your browser before you exit from iBase.
Continuing from the previous steps:
1. Find the HTML file and open it using a web browser.
2. Select File > Save As and specify a new path - you must save the file in a different folder in order
to resolve the links.
3. Close your web browser.
4. You may now close iBase if you wish.
You have created a file with all the linked graphics in a separate folder (named after the name of the
HTML file). To move or copy the file, you must also move or copy the folder containing the graphics.

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Reporting in Microsoft Access
You can create a report from your iBase database in a Microsoft Access database format. You can use
Microsoft Access to create reports with more than one main entity type.

Why use a Microsoft Access database as a report format?

You might choose to report to a Microsoft Access database for any of the following reasons:
• iBase reports can be combined to allow reporting on more than one main entity. For example, a
report on telephones, might also report on the subscribers of the phones involved.
• To allow iBase data to be combined with data from other systems; Microsoft Access can incorporate
data from a wide variety of formats: Extensible Markup Language (XML), OLE DB, and Open
Database Connectivity (ODBC).
• Microsoft Access data can be used by specialist database report tools.
When you choose a Microsoft Access database as the format for an iBase report, the output is as
follows:
• Each main entity, link, or linked entity has a separate Microsoft Access database table.
• Each record that you include becomes a row in the relevant database table.
• Each field that you specify in the report definition becomes a column in the relevant database table.
• Any formatting that you specify as part of the report definition, for example fonts or highlighting, is
ignored.
Note: When you export to Microsoft Access, any duplicate fields have a '2' added to the end of the
field name. This occurs if there are duplicate fields in a link type and its link end entity type.

Creating a Microsoft Access database report

1. In the report wizard, enter the details of the report.
2. Click Next to display the second page and in the Output to area, select Microsoft Access and then
specify a file name and location.
3. Click Finish. When the report is complete, click Close.

Viewing the Microsoft Access database

To view the database, start Microsoft Access and open the database that you created. Double-click
the table that is named after the main entity in your report. For example, if you selected Telephone as
your main entity, double-click Telephone_ to display the contents of the Telephone_ table.

Reporting on an extended selection of entity types

One of the reasons that you might choose to create reports in Microsoft Access is to extend the
selection of the entities that you report upon, beyond one link distance. For example, in a report on
calls by a particular telephone; being able to report on entities one further link away, means you might
report on the subscribers too.
Reporting on different entity types requires that you create separate report definitions and use them
to create reports, these reports can be generated into the same Microsoft Access database.
Note: Microsoft Access reports from iBase do not include all the relationships, these must be added
manually.

Chapter 9. Reporting 137

 Linking tables and creating relationships in Microsoft Access
1. Generate the first report and output to a new Microsoft Access database.
2. Generate the second report and output the report to the same Microsoft Access database, and
select Update existing database.
3. Select Extend the database to include the report data.
The Combined database now has one table for each of the entity types in your reports.
4. Create relationships between the tables that originated from the reports:
a. Select Tools > Relationships. A relationship might exist between the MainEntity_ID fields in
related tables.
b. For each entity type, select a field relevant to your report in one table and drag it to the
corresponding field in the related table. You can use the record IDs to help identify the
relationships that need to be created.
c. Click Create to make the relationship.

Defining a report
Before you can produce a report, you need to define the content and appearance of the report in a
report definition. You select the report definition to produce the report.

Procedure
To define a report definition:
1. Select Format > Report Definitions > New.
2. Select the entity type.
3. Click a tab to define the report details and output format.
4. Save the report definition.
5. Click Create Report to test the report definition.

Page setup (General tab)

The General page of the Report.

Option Description
Title Click the Title box and enter, or edit, the text for
the title. Click Font to select a different font for
the title.
Header, Footer Click the Header or Footer box and enter, or edit,
the text for the header or footer. In the Header
area, click Font to select a different font for both
the header and the footer.
By outputting the report to Microsoft Word, you
can define separate Header and Footer styles.

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 Option Description
Footer Logo Turn on Footer Logo if you want a graphic to print
in the left end of each footer. Browse to the
graphics file or enter the path.
Note: Graphics that do not have a 4:6 aspect
ratio are stretched to fit a rectangle. To avoid
this, edit the logo by adding a background of the
correct size.

Truncate long text fields to You can limit the values to a specific number of
characters (in multiples of one hundred) by
turning this on.
Default font Displays a preview of the font for the main body
of the report. To change this, click Font and
select a font. When you output the report to
Word, this font becomes the font for the Normal
style.
Orientation Set the page orientation by clicking Portrait or
Landscape.
Page break after each entity record Turn on if you want to start a new page for each
section for the main entity.
Indent Links To help the link records to stand out better, turn
on Indent Links.
Default Microsoft Word template Turn on Default Microsoft Word template and
select a document (*.doc) for use as a template
when outputting the report.
Only documents in the same folder as the
database file, with a name starting with the
database name are available. For example, if the
status bar shows the open database as being
C:\Databases\Vehicles\Vehicles.idb, then you
could use C:\Databases\Vehicles\Vehicles
Template 1.doc as a template.
Turn on Auto-size List Tables (Microsoft Word)
to allow the width of the List table in the report to
be automatically adjusted based on its contents,
rather than use the table width set in the
template.

Selecting entity fields

You can select the entity fields that you want to include and their order on the report. If required, you
can highlight the column headings and the data from selected fields in order to make important fields
easier to identify on the report.

Procedure
1. Click the Entity tab and then the Fields tab.

Chapter 9. Reporting 139

 2. Select the fields that you want to include in the report, and whether there should be highlighting:
a) Turn on the checkbox next to a field to include it on the report.
b) While the field is still selected, turn on Highlight Label if you want to highlight the heading on
the report (in bold for example).
c) While the field is still selected, turn on Highlight Data if you want to highlight the field value.
Note: You can change the highlight style if you output the report to Word.
3. If required, change the order in which the fields will appear in each record, printed on the report,
by selecting one or more fields and then clicking the up or down arrow key buttons.

Selecting the link types and link end entities

Use the Links page to select the link types and link end entity types to include on the report. For each
link type/end entity type combination that you select, you must include at least one field. In the
report, these records appear in a sub-section of their main entity record section, with an optional title.

Procedure
To add a link type/link end entity type to the report definition:
1. Click the Links tab to display the Links page.
2. Click Add to add a link type/linked entity type combination. The Add Link dialog is displayed:
a) From the Link list, select a link type— only valid link types for the main entity type are listed.
b) From the Link End list, select a link end entity type— only valid entity types for the main entity
type/link type combination are listed.
This means that when you run the report only records for the selected main entity type, link
type, and end entity type records will be added to the report.
3. If required, enter some text in the Title box to describe the relationship of the entity type records
to the main entity.
4. Click OK.
You are warned to select at least one field for the link type and end entity type combination that
you have just added.
5. Set the sort order for the link type and link end entity type combination, and select the formatting
style.
Note: To indent the link records under the main entity record, go to the General page and turn on
the Indent Links check box.

Sorting the records

Use the Sorting and Formatting page to specify how the records are sorted on the report— there are
three levels of sorting.

About this task

This example shows sorting in ascending order (that is A before B):

Primary Secondary Tertiary

A A A
A A B
A B A

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 Primary Secondary Tertiary
B B B

Procedure
To define how the data is sorted:
1. Click the Entity tab or the Links tab, and then the Sorting and Formatting tab to display the Sorting
and Formatting page.
2. Turn on or off the sorting options:
Option Description
Option Description

Sort by In the Sort by drop-down list, select the field that you want to sort by.
Records in the report are sorted first according to their value in this field, in either
ascending or descending order:
a. Click Ascending to sort a before z, and 1 before 9.
b. Click Descending to sort z before a, and 9 before 1.

Then By In the Then by drop-down list, select the next field that you want to sort by. If there is
no suitable field, select <None> from the drop-down list.
Records that are placed in the same position by the primary sort are then sorted
according to the field that you select here.

Then By If required, in the second Then by drop-down list, select another field to further sort
the records or select <None> from the drop-down list.
Records placed in the same position by the primary and secondary sorts are then
sorted according to the field that you select here.

Formatting the records

Use the Sorting and Formatting page to specify the layout of the individual records on the report.

Procedure
To define the format for individual records:
1. Click the Entity tab or the Links tab and then the Sorting and Formatting tab to display the Sorting
and Formatting page.
2. For entities only - if the field details are insufficient to identify the entity, you might want to turn on
Show entity record labels on the Entity page. This adds the record label as a title to the beginning
of each section of the report.
The record labels use the same font as the body of the report. To change this, click Font and select
a font.
3. In the Format area, specify how records are to be laid out on the report:
Option Description
Tabular The tabular format uses a row for each record and a column for each field.

Chapter 9. Reporting 141

 Option Description

This is useful when you are reporting on many entity records but only a few
fields.

List The list format uses a subsection per record and a row per field.
This is useful when you are reporting on few entity records but many fields.

Include Icon In the list format only, turn on this checkbox if you want to place the icon for a
record at the left end of the record.

Include blank In the list format only, turn on this checkbox if you want to print a row for a field,
data values even if the value is blank.
Note: Does not apply to time-based fields.

Include 'No' In the list format only, turn on this checkbox if you want to print a row for a Yes
data values or No type field, even if it has a No value.

Note: There are also some formatting options on the General page, for example to insert a page
break before each entity record, or to indent the link records.

Default report definition for the entity type

To make the current report definition, the default report definition for the main entity type, turn on
Default report definition for this entity.
If this option is turned on, you can quickly generate reports. For example, right-click an entity type
and select Create Report.

Document templates
You can use templates to produce consistent reports in your chosen style. The easiest way to do this
is to create a simple report and change the settings, formats, and styles for your requirements.

About this task

Template files can be saved as a Microsoft Word document or template, in the same folder as the
iBase database. The file name must start with the name of the database for it to be recognized as
valid.
You can use a template to create standard reports. If you want to make a change to the format of the
standard report, simply change the document or template and all subsequent reports will incorporate
the changes. Microsoft Word documents and templates can also include standard text and graphics.

Procedure
To create a template:
1. In the report wizard, enter the details of the report in the usual way. Set up a simple report based
on a single entity type and the required link types.
2. On the second page, in the Output to area, select Microsoft Word and then specify a file name and
location. You can choose any location and file name that has the .doc file extension.
3. Turn on Open report when complete to specify that you want to start Microsoft Word as soon as
the report is ready.

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 4. Click Finish. Microsoft Word is started and the report is displayed. This report has very basic
formatting but is a suitable basis for setting up the document for use as a template.
5. Copy the document into the same folder as the iBase database file (*.idb). Check that the file name
starts with the database name.

Folder for documents used as templates

To be used as template, documents must be saved in the same folder as the database, with a file
name that starts with the database name, and the .doc file extension. There is nothing to prevent you
from saving the file with a .dot file extension but the report wizard uses only *.doc files.
For example, if the status bar shows the open database as being:
C:\Databases\Vehicles\Vehicles.idb
then, you might name a document:
C:\Databases\Vehicles\Vehicles Template 1.doc
Note: After a document is added as a template, close then re-open the report wizard or report
definition to refresh the list.

Template styles
A Microsoft Word report is based on a number of special styles. You can modify each of the styles to
change features such as fonts, paragraph spacing, and indentation. This gives you finer control over
the styles than can be achieved with the normal report definition.
Styles are arranged in a hierarchy in iBase reports to allow you to make changes at the highest level
possible so that changes are reflected in all lower levels. For example, the default font that is
specified in the report definition is used to set the font for the Normal style. All other styles are based
on Normal so that you can change the font for Normal and that change will be reflected throughout
the report. Changes can be made to all entity data or to all linked data, however you can also change
the format of any individual component of the report.

iBase paragraph styles

iBase creates the following styles:

Normal Setting the default font for the report, changing

this style affects all the iBase styles in the report.
iBase Report Header All header text
iBase Report Footer All footer text
iBase Report Title The title from the report definition
iBase Entity Record Label Record labels, if included
iBase Entity Field Label Regular Regular default field labels
iBase Entity Field Label Highlight Highlighted field labels
iBase Entity Field Data Regular Default field data
iBase Entity Field Data Highlight Highlighted field data
iBase Link N Title Title for link N
iBase Link N Field Label Regular Default link field label for link N

Chapter 9. Reporting 143

 iBase Link N Field Label Highlight Highlighted link field label for link N
iBase Link N Data Regular Default link field data for link N
iBase Link N Data Highlight Highlighted link field data for link N

Where N replaces the number of the link. For example, the style for the title of the first link section is
iBase Link 1 Title, for the second link that is specified, the title style is iBase Link 2 Title.

Special styles for link data

There are some other special styles that are not used directly but allow you to control the styles for
link data at a level above the individual numbered styles. If for instance, you want to change the style
of all the linked entity field labels, you can change the style iBase Link Field Label Regular, and the
change will be applied to all of the iBase Link N Field Label Regular styles.
The special styles are:

iBase Link Field Label Regular Default link field label for all links
iBase Link Field Label Highlight Highlighted link field label for all links
iBase Link Field Data Regular Default link field data for all links
iBase Link Field Data Highlight Highlighted link field data for all links

Microsoft Word document properties

In some places in your report, you may want to use Microsoft Word Fields to include information
about the report; the following information is included in the document properties automatically:

Title The Report Title.

Subject The Main Entity Type in the report.
Author Your iBase login name.
Comments Generated by iBase on dd mm YYYY using report
definition 'name'.

Select the whole report and update fields in Microsoft Word to make sure that the information is up-
to-date (press Ctrl and A, and then press the F9 key).

Formatting a Microsoft Word document as a template

Procedure
1. In Microsoft Word, format the document as required. For example in Microsoft Word 2003, click
anywhere in the paragraph and, from the Format menu, select Styles and Formatting. Modify the
displayed style and apply the change.
2. If required, tidy up the content of the report. For example, you may want to remove details of
specific records and add some text in its place to demonstrate each of the Microsoft Word styles
used by iBase. Users are able to display this document in the Report Wizard.
3. From the File menu, select Save As and save the document in the same folder as your database.
The file name should start with the name of the database.

144 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 4. Test that the Microsoft Word document functions correctly as a template by generating a report
from it.
5. When you are satisfied that the document is correct, you can make it into the default Microsoft
Word template for one or more report definitions. You do this by selecting it on the General page of
the relevant report definitions.
Note: If you want different parts of the report to have a different layout, you can insert section
breaks. This allows each section to have its own formatting and page setup; for example you can
have some sections of the report with a portrait page layout and some sections in a landscape
layout, if the data is particularly suited to such presentation.

Extra content in Microsoft Word reports

Documents used as templates can contain more content and styling in addition to the iBase
paragraph styles.
Documents used as templates can contain:
• Logos and other graphics
• A title page
• Details of how the report was created.
• A table of contents, typically added to the title page.
• An end page
• Table formatting
The different parts of the report are defined using section breaks. This type of template is specific to a
single report definition because, the number of sections must match the number of link types, and the
selected link style (whether tabular or list).

Section breaks
Section breaks in the template are used to separate the parts of the report. The sections are as
follows:

Title Contains a piece of text in the Microsoft Word

style iBase Report Title, plus any other items you
want, such as a logo or a table of contents. This
section is mandatory.
Main Entity Repeated for each main entity in the report. The
section starts with a table that contains the icon
(if specified) and the entity label in the Microsoft
Word style iBase Entity Record Label. It is
followed by a table with the entity field contents.
This section is mandatory.
First Linked Entity There is one section for each of the linked entity
definitions and these are repeated for each main
entity. Not required if there are no linked entities.
Second Linked Entity The same as for the First linked entity, for
however many linked entities that you specify .

Chapter 9. Reporting 145

 End After the last section break there is an area
where you can add extra text such as completion
details or a description of how the report was
produced.

There are three types of section break available in Microsoft Word and you can use any of these to
separate the sections of your report:
• Next page inserts a section break and starts the next section on the next page.
• Continuous inserts a section break and starts the next section on the same page.
• Odd page or Even page inserts a section break and starts the next section on the next odd-
numbered or even-numbered page.

Formatting a document as a template

The Microsoft Word document that you create should contain empty tables as placeholders for the
data from iBase - all iBase data is displayed in Microsoft Word tables. For example, to force the entity
record label to appear in the document, there should be a single cell table at the correct position that
uses the Microsoft Word style iBase Entity Field Label Regular.
The simplest way to determine the correct position and style is to use an existing Microsoft Word
report:
1. In iBase, generate a report from the required report definition. Set up a simple report based on a
single entity type and the required link types.
Note:
• Select tabular or list style for the link data before setting up the document as a template -
changing this setting requires you to set up a new document.
• There is no need to enter a report title - the report will always use the title that is entered in the
document.
2. In Microsoft Word, format the document as required.
3. Tidy up the tables in the report that will hold the data:
• Clear the row and heading cells in the tables so that the cells are empty.
• Check that the tables are wide enough for their eventual contents.
• You only need one row per table if using the tabular style.
• Separate the tables in the template with at least one paragraph.
• Format the tables using the formatting facilities in Microsoft Word (from the Table menu, select
Table Designer) to modify the properties.
4. From the File menu, select Save As and save the file in the same folder as your database. The file
name should start with the name of the database, and have a .doc file extension (the file you have
created is not a Microsoft Word Document Template).
5. Test the styles in the document or template by generating an iBase report from it.
6. The next step is to insert the section breaks, as described below.

Inserting section breaks

Before you can add additional content to a Microsoft Word document, you need to define the sections
in the report by inserting section breaks:

146 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

1. In Microsoft Word, open the required document; it will be located in the same folder as your
database.
2. Click the Show or Hide button on the Standard toolbar to display text markers and section breaks.
Paragraph markers will be shown. From the View menu, select Normal.
3. Enter the section breaks:
4. Click on the paragraph marker at the position where you want to insert the section break - the
break is inserted above the paragraph marker you select:

To insert a... Click on the...

Title section paragraph marker between the title and the
first table
Main Entity section paragraph marker below the table containing
the entity data
First Linked Entity section paragraph marker below the table containing
the linked entity data
End section This is created automatically when you insert
the last section break.
5. From the Insert menu, select Break. The Break dialog is displayed.
6. In the Section break types area, select the type of page break and click OK. A section break is
inserted.
7. Save the file.
8. Test the Microsoft Word document by producing an iBase report from it.

Adding material at the end of the report

In a Microsoft Word template with additional content, the End section of the report, the part that is
after the final section break, does not contain any data from the report. You can use this area to add
any details you want. For example, the document properties that are automatically generated when
you produce a report:
1. In Microsoft Word, select Insert > Fieldfrom the Insert menu, select Field.
2. Select the Categories drop-down list, select Document Information.
3. Insert the fields which are updated by iBase as required:
• Author
• Subject
• Comments
To locate the end section of the report, click in the paragraph below the final section break.

Using a document with extra content to define the report

1. In the report wizard, enter the details of the report in the usual way.
Note: There is no need to enter a report title as this is taken from the Word document.
2. In the Output to area, select Microsoft Word and then specify a file name and location. You can
choose any name and location.
3. Turn on the Open report when complete check box to specify that you want to start Microsoft Word
as soon as the report is ready.

Chapter 9. Reporting 147

 4. Turn on the Use styles in this template check box and select the required Microsoft Word
document from the drop-down list. This will apply the paragraph styles from the document.
5. Turn on Use template content to define report style to specify that you want to also use the
contents of the document. This will apply the section breaks, table formatting, and content such as
graphics.
6. Click Finish. A progress dialog is displayed, followed by a completion dialog.
Microsoft Word is started and the report is displayed.
7. If the template contains any fields or a table of contents, you need to update them: Press Ctrl and
A to select the whole report, and then press the F9 key to update all fields.
8. Select Update entire table and click OK. All the fields are now updated.

Report definitions
The report definition list displays creation and update information. You can sort the report definitions
by clicking the required column heading.
To add a report definition, click New.
To administer the report definitions for your database, right-click on a definition and then select:

Open To edit the selected report definition; you can

also double-click the definition.
Rename To rename the selected report definition. If this
report definition is set as the default for an entity
type, then it remains the default even after you
rename it.
Save As To save a copy of the selected report definition
under a new name. The name must be unique
not just to the category folder but to the whole
database.
Note: Saving a copy of a report definition that is
set as the default for its entity type results in two
defaults. The first report definition (in
alphabetical order) is used. Therefore, you may
want to turn off the Default report definition for
this entity checkbox.

Delete To delete one or more selected report

definitions. There is no warning if you delete a
default report definition.
Categorize To move one or more selected report definitions,
which might be in different categories, to another
category, or set access controls on them.
Properties Show 'system' type properties of the report
definition, such as the date it was created and
the name of the user who created it. Only
available when a single report definition is
selected.

148 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Note: You can also list, and work with, report definitions in the Database Explorer detail window.

Link reports
Link reports are reports that are able to be sorted by using link fields, and can include the information
that is entered on either linked entity. The difference between a link report and a standard report is
that although standard report can include links, the report cannot be sorted by fields that are placed
on the link.
As a default, link reporting is not turned on, but can be initialized by a database administrator if
required.

Initializing the database for Link Reports

To Initialize the database for link reports, select Tools > Initialize Database for Link Reports.
Note:
• You must be logged in with an Administrator account to initialize the database for link reports.
• When the reports are enabled, Initialize Database for Link Reports is longer displayed under
Tools.
• Link reports are supported on all database types.

Managing Link Report Definitions

The report definition list displays information on when the report definitions were created and
updated. You can sort the report definitions by clicking the required column heading.
To add a report definition, click New.
To administer the report definitions for your database, right-click on a definition and then select one
of the following options from the menu:

Option Description
Open To edit the selected report definition; you can
also double-click on the definition.
Rename To rename the selected report definition.
Save As To save a copy of the selected report definition
under a new name. The name must be unique
not just to the category folder but to the whole
database.
Delete To delete one or more selected report
definitions.
Categorize To move one or more selected report definitions,
which might be in different categories, to another
category, or set access controls on them.
Properties Show 'system' type properties of the report
definition, such as the date it was created and
the name of the user who created it. Only
available when a single report definition is
selected.

Chapter 9. Reporting 149

 Note: You can also list, and work with, report definitions in the Database Explorer detail window; the
lower half of the Database Explorer.

150 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 10. Exporting
You might need to share data from your iBase database with others. You can export entity and link
records, in a format that meets the requirements of the target application.
You can export to any of the following file types and applications:

Text file (ASCII) You use an export specification to define how the
exported data is formatted. For example, you
might define which entity or link type to export
and how dates and numbers are formatted. If
you regularly export data, you can save your
settings in an export specification. You can also
run a series of export specifications together by
using an export batch specification to export a
number of records, perhaps of differing entity or
link types.

XML file You use a database subset definition to define

the entities and links to export.
Microsoft Excel You export the selected data to a new
spreadsheet that is automatically created for
you. You can export multiple entity and link
types.
Other Microsoft formats You can use report definitions to produce reports
in these formats:
• HTML (Hypertext Markup Language).
• Rich Text Format (RTF)
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Access.

Exporting using an existing specification

You might need to share data with others, by exporting the data to a file that can then be imported
into another application or into a different iBase database. The type of data to export is defined in an
export specification. There is one export specification for each entity and link type that is involved in
the export.

Procedure
1. In the Database Explorer view, right-click Export Specifications and select List.
2. Load the required export specification.
3. Click Next to review the contents of the export specification:
a) Step 1, which entity or link type is exported.
b) Step 2, the format of the export file, and in particular how dates, times, and numbers are
handled.
c) Step 3, which fields for the entity or link type are exported.
4. If the definition of the export specification is appropriate, select the data to export:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 151

 • All Records - all records of the entity or link type are exported.
• Query - the results of a query are exported.
• Set - records that are contained in a set are exported.
5. Click Run. The number of records that are exported is displayed.
Tip: You can then click Back to go back and export more data with the same export specification,
for example from a different set or query.

Setting up for exporting data

Before you can export from iBase, you must define the type of records and their fields to export, and
the format of the file to be created. You define this information by setting up an export specification,
each export specification defines how to export data for a single entity or link type.

About this task

The export wizard is a series of pages that leads you through the process of creating an external file
that contains data from the database.

Procedure
1. Select File > Data > Export.
2. If you want to create a new export specification, select the type of data to export:
• To export entities, click Entities and from the Record Type list, select the entity type.
• To export links, click Links and from the Record Type list, select the main link type. In the Link
Ends area, select the link end entity types from the End (1) and End (2) lists.
Note: You must export entities before links.
3. Click Next to continue. (In later steps you can click Back to return to previous steps if you want to
change any settings.)
4. In Export File Name, enter the path of the export specification that you are creating or navigate
to the folder, enter the file name and click Save.
5. Select First Record Contains Field Names to write field names into the first record in the export
file.
This is useful as a reminder of what the fields are when you browse the exported file. It also
allows you to automatically assign source fields to iBase fields if you later import the file back
into an iBase database.
6. Enter the character to use to enclose the field values in the export file in the Text Qualifier. Each
value is bounded at each end by this character. If you do not want a text qualifier, delete the
displayed character.
When reimporting data, this prevents field values that contain field delimiters from being split
into two.
7. In the Field Delimiter area, choose the character that is used to separate fields, or enter a
different one in the Other box.
Note: The record delimiter is an ASCII CR and LF character; this puts each new record on a new
line.
8. The Dates, Times & Numbers area shows you how any dates, times and numbers will be
exported. To change these formats, click Format.
9. Select the fields you want to export, and the order in which they appear in the export file.

152 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description
Entity and link Entity and link fields are shown by their field name.
fields
Fields for link end Fields for link end entities are indicated by <(1)> for the End 1 entity and
entities <(2)> for the End 2 entity.

<Direction> If present, this stores the direction of the link, and is exported as codes:
0 = no direction
1 = End (1) to End (2)
2 = End (2) to End (1)
3 = Both

<Strength> If present, this stores the strength of the link, and is exported as codes:
0 = unconfirmed
1 = confirmed
2 = tentative

10. In the Records area, specify the source of the records to export, provided they are the
appropriate type.
11. Click Run. The number of records that are exported is displayed.
Tip: You can then click Back to go back and export more data with the same export specification,
for example from a different set or query.

Exporting to Microsoft Excel

You may want to disseminate information from your database to colleagues who do not themselves
have a database application, however they will often have access to Microsoft Excel.

Procedure
To export data to Microsoft Excel:
1. Select File > Data > Export Data to Excel.
2. Select an entity or link type from the list.
3. Specify which records to export.
4. In the Fields to Export area, turn on the checkboxes next to the fields that you want to export,
turn off the check boxes of fields that you do not want to export.
5. In the Totaling Functions area, turn on the check box next to the Microsoft Excel function that you
want to apply to the data. The functions only apply to numerical fields. The functions are:

Function For each number field returns... Microsoft Excel function

Lowest The lowest value MIN
Highest The highest value MAX
Average The average value AVERAGE
Sum of A total SUM

Chapter 10. Exporting 153

 Function For each number field returns... Microsoft Excel function
Standard deviation The standard deviation STDEV
Mode The most frequently occurring value MODE
6. Click Export.

Exporting data as XML

You can export data to and from an XML file by using the iBase XML schema. The iBase XML schema
describes the structure of your database.

About this task

There are two types of XML schema that can be used to export data:
• iBase specific schema - Allows database subsets to be exported. These subsets can contain any
combination of entity or link types. Allows a single entity or link type to be imported from an XML
file.
• MS Rowset schema - Allows a single entity or link type to be imported or exported as an XML file
that contains the schema information. The exporting of database subsets (which can contain
multiple entity or link types) is not supported.
The iBase XML schema is designed to correspond to the entities and links in your database and can be
viewed by generating an XSD file from iBase Designer.
Use the iBase XML schema instead of the MS Rowset schema because an XSD file that describes the
iBase XML schema can be generated using iBase Designer. The XSD file can be used to share XML
information with 3rd parties and internally within your organization.
When exporting using an iBase XML schema, you can select the data to export using queries and sets
and save the selection as a database subset definition. You base the export on this definition. This
feature is not available when exporting to MS Rowset schema.
There are some restrictions on using an iBase XML schema:
• The database supports Unicode - to find out whether Unicode characters are supported, select File
> Properties > Database Properties. The Use Unicode Data types checkbox is turned on if
Unicode characters are supported.
• The database is initialized for database subsets - there is a folder for database subset definitions in
the Database Explorer if the database has been initialized.
• You have selected the data to export by defining a database subset definition.
Note:
• You cannot export pictures or documents to XML using the iBase XML schema.
• When you export records from a case, the case name is exported as the SC code.

Procedure
1. Select File > Data > Export Data to XML > Create XML File.
2. Browse for the folder where the XML file will be created.
3. Browse for the database subset definition that defines the records you want to export.
4. Click Export.

154 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 11. Removing
Depending on your permissions as a user, you can remove entities and links from the database either
individually or in batches. When you delete an entity, you also delete all links to that entity but you do
not delete the link end entities. Deleting records is a permanent and irreversible operation unless soft
delete is enabled for your database.
Depending on the way that your database is configured, you might have soft delete enabled. This
means that when you delete records, individually or in batches, you have an opportunity to undo the
deletion. Soft deleted records do not appear in search results or when you list and browse records. If
soft delete is not enabled, then deleting records is a permanent and irreversible operation.

Finding out whether soft delete is in use

To check the setting of soft delete:
1. Select File > Properties > Database Properties.
2. Click the Advanced tab and view the setting of the Soft Delete checkbox (soft delete is in use if the
checkbox is turned on).

Deleting single records

To remove an individual record, click Delete or press Ctrl+D. If you are deleting an entity,, then any
links from that entity are also deleted.
Note: Your database designer might have restricted permissions for deletion.

Deleting batches of records

Batch Delete, if you have access to it, removes multiple records of a specific type, for example as held
in a set or the results of a query. You can only undo a batch deletion if soft delete is enabled for your
database.

Restoring and purging deleted records

You can undo the deletion of specific records by using Restore Deleted Records. This is only available
if soft delete is enabled on your database. To make the deletion permanent, purge the deleted
records.
Note: To undo a purge, you have to restore the records from a backup.

Deleting batches of records

You can delete multiple records of a specific entity or link type by using Batch Delete.

About this task

For the specific entity or link type, you can delete:
• All records.
• All the records in a particular set (the set itself is not deleted).
• All the records of the specific type that are found by a particular query.
Note: You might not have access to the Batch Delete command; contact your system administrator if
you need access to it.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 155

 If soft delete is enabled on your database, then deleted records can be restored if necessary, that is
until a purge operation makes the deletion permanent.
Attention: Deleting an entity also deletes any link that has that entity as one of its ends.
However, if a link is subject to data access control or database restrictions, you might not be
able to delete the entity at either end of that link. For more information, see the section Batch
Delete and Data Access Control in the topic Using Batch Delete in the Administration Center.

Procedure
To delete batches of records:
1. Select Edit > Batch Delete.
2. Select the entity or link type of the records that you want to delete.
3. In the Source area, specify the source of the specified entity or link type records.
4. Click Delete.
5. Click Yes.
6. To cancel the delete once it has started, press Esc. The delete will stop and a message displays
how many records have already been deleted.
The behavior when canceling a batch delete is different depending on the type of database you are
using and the Audit Level set:

Option Description
Database and Audit Level Behavior when canceling delete
SQL Server - 1,2 or 3 No records are deleted.
SQL Server - 4 or 5 Records up to the point when the batch delete is cancelled are
deleted.
Microsoft Access - Any Records up to the point when the batch delete is cancelled are
deleted.

The deletion may take a while to complete if you are deleting a large number of records. Once the
deletion has completed, you are shown the number of records that have been deleted.

Restoring deleted records

You can undo the deletion of entities and links by restoring them. Restoring records reverses the
deletion, if you have not yet purged the records. Restore Deleted Records is only available if Soft
Delete is enabled for your database, and if your system administrator has given you access to it.

Procedure
To restore deleted records:
1. Edit > Restore Deleted Records.
2. Select Select a range of records. This enables you to either search for records deleted between
specific dates or by a specific user:
Option Description
Deleted between Set Deleted between to the earliest and latest deletion dates of the records
you want to restore. These dates are inclusive; any records deleted on
these dates will be found.

156 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description
Deleted by this Select a user from the Deleted by this user list to find the records deleted
user by a particular user.

Note: Alternatively, select Specify a Record ID to restore a single record. However, you will need to
know the record ID.
3. Click Next to display the deleted records that match your criteria.
These records are the entities that meet the search criteria (any associated, deleted links are not
listed). Links are only listed separately if their link end entities are not in this list. This may be
because the entities still exist in the database or the entities were deleted by a different user or
within a different date range.
4. You do not need to restore all of these records: you can turn off the check box next to the records
that you do not want to restore.
5. Click Next to display a complete list of the entities and links that will be restored.
6. Click Finish to restore the records listed above or Back to add or remove records from the list. To
cancel without restoring any records, click Close.
Note: If the restore is taking too long, you can press the Esc key to stop the operation. This will
undo anything that has been done up to that point (to avoid database inconsistencies).

Purging deleted records

You can permanently delete soft deleted records using Purge Deleted Records. You select the records
to purge by entering a cutoff date and optionally a username. Once purged, records cannot be
restored except from a backup of the database.

About this task

Purge Deleted Records is only available if Soft Delete is enabled for your database, and if your system
administrator has given you access to it.

Procedure
To permanently delete soft deleted records:
1. Select Edit > Purge Deleted Records
2. Specify the age of the records that you want to purge by entering a cutoff date in the Deleted
before this date box. For example, if you enter the 2nd then any records deleted on or before the
1st are purged. By default, soft deleted records older than one week are purged.
3. To purge records deleted by a specific user, select the username from the Deleted by this user
list.
4. To find out how many items will be permanently deleted and the total number of soft deleted
records, turn on Review number of records before purging and click Next to see the statistics.
The left numbers are the number of entities or links that will be permanently deleted based on the
Purge Filter settings. The right numbers are the total numbers of soft deleted entities or links. If
required, click Back to change the cutoff date or the username.
5. When you are ready permanently to delete these records, click Purge, or Close to cancel the purge.

Chapter 11. Removing 157

158 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 12. Databases
You must select the database to work with and provide credentials before you can access data.

Logging in to iBase
When you log in to iBase, you open a security file that defines the permissions for the user account to
which you are logged on. The security file connection is closed when you log out.

About this task

When you are logged on to a security file, depending on the permissions of the user account, you can:
• Open one of the databases controlled by the current security file.
• Change your password.
• Create a database from a template.
• Change the local iBase instance, for example:
– Plug-ins available.
– Basic, charting, and advanced settings for using iBase.
– Recently used databases listed on the File menu.

Procedure
1. Select File > Logon.
2. Browse for the security file to open.
Note: The file name ends with *.ids.
3. Click Open.
4. If the Logon screen is displayed, enter your iBase username and password.
5. Click OK

Selecting a database
To use iBase, you need to log on and open a database. Logging on happens automatically if iBase is
set up to use Windows authentication, alternatively, you are prompted to enter an iBase username
and password.

About this task

You can only have one database open at a time in any iBase session. When a database is open, you
have access to all of the actions that your access control settings allow.

Procedure
1. Select File > Open Database, and browse for the database (*.idb) to open.
2. Click Open.
3. If prompted, enter your iBase username and password (the password is displayed as asterisks (*)
for added security).
4. Click OK to view the database summary.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 159

 5. Click OK.

Editing the Most Recently Used list (MRU)

You can edit the most recently used list of databases (MRU list). The MRU list is the list of databases
that have recently been accessed.

About this task

The MRU list is the list of databases at the end of the File menu; you select one of these to reopen a
database quickly. Each time a different database is opened, an entry for it is placed at the top of the
list.
You can delete entries. For example, if you have deleted the target database, perhaps from a network
drive, so you want to avoid time being lost while the system tries to find it. You can change the order
of entries. You might want the most used databases at the top of the list, for example.
Note: The database will be opened using the security that is in the same folder as the database file. It
is possible that some of the databases no longer exist, for example, a user has deleted or moved the
database or connection file. Some databases may be temporarily unavailable while a server machine
is out of service. Such databases still appear as entries in this dialog but not in the File menu.

Procedure
1. Select Tools > MRU List Manager.
2. In the MRU list, click on a database to select it.
3. Change the position of a database by using the up or down arrows.
4. If required, delete a database from the list by clicking Delete.

Changing passwords
If you are using an iBase user account, you can change the password that you use to access iBase.
The characteristics of the password, such as its length and the type of characters it requires, are
controlled by your security administrator.

Procedure
To change your password:
1. Select File > Change Password.
2. Type your existing password in the Current Password box.
3. Type the new password in the New Password box.
4. Type the new password again in the Confirm Password box.

User permissions
You can check the actions that you can perform in iBase. These permissions are part of the database
design; they cannot be changed in iBase User, if you are denied access to an action that you need,
contact your system administrator.
To view your user permissions File > Properties > User - Permissions.

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Permission When turned on When turned off
Add Entity/Link Records You can add new records to the You can find, browse, and show
database. the records in the database but
you cannot add any new ones,
either individually or by
importing them.
Update Entity/Link Records You can edit records that you When you have added a new
added. record, you cannot change it in
any way. Includes batch editing,
assigning new icons, and
merging.
Delete Entity/Link Records You can delete records that you When you have added a new
added. record, you cannot delete it,
either individually or by using
batch delete.
Update/Delete Entity/Link You can edit and delete any You cannot edit or delete
Records created by other record in the database. records that are created by
users other users.
Add Folder Objects You can add new sets, and save You can run queries, and
queries, report definitions, and reports either by using
import specifications that you definitions created by other
add yourself. users or by using new
definitions of your own. You
cannot save your definitions.
Update Folder Objects For folder objects created by When you have added a new
you, you can edit existing folder object, you cannot edit it.
queries, report definitions,and
import specifications. You can
also edit the contents of
existing sets, including
appending records to existing
sets.
Delete Folder Objects You can delete folder objects When you have added a folder
that you added yourself. object, you cannot delete it.
Update/Delete Restricted You can update and delete You cannot update or delete
Folder Objects created by restricted folder objects that are restricted folder objects that are
other users created by other users. created by other users.
Update/Delete Public Folder You can update and delete You cannot update or delete
Objects created by other users public folder objects that are restricted folder objects that are
created by other users. created by other users.
Database Creator, Database System roles that are only relevant when you are using iBase
Administrator, Security Designer.
Administrator
Audit Administrator You can view records that are
displayed and modified by other
users who are defined as having
a restricted audit log.

Chapter 12. Databases 161

 Note: The folder objects actions (as in Add Folder Objects for example) apply to folder objects in
general. There is also access control on individual folder objects based on the membership of Folder
Object Control Groups.

Database permissions
From the File menu, select Properties and one of the following menu commands to obtain information
about your permissions as a user and the design of the database.
The following submenus are available:

Menu Command Description

User – Permissions Displays a list of the database activities you can
perform, such as creating or deleting records.
User – Group Membership Displays the security groups to which you belong.
Security Design Report Generates a report on the security aspects of the
database design.
Database Properties Displays some details about the database and its
purpose.
Database Statistics Shows how many links and entities, and their
types, are contained in the database.
Database Design Report Generates a report on the database design,
including semantic types.

You can also find out about the type of records in the database by using the Database Explorer.

Adding your contact information

Depending on your organization, you may need to enter contact details for queries about the data that
you add to this database, or to help if people need to talk to you before editing, deleting, or merging
records that you own. The contact details that are displayed are for the username that you use

About this task

You can add your own contact details if you have your own iBase user account rather than a shared
group account.

Procedure
1. Select File > Change User Information.
2. Enter your full name, telephone number, e-mail address, and any notes.
3. Save your details by clicking OK.

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Managing database connections
If you have the correct permissions, you can view details about the current connections to the
database that you have open. This provides information on who is currently logged into the database,
and their current level of activity.

Before you begin

You must have database administrator permissions, and be connected to a Microsoft SQL Server
database.

About this task

Database activity can be used to determine details about your database use. For example, the
number of concurrent licenses needed, or the types of client that are currently open. In addition, as
all client connections must be closed before a database connection can be opened in iBase Designer,
you can ensure that any connections that are not currently active can be closed.
Important: Ensuring that there is a single open connection in iBase Designer prevents any potential
data being lost by administrator actions. Shutting down connections to the database will log out all
active users. Any unsaved changes they have made will be lost. Try to ensure that all connections are
not in use before you shut down those connections.

Procedure
1. To open the list of current connections, select Tools > Current Connections.
For each active connection, you can view the following information:

Table 1. Current open database connections

Column Description
Application Type The type of application that is connected.
User The user that is logged in.
Note: This will only be displayed if the user
information can be determined.

Machine Name The machine that has the connection open.

Login Time When the connection started.
Last Access Time When the connection was last active.
Connections The number of connections made in this
session.
Reads The number of times information has been
accessed from the database in this session.
2. Optional: To close all the active connections to the database, click Shutdown Connections.

Chapter 12. Databases 163

Database subsets
A database subset is a portion of records in the database that are copied into a separate database.
This collection of records are selected by creating a database subset definition that consists of the
results of queries and sets.
You might want to create a database subset for a number of reasons:
Creating an environment that matches your current production environment for testing or
training.
Adding a smaller amount of real data from a production environment lets you test changes to the
database, or train users in as close to the production environment as possible.
Working with a set of data that relates to a specific department or organization.
By creating an environment that only contains specified data allows sanctioned data to be shared.
A database subset can be created from a query at any time, unlike the information in a case, that is
assigned as the data is added.
To create a database subset:
1. Define the records to include using a subset definition.
2. Create the database subset in either Microsoft Access or SQL Server.
The database subset can then be used independently, and if required, you can synchronize any
changes with the original database.

Creating a database subset definition

The records in a database subset are selected by creating a database subset definition. When you
have created the definition, you can use it to export the data you selected as XML, or you can create a
database containing the selected records.

Procedure
To define the records in a database subset:
1. Log on as a user with permission to add folder objects, and open the database.
2. Select File > Data > Database Subsets > Database Subset Definitions.
3. Click New.
4. Select the records by adding queries and sets to the definition.
The queries and sets form a part of the definition and deleting any of these sets or queries, as
opposed to just removing them from the definition, invalidates the definition and any database
subsets created from it.
Note: If the subset definition is being used to create database subsets in Microsoft Access, you
can use parameterized queries and the values required to run these queries are entered when the
database subset is created (or synchronized). If you include parameterized queries, then you must
enter values for them when creating database subsets (and when synchronizing). Advanced
subsets cannot be created using subset definitions that include parameterized queries.
5. Click Save to save the definition.
To create a database subset from your definition:
6. Select the type of database storage to use for your subset:
• To create a subset in a Microsoft Access database, select Create Subset, and follow the
instructions in “ Creating database subsets (Microsoft Access)” on page 165.

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 • To create a subset in a Microsoft SQL Server database, select Create Advanced Subset, and
follow the instructions in “Create advanced database subsets (SQL Server)” on page 168.

Results
The database subset definition is created.
At any stage, you can:
• Change the definition by adding new sets and queries or by removing them (during synchronization
the database subset will be re-created).
• Rename and move the sets and queries that are listed in the definition (this updates the definition).
• Rename the definition.
• Move the definition to a different folder.
You can also delete the definition if it is:
• No longer required to create new database subsets.
• No longer required to update database subsets at the end of synchronization.

Creating database subsets (Microsoft Access)

You can create a database subset from the records that are included in the results of running queries
or sets that are specified in a database subset definition. If you use the Create Database subset
option, the subset database will be in Microsoft Access format.

Before you begin

Before you can create a database subset, you need to specify the records that you want to copy to the
new database by creating a database subset definition.
Note: Only database administrators can initialize the database for database subsets.

Procedure
To create a database subset:
1. Log on as a user that has the Database Creator role.
2. Open the database from which you want to create the database subset.
3. Select File > Data > Database Subsets > Create Database Subset.
4. In the Identifier box, enter a unique ID for the database subset. The ID is up to five alphanumeric
characters long. Previously-used identifiers are listed in the Utilized Identifiers list.
5. In the Name box, enter a name that will be used for both the subset security file and subset
database.
6. A new user account with system administrator permissions will be created in the subset security
file. Enter the username and password for this account. This account will be used to synchronize
the database subset with the main database and to log on to the database subset if no other user
accounts are added to the security file.
Note: Any records added to the database subset will have this user as their “Create User”. You
may therefore want to select a username that will be meaningful once these records are
uploaded to the main database.
7. In Destination folder, browse to the folder where you want to create the subset security file and
database. You can create a new folder if you have sufficient Windows permissions. The folder you
use can contain only one iBase database and security file.

Chapter 12. Databases 165

 8. In Subset Definition, browse for the definition that defines the data to be copied to the new
database. At this stage, it is not possible to know whether the definition is still valid or whether
the total number of records exceeds 50,000 (the maximum allowed records).
9. Click Create to continue.
You will be warned if the definition is invalid because it contains deleted queries or sets, or if the
total number of records exceeds the 50,000 record limit.
10. Click OK to create the database subset.
If the definition contains any parametrized queries then you will be prompted for the values. You
can click Cancel but doing so will also cancel the creation of the database subset.

Synchronizing databases
Synchronizing databases, uploads the data from the database subset to the main database and
downloads new and updated records in the subset definition to the database subset. You can update
the database subset using the original subset definition or you can select a different subset definition.

About this task

A conflict occurs when an entity or link is changed in both the main database and the database
subset. To resolve the conflict, you need to decide which record you want to keep. You can select:
• Discard the subset record changes - this means you keep the changes to the record in the main
database and lose the information in the record from the database subset.
• Keep the subset record changes - this means you keep the information in the record in the database
subset and overwrite the changes that are made to the record in the main database.
If the main record is deleted, then it is:
• Restored and updated to match the subset record if Soft Delete is in use.
• Re-created if the record is deleted or purged.
Restoring or re-creating a link always results in the link ends being restored or re-created if
necessary. Restoring or re-creating an entity also restores or re-creates any associated links if the
other end of the link is still active.
During synchronization, the following error messages might be displayed:
• The database subset has expired. - You cannot reuse an expired database subset. Re-create it from
its database subset definition.
• The database subset has an incompatible schema. - The database subset is invalid because the
schema of the main database was changed after the database subset was created. To fix this
problem, use the Database Schema Update option in iBase Designer.
• The database subset is read-only. - Use iBase Designer to change the database properties of the
database subset so that it is no longer read-only. Although you can change the Read-only property
in an expired database, you cannot reuse it.
• This is not a valid database subset. - The selected database subset is either not a database subset
or it might be a subset of a different database. You can set the database subset to expire if you do
not need it any longer. This deletes the contents of the database subset and mark it as read-only.
The database subset can never be reused.
When you synchronize a database subset with the main database:
• Newly created entities and links in the database subset are added to the main database, with the
same record identifier, create date or time, and create user.

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• All (soft) deleted records in the database subset are ignored - they have no effect on the main
database.
• Records in the main database are updated to match the changes in the database subset if there are
no conflicts.
• If a record has changed in both the main database and database subset, since the last
synchronization, then conflict resolution is applied. See below for details.
At the end of synchronization, you are informed of the changes made to the main database:
• The number of new records added to the main database.
• The number of records updated in the main database with changes made in the database subset
• If Soft Delete is used: the number of records restored as a result of conflict resolution
• If Soft Delete is not used: the number of records that are re-created as a result of conflict resolution
• The total number of conflicts resolved (at record level)
When synchronization is complete, an updated database subset, re-created using the latest version of
the subset definition, is available for reuse in the field. Alternatively, the database subset is set to
read-only if the database subset was set to expire.

Procedure
To upload the records in a database subset:
1. Back up the main database if it is in Microsoft Access format.
2. Log on using a user account that has the Database Administrator role and permission to add
records, update records, delete records, and update or delete records created by other users.
3. Open the database from which the database subset was created.
4. Select File > Data > Database Subsets > Synchronize.
5. Browse for the database subset containing the records that you want to load.
6. Log on to the subset security file as a user with system administrator permissions. Typically, you
will use the name and password specified when the subset security file and database was
created.
7. Click Connect.
8. Decide what you want to do with the database subset:
• To discard the subset after uploading the records to the main database, turn on The database
subset should expire after synchronization.
• To reuse the subset, browse for a subset definition (it does not have to be the original subset
definition).
Note: The Subset Definition box displays the name of the subset definition originally used to
create the subset, and will be blank if the subset definition is no longer accessible or does not
exist.
9. Decide how you want to handle any conflicts between changes made in the main database and
those made in the database subset. By default, the dialog ensures that the synchronization will
never overwrite changes in the main database.
Note: At this stage it is not possible to know whether there are actually any conflicts.
10. Click Synchronize and then OK to continue.
If the subset definition contains any parameterized queries then you will be prompted for the
values to use. If you cancel entry of the parameter values, you will also cancel the
synchronization of the databases.

Chapter 12. Databases 167

Create advanced database subsets (SQL Server)
You can create a database subset from the records that are included in the results of running queries
or sets that are specified in a database subset definition. If you use the Create Advanced Subset
option, the subset database will be in Microsoft SQL Server format.

Before you begin

Before you can create a database subset, you need to specify the records that you want to copy to the
new database by creating a database subset definition.
Note: Only database administrators can initialize the database for database subsets.

Procedure
To create an advanced database subset:
1. Log on as a user that has the Database Creator role.
2. Open the database from which you want to create the database subset.
3. Select File > Data > Database Subsets > Create Advanced Subset.
4. In the Name box, enter a name that will be used for both the subset security file and database
subset.
This also generates the Database Name displayed in the SQL Server (subset) section.
5. The subset security file will be generated with the same users as the master database.
6. Enter the Server connection URL in the Sever box, and enter your database credentials, these can
be:
• An exact duplicate of the credentials used to access the master database.
• A specified user name and password
• Windows Authentication
Tip: Test your connection each time you change the server or the credentials used to access it.
7. In Destination folder, browse to the folder where you want to create the subset security file and
database identifier. You can create a new folder if you have sufficient Windows permissions. The
folder you use can contain only one iBase database identifier and security file.
8. In Subset Definition, browse for the definition that defines the data to be copied to the new
database. At this stage, it is not possible to know whether the definition is still valid or whether
the total number of records exceeds 50,000 (the maximum allowed records).
9. Click Create to continue.
You will be warned if the definition is invalid because it contains parameterized queries, deleted
queries or sets, or if the total number of records exceeds the 50,000 record limit.
10. Click OK to create the database subset.

Advanced synchronize
Synchronizing databases, uploads the data from the database subset to the main database and
downloads new and updated records in the subset definition to the database subset. You can update
the database subset using the original subset definition or you can select a different subset definition.

About this task

When you synchronize an advanced database subset, the records are compared, any records that
have been updated either the main database or the database subset is updated in the other location.

168 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

A conflict occurs when an entity or link is changed in both the main database and the database
subset. To resolve the conflict, you need to decide which record you want to keep. You can either:
• Discard the subset record changes, keeping the changes to the record in the main database and
lose the information in the record from the database subset.
• Keep the subset record changes, keeping the information in the record in the database subset and
overwriting the changes in the main database.
If the main record is deleted, then it is:
• Restored and updated to match the subset record if Soft Delete is in use.
• Re-created if the record is deleted or purged.
Restoring or re-creating a link always results in the link ends being restored or re-created if
necessary. Restoring or re-creating an entity also restores or re-creates any associated links if the
other end of the link is still active.
During synchronization, the following error messages might be displayed:
• The database subset has expired. - You cannot reuse an expired database subset. Re-create it from
its database subset definition.
• The database subset has an incompatible schema. - The database subset is invalid because the
schema of the main database was changed after the database subset was created. To fix this
problem, use the Database Schema Update option in iBase Designer.
• The database subset is read-only. - Use iBase Designer to change the database properties of the
database subset so that it is no longer read-only. Although you can change the Read-only property
in an expired database, you cannot reuse it.
• This is not a valid database subset. - The selected database subset is either not a database subset
or it might be a subset of a different database. You can set the database subset to expire if you do
not need it any longer. This deletes the contents of the database subset and mark it as read-only.
The database subset can never be reused.
When you synchronize an advanced database subset with the main database:
• Newly created entities and links in the database subset are added to the main database, with the
same record identifier, create date or time, and create user.
• All (soft) deleted records in the database subset are ignored - they have no effect on the main
database.
• Records in the main database are updated to match the changes in the database subset if there are
no conflicts.
• If a record has changed in both the main database and database subset, since the last
synchronization, then conflict resolution is applied. See below for details.
At the end of synchronization, you are informed of the changes made to the main database:
• The number of new records added to the main database.
• The number of records updated in the main database with changes made in the database subset
• If Soft Delete is used: the number of records restored as a result of conflict resolution
• If Soft Delete is not used: the number of records that are re-created as a result of conflict resolution
• The total number of conflicts resolved (at record level)
When synchronization is complete, an updated database subset, re-created using the latest version of
the subset definition, is available for reuse in the field. Alternatively, the database subset is set to
read-only if the database subset was set to expire.

Chapter 12. Databases 169

 Procedure
To synchronize an advanced database subset:
1. Log on using a user account that has the Database Administrator role and permission to add
records, update records, delete records, and update or delete records created by other users.
2. Open the database from which the database subset was created.
3. Select File > Data > Database Subsets > Advanced Synchronize (SQL Server).
4. Browse for the database subset containing the records that you want to load.
5. Enter the iBase username and password used to access the database subset.
Note: This user account should also have the Database Administrator role and permission to add
records, update records, delete records, and update or delete records created by other users.
6. Optional: Use the Options to determine whether field attachments and records that have been
deleted are included in the synchronization.
7. Click Next.
8. Decide how you want to handle any conflicts between changes made in the main database and
those made in the database subset. By default, synchronization will never overwrite changes in
the main database.
Note: At this stage it is not possible to know whether there are actually any conflicts.
9. Click Next.
10. View the list of changes and use Ignore Selected to stop selected records from being updated.
11. Optional: Decide whether to update field attachments where they differ using Include field
attachments when repopulating.
12. Optional: To discard the subset after uploading the records to the main database, turn on The
database subset should expire after synchronization.
13. Click Syncronize.

Configure auto-synchronization
If you have advanced subsets, you can set up automatic synchronization between each subset and
the master database. Automatic synchronization means that any data changes are detected and
refreshed regularly.

About this task

When automatic synchronization is enabled, the process is added to the system tray, and any changes
are resolved following the options that are selected when the synchronization is set up.

Procedure
1. Log on using a user account that has the Database Administrator role and permission to add
records, update records, delete records, and update or delete records that are created by other
users.
2. Open the database from which the database subset was created.
3. Select File > Data > Database Subsets > Configure Auto Sync.
4. Browse for the database subset that contains the records that you want to synchronize.
5. Enter the iBase username and password that is used to access the database subset.
Note: This user account also needs to have the Database Administrator role and permission to
add records, update records, delete records, and update or delete records created by other
users.

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 6. Optional: Use the Options to determine whether field attachments and deleted records are
included in the synchronization.
7. Click Next.
8. Decide how you want to handle any conflicts between changes that are made in the main
database and changes made in the database subset. By default, synchronization never overwrites
changes in the main database.
Note: At this stage, it is not possible to know whether there are any conflicts.
9. Click Next.
If the subset definition contains any parameterized queries, then you are prompted for the values
to use. If you cancel entry of the parameter values, you also cancel the synchronization of the
databases.
10. Optional: Decide whether to update field attachments where they differ using Include field
attachments when repopulating.
11. Click Syncronize.

Cases
Data in your database might be organized into different cases. Each case contains records belonging
to a particular investigation. You are assigned access to one or more cases by your database
administrator.
Working on a single case allows you to focus only on those entities and links that relate to a particular
investigation or series of investigations. You continue to receive alerts for records in the other cases to
which you are assigned but you will not be able to view the details for those alerts. To view the details,
you need to log on to the appropriate case.
You can be assigned to several cases, but to add or modify data in a case, you must select only that
case when you open the database. You can log on to all the cases to which you have access (multi-
case analysis mode). This enables you to view records in all the cases, but you will not be able to
modify any data.

Open and closed cases

Records can only be added, edited or deleted when you are working in an open case.
Closed cases can be selected when opening the database but only in read-only mode. Closed cases
are included in multi-case analysis mode.
Cases can be closed and re-opened multiple times.
Note: Only a user with both security administrator and database administrator permissions can close
a case or re-open a closed case.
To change case, select File > Change Case. You can see the current case and its status in the
application title bar. Cases are shown in square brackets after the database name.

Accessing a case
You are authorized to access cases by your security and database administrator.
If you are only assigned to a single case you will be connected to that case automatically when you
log on, without being prompted to choose a case. When working in a single case, you can create new
records as well as viewing existing data.
If you are authorized to access several cases, you can open a single case or all cases at once:

Chapter 12. Databases 171

 • If you open a single case, you can add or modify data.
• If you open all your cases in multi-case analysis mode, you cannot create new records.
Note: If you are not authorized to access any cases, then you will be unable to open the database.
Refer to your database administrator for assistance on accessing cases.

Records in a case
• When a single case is selected, any queries that you run will return results based only on the
records in the current case. This also applies to sets and reports; for example, a set will only list the
records in the current case.
• Whenever you select "All records" when logged in to a single case, this refers to all the records in
that case only.
• When several cases are selected in multi-case analysis mode, then "All records" applies to the
records in all of the cases to which you have access.

Multi-case analysis mode

Multi-case analysis mode is useful when you want to query or report on data across several cases. In
multi-case analysis mode, you can view records in all the cases (open and closed) to which you have
access, but you cannot add, modify or delete any records in the database, or add alert definitions. You
can also view the detail of all your alerts.
When you open a database, turn on Multi-Case Analysis to specify that you want to work in all the
cases to which you have access. The cases are opened in read-only mode; no new data can be added.
When you select Multi-Case Analysis, the list of cases becomes unavailable, as you can no longer
select a specific case to access.

How do I know which cases I am logged in to?

When you are logged in to a single case, the case name is displayed in brackets in the title bar of the
main iBase application.
If the case you are logged in to is closed, this is indicated in the title bar.
When you are in multi-case analysis mode, the iBase application title bar shows "(Read Only)" after
the database name to indicate that you cannot add or modify any records in the database.
To view a list of the cases you are logged in to, select File > Properties - Database Statistics, and
click Entity Types by Case.
Note: A security administrator and database administrator sees all the cases in the database. If you
do not have these roles, you will only see the cases to which you have been given access.
Note: If you only have access to a single case, or there is only a single case in the database, the Entity
Types by Case tab is not displayed.

Case details
Each case has the following properties:

Name The name given to a case when it is created.

Case names must be unique across the entire
database.

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 Date Created Automatically captured when the case was first
created.
Date Closed Automatically captured when the status is set to
closed.
Description Used to provide more information about the
case. Entered when the case is created or
updated. Can be modified when required.

Note: Cases can only be used in SQL Server databases. Cases are set up by a security and database
administrator using iBase Designer.
Note: Word search is unavailable if you have a case-controlled database.

Select a case
When you open a database that contains multiple cases that you can access, you are prompted to
select the case to open. You only have access to cases that are authorized by your database
administrator and security administrator.
To open a case, select the case that you want to use from the list and click OK.
To view a list of closed cases in this database, click the Closed tab. You can only work on a closed
case in read-only mode (that is, you cannot add or edit any records). If you want to reopen a closed
case, speak to your database administrator and security administrator.
Note: If you are only authorized to access a single case, you are connected to that case automatically.

Accessing all available cases

Turn on Multi-Case Analysis to specify that you want to work in all the cases (open and closed) to
which you are assigned. The cases are opened in read-only mode. This means that:
• No new data can be added.
• Data cannot be modified or deleted.
• No alert definitions can be added.
• But you can view the detail of any of your alerts.
When you turn on Multi-Case Analysis, the list of cases becomes unavailable, as you can no longer
select a specific case to access.

Create or edit a case

You can edit the general properties of a case, such as the description, and assign users and groups.
You can only edit or create a case if you have both security administrator and database administrator
permissions.
To create a case, select New > Case.
To edit a case, select Edit > Case.
Note: To change the name of an existing case or to delete a case, use iBase Designer.
If you do not have permission to create or edit a case, the menu commands are unavailable.

Chapter 12. Databases 173

 Setting general properties
Enter a Description for the case. This description is visible to the user when they select a case, when
logging on to the database.
Specify whether the case is Open or Closed. Users are able to add data to an open case when they
select only that case when logging on. Data in a closed case cannot be added, modified, or deleted by
users.

Assigning users to the case

A list of all the users of this database is displayed on the left. This list is defined in iBase Designer. To
add users to or remove users from the database, you need to start iBase Designer.
To assign a database user to this case, double-click their name.
Added users appear in the list on the right.

Assigning groups to the case

A list of all the groups of users (Data Access Control groups) for this database is displayed on the left.
This list is defined in iBase Designer. To add or remove groups from the database, you need to start
iBase Designer.
To assign a group to this case, double-click the group name.
Added groups appear in the list on the right.

Replication
iBase database replication is the process of automatically distributing copies of iBase data and
database objects between SQL Server instances in different locations and keeping this data
synchronized. The data is copied by use of SQL Server merge replication, using the standard tools
provided in SQL Server.
iBase database replication provides more tools to manage the iBase database. All servers that are
involved in replication must use the same SQL Server version.
In iBase database replication, one of the iBase database servers is configured as the Publisher, and
empty iBase databases are created at the other locations.

Reviewing replication conflicts

Occasionally the same entity or link is updated or deleted by users in different databases in such a
way that a conflict occurs between the different versions of the record. Such conflicts are
automatically resolved by SQL Server when they are merged in the publication database. The conflict
is automatically resolved either in favor of the change that is made at the Publisher or, if the changes
were made in two subscription databases, in favor of the first version to merge with the Publisher.

About this task

It is important to check for and review any conflicts regularly. To begin with, a suitable interval might
be hourly, then when you know how frequently conflicts occur you can adjust the interval, for
example, to once a day.
Working in the publication database, you use the Conflict Viewer to review how the conflicts were
resolved by SQL Server. If required, you can change the outcome of the conflict and even edit the
record to combine information from the different versions. When you complete the review by clicking

174 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Apply, any changes to the outcome of the conflict are replicated to the other sites to produce a
consistent view of the data across all the sites. If there are links involved, changing the outcome of
the conflict can also restore or delete links depending on the type of conflict.
How the conflicts are displayed
In the Conflict Viewer, the tree view lists the entity and link types for which there are conflicts. To
obtain a breakdown by type, expand the items in the tree view, and then click an entity or link type
to list the actual conflicts. This record will be a modification unless DELETED or RESOLVED
appears in the record label. The tree view always lists the winning version of the record. The
shortcut menu that is available by right-clicking on each record, applies only to the winning
version.
The Conflict Viewer does not display the total number of broken links until you click Broken Links
or review the last conflict. This is because it might take some time to calculate which links are
affected by the conflicts or broken as a result of changing the outcome of the conflicts.
Click Refresh or press the F5 key to update the list with any recent conflicts and to remove any
resolved ones.

Procedure
To review conflicts:
1. Select Tools > Replication > Conflict Viewer.
Note: The Replication menu is only available when the database is initialized for replication, and
you log on as a database or system administrator.
2. In the tree view, click a conflict.
3. Compare the two versions of the entity or link. The version that won when the conflict was
automatically resolved is displayed as the winner, and the differences between the two versions
are highlighted. To make it easier to identify the differences, turn on Show Conflicting Fields Only.
If any links are going to be deleted or restored as a result of this conflict between entities, Link(s)
Affected appears.
The table below each version of the record shows additional information:

Option Description
Field Description
Record identifier Double-click the identifier to display the winning record (you can never
display the losing record). The identifier is the same for both the winning and
losing versions of the record.
Created Double-click to display the contact details for the user who originally added
the record.
Last Updated The Last Updated field is different in each version. It shows the date, time,
and user who made the change or deletion. Double-click to display the user's
contact details.
Description Double-click to display a message about the databases in which the
conflicting change was made. The format of the database name is: <SQL
Server name>\<SQL Server instance name>\<database name>.
4. Resolve the conflict:
• If you are satisfied that the conflict was resolved correctly, click Apply below the Winner area.

Chapter 12. Databases 175

 • If the conflict was resolved incorrectly, click Apply below the Loser area. You will therefore
resolve the conflict in favor of the version displayed in the Loser area.
• To edit either version before resolving the issue, click Edit below the version that you want to
modify and then make the required changes.
Note: Although you can change any of the entity or link details, you cannot change the link end
entities, and you cannot edit a version of the record that is set to be deleted.
5. Click Apply.
• The preferred version of the record is replicated to all the subscription databases.
• The rejected version of the record is permanently deleted in the publication database.

What to do next
Depending on the type of conflict, a broken link may be detected by the Conflict Viewer if someone
adds a link to an entity that is deleted at a different site. The broken link feature enables you to view
and then fix the problem by either restoring the link end entities or removing the broken link. Anything
that is removed will be soft-deleted rather than purged. Fixing a broken link may also fix other related
broken links.
To check for broken links, click on Broken Links in the tree view.
To fix any broken links that are found:
1. In the tree view, click on the broken link and then examine its details. You need to decide whether
to delete the broken link or whether to keep it which will mean restoring the link end entity. You
can use the commands on the shortcut menu to investigate the records further. You cannot edit
any information for a broken link.
2. Click:
• Remove to soft delete the broken link and leave the link end entities unchanged.
• Restore to restore any deleted link end entities so that the link is no longer broken.
If you want to leave this broken link until later, click a different broken link in the tree view.

Load files for replication

Working in the publication database or in any of the subscription databases, you can load any type of
file into the database for replication to the other sites. You can also add a description of the file.
Editing the description of a file, or deleting a file, also edits or deletes it at the other sites.
A loaded file has a unique identifier, this consists of a number that is appended with the database
identifier for the database in which the file was first loaded. You can display the file ID by double-
clicking the file. You cannot change any of the other file properties apart from its description.
Examples of file types that can be loaded into the database for replication to the other sites are:
• A database template (.idt file), extra database templates must be compressed or renamed with a
different file extension
• Analyst's Notebook templates (.ant files)
• Archive log files (.idla files)
• Microsoft Word documents that are used as templates for iBase report definitions, if there are many
documents, consider adding them to an archive file first (.zip file)
Note: After replication, copy these files to the correct place in the database folder or to the correct
folder in the iBase installation.

176 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 In the File Manager:
• Click Load to add a file to the database. If you are loading a database template, you must first
delete any existing database template that is listed in the File Manager. The addition will be
replicated to the other sites. To refresh the list of loaded files, press the F5 key.
• Click Edit to enter notes or instructions on using the loaded file that will assist administrators at the
other sites. The description, or any changes to the description, are replicated to the other sites.
• Click Delete to remove any unwanted files from the database. The deletion will be replicated to the
other sites. This will not delete any files that have been saved to disk; you will need to ask the
administrators at the other sites to do this manually.
Since any iBase administrator can delete a loaded file, and because most files are not usable until
they have been saved to disk, save the file by clicking Save to File.

Updating the schema of a replicated database

Changing the schema of an iBase database requires the SQL Server administrator to stop replication
for all sites while you apply an updated database template to the database at each site. Before
replication is stopped, you need to prepare the database by reviewing all existing conflicts and then
take the database offline. After the schema changes are applied at each site, the SQL Server
administrator must reconfigure replication.

Before you begin

You need to prepare iBase so that replication can be stopped by the SQL Server administrator. This
needs to be done in the publication database as the Conflict Viewer is only available at the Publisher:
1. Log on as a database or system administrator and open the publication database.
2. Using the File Manager, distribute the database template that contains the revised schema to the
other sites. The template must remain loaded in the database.
3. Ask any users that are using the database to log off.
Note: If you use iBase Scheduler, disable the Scheduler service, after this point, you must not
allow any imports to run.
4. Check that all database connections are closed. For example, if you can log on to the remote
servers, try to open the database in iBase Designer. If you can open iBase Designer, then you have
exclusive access to the database at that site. If necessary, ask the SQL Server administrator to log
out the remaining users.
5. Review the current conflicts in the Conflict Viewer. If you change any of the records that are
involved in the conflicts make a note of the last record that you change and the nature of the
change.
6. Check that any records modified as a result of using the Conflict Viewer are replicated to all the
subscription databases.
7. Ask the SQL Server administrator to disable replication.
8. When the SQL Server administrator informs you that replication is disabled, open the publication
database and run the Status report to confirm this. If replication is disabled, it reports
Publication not found.
You are now ready to apply the schema change.
Warning: After replication is disabled, you must not make any changes to the data in any of
the databases. The changes will not be replicated to the other sites when replication is
reconfigured in SQL Server.

Chapter 12. Databases 177

 About this task
Once the SQL Server administrator informs you that replication is disabled, you can apply the new
schema to each database by using Update Database Schema at each site. When you run this
command, iBase closes and then reopens the database to gain exclusive access to it.
You must apply the same schema to all the databases. Update Database Schema displays the
differences between the schema in the currently loaded template and the schema of the current
database. The displayed additions, modifications, and deletions are applied to the current database.

Procedure
To apply a schema change at each site:
1. Ensure that you have a backup of the database.
2. Select Tools > Replication > Update Database Schema.
iBase closes and reopens the database before displaying Update Database Schema. Update
Database Schema is not displayed if you are a member of a Data Access Control group that denies
access to any tables or fields in the database.
Note: If you are warned that there is no database template, load the correct template by using the
File Manager. However, do not load any other files into the database as all the files listed in the File
Manager will be overwritten once replication is reconfigured.
3. If required, save a list of schema changes in a format that is useful for the SQL Server
administrator at your site. You can print this file later.
4. Click Update to apply the changes and then, once this is finished, click OK to reopen the database.
5. At each site, check that the template has been applied successfully. Once all subscriber sites have
applied the schema change, notify the SQL Server administrator that replication can be
reconfigured.
When the SQL Server administrator informs you that replication is running again for all the sites:
6. Verify that replication is running, for example, by running a status report.
You may want to test that replication is running correctly.
7. Open the publication database and make the database available again to other users, select Tools
> Replication > Bring Online .
After a short interval, the status is replicated to the Subscribers.
8. Notify users that they can start work again.
9. If you use iBase Scheduler, restart the Scheduler service.

Shutting down replicated database

You can shut down a replicated database in order to gain exclusive access to the databases before
you apply changes to the database schema or because the SQL Server administrator needs to stop
replication for some other reason. Once replication is stopped, users must not add, edit or delete data
and this command will prevent users from logging on until you choose to take the databases online.

About this task

To make it easier to gain exclusive access to the database, you can broadcast a message to all active
users in iBase asking them to close the database. You can broadcast the standard message (which is
*** WARNING *** This database is now offline) or add an additional message to provide
users with some instructions or information. Existing users are not ejected from the databases by this
message but new users (except for database administrators) cannot open the database.

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 Provided that there are no communication failures between any of the sites, taking one database
offline, or online, will take all the databases offline, or online, as the command is replicated to all the
sites.
Note: Shutting down will not deny database access to services such as the iBase Scheduler service.
You must disable these manually. Disable a service rather than stopping it as this will prevent it from
restarting if the server is rebooted.

Procedure
To send a message and take all the databases offline:
1. In the Take Offline dialog, enter an additional message (if required) and select the frequency with
which the message is displayed. When selecting a frequency, you may need to leave time for the
message to be replicated to the other sites.
2. Only users who are actively using iBase will see the message. For this reason, if users have not
exited from the databases after a certain interval of time, ask the SQL Server administrator to log
them out.
Note: To change the frequency with which the message displays or to change the message, you
need to select Tools > Replication > Bring Online and then reselect Take Offline.

What to do next
When the databases are offline, select Tools > Replication > Bring Online in order to bring all the
databases back online thereby making them available to users wanting to open them.
You can bring the publication database online as soon as your SQL Server administrator tells you that
replication is configured for the publisher site. The subscription databases will automatically come
back online as the subscriber sites are configured for replication.
Warning: Do not bring the publication database online while replication is disabled. You
should only add data (whether manually or by scheduled import), or edit or delete data while
replication is running. This is because any changes that are made to the data while replication
is disabled cannot be replicated to other sites even when replication is reconfigured.

Checking whether replication is running

To obtain a report on the replication status of the database, you should first open the publication
database.

The following messages are reported for the current database:

Message Description
Publication is OK When run in the publication database, this
indicates that the Publisher is configured for
replication.
Publication not found Replication is not running at the Publisher.
If you run this report while in a subscription
database then information on the Publisher, or
whether replication is running, is not available.

Chapter 12. Databases 179

 Message Description
The publication is invalid because it allows When run in the publication database, this tells
anonymous subscriptions you that replication is incorrectly configured in
SQL Server. Contact your SQL Server
administrator.
Note: You will not be able to review and resolve
any conflicts until this problem is fixed.

<server>\<instance>:<SQL Server When run in the publication database, this shows

database name> you the names of the subscriptions to this
publication database.
No subscriptions When run in the publication database, this
indicates that the subscriber sites are not yet
configured for replication.

Note: The Status report does not report any problems with the communication links between
Subscribers and Publishers, or any problems with the replicated security connection file or audit log.

180 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 13. Working with other applications
In addition to the standard features that are present within iBase, integrating with other IBM i2
products can be used to reveal relationships, patterns and trends within the data.
The following IBM i2 products can integrate with iBase:
• IBM® i2® Analyst's Notebook®
• IBM® i2® iBase Geographic Information System Interfaces

Analyst's Notebook
When you have both Analyst's Notebook and iBase, you can transfer information between them to
visualize and store data. Data can be kept in a centralized location and shared between charts.
You can transfer data between iBase and Analyst's Notebook in three ways:
• Add data that is stored in iBase to an Analyst's Notebook chart.
• Add data to both a chart surface and to an iBase record simultaneously.
• Extract chart data from Analyst's Notebook items to be stored in iBase.
Note: Extracting data is available in the iBase Chart Item Extractor.
To reestablish the connection between an Analyst's Notebook chart and an iBase database, reopen
the appropriate database. To reopen a database, select it in Data Sources, if required enter your
iBase username and password, and click OK.

Charting iBase records

When working in Analyst's Notebook, you can chart iBase data provided that iBase is installed. If
iBase is installed, then the Data menu will have an IBM i2 iBase command.
When data is extracted from iBase and published on a chart, it is no longer under any form of iBase
access control. It becomes your responsibility to ensure that access to any restricted or secret
information is controlled in an appropriate way.

Starting Analyst's Notebook

There are two ways of starting Analyst's Notebook:
• If iBase is open, from the Analysis menu, select Analyst's Notebook > Start. This will start
Analyst's Notebook, and the current iBase database connection will be available to you in Analyst's
Notebook.
• If you do not want to open iBase, start Analyst's Notebook. Before you can start work, you will then
need to Connect to iBase as a data source.

Adding new data to the chart and to the database

When you have connected to an iBase database, use the New Page of the Data Sources Task Pane,
to add data to the chart. You can also create chart items from non-iBase palettes, however, you
cannot update the iBase database with this data.
Note: You cannot add data if you have read-only permissions for the entity type.
See “Searching iBase” on page 187.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 181

 Adding the contents of a set, or the results of a query
You can add the records in a set, or the results of a query, to an Analyst's Notebook chart:
1. Select either Query or Set.
2. From the list, select a query or set, or browse the folders containing the queries or sets.
Only queries or sets containing the selected entity type are displayed.
3. Click OK to add the items to the chart. Analyst’s Notebook is started if necessary; if it is already
started, then it may be behind the iBase window.

Creating queries or sets for charting

Click New to display the Query or Set dialog so you can create a new query or set. When you have
finished, you are prompted to add the results of the query or the contents of the set to the current
Analyst's Notebook chart.

Managing existing queries or sets

To manage the existing queries or sets, click the query or set and then click one of these buttons:

Menu command Description

Rename Displays a dialog for renaming the query or set.
Save As Displays a dialog for saving the query or set
under a new name, in the same category folder.
Delete Deletes the query or set (you are prompted to
confirm the deletion).
Categorize Displays the Categorize dialog so you can move
the query or set to another category and specify
the access control on it.

Updating iBase records and their chart items

If you want to make a change to an entity or link that will update both an iBase record and their chart
items, you must open the iBase Show/Edit dialog in this way:
1. Select the entity or link and click Show on the Selection page of the Data Sources Task Pane.
Tip: Alternatively, right-click on one of the selected entities and select database > Show, where
database is the name of the iBase database.
2. In the iBase Show dialog, click Edit and make the required changes.
3. Click Save to update the iBase record.
4. Click Close to return to the Analyst's Notebook chart. The chart item is updated with the changes
to the iBase record.

Updating chart items with data modified in iBase

When data is modified in iBase, it will not update any chart items (unless you follow the steps
described above in Updating iBase records and their chart items).
To update the chart items with the changes made in iBase, you need to:
1. In Analyst's Notebook, select all the items on the chart.

182 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 2. Add the selected items to a set by clicking Add to Set on the Selection page of the Data Sources
Task Pane .
Tip: Alternatively, right-click on a selected entity or link, and from the shortcut menu, select
database > Add to Set, where database is the name of the iBase database.
3. Open a new chart.
4. Add the set to the new chart.
Note: This will produce a chart with a different layout to the original chart.

Saving a chart
You can save Analyst's Notebook charts containing iBase data in the usual way.
Chart items containing iBase data, reference the database and these references are saved with the
chart. The connection the iBase database, however, is not saved as part of the chart and will be lost
when you close it (if you opened the database from Analyst's Notebook.)
Note: When distributing charts containing iBase data to users who do not have iBase, you may want
to populate the cards for each chart item with the source record data from the iBase database. See
“Populating cards” on page 80 for details.

Closing an iBase database connection

When you exit from Analyst's Notebook, you are prompted to close any open iBase database
connections (this will not close iBase itself). You can also close database connections directly.
Note: You might need to close an iBase database during an Analyst's Notebook session if you want to
open an iBase database that uses a different security file.
To close an iBase database connection, in the Data Sources panel of the Data Sources Task Pane ,
click Close to the right of the database name,

Opening a chart and re-opening the associated database

To re-establish the connection between an Analyst's Notebook chart and an iBase database, re-open
the appropriate database. To re-open a database, select it in the Data Sources panel and, if required
enter your iBase username and password, and click OK.

Connecting to iBase as an Analyst's Notebook data source

Before you can chart with iBase data in Analyst's Notebook, you need to open the database that
contains the required data. The database might be open if you have already added records from this
iBase database to a chart, or if you have opened Analyst's Notebook from iBase.

About this task

You can open several iBase databases but only if they share the same security file.

Procedure
To open an iBase database in Analyst’s Notebook:
1. Start Analyst’s Notebook. A new empty chart is displayed.
2. Click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select Connect > Open Database.
3. Find the required database, and click Open.
4. Enter your iBase username and password, and click OK.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 183

 Creating association charts
By default, when charting from iBase an association chart is created with iBase entities represented
as icons or pictures.
You create or add to an Analyst’s Notebook association chart:
• In iBase, by right-clicking on a record and select Add to Chart or Expand.
• In Analyst’s Notebook, by selecting, for example, Find on the New page of the Data Sources Task
Pane.
When you create association charts, you need to set the Association or Custom Representation
charting style. For more information, see “Specifying general options” on page 194.

Creating timeline charts

When charting from iBase you can choose to create timeline charts rather than association charts. On
a timeline chart, entities are represented as event frames and entities without dates and times as
theme lines. To create a timeline chart, you could add the event frames to the chart first and then
expand to add the theme lines or vice versa. Alternatively, you may create the chart using the
Timeline Assistant and then add further items to the resulting chart.
Before you can create a timeline chart, you require a charting scheme that at least defines how date
and time properties are to be derived from iBase entities or links. For instance, if you specify that a
Telephone Call link should use Start Date and Start Time as its date and time information then, when
you chart telephone calls, the telephones will appear as theme lines and the telephone calls will be
arranged in chronological order.
Note: Links are always charted using the From Database and Multiple options (in charting settings).
This ensures that timed links are placed at their correct location and can be merged in the chart.
If you are working in iBase, you can either create a timeline chart by using the Timeline Assistant or, if
the charting settings are set up correctly in Analyst's Notebook, by using the standard Add to Chart
and Expand options on the shortcut menu. If you are working in Analyst's Notebook, use the options
on the Data menu.

Using the Timeline Assistant

To create a timeline chart:
1. In iBase, create the set or query to define the records that you want to chart on a timeline.
2. In iBase, display the Timeline Assistant.
3. Select the entity or link type that will be main subject of the timeline by selecting from the Timed
Item Type list.
If you select an entity type, the entities of this type will be represented by event frames on the
chart. You can add linked items that will be represented as theme lines. If you select a link type,
the entities at the ends of the links are represented as theme lines on the chart.
4. In the Linked Items area, click Add and choose the link and link end combinations you want to
represent as a theme line. This is unavailable if the timed item type is a link type.
5. In the Records area, select Query or Set and choose a query or set to provide the records of the
timed item type to add to the chart.
6. If you selected a query, you can turn on Filter linked items using query in order to use the
selected query to filter the records for the chart. It is only valid if you have set up one or more link/
link end combinations in the Linked Items area.

184 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 When turned off When turned on
The queries you can choose from are restricted The queries you can choose from are further
to those that output 'Timed Item Type' entities. restricted to those where a part of the structure
matches the 'timed item type - link type -
linked entity type' combinations that you set up
in this dialog, where 'timed item type' must be
one of the query's output entities, and all the
combinations involve that same entity.
The query is only used to select the timed As well as the query selecting the timed
entities, the link and linked entity part of the entities, the associated part of the query
query structure is not used as a filter. structure (the link and end entity) is also used
to filter the included link and linked entity
records.

As an example, you might have a query structure part:

{Person entity} - {Involved link} - {Crime entity (condition 'type is Theft')}

The chart would include all the people involved The chart would include the same people, but
in a theft crime, along with all their crimes, would now include only their theft crimes.
whether they were thefts or not.
7. Select the charting scheme to use or click New to create a new scheme. As a minimum, the
charting scheme must specify how the date and time are populated for the timed item type.
8. In the Options area, you may choose to Separate simultaneous events by milliseconds but note
that this may mean certain analysis functions do not give the expected result. For detailed
information on using this option, see “Specifying general options” on page 194.
9. Turn on Add to current chart to add the records in the set or query to the current chart. Turn off
the check box to add them to a new chart.

Updating timeline charts

You can also create or add to an Analyst’s Notebook timeline chart:
• From iBase, by selecting Add to Chart or Expand from the shortcut menu.
• In Analyst’s Notebook, by selecting Find or one of the Expand options from the shortcut menu for
the iBase database.
Note: When creating timeline charts in this way, you need to set the Timeline or Custom
Representation style in the Charting Settings dialog. For details, see “Specifying general options” on
page 194

Closing a connection to an iBase data source

If you want to open an iBase database that uses a different security file, you must close the database
connection. You can close the connection directly by using the Data Sources Task Pane.

Procedure
To close the iBase database, in the Data Sources page of the Data Sources Task Pane, close a
database by clicking Close to the right of the database name.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 185

Create iBase chart items
You can create chart items that contain iBase records. These records can contain information that you
receive from other sources, or information that you assert based on your analysis.
When you create a chart item that contains an iBase record, the record exists in both the database
and in the chart item on your chart.
iBase chart items are created using the New page of the Data Sources pane. To access the Data
Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select Connect >
Datasources Pane.
Note: The New page is only displayed when one or more databases are opened in the iBase session.

Selecting a combination
To get good results when charting iBase records, a number of different options need to be set in
combination. These options are:
Charting Scheme
How information that is stored in iBase records is converted into Analyst's Notebook chart item
properties.
Charting Style
The type of chart that you are trying to create.
Labeling Scheme
What information is used to construct the item labels.
You can store up to eight preset combinations, and if these combinations are set up, you can select a
combination from the Association & Timeline Options list.
To edit a combination, click Edit to the right of the list. For more information about selecting a
charting scheme, charting settings, and labeling schemes, see “Editing iBase combinations” on page
197.
The name of the current combination is saved with the chart. When the chart is reopened, the
combination is found and selected if possible.

Creating iBase entities

iBase entities store their important information in records. To create entities that contain records,
create your entities using the Data Source Pane.

About this task

In a chart, the first time that you connect to an iBase database, a new palette is created that contains
all of the types in your database.
When you create an iBase entity, that item contains an iBase record. You can enter values for some or
all of the record properties, and you must enter values for mandatory properties.

Procedure
1. Open the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
2. Click New Entity and select the type of entity from the list provided.
3. Enter the information about the entity into the form provided.

186 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Creating iBase links
iBase links store their important information in records. To create links that contain records, create
your links using the Data Source Pane.

About this task

To create an iBase link, the entities that you connect must contain iBase records, and the link type
that you use must be permitted between the two entities according to the rules of the database. For
example, it might be permitted to connect two people by an association link but not by an owner link.
When a chart item contains multiple iBase records, such as when two iBase entities are merged, one
of the records is assigned to be the lead record. When you create an iBase link that is connected to an
iBase entity, the link record is connected to the entity's lead record.

Procedure
1. Open the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
2. Select the two entities to be linked on the chart surface, and click New Link.
3. Select a link type from the list of available link types that are relevant to the selection.
4. Enter the information about the link into the form provided.

Adding iBase items to a chart

You can add data from one or more iBase databases to an Analyst's Notebook chart.
You can:
• Find records in an iBase database.
• Add records from an iBase set.
• Add the results of iBase queries.
How the data is displayed depends on the current charting settings. For example, an entity might
show as an icon, an event frame, or a theme line.
Each iBase item on a chart has a reference back to its source record. When the database is open,
double-clicking the item displays an iBase dialog for viewing, editing, or deleting the item. When the
database is closed, double-clicking a chart item, displays the Analyst's Notebook Edit dialog.

Searching iBase
If you would like to add items to your chart from an iBase database, you can either use the Add to
Chart option from within iBase, or search for the items directly from Analyst's Notebook.

Procedure
1. To access the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
2. Select the type of search to complete:
Option Description
Find Find one or more entities in iBase.
Search 360 Type the search terms that you would like to use in the textbox that is
provided and press enter to search the database.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 187

 Option Description

Note: Search 360 is only available in databases that have been configured
to use it.

Query Manager Lists all the existing queries in the iBase database.
New Query Define a query.
Set Manager Lists the existing sets in the iBase database.
Timeline Assistant Create, or add to, a timeline chart.

Adding the results of a query or set

The results of queries or items in sets in your iBase database can be added to your chart. You can
open the set or query and modify the contents before you add the items to the chart.

About this task

You can use the Query Manager and Set Manager options to interact with the queries and sets that are
present in your database.

Procedure
1. To access the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
2. Select whether to add the results of a query, or the contents of a set:
• To view the available queries, select Query Manager.
• To view the available sets, set Set Manager.
3. Select the query or set to use and either review the items, or add them directly to the chart:
• If you want to review the definition of the query, review the records found by the query, or see
the contents of the set, click Open. Then, when you close the query or set, you are prompted to
add the records to the current chart.
• If you do not want to review the query or set, click Chart. The records are added to the current
chart.

Expanding and finding related information in iBase

When iBase items are present on a chart, you can look for connected information in the database. You
can also update the chart items to reflect any changes to the records in the database.

Procedure
1. To access the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
2. Optional: Set the item types that you are interested in retrieving from your database:
a) At the top of the Charting section, click either Filter Entity Types or Filter Link Types. The lists
display the entity or link types in the iBase database.
b) Select the entity or link types that you to use on the chart.
c) Click OK.
3. Select the items on your chart that you would like to investigate and select an option:

188 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description

Expand Expand one or more iBase entities on an Analyst's Notebook chart in order to
chart their links and link end entities. The number of links and linked entities
that are shown (the expansion levels), and the types that are shown, is
determined by the current charting settings. By default, only the links from the
selected entity and their link end entities are shown.
Click Expand. This adds the entities and links to the current chart. The entities
and links that are added are determined by the current charting settings.

Expand to New Expand the selected items onto a new chart. The entities and links that are
Chart added are determined by the current charting settings.
Expand with Expand with custom settings, such as specifying the entity and link types to
Settings use, the expansion level, and link styles.
Explore Interactively browse through your database, expanding from one entity to the
next. While you are exploring, you can choose to concentrate on specific entity
and link types and ignore others. This can help to simplify the information you
are trying to understand at any given time.
Find Path Find the chain of intermediate links and entities that connect two entities on
the chart, taking the link direction into account, and selecting the shortest
path (depending how the charting settings are set). A path may not be found if
the number of intermediate entities exceeds a preset maximum number.
Note: If Follow direction is turned on, then select the entities in the correct
order - the first entity you select is the 'from' entity, the second entity you
select is the 'to' entity.
If a path is found between the two entities, additional information regarding
them is added to the chart. All the items are selected so you can tidy up the
chart by dragging them to a new area of the chart.
Find Connecting Find all the links that connect two or more entities on the chart. The number to
Links the right of the Find Connecting Links displays the number of items on the
chart that are already connected.
Find Common Find any entities that have connecting links to at least two of the selected
Neighbors chart items.
Find Common Finds any entities that have connecting links to all of the selected chart items.
Neighbors
Linked to All
Populate Cards Populate cards for items selected on the chart. For more information, see
“Populating cards” on page 80.

Exploring items
When you Explore an item, a Link chart is displayed that shows any links to that item. This
information can subsequently be added to the Analyst's Notebook chart.

Procedure
1. Select an item on your chart surface that contains iBase records.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 189

 Note: If you select an item that has more than one record you will be prompted to select the
record to use.
2.

Mapping iBase items

Use the commands in the Map panel to add or select chart items to Google Earth.

Command Description
Add to Map Adds selected items with coordinates to Google
Earth.
Select on Map Selects items with coordinates on a Google Earth
map

Updating iBase chart items

Command Description
Add to Set Adds the selected items to either a new or
existing set.
In the Add to Set dialog, either, click New to
define a new set, or select the set that you want
to chart and then do one of the following:
• If you want to review the contents of the set,
click Open. Then, when you close the Set
dialog, you are prompted to add the records to
the current chart.
• If you do not want to review the set, click
Chart. The records are added to the current
chart.
The entities remain selected so that you can, for
example, reposition them on the chart.
Alternatively, right-click on a chart item, and
from the shortcut menu, select database > Add
to Set, where database is the name of the iBase
database.

Merge in iBase Merges selected items in an iBase database.

Right-click on a chart item, and from the shortcut
menu, select database > Merge in iBase, where
database is the name of the iBase database.

190 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Refreshing chart items
Analyst's Notebook charts contain a copy of any iBase record rather than a direct link. This means that
changes that are made in the database will only be reflected in a chart when requested.

About this task

With an open connection to the database, opening items on your chart open the iBase records
directly. However you might want to check that items that you have added to your chart contain the
latest version of the iBase record.

Procedure
To check for updated information in your iBase database:
1. To access the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane > Selection > Update Chart.
A list of the items on the chart that have been modified in iBase are listed.
2. Select the items that you would like to refresh on the chart, and the action that you would like to
perform:
• Update - Update the chart item with the information in the iBase record.
• Hide - Set the item to be no longer visible on the chart surface.
• Remove - Delete the item on the chart surface.
• Update from new item - Update the information from a merged record or changed link end.
3. Click Update.

Working with merged chart items

You can merge two or more entities together when charting entities and links on a chart surface,
whether from the same or different databases. If you have merged items from the same database,
you can also choose to merge the records in iBase as a second step.
To merge iBase items on a chart surface:
1. Merging items on the chart surface - Select the chart items that you want to merge, and select
Analyze > Merge and Combine > Merge Entities. The resulting merged chart item is shown on the
chart as a single merged item and is treated as a single 'real world' object, for example when
finding the path between entities or expanding. Any links between the merged chart items are not
displayed.
2. Merging records in iBase - With an item selected on the chart that contains at least two merged
iBase records from the same database, on the Selection page of the Data Sources Task Pane select
Merge in iBase. Information from the records being merged will be added to the primary record
before the records are deleted. Any links will either reference the primary record, or if invalid, will
be deleted.
Merging items on the chart surface without merging the records in iBase keeps the record in the
properties of the merged chart, and the record ID (database key) of each item is preserved.
Note: To see the record IDs of the merged chart item, right-click on the merged chart item and from
the shortcut menu, select Edit Item Properties. The keys are shown in the Data Records folder for the
database.
Commands such as Expand, Find Path, and Find Common Neighbors behave as you would expect. For
example, expanding a merged chart item will expand all the links and link end entities associated with
all the entities in the merged chart item, and finding a path will take any additional links and link end
entities into account.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 191

 All the entity types in a merged chart item are used when expanding, searching and so on, including
any entity types that are excluded as part of the charting settings. For example, when finding a path
between a Person entity and a merged Person/Vehicle entity, where the Vehicle entity type is
excluded, the links belonging to the Vehicle entity are considered.
The Show and Explore commands are slightly different because they apply only to single iBase
records:

Option Description
Show When you select Show for a merged chart entity,
the Show List dialog is displayed. Select the
record that you want to show.
Explore When you select Explore, the Select a Record
dialog is displayed. Select the record that you
want to examine in the Explore window. This is a
useful way of finding out which links are
associated with which component of a merged
chart item.

Note: You cannot update the chart when you edit the iBase record of a merged chart item.

Merging entities with different semantic types

You may want to merge entities that have different semantic types. For example, to associate an
organization with its web address, or a person with a vehicle. In this case, the merged chart item is
assigned the semantic type that is the lowest common parent of their semantic types. Depending on
the semantic types of the individual chart items, this may be an abstract semantic type, such as the
Entity semantic type.
If the semantic type of the merged chart item is not useful to you, you can assign a different one as
part of its properties. For example, you might choose to assign the Organization semantic type to the
item created by merging Organization and Web Address entities.

Viewing item information

About this task

Use the commands in the View panel, for example, to Show records, edit item properties, open
hyperlinks and find matching records.

Command Description
Select Items from Current Database Selects chart items that are from the currently-
connected database.

192 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Command Description
Filter Selection by Query You can filter the currently selected chart entities
or links using either an existing query or a new
one that you define specifically for this task.
After filtering, only those items within the current
selection that match the query conditions will
remain selected on the chart.
Click Filter Selection by Query to display the
Filter by Query dialog the currently selected
chart entities or links using either an existing
query or a new one. Either double-click on an
existing query to run it, or click New Query and
start a new query.
Alternatively, select more than one chart item,
and from the shortcut menu, select database >
Filter by Query, where database is the name of
the iBase database. The Filter by Query dialog is
displayed. Either, double-click on an existing
query to run it or click New Query and start a
new query.
When you click OK or Finish, only the entities
that are in both the chart selection and in the
results for the query remain selected on the
chart. If there is no match, nothing is selected on
the chart.

Show Click to display the Show dialog for a selected

item, or the Show List dialog for more than one
selected items.
Alternatively, Right-click on the iBase entity and
from the shortcut menu, select database >
Show or select several chart items and select
database > Show List, where database is the
name of your iBase database.

Links Displays the iBase Links dialog.

Alternatively, right-click on an entity on the chart,
and from the shortcut menu, select database >
Show, where database is the name of your iBase
database. Then click the Links button to display
the Links dialog.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 193

 Command Description
Edit Item Properties OR Combined Properties Click Edit Item Properties to display the Item
Properties dialog for the selected item, or
Combined Properties to display the Combined
Properties dialog for more than one selected
item. These are Analyst's Notebook dialogs.
Alternatively, right-click on a chart item, and
from the shortcut menu, select Edit Item
Properties, or select several chart items, and
from the shortcut menu, select Combined
Properties.

Open Hyperlinks If the entity type has a hyperlink field, then you
can find any other entities or documents to which
it is linked by a hyperlink. The hyperlink may be
to a document stored on a file server or a Web
site.
Alternatively, right-click on one of the selected
entities and select database > Hyperlinks,
where database is the name of the iBase
database.

Matching Records Finds any entities that have connecting links to

two or more entities, or to all entities, on the
chart (depending how the charting settings are
set).
Alternatively, right-click on one of the selected
entities and select database > Matching
Records, where database is the name of the
iBase database.

Procedure

Specifying general options

You can define the default behavior to use when you are working with iBase chart items, on the
Options page of the Data Sources pane.

General options
Select an option to specify what happens when you double-click items on the chart:

Option Description
Open their Properties Dialogs Opens the Analyst's Notebook item properties.
The iBase record details are listed as an attached
card.
Open their iBase Show dialogs Opens the iBase record for a selected item, or
the list of records for more than one selected
items.

194 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Option Description
Expand the Items Expands the selected items from the iBase
database.

Session defaults
You can set a session default for any standard field or link strength to add the same value to a
specified field for each record added during a session. For example, when you create an entity, you
see values of the fields set to the default - you can override the default value.
• Select Session Defaults for Standard Fields to specify different values for the session: “Setting
Field Values for the Session” on page 249.
• Turn on Show Session Defaults Dialog at Logon to display the current different values for the
session.

Charting settings
Specify which items are selected on the chart, choose a labeling scheme, and set iBase options.
Specify the chart items that are selected and which of them are laid out when they are added to the
chart:
• Only Select Added Items to select items that are added to the chart.
• Only Layout Newly Added Items to lay out only newly added chart items.
Select iBase Charting Default Options to specify some general settings for how you use iBase.

Specifying expansion settings

You can specify settings to use when chart items are expanded. The settings that you specify apply to
all chart operations until you either change the settings or end your session. At any time, you can go
back to the original settings, by clicking Reset All Settings.

Procedure
1. In Analyst's Notebook, select the items on the chart that you would like to expand.
2. To access the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
3. On the Selection page, select Expand with Settings.
4. On the general page, select the expand level and options:
Option Description
Limit expansion level Select to limit the expansion level, to the specified maximum level.
Include Connecting Links Add any connecting links between the entities that are added as a
result of the expand.
Include Common Add any entities that are connected to multiple entities added as a
Neighbors result of the expand.
Common Neighbors - Fully Add entities that are linked to all the currently selected entities.
inclusive
5. On the entity types, and link types pages, select the entity and link types to be included in expand.
6. On the link style page, choose how link labels are displayed:

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 195

 Option Description
From database The label for the chart link is the chart label as specified in the default labeling
scheme.
Type Name The label for the chart link is the iBase link type.
Occurrences The label for the chart link is the number of iBase links that it represents.
This is only relevant for links that contain multiple links that are represented by
a single line on the chart.

Sum numeric If the iBase label for a link has a numerical component, then the values of this
component, for all the iBase links represented by the chart link, are summed.
The resulting number is used as the chart link label. The direction of links is
used in the calculation; values are added if the links are in the same direction,
or subtracted if they are in opposite directions.
For example, In iBase, transaction links might have a label containing the value
of the transaction. If two links of this type between two bank account entities,
one of $2000 and one of $1000 are added to a chart in a single link, the label
value is either $3000 (if both links are in the same direction), or $1000 if the
links are in opposite directions.
This is only relevant for links that contain multiple links that are represented by
a single line on the chart.

7. On the link style page, choose how multiple links between the same two entities are represented:
Option Description
Single The connection between two entities is shown as a single link. This single link
represents an association between two entities, which might comprise many different
instances of that association.
Directed The connection between two entities is represented by one link for each possible
direction. Therefore, a directed connection has a maximum of four links. Each of those
links can represent several instances of the association, all in that same direction.
Multiple Each link between two entities is displayed individually.

Specifying charting settings

The Charting options control how iBase records from a connected datasource are handled on the
chart. You can control the charting settings of each connected datasource separately.

Procedure
1. Click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select Connected Sources > Charting
Settings.
2. Check the General settings match your requirements:
Option Description
Charting In the charting section you can see:
• Charting scheme
• Chart Style - For Timeline charts you can select to separate simultaneous
events by milliseconds to make them more visible, and apply this option to all
chart items or just to those added after this point.

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 Option Description
Expand You can chose how many items to bring back when expanding items.
Common You can chose only to allow common neighbors that are neighbors of all the
Neighbors selected items.
Find Path When looking for connections between items, you can restrict the found
connections to a direction, speify whether to just return the shortest path, and
how many items can be between the two items (up to a limit of 10).

For more information, see:

• “Specifying expansion settings” on page 195
• “Expanding and finding related information in iBase” on page 188
•
3. You can restrict the record types to be used in the chart using the lists in Entity Types and Link
Types.
4. You can determine the link label and multiplicity behavior in Link Style.

Charting schemes
A charting scheme defines how the iBase fields will be copied into a chart as chart item properties.
Depending on the type of investigation, different charting schemes highlighting different aspects of
data are appropriate.
You can select an available charting scheme, or create a charting scheme that matches your needs.

Editing iBase combinations

iBase combinations can be used to group charting schemes, charting styles, labeling schemes, and
connection multiplicity options in reusable combinations. These combinations can then be used when
items are sent to a chart surface

Before you begin

Before you can specify an iBase option combination, the charting schemes and labeling schemes to
select must be available:
• “Charting schemes” on page 199
• “Labeling Schemes” on page 265

About this task

Procedure
1. To access the Data Sources pane, click the Home tab, and then in the Data Sources group, select
Connect > Datasources Pane.
2. On the New page of the Data Sources Task Pane, select a combination from the Association &
Timeline Options list and click Edit.
3. Provide a Preset Name for the option combination.
4. Select the charting scheme.
5. From the Charting Style list, select a charting style:
• Association - all entities are represented as icons.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 197

 • Timeline - all entities with date and time settings in the charting scheme are represented as
event frames and other entities are represented as theme lines.
• Custom Representation - you can choose how each entity type is represented.
To specify how entity types are represented in a custom representation:
a) Click Custom Representation.
b) Select an entity type in the Type column, and in the Representation column, select a
representation from the list. This can be Icon, Theme Line or Event Frame.
c) Click OK.
Note:
For timeline charts, if your data includes simultaneous items, you can turn on Use Milliseconds to
Separate Simultaneous Events. See “Milliseconds” on page 199.
6. Set the Entity and Link labeling schemes.
Labeling schemes determine how the label that identifies and represents an entity or link is
derived from the fields in the record. For example, person records may have a label comprising the
Last Name field together with the First Name field. There will be one definition for the label to be
used within iBase, and one to be used when a record is added to an Analyst's Notebook chart. For
more information see “Labeling and Charting Schemes” on page 265.
7. Set the Connection Multiplicity:
Option Description
Single The connection between two entities is shown as a single link. This single link
represents an association between two entities, which may in reality comprise many
different instances of that association.
Directed The connection between two entities is represented by one link for each possible
direction. A directed connection has therefore a maximum of four links. Each of those
links may represent several instances of the association, all in that same direction.
Multiple Each link between two entities is displayed individually.

Note: If you subsequently add a link to a connection which has a connection style of Single, the
style is automatically promoted. For example the connection style of the link will be updated from
Single to Directed. For further information about adding a link to a connection, see the Online Help
for Analyst's Notebook.
8. If you set the Connection Multiplicity to directed or single you can make the label be the count or
sum of the labels of all the link records in the connection.
Option Description
From database The label for the chart link is the chart label as specified in the default labeling
scheme.
Type name The label for the chart link is the source iBase record link type.
Occurrences The label for the chart link is the number of iBase links that it represents.
This is only relevant when Multiple Link Style is set to Single or Directed, when a
chart link might represent several iBase links.

Sum Numeric If the iBase label for a link has a numerical component, then the values of this
component, for all the iBase links represented by the chart link, are summed.
The resulting number is used as the chart link label. The direction of links is

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 Option Description
taken into account; values are added if the links are in the same direction, or
subtracted if they are in opposite directions.
For example, Financial Transaction links might have an iBase label containing
the value of the transaction, and there may be two links of this type between
two bank account entities, one of $2000 and one of $1000. On the chart both of
these links might be represented by one link, which will have a label of either
$3000 (if both links are in the same direction), or $1000 if the links are in
opposite directions.
This option becomes relevant when Multiple Link Style is set to Single or
Directed, when a chart link might represent several iBase links.

Milliseconds
Analyst’s Notebook can chart items with a date and time as controlling items. The horizontal position
of controlling items on the chart is in relation to the flow of time from left to right.
If two or more items have the same date and time, they can display on top of each other. When you
want to inspect these events visually, for instance looking for groups of such items close together, it is
useful to separate them by a small time increment so that they are not displayed on top of each other.
If you turn on Use Milliseconds to Separate Simultaneous Items, the interface automatically adds a
millisecond to the time of each chart item with an identical date and time. If there are several chart
items with the same time the first item is unchanged, the second is one millisecond later, the third
two milliseconds later. This ensures that all items are visible on the chart.
If you do not turn onUse Milliseconds to Separate Simultaneous Items, the items appear at the
same horizontal location on the chart. This is indicated on the time bar by the marker symbol, which
uses the overlap color to indicate that there is more than one item at this specific time location in the
chart.
To view the time of events separated by milliseconds, your time format must be set to display
seconds (for example, HH:mm: ss). However, the time bar shows the full time of events regardless of
the time format setting.
Important: Adding milliseconds to the time might mean that certain analysis functions do not give
the expected result. For example, if a millisecond is added to an event time of 4:00 PM then a search
for events between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM will not find the event.

Charting schemes
A charting scheme controls how the properties of items that are added to Analyst's Notebook charts
that use iBase records are updated. Each charting scheme defines the chart item property mapping,
the chart template, the labeling scheme, and whether to display attributes and pictures on the chart.

About this task

Charting schemes define the mapping that is used to convert property values on iBase records into a
format that can be used within Analyst's Notebook. These property mappings can either be for any
entity or link type in the database, or specific chart item properties for each entity or link type in the
database. For example, you might want to display attributes and pictures on the chart for only a few of
the entity types in the database.
In Analyst's Notebook, you can select which charting scheme is active at any time. You can also
override the labeling scheme that is specified in the active charting scheme by selecting a different
labeling scheme from Analyst's Notebook.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 199

 Procedure
1. Select Format > Charting Schemes > New.
A blank charting scheme is generated that lists the available system wise defaults.
2. Add the charting scheme properties:
Option Description
Labeling The labeling scheme that defines how labels are displayed on an Analyst's
Scheme Notebook chart. If you do not select a scheme, the iBase default is used.
Chart Template The chart template on which to base new charts when charting from iBase,
expanding to a new chart or when you use the Timeline Assistant. You can
choose from templates that are stored in the same folder as the database file.
If you do not specify a chart template, the Analyst's Notebook default template
is used.
Restore Layout Whether any layout settings that are written to the chart are restored when
Settings iBase items are added to a chart.
Chart Whether to create chart attributes for any of the entities or links that are sent
Attributes to the chart (the database design defines which fields, if any, can be sent as
chart attributes). If set to Blank, the Tools > Options setting is used as the
default.
Chart Pictures Whether any entities that are sent to the chart are represented as pictures or
icons. If set to Blank, the Tools > Options setting is used as the default.
Data Records A data record displays the associated iBase record for the chart item as part of
the chart item properties, including the semantic type.
3. Optional: For the other system-wide default mappings specify the default behavior:
• Field - the value is taken from a specified field value.
• Value - a value is used.
• Blank - no value is used.
4. Optional: For any item type-specific default mappings:
a) Select the item type, and click Add.
b) Select the property type and assign the default behavior:
• Field - the value is taken from a specified field value.
• Value - a value is used.
• Blank - no value is used.
Note: Any values added to a specific item type will be used instead of any system default for the
same property.
5. Optional: For a specified item type, you can also select from the following to override the default
setting:
• Chart Attributes to choose whether chart attributes are created from iBase fields.
• Chart Pictures to choose whether to use pictures instead of entity icons.
• Data Records to choose whether to create a data record.
6. Press Save, when prompted enter a name and category for the charting scheme, and specify the
access level.

200 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Semantic Type Matching Behavior
Semantic types can be used to group items or properties that are related. You can use semantic types
to help match entities.
Each property has a role to play in assessing the likelihood that two records of information describe
the same entity. Some of the properties identify the entities, for example a national identifier for a
person or a license plate number for a vehicle, while others contribute additional information. It is
important to assign at least one identifying property to an entity in order for it to match.

Entity and property semantic types

This table lists the entity semantic types with matching behavior, and the property semantic types
that are considered to identify them.
Note: All of the recognized property semantic types can contribute to the match for a pair of entities
but they contribute less than the semantic types associated with the entity type. For example, a
phone number identifies a phone and can contribute to a person match.
The '\' symbol in the table is used to indicate a child semantic type.
An item in Bold indicates that the property semantic type is an identifying type, or a component of an
identifying type. You must assign at least one identifying type to an item for matching to be
performed. For example, to match items assigned the Location entity type, the items must have a Full
Address, or part of an address such as a Street Name or City Name. To match items assigned the
Phone entity type, the items must have a Phone Number, a Local Number, or an Area Code.
In the Culture column of the following table:
• Neutral
The matching behavior of these entity types is culturally independent. For example, Bank Card or
Phone entity types match regardless of your locale.
• Partial
The matching behavior of these entity types has some US/UK specific behavior, but matching these
types is still effective in all locales. For example, Motor Vehicle, Organization and Event.
• US/UK
The matching behavior of these entity types depends on the US/UK English culture. For example,
Person and Location entity types assume US/UK English culture for names and addresses. You can
match these entity types outside of the US/UK English locale, however, the results may not be as
expected.

Culture Entity Types Specific Property Semantic

Types Used
Neutral Bank Card Card Number
\Credit Card Card Type
\Debit Card
US/UK Bank Account Account Number

Account Routing Number (US)

Bank Sort Code (UK)

Partial Motor Vehicle VIN

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 201

 Culture Entity Types Specific Property Semantic
Types Used
\Bus Vehicle License Plate Number
\Car Vehicle Model
\Police Car Vehicle Color
\Motorcycle Vehicle Make
\Truck Vehicle Body Style
Vehicle Year
Neutral Event Event Date & Time
\Meeting Event Date or Event Start Date
\Crime Event Time or Event Start Time
Event Title
Event End Date
Event End Time
US/UK Person Natial Identifier
\Law Enforcement Officer Person Full Name
\Offender Person First Name
\Person Alias Person Middle Names
Person Last Name
Email Address
Date of Birth
Person Title
Person Suffix
Gender
Partial Organization Organization Name
\Company
\Bank
\Court
\Criminal Organization
\Government Agency
\Law Enforcement Agency
\Organization Name Variation
Neutral Phone Phone Number
\Cell Phone Local Number

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Culture Entity Types Specific Property Semantic
Types Used
\Fax Machine Area Code
\Pager International Code
US/UK Location ZIP Code
\ATM Full Address
\Mailing Address Address Line 1
Address Line 2
Address Line 3
Address Line 4
Address Line 5
Apartment Number
Building Number/Name
Street Name
City Name
State Name
Post Office Box
Country Name
Country Code
Neutral Website Web Address
\Web Page

Link semantic types

This table lists several link semantic types for which there is matching behavior.

Link Types Description

Is Equivalent To (and any type that is derived Links assigned to this link semantic type (or its
from this link semantic type) children) are recognized by Smart Matching, and
contribute positively to the overall score for the
match.
Does Not Match This link semantic type is assigned to a link when
you use the Exclude feature of Find Matching
Entities.
Links assigned to this link semantic type are not
recognized by Smart Matching. The link semantic
type is used to indicate that the two entities are
not representations of the same real-world
object, even though there are similarities
between the two entities.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 203

 Link Types Description
Possible Match Between This is the semantic type of the links added by
Find Matching Entities when the user clicks Link.
It means that the links are not then found again
when Ignore Previously Linked is set.
These are the semantic types found by
Previously Linked Matches.

Ignored by Matching You can assign this link semantic type to any of
the links on a chart. This does not prevent two
items from matching, it is simply that the link is
ignored as a reason for matching.
This semantic type is the parent of Possible
Match Between.

Assumed semantic types for labels

You can use the text in the label of an item for matching in addition to any values in attributes or data
records. Depending on the item type, a semantic type is assumed for the label value. It is not possible
to alter which semantic type is used.
The table shows how the labels of entities are treated for matching purposes. It shows, for example,
that labels on Location entity types are treated as the Location Name and not the address.

Semantic Type Assumed Semantic Type for Label

Person Person Details
Organization Organization Name
Phone Phone Number
Motor Vehicle Motor Vehicle Details
Location Location Name
Event Event Title
Bank Account Bank Account Details
Bank Card Bank Card Details
Website Web Address
Mailing Address Full Address
Drivers license Drivers license Number
Bank Bank Name
Vehicle Registration Vehicle license Plate Number

Some examples of how labels are used:

Person entity types

In Smart Matching, single-word names get a low score; they are not displayed as a Matched Set
unless they have further information with matching behavior. For example, if a person with a single-

204 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 word name has a date of birth, or has other properties that match, they are displayed as a Matched
Set in Find Matching Entities.

Motor Vehicle entity types

In Smart Matching, labels on Motor Vehicle entity types are treated as Motor Vehicle Details and a
match score might be generated if a label contains a license Plate Number. Other property semantic
types might be recognized from a Motor Vehicle label but no match is found unless a license Plate
Number is detected in the label, an attribute or a property.

Location entity types

In Smart Matching, places and businesses (bars, shops, and so on), are assigned the Location
semantic type. The labels are treated as location names and not addresses. To match addresses the
entities need to have further address information with matching behavior, for example, the first line of
an address or a zip code. This information could be supplied as attributes or in data records.

Extracting charted items

Chart items in Analyst's Notebook can be added to an iBase database to allow them to be stored and
searched. Although any Analyst's Notebook chart can be used to extract items, the closer the item
properties match the record properties of your database, the easier the extraction is.

Creating an Analyst's Notebook template

Analyst's Notebook templates define the types of entities and links that you can create and display on
a chart.

About this task

By creating an Analyst's Notebook template that maps directly to your database, you can ensure that:
• Only entity and link types that are present in your database are added to charts to be extracted.
• Mandatory fields are marked within Analyst's Notebook.
• Only key attributes are displayed on the chart surface.

Procedure
1. Select File > Data > Chart Item Extractor > Create Analyst's Notebook Template.
2. Select the user whose user permissions you would like to use to create the Analyst's Notebook
template.
If Use this User is turned off, your user permissions are used. Alternatively, you can use the
permissions of another user by turning on Use this User . For more information, see “Creating
Analyst's Notebook templates by using a different user account” on page 206.
3. Browse to the location where you would like to store your template.
4. Enter a file name and click Save.
5. Click OK.
Important: When you create the Analyst's Notebook template, the security level of the logged in
user is used to determine access to field information.
When your create a template based on an iBase database, it is your responsibility to ensure that
access to any restricted or secret information is controlled in an appropriate way.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 205

 One method of controlling the access to data would be to set up user accounts with specific
security access to allow specific template generation. See “Creating Analyst's Notebook templates
by using a different user account” on page 206 for further details.

Creating Analyst's Notebook templates by using a different user account

For databases that are used by organizations that have multiple security levels, access to certain item
types or fields might be restricted to certain users. To avoid creating templates that contain restricted
references, use user accounts with the same security permissions of the users that are creating the
charts.

Procedure
For each type of template:
1. In iBase, select File > Data > Chart Item Extractor > Create Analyst's Notebook Template.
2. In the Analyst's Notebook Template Generator dialog, turn on Use this User.
3. Select the user.
4. Enter the password for the user.
5. Click Connect.

Enhancing Analyst's Notebook templates

An Analyst's Notebook template that matches the schema of your iBase database can be optimized
for the extraction of data into iBase.

Setting up a template to be used by users

New charts that you create with Analyst's Notebook use templates to determine the types of items
that are displayed.
You can provide Analyst's Notebook users access to the template, and to inform them that it is
available for use. To make a template available for use, ensure that it is saved to the Local or
Workgroup Template Folder that is specified within Analyst's Notebook.
Note: If you are creating charts that need to be extracted frequently into iBase, you can also set the
template that you created in iBase to be the default template.

Controlling the display of attributes

You can control the number of attributes that are displayed on a chart for each item type. Controlling
the display of attributes allows data to be entered that can be mapped to iBase fields without
displaying it on your chart.
To select which attributes are displayed on a chart, open the template in Analyst's Notebook and edit
the Attribute Classes within the Chart Properties.

Indicating which attributes relate to mandatory iBase fields

If your database contains mandatory fields for a particular item type, you can change how the
attribute that relates to that information is displayed within Analyst's Notebook.
To change the appearance of attributes, open the template in Analyst's Notebook and edit the
Attribute Classes within the Chart Properties.

206 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Creating a chart
If you want to create a chart and you are planning to extract items into iBase, you can increase the
amount of information that can be transferred to your database. Ensure that an iBase database
template is used when the chart is created, and that the attributes you use on items relate to iBase
fields.
If you create a chart using a template based on the iBase database that you are planning to extract
into, the item types available will be mapped to iBase item types and recognized. This:
• Ensures that items added to a chart are of a type that will directly map to your iBase entities and
links.
• Allows attributes to be added to items that will be recognized and added to iBase fields.
Adding attributes that can be matched to iBase fields means that:
• You can ensure all the information entered will be correctly stored within iBase.
• Any Suggested From Code List or Selected from Code List type fields will have their options
available from within Analyst's Notebook.

Extracting chart items

If you have a chart that contains items you would like to add to your database, you can run the Chart
Item Extractor. Chart Item Extractor identifies potential records and the properties that they contain.

Procedure
1. Open Chart Item Extractor.
• In iBase, select File > Data > Chart Item Extractor > Extract Chart Items, browse to your
chart, and click OK.
• In Analyst's Notebook, with a connection to an iBase database, open the Data Sources pane,
and select Extract Chart Items.
2. Configure the extraction.
3. Review the suggested alignment and make any changes necessary. For more information, see
“Changing the alignment” on page 210.
4. View the validation results and make any changes.
5. Run the extraction, and review the results.

Configuring the extraction

When you extract data, you can determine whether to add a copy of the original data, whether to
reference the chart, and whether to create a set of the extracted items.
Before you extract Analyst's Notebook data, you need to define:
• How you would like to store general information.
• Whether you would like to add a chart as an iBase entity in addition to the data.
• Whether you would like to create an extraction set that contains the results of the extraction.

Chart item data

When you extract chart items, you can extract data into standard fields in addition to mapping them to
the correct field types.
Data that is held in the following places can be added to multi-line fields:
• Item data

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 207

 • Attributes
• Data records
• Cards
Note: Information that is held on cards is stored as a multi-line field.
As a default option these will be added to a single multi-line text field that you can select using the
configuration page.
If you would like this information to be separated based on type, use the Advanced options.

Creating a source document

The Create Source Document options allow you to add an Analyst's Notebook chart as an iBase entity
and if required link chart entities to the source document using links or hyperlinks. To create a source
document:
1. Turn on the Create Source Document check box.
2. Select the Source Document Entity Type.
3. If required, select the Create Source Document Links option. This links created items to the
Analyst's Notebook chart they were extracted from.
a. To link entities to the source document, select a valid Source Document Link Type.
b. To link chart links to the source document, select a valid Source Document Hyperlink Field.
4. If required, select Include source records in extraction set to add the source document to the
extraction set.
Note: In order to import charts within the application, you need to have an entity type that has a
Document Field Type.

Creating an extraction set

As a record of this extraction you can create a new set. This may be useful later to identify the data
extracted from this data source and for performing analysis on it. The check boxes will be unavailable
if you do not have permission to create sets.
To create an extraction set:
1. Turn on Create extraction set to create a new set containing the records that are added to the
database.
2. Enter the Extraction Set Name.
Note: You must enable the Create source document and the Include source records in
extraction set to include source records in an import set.

Separating data into separate fields

To create records that can be searched and used in iBase, the information that is stored in the chart
item needs to be mapped to specific properties. In addition, you can store a full copy of the chart
information that is taken from item data, attached cards, item attributes, and data records for auditing
purposes.

Procedure
1. On the Chart Item Extractor Configuration page, select the Extract chart item data into multi-
line text (standard) fields option and click Advanced.

208 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Note: You can only select Advanced options if the Extract all chart items into a single, multiline
text field option remains turned off.
2. In the Advanced Options, set the multi-line text field type that you want to use to store each type
of information:
Field Description
Item Data Field Extracts the fields Label, Identity, Date, Time, Description of Date & Time,
Time Zone, Source Reference, Source Type, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3
from the Chart Item
Cards Field Extracts all information that is held on the Entity's Cards.
Attributes Field Extracts all the Attribute information for the Entity.
Data Records Field Extracts information from any source database.
3. Click OK to return to the main configuration dialog.

Resolving item labels

Text that is contained within a chart item's label can often relate to multiple fields within your
database. Using the Advanced option on the Change Alignment page you can set up some rules for
splitting up the label text.
Depending on the information available in the items label, you might need to:

Select the label fields

Label fields are used to store the extracted label text, they correspond to the iBase item that is
selected.
To choose label fields:
1. Select a field from the list of Available Fields.
The fields available are multi-line text Standard fields.
2. Click the right arrow button.
The field is moved to the Label fields list.
Note: To remove a label field click the left arrow button.

Select a separator
To determine how the data in the label is divided, you must chose a separator. This character will be
used by the extraction to break up the label into fields.
Select the split character that you would like to use to divide the column. By default this uses a space,
if you require a specific character, for example " | ", select Other and type the characters and spaces in
the adjacent box.

Change the order of label fields

To reorder the fields that you have added, select the field and move it using the navigation controls.

Ignore parts of the label

If there is information contained within the label that does not match an iBase field, you can click
Ignore to allow that information to be ignored.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 209

 Viewing the chart
You can view the chart that contains the items you are extracting using the iBase Chart Viewer. This
displays the current chart in a read only state.
While you are configuring chart items for extraction, viewing the items and their connections can be
useful in determining how the item properties are best converted to iBase fields.

Changing the alignment

Chart items will be automatically aligned based on the detected chart item properties. You can modify
the alignment and extract the chart item label text if required.

Procedure
1. Select one or more items from the Alignment Results list.
2. Click Change Alignment.
3. Select the iBase Type that you would like to align to.
4. Optional: To extract the label, turn on the Extract the label into a single field and choose the field
type.
Note: To split the label into multiple fields, set the Advanced options (see “Resolving item labels”
on page 209).

Removing the alignment

Chart items will be automatically aligned based on the detected chart item properties. If you would
like to remove the alignment for a particular item, press Remove Alignment.
Note: Items that are not aligned to iBase types will not be extracted into your database.

Managing alignment results

When Analyst's Notebook chart items are extracted into iBase, they are scanned for information that
can be aligned to entity types and link types. If the automatic alignment for an entity or link type is
incorrect, you can modify or remove it.

Types of Alignment
Type Method Description Example
Name Automatic The property name A person attribute of
matches an item type surname matches
or field name. exactly a field called
family name.
Semantic Automatic The property semantic A chart item 'Villain'
type matches an entity, being of semantic type
link, or field semantic 'Person' would match
type. to an iBase entity type
'Criminals' also having
'Person' as the
assigned semantic
type.

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Type Method Description Example
System Automatic The system looks for A Person entity that is
specific property types set to use a female icon
and assigns certain when the gender field
field types is set to female.
automatically.
User Manual These are manually An Officer entity using a
assigned as part of the specific icon being
extraction process. matched to a Person
entity type.

Note: A combination of types may be used to determine an alignment, in which case all that apply will
be listed (for example Name and Semantic).
To view the current alignment for an item, ensure it is selected within the Alignment Results, any
chart item properties that have been aligned will be displayed.
Note: You can select multiple items within the alignment results. This allows item type alignment to
be changed, but will not display the individual alignment details.
You can sort by clicking on the Alignment Type column header to group alignment types.

Validating the extraction

To preserve the quality of the information that is stored within iBase, you can ensure that items are
only extracted that match the rules set in iBase Designer. For example, item extraction is prevented if
mandatory information is missing, data exceeds field type limits, or maps to fields that require
specific values that aren't specified.

Procedure
1. On the Chart Item Extractor Validation Results page, click Options and with Extract chart item
label turned on, click Advanced.
2. To add these items that do not match your database validation rules to your database, select
Include in extraction. There are three options that you can use to clean the data and prevent
issues:
• Auto-populate blank mandatory fields
Allows records to be created without all the mandatory fields being mapped. To allow this, a
default character is inserted into each mandatory field that is blank. This will continue to use
the default value if one has been specified within the field definition or will populate the field
with:
– '-' for text fields
– '0' for number fields
– the current date for date fields
– the current time for time fields
• Truncating text field overflows
Truncates fields that exceed the maximum field length. If this option is not selected, records
with fields that exceed the maximum field length will be marked with validation errors.
• Validate 'Selected from Code List' values

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 211

 Verifies that the values in the source data are valid for the code lists in the current database.
Invalid values are reported as errors during an extraction.
3. To exclude items from your extraction, select the Exclude from extraction.
Note: These rules can be set up to be run on a selection of items by highlighting the items within
the Validation Results and selecting the Apply to selected items only. To extend the rule to all
items, select Apply to all items.

Viewing the validation results

When the alignment is complete, the items are checked to ensure that they are ready to be extracted.
Items are marked in one of following possible states:

State Description Action

Success The item is ready to be
extracted.

Warning The item is ready to be

extracted but might match
another item that is either
included in the extraction, or an
existing record.
Note: Any duplicates that are
detected can be merged after
extraction.

Error An issue with the item must be

addressed or the item cannot
be extracted.

The following messages indicate an issue that prevents an item from being imported:

Handling non-imported items

Message Description
Excluded The item is manually set to be excluded in the
options.
Not aligned The item is not matched to an iBase type.
No aligned fields The item is matched to an iBase type, but no
fields match.
One or both link ends are not valid The link ends are not matched to valid entity
types.
The length of the <field name> field The item has a field that contains more data than
must not exceed <field length> can be stored in the field type so cannot be
characters included in the extraction.
Note: You can use the validation options to
truncate the field.

212 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Message Description
No value was specified for the The item is missing mandatory information and
mandatory field - <field name> so cannot be included in the extraction.
Note: You can use the validation options to auto-
populate the mandatory field.
Auto-populating the field uses the default value
if one is specified within the field definition, or
populates the field with:
• '-' for text fields
• '0' for number fields
• The current date for date fields
• The current time for time fields

<invalid value> is not in the The item has information that matches a code
defined list of values for this list field type but the value does not match a
field code list option.
Note: You can turn off the validation of Selected
from Code List value by deselecting the option in
the Validation options dialog.

Invalid date/time entered for <field A field is aligned with an iBase date field but
name>: <invalid value> does not contain a recognized date format.
<invalid value> is not a valid value A field is aligned with an iBase field but does not
for <field name> match the expected data format.

Managing identifiers
When iBase checks for matching records during the extraction, it evaluates each source record by
using identifier fields. If the values in the source record match the values in an iBase record, then the
extraction will suggest that the item is a duplicate.

About this task

Although suggested identifiers are automatically selected for each entity type, you can modify the
selection to allow better matching for each entity type.

Procedure
To change the identifiers used to check extracted entities:
1. Click Identifiers.
2. Select the entity type you would like to identify.
3. Select the identifying fields.
4. Click OK, the extracted items will be rechecked for duplicates.
Note: If no identifiers are selected, the imported item will not be checked for duplicate items.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 213

Viewing the extraction results and checking for duplicates
As part of the validation process, chart items are checked for duplicates both within the extraction
and against existing iBase records. After the items are extracted, the Duplicates page lists the
potential duplicates.

Procedure
To manage potential duplicates:
1. Select an extracted chart item from the list.
2. Review the potential duplicates in the duplicates summary pane.
a) If the duplicate is valid, click Merge to open the Merge Entities dialog.
b) If the duplicate is not valid, you can change the Identifiers to ensure that the correct
information is being used.
3. After you have resolved any duplicates, click Close.

Welcome to IBM i2 iBase Plate Analysis

IBM® i2® iBase Plate Analysis is a dedicated analysis environment designed to make it easy to manage
and analyze Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) data. iBase Plate Analysis is an addition to
IBM® i2® iBase so that you also have access to all the powerful functions offered by those products to
work with ALPR data and use it in combination with other data stored in your database.

Introduction to iBase Plate Analysis

Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character
recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles and store the Vehicle Registration Marks
(VRMs) in a database. ALPR systems can use existing closed-circuit television or road-rule
enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task.
iBase Plate Analysis is designed to analyze ALPR data stored in an iBase database, and use it in the
context of other relevant data, to maximize its potential to provide actionable intelligence. The main
functions are shown in the table below:

Function Used for

“Geographical Profiling” on page 215 Compares ALPR reads around the location of
specified incidents or events, and discovers
vehicles that have been seen in the vicinity.
“Convoy Analysis” on page 216 Compares a target list of vehicles with Plate
Analysis records to discover co-occurrences of
vehicles traveling together.
“Generating VRM Lists” on page 218 Enables you to generate lists of VRMs from a set
of Plate Analysis records. The lists can be used in
iBase queries or in other applications.
“Finding Common Vehicles” on page 219 Finds vehicles that occur in two or more
specified sets.
“Combining Vehicle Data Sets” on page 219 Combines multiple sets easily and quickly.
“Retrieving Images” on page 220 Allows you to view images that are linked to
ALPR reads.

214 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Function Used for
“Configuring iBase Plate Analysis” on page 223 Allows you to specify the entities and fields that
are used for Plate Analysis. You will only see the
configuration options if you are an iBase
database administrator.

To start the Plate Analysis Task Manager, from where all the Plate Analysis functions can be accessed,
click the Plate Analysis Task Manager icon on the iBase toolbar. The Task Manager is displayed with
the options displayed on the left. Click the name of the function that you want to use.

Geographical Profiling
Geographical profiling enables you to find vehicles, captured by an ALPR system, that were detected
in the vicinity of an event. This gives you the opportunity to carry out searches for vehicles, captured
by a camera, traveling in the vicinity of an event around a specified date and time.
You can compare vehicles recorded near a series of events to establish if any of these vehicles are
common to more than one of the events.
The process of geographical profiling comprises the following steps:
1. Select the events to be analyzed
2. Specify the dates and times of interest
3. Specify the geographical area of interest
4. Examine the number of Plate Analysis reads that are found
5. Analyze the vehicles that are associated with two or more events
There are a number of ways in which the results of the analysis can be stored for further examination.
Geographical profiling has multiple screens, click Next or Back to move between them.

Select Events
The source for geographical profiling is one or more events; for example a series of related crimes or
incidents. The source records must be event entities as specified in the Plate Analysis configuration.
You can specify the source records in one of three ways:
• specify a query that returns event records in the results
• specify a set that contains event entities
• specify event entities individually
In each case, all the event entities must include valid location information in the form of coordinate
data.

Specify Dates and Times

Once you have selected the events of interest, you need to set the dates and times, relative to the
date and time of each incident, that you wish to examine. You do this by specifying offsets from the
date and time of the event. This can be done individually for each event, or can be set for all events
that you select. In this way for example, you can specify that you wish to analyze all ALPR reads that
were recorded up to one hour before an event and up to five hours after. Alternately you can specify
the time before and after individual events down to the nearest minute.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 215

 Note: If one of the dates for an event is blank then Plate Analysis will use the same already populated
value for both start and finish dates. If both dates are blank then both fields will be left blank and the
results will be sorted at the top of the display.
When offsets have been set for each event, you can adjust the offsets, individually or collectively, for
even finer control of your analysis. For example if you have set up different offsets for each event, you
can select them all and add an extra ten minutes to the time after the event.
Offsets can be specified in days, hours and minutes, and can be positive or negative. The specified
offset is displayed in the list of events.

Setting Geographical Area

The location of the Plate Analysis reads to be analyzed can be either relative to the locations of the
events, or can be defined as a specific area.
You can set a geographical tolerance around the coordinates in terms of the distance North, South,
East, and West of each event. As before, you can do this for each record individually, or select more
than one event and set the tolerance for all the selected items.
If appropriate you can specify any camera location for one or more events by choosing a location
inside a rectangle defined by specified pairs of coordinates.
Note: If any of the specified events do not have coordinate data, you will see a message telling you
how many of the records do not have coordinates: these events will not be analyzed.

Examine Number of ALPR Reads

The first result you see is a list of events with the number of associated ALPR reads that have been
detected within your specified date, time, and area. At this stage you can examine the Plate Analysis
records for each event or add them to a new or existing set for further analysis.

Analyze Vehicles Associated With Events

The final result of Geographical Profiling is a list of VRMs that are associated with two or more events.
By selecting each VRM in turn, you can see which events are associated with each one. You can select
one or more of the VRMs and copy the list to the clipboard or into a text file; the list can then be used
for further analysis, for example as input to an iBase query using an in list parameter.

Convoy Analysis
Convoy Analysis allows you to search for vehicle co-occurrences. You can detect one or more
unknown vehicles traveling in convoy with known target vehicles. This can help detect:
• vehicles following cash in transit vehicles
• vehicles that were previously unknown, but have been identified traveling with known or suspected
criminals
• vehicles traveling with stolen vehicles that are subsequently used in criminal activity
• compromised covert operations
Source target vehicles can be entered individually or you can use a list stored in a text file (perhaps
generated as a result of “Geographical Profiling” on page 215 for example).
Select the date and time boundaries for the Plate Analysis records to be searched. With this done, the
time between the target vehicle passing a camera and any other co-occurring vehicles passing the
same camera can be set in the time window along with the minimum number of co-occurrences. The
results can be further restricted by choosing to return only the vehicles that co-occur most frequently.

216 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Note: If you are looking for co-occurrences on a particular day, you could retrieve records for co-
occurring vehicles that were actually recorded on a preceding or succeeding day. The time you set
relates only to the target vehicle. For example, if a target vehicle is recorded at one minute to
midnight, and the time window is specified as five minutes, you could detect co-occurring vehicles at
up to four minutes past midnight.
The target vehicles and their co-occurrences are clearly displayed and any co-occurrence can be
selected for a more detailed view by simply double clicking the item.
Convoy Analysis has a number of screens, click Next or Back to move between them.

Specify Parameters
Enter the VRMs of the target vehicles that you want to analyze; they can be entered individually or you
can use a list stored in a text file (perhaps generated as a result of “Geographical Profiling” on page
215 for example).
Enter the VRMs in the Target VRMs box, one VRM per line separated by a carriage return. Alternatively
click the Browse button to retrieve VRMs from a text file.
Select the date and time boundaries for the Plate Analysis records to be searched. The date and time
range relates to the times that target vehicles are recorded in an ALPR read. Set a start and end date
and time.
If you only want to consider a certain period each day, for example you may want to analyze Plate
Analysis records between 09:00 and 09:30 each day, turn on the Include records only within these
times check box and set the From and To times below.
Finally set the following options:
Time Window
Set the time window that defines a co-occurrence. For example, if you set a time window of 10
seconds (the default), it means that vehicles recorded as passing an ALPR camera within plus or
minus 10 seconds of a target vehicle are considered to be in convoy. A range of values, up to 5
minutes is available. The larger the time window, the more results you are likely to get.
Minimum Co-occurrences
Set the minimum number of co-occurrences that you want to consider for each target vehicle, you
can set any number between 1 and 10. For example, setting 2 (the default) means that you only
want results where the vehicle has been in convoy with a target vehicle on more than one
occasion. Setting a higher number could reduce the number of results.
Ranked VRMs
You can choose to see all results by selecting All, or you can specify a Number of results to see.
For example if you set the number to 10, you will only see the top ten ranked co-occurring
vehicles, sorted by the number of co-occurrences.

Examine Co-Occurrences
This screen allows you to see how many co-occurrences have been detected; each co-occurring
vehicle is listed along with the number of co-occurrences. If you have no results, or too many, you can
go back and change the parameters by clicking the Back button.
You can see the Plate Analysis records relating to the convoy by selecting one or more groups of
results, and clicking the Show Records button.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 217

 Note: If you select a result with five co-occurrences for example, when you show the records you will
see ten records; for each co-occurrence you will see the Plate Analysis records for both the target and
co-occurring vehicle.
Select one or more of the co-occurrences that you want to analyze in the grid view. When you have
selected the results, click Next to go to the grid view.

Create a Grid Display

Co-occurrences for each target vehicle are displayed on a grid. The best way to understand the
display is to interpret the example shown above. There are three target vehicles; each target has a
page showing all the co-occurrences that relate to that vehicle. The display shown above relates to
the page for VRM: P2 DCM.
The first column of the grid shows the date and time that the target vehicle was recorded by an ALPR
camera (this only shows the times that the target vehicle was recorded as a part of a co-occurrence,
the vehicle may have been detected on many other occasions, but only co-occurrences are shown
here).
The second column, headed with the target vehicle VRM, shows the name of the camera that
recorded the read and shows the time that the target vehicle passed the camera.
The third column, headed with the VRM: MJ75 IRV, shows the camera name that recorded a co-
occurrence and the time (in seconds) relative to the target vehicle. The first entry in the third column
shows that MJ75 IRV passed Camera 1 one second after the target vehicle (if the time had been
shown as -1, it would show that the target vehicle was recorded after MJ75 IRV).
Each co-occurring vehicle has its own column; those shown with a bold heading, F576 SQZ and HH18
CIK in the example above, are themselves target vehicles; you can see that they have their own pages.
You can copy the results for the current grid to the clipboard by clicking the Copy to clipboard button.
Alternatively you can copy the results for all grids by turning on the Copy all grids check box before
clicking the Copy to clipboard button.
From the clipboard, you can paste the results into another application such as a spreadsheet or text
editor.

Generating VRM Lists

You can generate a list of VRMs (Vehicle Registration Marks) from the Plate Analysis entities that are
included in one or more iBase sets. VRM lists can be particularly useful in comparing vehicles against
hotlists of vehicles of interest, or for retrieving details of vehicles from national databases.

About this task

When the list of VRMs is displayed, you can select some or all of the VRMs and copy them to the
clipboard or save them to a text file. For example, if you wanted to use some of the VRMs as target
vehicles for “Convoy Analysis” on page 216, you would select the VRMs of interest, copy them to the
clipboard, and then paste them into the Convoy Analysis dialog. Saving the VRMs to a text file would
allow you to use the list as input to another application for further analysis.

Procedure
1. Click Add, and select the set or sets you want to analyze. You can select several sets at once, they
do not have to be added individually. Click OK to select the sets and close the Select Set dialog.
2. Click Generate to create a list of VRMs

218 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Note: If you want to remove sets from the selection before analysis, select the required set or sets
and click Remove. To go back to the set selection step, click Back.
3. Select one or more of the displayed VRMs and save them in a text file or copy them to the
clipboard for use elsewhere.

Finding Common Vehicles

The Find Common Vehicles function allows you quickly to discover which VRMs are common to
specified sets, allowing you to establish connections. The results are displayed such that you can
quickly see which sets contain each common VRM.

About this task

When the results are displayed, you can select some or all of the VRMs and copy them to the
clipboard or save them to a text file. For example, if you wanted to use some of the VRMs as target
vehicles for “Convoy Analysis” on page 216, you would select the VRMs of interest, copy them to the
clipboard, and then paste them into the Convoy Analysis dialog. Saving the VRMs to a text file would
allow you to use the list as input to another application for further analysis.

Procedure
1. Click Add and, in the Select Set dialog, select the sets you want to analyze. You can select several
sets at once, they do not have to be added individually. Click OK to select the sets and close the
Select Set dialog.
2. Click Find to display a list of VRMs that are included in two or more sets.
3. Select each VRM in turn to see which sets it is included in. The sets that include the selected VRM
are displayed in bold text with a green tick.
When the results are displayed, you can select some or all of the VRMs and copy them to the
clipboard or save them to a text file. For example, if you wanted to use some of the VRMs as target
vehicles for “Convoy Analysis” on page 216, you would select the VRMs of interest, copy them to
the clipboard, and then paste them into the Convoy Analysis dialog. Saving the VRMs to a text file
would allow you to use the list as input to another application for further analysis.
Note: If you want to remove sets from the selection before analysis, select the required set or sets
and click Remove.

Combining Vehicle Data Sets

Plate Analysis can often involve the creation of a large number of iBase sets, Combining Vehicle Data
Sets allows you to combine multiple sets in a single operation. The combination is additive only; all of
the records in all of the specified sets will be added to a new set, with a specified name, and
duplicates will be removed from the set automatically.

About this task

The resulting set can be used for further analysis using iBase or the other functions of iBase Plate
Analysis. The original sets are not affected and remain available for further analysis or for use in other
combinations.
Note: Removing duplicates only relates to set membership, the original database records remain
unchanged.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 219

 Procedure
1. Click Add and, in the Select Set dialog, select the sets you want to combine. You can select several
sets at once, they do not have to be added individually. Click OK to select the sets and close the
Select Set dialog.
2. Click Combine to put all the records into a new set. You will be asked to specify a new and unique
name for the combined set; specify a category in the Categorize dialog, and then click OK to create
the set.
A message will be displayed to confirm that the sets have been successfully combined.
Note: If you want to remove sets from the selection before creating the combined set, select the
required set or sets and click Remove.

Retrieving Images
Sometimes you may want to see camera images that are associated with Plate Analysis records, for
example to confirm that a VRM has been correctly interpreted or that a vehicle matches its
description. Images may be stored as a part of the iBase record, and these may be viewed by showing
the record as usual. However, due to the large number of images that may be collected by the ALPR
process, your system administrator may choose to retain these images in an external ALPR system
and not load them into the iBase database.
For images that are stored outside iBase, an interface is provided through which an external system
can receive requests from iBase Plate Analysis to supply an image so it can be displayed to the iBase
user. The image request will ask for either the number plate image, or the full image of the vehicle.
The picture that is displayed is read only, and there is no facility to save it to an iBase record using this
route.
Note: You will only be able to retrieve and view images stored outside iBase if your system
administrator has set up a link to an external system that stores ALPR records. To check whether your
system has access to images, contact your system administrator.

Viewing Images
When records are displayed, for example in a record list, you can retrieve an associated image by
right-clicking on the record and, from the shortcut menu, selecting Retrieve Image. You will be offered
the option of seeing only an image of the number plate (Plate Patch), or of the whole image (Overview
Image).
Note: If your system has not been configured to show images stored in external systems, an error
message will be displayed.

Configuring Image Retrieval

To allow images from an external system to be displayed, you need a developer to implement an
interface from a type library. Full details of the configuration are shown in a separate help topic called
“Implementing Image Retrieval” on page 220.

Implementing Image Retrieval

iBase has the ability to store images as part of a record. In situations where the iBase records are not
populated with an image you have the option of developing your own code that sits between iBase
and the source system. This code implements a type library interface that allows iBase to provide
instructions detailing the image and type of image (either number plate or entire vehicle) the iBase
user wishes to see. Once the interface has received the image request its behavior and further actions

220 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

are controlled by the development carried out by you. Normally this will involve retrieving the image
from the ALPR source system and displaying it.

About this task

This topic is intended for administrators and developers who intend to implement iBasePlate Analysis
Image Retrieval from the ALPR source system.
Important: This topic contains specific information regarding editing the Windows Registry. You
should always back up the registry before you edit it. If you alter the registry, you could cause your
computer to stop functioning. IBM provides this information "as is", without representation or
warranty of any kind, express or implied, including without limitation any warranty concerning the
accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of such information contained herein. IBM does not assume
responsibility for the use or inability to use the software product as a result of providing this
information.
To create the code that works with iBase Plate Analysis Image Retrieval the developer must
implement the IImageRetrieval interface from the ANPRExternalInterfaces.tlb type library which is
installed as part of the general iBase Plate Analysis installation. A description of the
ANPRExternalInterfaces.tlb type library is given below.

<<interface>>ANPRExternalInterfaces.tlb::IImageRetrieval
+ShowImage(inVRM : String,
in ImageDate : String,
in ImageTime : String,
in ReadID : String,
in PartialOnly : Boolean)

Procedure
This example program accepts the image retrieval parameters from iBase and displays them to the
user in a modal dialog:
1. Create a new VB ActiveX DLL project. This creates a project called Project1 containing a class
module with the name Class1.
2. Add a reference to ANPRExternalInterfaces to your Project.
3. Add a Form to the project.
4. On the form, create the following controls, and set the design-time properties shown.

Control Name Property

--------------------------------------------
Label Label1 Caption="VRM"
Label Label2 Caption="Date"
Label Label3 Caption="Time"
Label Label4 Caption="Read ID"
Label Label5 Caption="Type"

Command Button Command1 Caption="OK"

5. Add the following code to the Form:

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 221

 Option Explicit
Public Sub ShowImageDetails(ByVal VRM As String, _
ByVal ImageDate As String, _
ByVal ImageTime As String, _
ByVal ReadID As String, _
ByVal PartialOnly As Boolean)
Label1.Caption = VRM
Label2.Caption = ImageDate
Label3.Caption = ImageTime
Label4.Caption = ReadID
If PartialOnly Then
Label5.Caption = "Partial Image"
Else
Label5.Caption = "Full Image"
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Unload Me
End Sub

6. Add the following code to your ClassModule:

Option Explicit
Implements ANPRExternalInterfaces.IImageRetrieval
Private Sub IImageRetrieval_ShowImage(ByVal VRM As String, _
ByVal ImageDate As String, _
ByVal ImageTime As String, _
ByVal ReadID As String, _
ByVal PartialOnly As Boolean)
Dim ImageDisplay As Form1
On Error GoTo ErrorSub
' Code to retrieve the image from the source system and
' display it to the user goes here
Set ImageDisplay = New Form1
ImageDisplay.ShowImageDetails VRM, _
ImageDate, _
ImageTime, _
ReadID, _
PartialOnly

ImageDisplay.Show vbModal
Exit Sub
ErrorSub:
MsgBox "Error:" & CStr(Err.Number) & ":" & Err.Description
End Sub

7. Add the ProgID of your class module to the registry. The following three lines may be saved to a
file with the .reg extension and imported into the registry through the RegEdit program:

222 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\i2\iBase\8\ANPR]

"IR_ProgID"="iBaseANPR_IR.iBaseANPR_IR"

8. Compile your project.

Configuring iBase Plate Analysis

You will only have access to the Configuration options if you are logged into iBase as an iBase
database administrator.
Important: Some of the configuration actions may cause disruption to other users of the database. If
possible, perform the configuration when other users are not using the database.
Configuration involves four distinct steps:
1. Select the coordinate system and datum.
2. Select the entities that represent ALPR reads and events, and map their fields to ensure that the
data is processed correctly by the iBase Plate Analysis functions.
3. Apply the configuration to save your settings.
4. Optimize the database by generating an index in the database.
In addition, you should select an appropriate datum for the specified coordinate system.

Select a Coordinate System

You can select one of two coordinate systems to be used when running iBase Plate Analysis.
Note: In all cases the coordinate system used for Plate Analysis records must be the same as that
used by iBase event entities.
The following coordinate systems are supported by iBase Plate Analysis:
• BNG – British National Grid (Easting and Northing)
• Geodetic - Decimal Degrees (Latitude and Longitude)

Select and Map the Required Entities

The purpose of the mapping process is to allow you to match the appropriate fields within iBase to the
fields used for specific functions within iBase Plate Analysis. By providing a specific Plate Analysis
configuration, you are not restricted to a rigid schema for your Plate Analysis entity. With the
exception of the data fields that must be present to allow iBase Plate Analysis to work, you are free to
add or remove fields in the Plate Analysis entity as required.
There are two distinct data areas from which the fields need to be selected:
• Data specific to the selected Plate Analysis entity
• Data specific to the entities that can be used as events for Geographical Profiling, appropriate
entities could be crimes or incidents, for example

Plate Analysis Entity

The first task is to select an entity to represent ALPR reads. This must have fields for the following
items:

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 223

 • VRM
• Date
• Time
• Camera ID
• Capture ID (optional unless you want to use “Retrieving Images” on page 220)
• Location coordinates (two fields for Easting and Northing, or Latitude and Longitude, depending on
the selected coordinate system).

Plate Analysis Entity Data

ALPR specific data is:

Field Used for

Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) The number or licence plate value captured by
the ALPR camera
Date The date of the ALPR camera read
Time The time of the ALPR camera read
Camera ID An identifier for the ALPR camera that captured
the VRM
Capture ID A unique identifier for the specific ALPR read
X coordinate The X coordinate of the camera location
Y coordinate The Y coordinate of the camera location

Note: Because of the potentially high number of Plate Analysis records, and the limited number of
Plate Analysis specific fields, the X and Y coordinates for the Plate Analysis entity must be held in the
Plate Analysis entity itself, and not in a separate dedicated location entity. This is not the case for
event entities; events can have the location stored in a specified linked entity.

Event Entity
You can map more than one entity as an event to be used for Geographical Profiling. The appropriate
entity can be selected by the user when running the Geographical Profiling tool.
Note: If you do not specify any event entities, you will not be able to use Geographical Profiling,
however the other iBase Plate Analysis functions will work as normal.

Event Entity Data

Events must have the following fields mapped:

Field Used for

From Date The start date of the event
From Time The start time of the event
To Date The end date of the event
To Time The end time of the event

224 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Field Used for
X coordinate The X coordinate of the event. This location can
be on another iBase entity such as a dedicated
location entity
Y coordinate The Y coordinate of the event. This location can
be on another iBase entity such as a dedicated
location entity

Note: The X and Y coordinates of the event can be taken either from the event entity itself or from a
linked location entity. Many iBase schemas are designed to hold all location/address data, regardless
of the originating entity type, in a single location entity. An example of this would be a particular entity
that is designed to hold personal addresses, business addresses, and event addresses.

Apply the Configuration

When you have selected a coordinate system and mapped all the required fields, click the Apply
button to save the configuration.

Optimize the Database for Plate Analysis

The final step in configuration is to click the Optimize button. This creates an index in the database
that can be used to quickly locate data. This index is used for both “Convoy Analysis” on page 216
and “Geographical Profiling” on page 215 and improves the performance of both functions.
Note: The time taken to create the index will depend heavily on the amount of data; more data will
take longer to index.
Once you have optimized the database, you will not be able to remove the Plate Analysis entity from
the database schema directly in iBase Designer. In the unlikely event that you do need to remove the
Plate Analysis entity from the database schema, you will need to remove the associated date field
first, and then delete the entity. Leave the entity configured as the Plate Analysis entity until after it
has been deleted.

IBM i2 iBase GIS Interfaces

You can use IBM® i2® iBase Geographic Information System Interfaces (GIS) to connect to mapping
applications. You can plot entities and links to maps and then analyze them visually using the analysis
tools in the mapping application.
Sets and queries can be passed back to iBase for further analysis, and entities and links can be sent to
and from IBM® i2® Analyst's Notebook®.
Entities and links are plotted on the map by using geocode data, in the form of x and y coordinates.
Extra data can be sent to the mapping application, and data can be displayed using icons or symbols,
and labels.
Note: This option is only available if you install the IBM® i2® iBase Geographic Information System
Interfaces (GIS) extended option. In addition, your database administrator might need to initialize
your database before you can send data to a map or use a mapping configuration.
When you have iBase GIS Interfaces installed, and configured you can send and select data on maps
from various places in iBase and Analyst's Notebook. Whenever you add data to a map or select data
on a map, you need to select a mapping configuration.
The following options are available:

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 225

 Adding new data to a map
Use Add to Map to send records to a map, whether selected from an iBase list, set, or in the
results of an iBase query or on an Analyst's Notebook chart. If the records are merged in Analyst's
Notebook, all of the merged records are plotted individually.
Selecting existing items on a map
To select items that have already been sent to a map, select the entities or links in iBase, for
example by creating a set or a query, and then use Select on Map. All of the selected entities and
links represented by map items will be selected on the map. If the entity you select is a merged
chart item, all of the merged records will be selected on the map.
Entities and links without geocode can also be selected, but since they are not plotted to the map,
they do not appear selected. To view them, display the mapping application data table.
When the iBase GIS Interfaces are installed, you can access the mapping features from the following
places in iBase:
• The Add to Map and Select on Map commands on the menu for entity and link records, queries,
and sets.
Note: Some mapping applications do not support the Select on Map command.
• The Analysis > Mapping menu.
• The Add to Map toolbar button.
• The Functions > Mapping in the database Explorer.
Mapping commands are also available in IBM i2 Analyst's Notebook.
All supported mapping applications provide a set of iBase functions that:
• Show iBase records for map items.
• Create iBase sets.
• Create iBase queries based on the entities and links within the selected area of the map.
• Add or expand map items to an Analyst's Notebook chart.
In addition, in some mapping applications, you are able to display a density grid to highlight
concentrations of items on the map.
Note: iBase GIS Interfaces Log.txt records the number of records that are processed by
iBase GIS Interfaces, how many were plotted on a map, and how many were ignored because of
missing data. The file is created in the folder: C:\Documents and Settings\<your username>
\Local Settings\Temp, and is overwritten each time you send data to the mapping application.

Setting up mapping configurations

You can configure how entities and links from iBase are to be plotted to a map by defining a mapping
configuration. You can create many different mapping configurations to reflect the different ways you
want to plot your data. Mapping configurations are stored with your iBase database.

About this task

Before you can send data to a map, you must select a mapping configuration. A mapping configuration
defines how entities and links from iBase are to be plotted to a map. They define:
• Some details of the map you are using, such as the units, and minimum and maximum coordinates.
• How geocode data is provided. For more information, see “Geocode data” on page 230.
• How map items are displayed (either as icons or points).

226 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

• Whether labels are required and which labeling scheme to use.
• Whether extra data is required by the mapping application.

Procedure
To set up a mapping configuration:
1. Select Format > Mapping Configurations.
2. On the General page, select the mapping application and enter details of the map.
a) From the Mapping application list, select the mapping application to which you want to send
your data.
b) Define the coordinates of the map that you want to use:

Option Description
Offset An offset is the difference between the origin
(0, 0) position of the x and y coordinates in
your geocode data and the origin used by the
map. For example, if your coordinates are
based on an origin of Washington but the map
uses an origin of New York, then the offset is
the difference between Washington and New
York. Offsets must be specified in the units
that are used in your geocode data and are
multiplied by the factor. The default offset is
0.
Factor Where the units in your geocode data differ
from the units that are used by the map a
factor is applied to scale the x and y
coordinates up or down. For example, if your
coordinates are in kilometers but the map is
in meters enter a factor of 1000. The default
factor is 1.
Min. The minimum x and y coordinates specify the
minimum values for the x and y coordinates.
Any entities or links with coordinates outside
the minimum values are not sent to the map.
The default minimum value for x and y
coordinates is -999999999.
Max. Similarly, the maximum x and y coordinates
specify the maximum values for the x and y
coordinates. Any entities or links with
coordinates inside the maximum values are
sent to the map. The default maximum value
for x and y coordinates is 999999999.
c) To display item labels, turn on Display labels. The default is not to display labels. For more
information about selecting a labeling scheme, see “Changing the display of map items” on
page 231.
3. Define where coordinates are going to be stored:
• If coordinates are stored directly in a record, no further action is required.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 227

 • If coordinates are calculated by converting address details in the mapping application, turn on
Send non-geocoded data.
• If coordinates are held in a separate database rather than as part of the record details, click the
Geocoding tab to enter its details. See “Storing coordinates in a geocoding database” on page
229.
4. On the Entities tab, set the entity types that contain mapping information, and how to handle that
information.
For more information, see “Configuring how entities are plotted on maps” on page 228.
5. On the Links as Points tab, set the link types that contain mapping information, and how to handle
that information.
For more information, see “Configuring how links are plotted on maps” on page 229.
6. Click Save.

Configuring how entities are plotted on maps

Entities can be added to maps. Before you can add entity information to a map, you must define how
the mapping application handles that entity type.

Procedure
1. Select the entity types to plot.
2. To define the source of the geocoding data, click the name of the entity type and select
• If your coordinates are stored in the entity, click Location Fields and then select the fields that
provide the x and y coordinates.
• If your coordinates are stored in a linked entity, click Location Entity and then select the link to
the link type that contains the x and y coordinates.
• If a geocoding database provides the coordinates, click Geocoding Fields and then select the
fields in the entity or link that are used to match the records to the geocoding database.
• If the mapping application provides the geocode data, you don't need to specify anything.
For more information, see “Geocode data” on page 230.
3. To display links between plotted entities, turn on Display links. For links to be displayed on a map,
they must exist in the database and must be included in the selected data, for example a query or
set.
Note: Displaying links between plotted entities is not the same as plotting links on a map as
points. To display links between plotted entities no coordinates need to be provided because the
entities themselves provide the locations of the link ends. Links plotted as points, however, require
geocode data to locate them.
4. Click Plot Style to configure the display of entities as icons or points, and to select a labeling
scheme.
For more information, see “Changing the display of map items” on page 231.
5. If you need to send additional data to the map, click Extra Fields to select the required fields.
For more information, see “Sending extra data to the mapping application” on page 230.

228 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Configuring how links are plotted on maps
Links are configured in the same way as entities, except that you cannot plot links by using a linked
entity to provide the geocode data.

About this task

Coordinates can be added to links from:
• Coordinate fields stored in the link.
• A geocoding database.
• Geocoding defined in the mapping application.

Procedure
To configure how links are plotted on maps:
1. Click the Links as Points tab to display the Links as Points page. All of the link types available in
the database are displayed.
2. Select the link types that you want to plot.
3. If you need to define the source of the geocoding data, click the link type and then select:
• Location Fields - If your coordinates are stored in a link, and then select the fields that provide
the x and y coordinates.
• Geocoding Fields - If your coordinates are provided by a geocoding database, and then select
the fields in the entity or link that match the records to the geocoding database.
4. Click Plot Style to configure the display of links as icons or points, and to select a labeling scheme.
See “Changing the display of map items” on page 231.
5. If you need to send more data to the map, click Extra Fields to select the required fields. See
“Sending extra data to the mapping application” on page 230.

Storing coordinates in a geocoding database

You can use a geocoding database to store coordinate data that map to address data in your
database. The geocoding database can be stored either in an iBase instance, or Microsoft Access. This
enables you to plot entities and links without having to manually define coordinates in your database.

Procedure
To specify a geocoding database:
1. In the DB path\name box specify the database that contains the geocode data or browse for it.
The geocoding database must be either an iBase database or a Microsoft Access database.
2. From the Table name drop-down list, select the name of the database table that contains the
geocode data.
3. From the X drop-down list, select the field in the geocoding table containing the x coordinates to
be copied to the corresponding field for matching entities and links.
4. From the Y drop-down list, select the field in the geocoding table containing the y coordinates to
be copied to the corresponding field for matching entities and links
5. Specify fields to accurately locate an entity or link. Typically two fields are required for this. If
necessary, fields 3, 4, and 5 can be used to select other geocoding table fields to match with entity
or link fields:
a) From the Field 1 drop-down list, select the first field to be used to match the entity or link field
to the corresponding field in the geocoding table.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 229

 b) From the Field 2 drop-down list, select the second field to be used to match the entity or link
field to the corresponding field in the geocoding table.

Geocode data
Geocode data can be stored in a number of locations. To ensure that coordinates are detected and
processed correctly, they need to be provided in a supported format.
There are four methods of providing geocode data (x and y coordinates):
• Two fields that contain x and y coordinates can be stored in the entity or link.
• Geocode data can be stored in a linked entity. For example, a person entity that has no geocode
data can be linked to a crime entity that does contain x and y coordinates.
• Geocode data can be located in a geocoding database. For example, an entity or link might contain
fields for the town and street name. When these fields are matched in a geocoding database, the x
and y coordinates are supplied, enabling the entity or link to be plotted to the map.
• Non-geocoded data can be sent to a map and then positioned by using a geocoding database set up
in the mapping application. For more information, see “Setting up mapping configurations” on page
226 for details.
You can use a mixture of these methods.

Storing coordinates in records

If the geocode data for your entities or links are stored in the entity or link record, you need to set the
fields that store coordinates in the mapping configuration.

Procedure
1. In the mapping configuration, click the Entities or Links as Points tab to display the appropriate
page.
2. Click the name of the entity or link type and then click Location Fields.
3. From the X and Y lists, select the fields in the entity or link.
Note: Ignore the Address and Extra boxes. These fields are provided for compatibility with earlier
versions of iBase. If you need to supply extra data to the mapping application, use the extra fields.
For more information, see “Sending extra data to the mapping application” on page 230.
4. Click OK to continue.

Sending extra data to the mapping application

Extra fields can be used in the mapping application, for example to apply different labels and symbols
to map items or as address data for geocoding. You can send up to 10 extra fields for each entity or
link type.

Procedure
To configure entity and link types to send extra fields of data from your database:
1. Select Format > Mapping Configurations.
2. Select the mapping configuration. See “Setting up mapping configurations” on page 226.
3. Click the Entities or Links as Points tab to display the appropriate page.
4. Click the entity or link type that contains the required data.
5. Click Extra Fields.

230 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 6. To add an extra field, select the field from the Available fields list and click > to move it to the
Selected fields list.

Results
The fields are displayed in the mapping application in the order in which they are listed.

Storing coordinates in linked entities

If the geocode data for your entities or links are stored in a linked entity record, you need to specify
the record type that store coordinates in the mapping configuration.

Procedure
1. In the mapping configuration, click the Entities tab to display the Entities page.
2. Click the name of the entity type and then click Location Entity.
3. From the list, select the link type to the entity type that contains the geocode data.
4. Select the entity type at the link end that contains the geocode data.
Note: To identify the coordinates, ensure that this entity type is added to the mapping
configuration. For more information, see “Storing coordinates in records” on page 230.
5. Click OK.

Storing data in a geocoding database

You can store coordinate data in a separate geocoding database.

Procedure
1. In the mapping configuration, click the Entities or Links as Points tab to display the appropriate
page.
2. Click the name of the entity type and then click Geocoding Fields.
Note: To use geocoding fields, you must configure a geocoding database in the mapping
configuration. For more information, see “Storing coordinates in a geocoding database” on page
229.
3. From the lists, select the fields in your database to match entities and links to the geocoding
database fields.
4. Click OK to continue.

Changing the display of map items

You can configure whether map items display as icons or points and specify the labeling scheme.
Each entity or link type can use different style and labeling settings.

About this task

You cannot change the style of associated links that are plotted as a result of turning on Display Links
on the Entities page of the mapping configuration. This type of link is always plotted as a simple line.

Procedure
To configure the display options for mapped items:
1. Click the Entities or Links as Points tab, then click Plot Style.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 231

 2. To configure the style of map items:
a) Click the Style tab, and select either Point or Icon. The default is Icon.
• Icon - To plot entities, and links plotted as points, that use the default iBase icon for the
entity type. When you are plotting links as points, you need to select an icon from the list.
Each link type can use a different icon.
• Point - To use a symbol to plot entities and links.
b) If you select Point, select the type of symbol and its color.
c) Select a size for the icon or point from the Size list. The default is 15.
Note: To enhance performance, mapping applications cache icon files on startup. Therefore, to
view any newly configured icons the mapping application must be restarted.
3. To configure the labeling of map items:
a) Click Label, and from the Labeling scheme list, select the labeling scheme to use. The default
is the iBase default labeling scheme.
b) Select the type of label:
• Standard label - To use the label style used within iBase.
• Chart label - To use the label style that is defined for use in Analyst's Notebook.
Note: By default labels are not displayed on the map. To turn on the display of labels, click the
General tab in the mapping configuration and select Display Labels.

Identifying records without geocode data

When an iBase record has no geocode data, it can be sent to the mapping application, but it cannot be
plotted on a map. If these items are identified, you can determine whether the mapping configuration
is incorrect, or if the items are being sent in error.

Procedure
To identify the iBase records that are missing geocode data:
1. Select the mapping configuration.
For more information, see “Setting up mapping configurations” on page 226.
2. Click the General tab, turn on Send non-geocoded data, and then click Save.
3. Send the data to the mapping application.
A log file is displayed listing how many records were ignored.
4. To locate these items, look in the mapping application data table.

Removing temporary mapping files

Depending on the amount of data, and how frequently you send data to mapping applications, a large
amount of disk space may be used by data mapping files. You should remove the data mapping files
that accumulate in your temporary directory .

Procedure
Select Analysis > Mapping > Clean Up.
The Clean Up option only removes the files generated by the interfaces that are installed on your
machine.

232 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Coordinates in iBase
To plot an entity or link on a map, you need to enter coordinate values in two fields that have been set
up for this purpose. Your GIS package will have been configured to interpret the values in these fields
so that the data can be plotted in the correct location.
In iBase, you will also be able to store geographic data in a number of formats, which are then
converted, either manually when you enter the record or automatically after an import or using a bulk
conversion. You can also run coordinate queries.

Types of field
The fields used to contain the coordinate data must be defined as Real Number type fields. They may
contain the following types of coordinates:
• Latitude and Longitude values, entered in decimal degrees
• Easting/Northing data, entered in meters
These fields will typically be called Latitude and Longitude or X and Y. If you are not sure which fields
you need to use, move the pointer over the field name to see its tooltip, or speak to your database
administrator.

About converting coordinates to a standard format

When you convert coordinates, they are always converted to decimal degrees of latitude and
longitude, using the WGS 1984 datum (a global standard for plotting geographic locations).
To convert coordinates, the entity type requires a Coordinate type field in addition to fields for the
latitude and longitude. The Coordinate type field must be directly above the latitude and longitude
fields. You enter the coordinates in the Coordinate type field and the coordinates are then
automatically converted and displayed in the latitude and longitude field.
The original coordinate value is stored so that it can be searched for, and for audit purposes.
Note: The conversion process will change longitude values greater than 180 to their equivalent
negative value in order that they can be plotted correctly.

Converting single coordinates

Depending on your data sources, you may need to convert coordinates into a standard format so the
records can be plotted on a map. Converted coordinates are always stored as decimal degrees against
the WGS 1984 datum.
Use the:
• Coordinate Conversion dialog (described below) to convert the coordinates in a single record
• Bulk Coordinate Conversion dialog (described in “Converting Coordinates in bulk” on page 235) to
convert the coordinates in a database, set or query
Note:
You can only convert coordinates if there is a Coordinate type field followed directly by two other
fields for the latitude and longitude (Real Number fields). These two fields will contain the converted
coordinate values. The first field, stores the original coordinate before conversion.
See “Coordinates in iBase” on page 233 for further background information.
See “Supported coordinate systems” on page 236 for further information on converting data to the
coordinate system standard to your organization. This topic also describes the rules that are applied
when converting coordinates.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 233

 Converting coordinates directly
You can enter the coordinates and convert them immediately by:
• Typing the value in the Coordinate type field and then pressing the Tab key twice to move to the
next field. The conversion takes place automatically.
If the value is not recognized, you will see an error message. In this case:

1. Click to the right of the Coordinate type field to display the Coordinate Conversion dialog. If
the format is recognized, the correct coordinate system is automatically selected.
2. Select the datum of the original coordinates if they do not use the WGS 1984 standard.
3. Click Preview. The converted coordinates are displayed, in the Standard Format area, in decimal
degrees using the WGS 1984 standard.
4. Click OK to accept the values.

Entering coordinates using the Coordinate Conversion dialog

1. Click the button to the right of the Coordinate type field to display the Coordinate Conversion
dialog.
2. Select the required coordinate system.
The boxes in the middle of the dialog will be updated to reflect the kind of data that the selected
format requires.
3. Enter the values in the relevant boxes, and select any options that are required to identify the
location, for example Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere or N/S and E/W.
Note: You can also click Clear to delete any entered values and start again.
4. Select the datum of the original coordinates if they do not use the WGS 1984 standard.
5. Click Preview to display the converted coordinates in decimal degrees in the Standard Format
area.
If the value is not recognized, or in the incorrect format, an error message is displayed.
6. Click OK to accept the values.

If you do not know which coordinate system to use

If you have some coordinates but are unable to enter them directly because you do not know which
coordinate system to use:

1. Click the button to the right of the Coordinate type field (above the two coordinate value
fields). The Coordinate Conversion dialog is displayed.
2. From the Coordinate System list, select Auto Detect.
3. In the Coordinates box, enter the coordinate values.
4. Click Preview. If the values are in a legitimate format, the coordinate system will be automatically
selected.
5. Click OK to accept the values.

234 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Converting Coordinates in bulk
To ensure that all the records that store coordinate data have a complete set of coordinates in a
consistent format, you use the Bulk Coordinate Converter dialog.
All coordinates are converted to decimal degrees against the WGS 1984 standard. Converting your
coordinates enables you to:
• Use the data in the Coordinate field to insert or update latitudes and longitudes (as decimal
degrees). This allows records to be plotted on maps or for records to be included in coordinate
queries.
• Use the data in the latitude and longitude fields to insert or update the coordinate field value. You
may want to do this to ensure that your data is complete.
You can specify how the update is applied. You can also save a list of records that fail to update, for
example because of insufficient data, in a set for review later.
Note: You can only convert coordinates if there is a Coordinate type field followed directly by two
other fields for the latitude and longitude (Real Number fields). These two fields will contain the
converted coordinate values. The first field, stores the original coordinate before it is converted.
See “Coordinates in iBase” on page 233 for further background information.
Note: See “Supported coordinate systems” on page 236 for further information on converting data to
the coordinate system standard to your organization. This topic also describes the rules that are
applied when converting coordinates.

To convert coordinates
1. Decide on the scope of the bulk conversion. For example, you can convert all the records in the
database or you can restrict the conversion to the records in a query or set. You will convert only
the records that you have access to.
2. To track which records converted successfully, you can create sets that you can review later:
• To obtain a list of failures, turn on the Add records that failed to update check box, and enter
the details of the set.
• To obtain a list of successes, turn on the Add successfully updated records check box, and
enter the details of the set.
3. Click Next to continue.
4. In the Update area, specify whether you are updating latitudes and longitudes or the coordinate
field value as explained in detail below.
5. Select the datum of the original coordinates if they do not use WGS 1984. The datum you select
will be remembered for the next time you use the Bulk Coordinate Converter dialog.
6. Click Next to continue.
7. Depending on the coordinate system:
a. For UTM or UPS coordinates where the hemisphere is not specified, select North or South.
b. For BNG coordinates, select the precision that you want to use (see “Supported coordinate
systems” on page 236 for details).
8. Click Convert to apply the conversion.

Updating latitudes and longitudes

You can automatically update latitudes and longitudes if the records have a value in the Coordinate
type field, which will enable you to plot these records on maps.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 235

 Select the Update latitude and longitude field values option and then decide on the scope of the
update:

Option Update scope

Only if both the fields are blank Select this option to update only those records
that are missing both the longitude and latitude.
Only if either one or both the fields are blank Select this option to update any records with a
missing latitude, missing longitude or both.
Always Select this option to update all records, including
records that already have a latitude and
longitude.

Updating the coordinate field value

You can automatically update the Coordinate type field if the records have latitudes and longitudes,
which were entered either manually or by importing.
Select the Update coordinate field values option and then decide on the scope of the update:

Option Update scope

Only if the field is blank Select this option to update only records without
a value in the Coordinate type field.
Always Select this option to update all records, including
those that already have a value in the Coordinate
type field. For example, you might want to do this
after editing a series of latitudes and longitudes.

Supported coordinate systems

There is a wide range of formats in which you can enter coordinate data. Be aware of the following
points when you are using any of the following coordinate systems.

Military Grid Reference System

MGRS coordinates with less that the prescribed five-digit northing and easting values are accepted by
iBase, but these low-precision values represent a large square surface area. For conversion purposes,
the upper left corner of their effective area is used.
For example, 40UCE11 and BCE11 are interpreted, for conversion purposes, as being identical to
40UCE1000010000 and BCE1000010000.

British National Grid

BNG coordinates with better than 1-meter accuracy are not supported when automatically converting
coordinates in bulk. You can choose one of the following options:
• Treat as conversion failure: the conversion is skipped so that you can review the record and update
the coordinates as required.
• Round to nearest meter: this conversion automatically rounds the coordinate down to the nearest
meter.

236 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Due to the potential for overlap with Degrees, BNG coordinates that fall within 0, 0 and 360, 360 are
not recognized. If you want to enter coordinates in this area, use a zone letter. For example,
SV0030000300.

Decimal Degrees
Latitude and longitude must be within the range 90 - 90 and 180 - 360.
The flags N, S, E, and W can be replaced by words (North, South, East, and West) when this format is
used: 01.00°X, and 02.00°Y. These values are not case-sensitive.

Decimal Minutes
Decimal minutes is not a natively supported system, so all decimal minutes formats are converted to
decimal degrees and stored in the decimal degrees format.
Latitude and longitude must be within the range 90°S to 90°N and 180°W to 360°E.
The flags N, S, E, W can be replaced by words (North, South, East, and West) for the following formats
(these values are not case-sensitive):
• 01° 02.00’X, and 03° 04.00’Y
• 01°02.00’X, and 03°04.00’Y
The characters that are assigned as the degree and minutes representations must remain constant for
a single set of coordinates. For example:
• 56°45’N 32°14’W is valid.
• 56°45’N 32D14MW is not valid.
As a minimum, there must be a single character between the degrees and minutes if you omit the
degree representation for the following formats:
• -01°02.00’, and -03°04.00’
• 01°02.00’X, and 03°04.00’Y
• X01°02.00’, and Y03°04.00’
If not using the degree representation, use a space instead. For example:
• -1234 8221.4 is not valid.
• -12 34 82 21.4 is valid.
Important: Decimal minutes formatted as minutes are not supported. For example, it is not valid to
format 03° 04.00’Y as 184.00’Y.

Degrees Minutes Seconds

Latitude and longitude must be within the range 90°S to 90°N, and 180°W to 360°E.
The flags N, S, E, and W can be replaced by the words (North, South, East, and West) for the following
formats (these values are not case-sensitive):
• 01° 02' 03.00"X, and 04° 05' 06.00"Y
• 01°02'03.00"X, and 04°05'06.00"Y
As a minimum, there must be a single character between the degrees and minutes if you omit the
degree or minute representations for the following formats:
• -01°02'03.00", and -04°05'06.00"

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 237

 • 01°02'03.00"X, and 04°05'06.00"Y
• X01°02'03.00", and Y04°05'06.00"
If not using the degree or minute representation, use a space instead. For example:
• 123443.6 822113.8 is not valid.
• -12 34 43.6 82 21 13.8 is valid.

Universal Polar Stereographic

The easting and northing values are interchangeable if E or N is used. If neither E or N is used, then
the first number is assumed to be the easting value. For example, the following are all valid and
represent the same point:
• 2,500,000mE 1,850,000mN
• 1,850,000 2,500,000mE
• 2500000 1850000
If easting and northing are swapped over, the final character on E must be “E” and the final character
on N must be “N”. Neither of these values are case-sensitive.

iBase Audit Viewer

You can use the Audit Viewer to view the audit entries for a database that has already been configured
for auditing. The physical form and location of logs is different for security files, Microsoft Access
databases, and SQL Server databases.

Types of audit log

Use Audit Viewer to view the audit logs for security files and databases:
• Security file logs record the opening of databases, failed logon attempts, and a range of
administrative actions such as creating templates, and managing users and groups.
• Database logs record all the requested actions within databases, and the closing of databases.
Actions are recorded regardless of origin: users can request database actions from IBM i2 iBase
Designer, IBM i2 iBase, IBM i2 Analyst’s Notebook, or third party mapping applications. You can
inspect logs for several databases provided that those databases are managed through the same
security file.

Monitoring database usage

Audit Viewer helps you monitor usage of iBase databases and commands. For example, you can find:
• Failed logons.
• Microsoft Access to databases by unexpected users or at unusual times.
• Use of commands that send data outside of iBase: to a printer, to a file, or to an external application
such as Analyst’s Notebook or a mapping application.
• History of changes to single iBase entity or link records and who made them (if you log historical
information).

About actions
Audit logs are potentially very large files, which the viewer displays as a grid of rows and columns,
where each row represents an action on a database or security file and each column provides a

238 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 different piece of information about an action. Much of Audit Viewer is designed to provide ways to
identify and arrange actions (the rows) that are interesting or related in some way.
You can:
• Print the displayed actions
• Export the actions to a file for further analysis using a spreadsheet, database, or other visualization
tool
• Archive them to a standalone database file

Opening an audit log

When you log on to iBase Audit Viewer, you open a security file that defines the permissions for the
user account to which you are logged on. When your credentials are recognized, you can select the
type of log you would like to view.

Procedure
1. When you have started Audit Viewer, select Logon to log on to a security file without opening a log
or archive.
2. Select one of the following commands from the File menu:
Option Description
Open Database Log File Displays the database log for viewing.
View Security Log Displays the security log for viewing.
Open Archive File Displays an archive of an audit log.
Open SQL Server Archive Opens the SQL Server archive database.
Note: You must specify a valid archive database and not a standard
iBase database.

The viewer opens each log or archive in a separate window with a title bar matching the title of the
log or archive. You can maximize the window within the application window. On opening each log
or archive, the viewer displays all of the logged actions today, meaning the day of viewing the log.
Note: Slight differences in the contents of the window occur depending on whether database logs,
security file logs, or archives are viewed.
The grid displays the audit log data, one logged action on each row. For database logs, the columns
in the grid are:

Date The date and time of the action.

User The iBase logon name of the user for the action.
Action The action, such as Database Opened or
Record Added. Double-click the action to
display the detail.
Record ID The iBase record identifier, if the action
referred to an individual record, or blank if the
action refers to multiple records as the result of
a bulk import. If Audit History is turned on,
double-clicking the record ID displays the
history of that record.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 239

 Extra Detail The contents of a field chosen by the database
designer if the action referred to a specific
record.

Location The location of the user performing the action.

Note: The location for the user is recorded at
the time the log entry is made. Subsequently,
the location may have been edited, but the log
reflects the correct location at the time of the
action.
Filtering by location will not identify the records
which a user owns (if you are using owner
hyperlink fields), only those records that they
create or update.

Network Login The machine and user identifier of the user

performing the action, as identified by
Microsoft Windows. This uniquely identifies
users who log on using single sign-on rather
than an iBase user account.
Note: The network login is displayed in both
the User and Network Login columns for
changes made outside of iBase as the machine
name cannot be determined for this type of
change.

Detail Information, typically the item affected or

setting changed by the action.
3.

What to do next
You can change the rules used to display the log entries on the Selection Criteria and Actions pages.
To apply your changes, click Refresh.
On the Selection Criteria page, for example:
• You can extend the date range if there is no data shown for today.
• You can view subsets of log data based on various criteria. For example, actions made at a time of
day specified by start and end times, on particular days of the week, or by a specific user.
On the Actions page:
• You can specify which actions are displayed. For example, you might want to know when a database
is opened.
• You can change the type of actions that are available for display by selecting an audit level from the
Display actions for audit level list.
You can use wildcards to include or exclude specific log entries. For example:
• Entering [!user1] in Detail (contains) excludes log entries containing user1 in their Details field.
• Entering [user1] includes these log entries.

240 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Logging on
To log on to the audit viewer:

Procedure
1. From the File menu, select Logon or Logon As.
Select Logon As if you usually log on using your Windows user name and password but on this
occasion want to log on using an iBase user name and password.
2. In the Security File dialog, browse for the security file to open. The file name will end with .ids.
3. Click Open. The Logon dialog may be displayed if you have an iBase user name and password. If
you use your Windows user name and password, then the dialog is only displayed if you are able to
log on as one of several iBase users.
4. If the Logon dialog is displayed:
• either, enter your iBase user name and password
• or, select the iBase user from the list
Tip: to avoid this step in the future, turn on the Remember my selection check box
5. Click OK to open the security file.

Logging on as a different Windows user

Depending how Windows security is set up at your site, you may be prompted to select the user to log
on as. To avoid repeating this step each time you log on, you may have turned on the Remember my
selection check box in the Logon dialog.

Procedure
To cancel this selection:
1. Start iBase, not Audit Viewer.
2. Log on in the usual way (you do not need to open the database).
3. Select Tools > Options.
4. On the General page, turn off the Remember user for Windows single sign-on check box.
5. Log off.
6. Log on to Audit Viewer and you will then be prompted to select the iBase user log on as.

Example of using the audit viewer

You may wish to discover if any user opens a database outside of normal working hours, here taken to
mean between midnight and 09:00.

Procedure
1. Click the Selection Criteria tab to display the Selection Criteria page.
2. Set the date and weekday ranges, time of day, and User ID:
a) In the Between these dates: box, select an appropriate start date. For example, to set a date
two months before today, click to highlight the month part of the date and press the down
arrow key on your keyboard. In the to: box, leave the end date at today’s date
b) In the Between these times: box, enter the time that you want logging to start. For example,
the earliest time you can enter is midnight, which you must enter using the 24-hour system as
00:00:00.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 241

 c) From the On these days: list, select the appropriate days of the week. For example, to look at
all days, leave the setting at its initial value of <All Days>.
d) In the to: time picker to the right, enter the time that you want logging to stop. For example,
normal working hours may start at 9 am, which you must enter using the 24-hour system as
09:00:00.
e) You want to see all users who have opened databases outside of normal working hours so you
can leave the value in the User box as <Any User>, which is the default. You could use
wildcards in this and other text boxes.
This set of rules will find all the users who have performed a logged action in the date and time
ranges you have set. The grid does not change automatically.
3. Click Refresh to find the log entries matching these rules.
4. You can filter the log entries by selecting one or more actions. For example, you can only view the
actions when a database is opened:
a) Click the Actions tab to display the Actions page. When you first open a log, this page lists all
possible actions for the current audit level.
b) Click Clear All to turn off all actions.
c) Turn on only the Database Opened check box.
This sets all the necessary rules. The grid does not change automatically.
5. Click Refresh to display actions based on all the rules that you have specified. The matching
results are displayed in the grid.

Working with log entries

The log entries can be sorted to make locating specific entries easier.
To navigate through the log entries displayed in the grid, you can:
• Use the scroll bars to scroll horizontally or vertically
• Click any cell in the grid then use the Page Up and Page Down keys
You can also display additional information:
• Double-click anywhere on the row of the log entry to display the log entry in the Audit Entry Detail
dialog.
• To display the history of the record, double-click on the row with the Record Modified or Code List
Modified action.

Copying text
To copy text from any of the boxes in the dialog, select the required text, right-click anywhere in that
box, and from the shortcut menu, select Copy. (You can also press Ctrl+C.)

Sorting the log entries

To sort the log entries displayed in the grid, select the appropriate sort column from the Sort Order
list.

Exporting the log entries

You can select Action > Export to export the displayed log entries to a comma separated value text
file (.csv file). This can then be read into a spreadsheet or other visualization tool.
Note: The audit history is not exported.

242 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Printing the log entries
You can select Action > Print to print the log entries displayed in the grid.
Note:
• The audit history is not printed.
• Log entries are printed using Landscape layout.
• You may find that the contents of the Detail column wrap around to the beginning of the next line.

Deleting and archiving the log entries

The only way to delete selected data from the audit log is to create an archive. If you no longer require
the data you have placed in the archive, you can then delete the archive file.
Note: For SQL Server databases, you can back up the whole archive database and then delete it. An
empty archive database will then be created the next time a user performs an auditable action.

Inspecting logs for different audit levels

When you start Audit Viewer, it displays all possible actions for the current audit level.

About this task

To see fewer types of logged actions:
• Select any value shown in the Actions for audit level list and click Refresh.

Procedure
If the audit level is now lower than it was in the past, the viewer will not show the actions logged for
higher audit levels. To vary this behavior:
1. Click the Actions tab to display the Actions page.
2. Select the maximum value from the Display actions for Audit Level list.
3. Click Refresh.
Note: If the viewer shows more actions, at least part of the log was recorded at a higher audit
level.

Viewing audit histories

In SQL Server databases, you may be able to view the history of the changes made to records in the
database provided your database is set up to use Audit History. How far back the history goes
depends on how frequently your system administrator archives this data. iBase has a similar Audit
History facility.
To display the audit history, double-click on the entry with a Record Modified action to display the
details of the changes in the Audit History dialog.
You can now filter the records that are displayed by user, entity and link type, and by time, or you can
extend the selection to include other records of interest.
Note: In a database set to audit level 5, the number of times the records have been viewed, but not
edited, is displayed in the Views column.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 243

 Selecting records of interest
To select further records of interest, click Select in the top right of the Audit History dialog to display
the Select dialog.
To display all records touched by a specific user:
• In the Records to display area, select All records used by and select the user name from the list. The
selected user name will be displayed as a reminder in the top left of the Audit History dialog.
To filter by entity and link types:
• In the Types to display area, turn off or on the entity or link type check boxes of the entities and link
types.
Note: Only types with records in your selection are listed, and the records for a selected type are
displayed only when the appropriate check box is turned on.
To filter by time:
• In the Time period to display area, select a time period.

Changing what's shown in the edit history area

The entries in the edit history area can be displayed in a variety of ways:
1. Make sure that by all users is selected from the Show Edits drop-down list.
2. Turn on or off the following options:
• Show Headers to hide or show the shaded line that displays either the date/time/user name or
the field name. You cannot expand and collapse when this option is turned off.

• to expand the complete history.

• to collapse the complete history and display just the headers.

• Audit groups the entries by the name of the user who worked on the record and when they were
created, updated or deleted.
• Field groups the entries by the data that has been added, updated or deleted. Click again to sort
in ascending or descending order by date edited.
• Edits displays a history of the changes to the record (only available if the database is set to audit
level 5)
• Views displays a history of who viewed the record and when (only available if the database is set
to audit level 5)
In the edit history area, you can filter the edits to those made by a specific user — filtering by user
makes the other display options unavailable:
• Select Show Edits > user_name The users on this list are selected by clicking Select in the top right
of the Audit History dialog.

Copying the edit history

Click Copy to copy all the information shown in the History of edits area to the Windows clipboard.
Note: You cannot copy image and document fields.

244 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Description of the columns in the history of edits area
The history of edits area shows information on the changes made to the selected record:

Information shown... Description

Field Name The old and current values.
Edited by The logon name of the user who made the change.
Date Edited The date and time of the change.
Reason If required by the database, the reason given by the user for making the
change.
OS User The Windows name of the user made the change.
Machine Name The machine that the user was working on.
Location The location as entered in the User Information dialog.
iBase Change When this check box is turned off, the update was made outside iBase (and
Audit Viewer may be unable to determine the machine name).
Extra Detail You may see an additional Extra Detail column that displays additional
information for the current record.
Note: For information on how an administrator can set up the audit log to
record extra detail, see the Administration Center.

Additional historical data

Additional data may be shown for each record. This may include:
• the name of the icon if an alternate icon is assigned to the record
• the icon color (which will be blank if the standard icon color is used)
• the record status (applicable only if Soft Delete is used). The record status may be Soft Deleted,
Normal (because the record has been soft deleted or restored), and Purged.
• Security Classification, the old and new SC code (if this feature is used and if you have authority to
view this information)
Some information may be displayed that you do not usually see, such as the date the record was
created and the record ID.

Viewing code list histories

On the Selection Criteria page, double-click on the Code List Modified action to view the changes to a
pick list, icon list or SCC list.
Details could include:
• old and new values
• old and new descriptions
• old and new parent pick lists, for filtered pick lists
All the changes made in the same session are grouped together by user name, date and time. As there
may be several pages of changes, you can print the list or save it as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or
PDF file. How far back the history goes depends on how frequently your system administrator
archives this data.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 245

 Note: Changes to code lists are only logged if the database is an SQL Server database and audit
history is turned on. To find out whether the database logs audit history, check the setting of the Audit
History check box in the Database Properties dialog.

Working with security logs

The security log lists the transactions of interest. To open a security log, select File > View Security
Log.
There are two possibilities:
• The log is displayed immediately. (This is the log for the security file to which you are currently
logged on.)
• A Security File browser is displayed where you can locate and open a security file. Audit Viewer
opens a security log once you have successfully logged on to the security file.
Compared to working with a database log, there are some minor differences:
• The grid does not contain columns for record IDs or extra detail because these columns are relevant
only to specific records, for which the security log does not record actions.
• The Selection Criteria page has fewer controls. The unavailable controls are those relevant only to
specific records.
• The Actions page lists different actions and you cannot change the audit level. The extra actions are
those relevant to database and security operations: compacting, converting, and upsizing
databases; creating databases and templates; managing users and groups; and failed logon
attempts.
• You can only sort by date (in the Sort Order list).

Creating an active audit log report

You can take the audit log that you have open, and convert it into a report. The database audit log can
be printed, or exported into a file format for your records.

About this task

Depending on the type of audit log that you have open, and the information that you are interested in,
the audit log report will display different information.

Procedure
To create an audit report:
1. In the Audit Viewer, open an audit log and filter the log using the Selection Criteria and Actions to
determine the contents of interest.
If you regularly filter your audit information in the same way, you can save the filtering options as a
Filter, that can be applied in later sessions.
2. To generate the report, click Action > Report.
3. With the report open, you can use the options in the toolbar to:
• Refresh - check for new actions.
• Print - send the report to a printer.
• Export - save the report as a file compatible with Microsoft Excel (*.xlsx), Microsoft Word
(*.docx), or a PDF document.

246 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Archiving audit logs
You can reduce the size of the audit logs and security logs for a database by archiving some of the
records in them. When you create an archive, iBase Audit Viewer writes the log entries to an .idla
file and then deletes the matching results, and audit history, from the audit log.
The format of the archive file depends on the database format:
• For iBase databases in SQL Server format, the audit log is held in a separate SQL Server database,
which must be on a different server.
• For iBase databases in Microsoft Access format, the audit log is held as a password-protected
database file, .idla file, which you can open in Microsoft Access.

Archiving SQL Server databases

You can save the audit log for an iBase SQL Server database to a new SQL Server database on a
different server machine (a linked server). The archived data will no longer be accessible from within
Audit Viewer so you will need the assistance of an SQL Server administrator to retrieve specific log
entries or run reports.

Procedure
To save part of the audit log to a new SQL Server database (and then delete those records from the
audit log):
1. Open the database audit log.
2. Select Action > Archive.
3. From the Linked Server Name list, select the machine on which you want to create the new
database.
4. Enter the name of the new database.
5. Enter the name and password for a user who has permission to create databases on this machine.
6. Enter the cutoff date for the archive. All audit log entries before this date will be deleted from the
audit log.
You cannot inspect archived audit logs in Audit Viewer. Use SQL Server to retrieve records from the
archived audit log.

Archiving Microsoft Access databases

To save data in an iBase Microsoft Access format database, or security file, to an archive file (and then
delete those records from the audit log).

Procedure
1. Open the database audit log or the security log.
2. Select the data that you want to archive.
Important: All the records shown in the grid will be deleted from the database log after archiving.
3. Select Action > Archive.
4. Click Yes to save the displayed records to a new archive file and, when prompted, enter a
descriptive name for the database audit log or security log.
To inspect archived audit logs in Audit Viewer in the same way that you can inspect the original
database or security logs:
5. Select File > Open Archive File and browse for the archive.

Chapter 13. Working with other applications 247

 To find out when the archive was created and the name of database or security log used to create the
archive:
6. Open the archive as described above.
7. Click on the Properties tab to display the Properties page.

248 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment
Configuring the iBase Environment
You may sometimes need to make changes to iBase in order to improve the way you work with the
product.
These changes include, for example:
• Setting session default values for standard fields that are used when you add new entities or links to
the database.
• Adding additional values to code lists.
• Setting the default folder in which folder objects, such as queries, report definitions, and browse
definitions, are saved.
Some changes only apply to the current session, such as session defaults; while other changes last
until you reset them, for example the default folder for folder objects, or which plug-ins are available
on the machine.

Setting Field Values for the Session

Your database designer may have added standard fields to all the entities and links in your database,
these are fields that will be common such as weed date or source document reference. It is these
standard fields that are used in conjunction with session defaults.

About this task

You can set a session default value for any standard field; this adds this same value to a specified field
for each record added during a particular session, whether manually or when importing. For example,
when you open the New Entity dialog, you see these fields' values already set to the default— you can
override the default value if you wish.
You can also specify the default values for fields of the type Security Classification Code and for link
strength.
Note: If you leave iBase and restart, session default values are reset to blank.

Procedure
1. In the Session Defaults dialog, click in the Value column for the row of the field you want to set.
2. Enter or edit the default value, or select a value from the list.

Code Lists
Code lists are the lists that are available when you need to choose from certain predefined values. For
example, for a Person entity type, this could be a list of values for hair or eye color.
There are three types of code list:
• Pick lists (drop-down lists) provide textual values for Selected from Code List or Suggested from
Code List fields.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 249

 Pick lists can be filtered, so that the value selected in one list controls the values available in the list
below it.
• Icon lists provide access to icons, typically an appropriate subset of the icons supplied with iBase.
• SCC lists for use only with the Security Classification Code field type.
Code lists are created by database designers but you may be able to change their contents.

Editing a Pick List

Pick lists, or drop-down lists, determine the values available for selection when using a Suggested
From Code List type field or a Selected From Code List type field. Your system administrator may
restrict who is allowed to edit pick lists.

About this task

Pick lists, and the fields they apply to, are defined in iBase Designer. Filtered lists, where one list is
assigned as the parent of another, are also set up in iBase Designer.
There are two versions of the Pick List dialog, depending on whether the list is filtered or not. Filtered
lists allow you to assign a group of values to one or more values in a parent list.
Note: Some similar fields may use different code lists. The name of a list may indicate what fields it is
used by. For example, a Hair Color list might be used for a Hair Color field in Person entity type
records, and a Vehicle Color list might be used for the Vehicle Color field of a Vehicle entity type.
Although both lists contain lists of colors they are separate pick lists.
When you rename a pick list item in the Pick List dialog, any record containing a field for which that
value had been selected keeps the existing value for the field, that is, keeps the value that was
selected at the time.
If you subsequently edit a record containing a field for which the renamed value had been selected:
• Selected From Code List field types: the old value is still selected and appears at the bottom of the
pick list. The renamed value is also available in the list. Either value can be selected.
• Suggested From Code List field types: the old value is still selected, but does not appear in the list.
Any value can be entered.

Procedure
1. Display the Pick List dialog for the pick list you want to edit. From the Edit menu, select Code Lists,
then Pick Lists, then select the list you want to edit.
2. In the Items list, select an item.
3. To edit the item name, click in the Value column and enter the name. You can press the Esc key to
reset the item to its previous value.
4. To edit the item description, click in the Description column and enter the description. Item
descriptions are optional but can help you to choose the right value when entering data in a record.
5. To add a new item, do one of the following:
• Click on the row below where you want the new item, and then click Insert Row. Enter the
name and description in the new blank row.
• Click in the blank row at the bottom of the list. This adds a new item at the end of the list. You
can then use the Move buttons to move the item to where you want it in the list (unless you are
viewing all the items, in which case you cannot reposition the item manually).

250 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 6. To delete an item, select the row and click Delete. You can also right-click, and from the shortcut
menu, select Delete or press the Delete key. If you delete an item that is assigned to multiple
items, you will be given the option of removing the assignments but leaving the item in the list, or
deleting the item altogether.
7. Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog.

Editing an Icon List

Icon lists determine the icons available for selection when using an Icon type field. The left list
contains all the available icons from the Icon List file as set up by the system administrator.

About this task

The right list contains the icons in this icon list. Your system administrator may restrict who is allowed
to edit icon lists.
• Not all icon fields use the same list. The name of a list may indicate what field(s) it is used by. For
example, the Crime Icon list might be the list for the Icon field of Crime entity type records.
• The icon lists, and the fields they apply to, are defined in the database design.
• The Name may only be changed in iBase Designer.
• Icons can have a different shading color applied on a record by record basis. The icon shading
shown in this dialog is the standard (default) color, which will be used in iBase unless you change it.

Procedure
1. In the Icon List dialog, click the Description box and enter or edit the description. For example, use
this to give a useful hint on where the list is used.
2. Click to select an icon in the left Items list and note its preview to the right of this list. If you want it
to be available in the icon list, click Add to move it to the right list.
3. Click to select an icon in the right list and note its preview to the left of the list. It you want to
remove it from this icon list, click Remove to move it to the left list.
4. Click OK.

Editing an SCC List

Security Classification Code lists determine the options you can select when using a Security
Classification Code type field. Your system administrator may restrict who is allowed to edit SCC lists.

About this task

Note:
• Not all fields of this type use the same list. The name of a list may indicate what fields it is used by.
• The Security Classification Code lists, and the fields they apply to, are defined in the database
design.
• The name may only be changed in iBase Designer.

Procedure
To edit SCC lists:
1. Click the Description box and enter or edit the description. For example, use this to give a useful
hint on where the list is used.

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 251

 2. In the Items list, click to select an item:
a) To start editing the text, click again.
b) To delete the item, right-click and select Delete Item.
Note: Do not edit or delete items that are used in data records.
3. Add a new item using the blank item at the bottom of the list.
4. Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog.
Other users who are logged on to the database will continue to see the old list until they close and
reopen the database, or display the SCC List dialog and then click OK to close it (which updates the
contents of all the lists).

Filtered Pick Lists

Filtered pick lists aid data entry by creating a parent-child relationship between two consecutive pick
lists so that the selection of a value in the parent list limits the values available in the child list to only
those that are relevant or suitable. This can speed up data entry and ensure consistency in the
database.
There are two main reasons for using a filtered pick list:
• It shortens a list that you would otherwise find difficult to use because of the number of items on it.
• It prevents incorrect values from being selected—selecting the value from a first list restricts the
values on a second list to only the values appropriate for the field based on the selected parent
entry.
The child list can be thought of as an amalgamation of several sublists, each one relevant for a single
item in the parent.
Filtered pick lists can be arranged into a hierarchy of any number of levels, such that the value
selected in the first list filters the available values in the second list, and the selected value in the
second list then filters the values available in the third, and so on.
Note:
A filtered pick list may be used elsewhere as an ordinary pick list, when it is not directly beneath its
assigned parent list. In this case, all the values in the list will be available for selection, sorted
alphabetically.
Two consecutive pick lists will not function as parent and child, if they have not been set up to behave
in that way in iBase Designer. In the example above, there are several consecutive drop-down lists for
fields – Vehicle Type, Make, Model, Color, Vehicle Style – but only Make and Model are set up as a
parent-child pick list.
The parent-child relationship between two pick lists is defined in iBase Designer. Groups of items in a
child list are then assigned to an item in the parent list. These assignments can be set up in iBase
Designer but can also be created and edited in iBase by any user with sufficient permissions.
A pick list can only be assigned to a parent list in iBase Designer. Items in the child list may already
have been assigned to parent items in iBase Designer, but you may have permission to do all the
following: reassign items from one parent item to another, remove items altogether and add new
items to both the parent and child list.

252 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Editing Filtered Pick Lists
Pick lists, or drop-down lists, determine the values available for selection when using a Suggested
From Code List type field or a Selected From Code List type field.

About this task

Pick lists can be filtered, such that each value in one pick list can be assigned to one or more values in
a parent list. This improves data entry as it allows available values to be filtered.

Procedure
1. In the Pick List dialog select an item from the Items list.
2. To edit the item name, click in the Value column and enter the name. You can press the Esc key to
reset the item to its previous value.
3. To edit the item description, click in the Description column and enter the description. Item
descriptions are optional but can help you to choose the right value when entering data in a record.
4. To add a new item, do one of the following:
• Click on the row below where you want the new item, and then click Insert Row. Enter the
name and description in the new blank row.
• Click in the blank row at the bottom of the list. This adds a new item at the end of the list. You
can then use the Move buttons to move the item to where you want it in the list (unless you are
viewing all the items, in which case you cannot reposition the item manually).
5. To delete an item, select the row and click Delete. You can also right-click, and from the shortcut
menu, select Delete or press the Delete key. If you delete an item that is assigned to multiple
items, you will be given the option of removing the assignments but leaving the item in the list, or
deleting the item altogether.
6. Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog.

Using Filtered Pick Lists to Enter Data

Filtered pick lists contain a list of available values determined by the selection of a value in the pick
list above. When you are entering data in a record or datasheet and there are two consecutive pick
lists, the value entered in the first pick list may control the values available for selection in the one
below it.
The relationship between a parent and child pick list is defined in iBase Designer. Only a pick list
which has been assigned a parent pick list and is also directly below its parent pick list in the data
record or datasheet is filtered.
Note: A filtered pick list may be used elsewhere as an ordinary pick list, when it is not directly below
its assigned parent list.
Filtered lists can be of two types, depending on the field data type:
• Suggested From Code List pick lists allow you to enter any value
• Selected From Code List pick lists force you to choose a value in the list

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 253

Categorizing queries, sets, and definitions
Queries, sets, report definitions and browse definitions, provide a means of grouping the entities and
links that are stored in your database. You can manage these objects by storing them in folders that
are labeled based on specific categories.
By default, iBase presents sets, queries, and definitions in single general lists. If your lists are long,
you can use categories to make them easier to work with. For example, if some of your sets group
suspects of particular types of crime, you can create a category that contains only those sets.
Category folders behave like standard folders, with the following exceptions:
• Category folders cannot be renamed.
• Category folders are not displayed if they are empty.
• Access to the contents of some category folders might only be available if you are a member of a
particular user group.

Setting the access on folder objects

1. When you modify multiple folder objects that currently have different access restrictions, a Change
Access check box will be displayed in the Categorize dialog. You first need to turn on this check
box before modifying the access restrictions.
2. Select one of the following:

Option Description
Public Any user can access the folder objects.

Private Only the person who flagged the folder object

as private and the system administrator can
see it. For example, unless you are logged on as
a system administrator, private report
definitions belonging to others will not appear
in the All Report Definitions folder.
Note: If you are a member of a folder object
control group, membership of this group may
prevent you from setting the access on folder
objects to private. Access to the object will
always be set to the folder object group. For
detailed information, see below About folder
object control groups.

Restricted to groups Only users who are in the group(s) can see
these folder objects.
With Restricted to groups selected, check the
Folder Object Control group(s) that you want to
have access— no other groups have access. You
only see the Folder Object Control groups of
which you are a member.
For detailed information, see below About
folder object control groups.

3. Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog.

254 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

About folder object control groups
A folder object control group is the most restrictive of the three types of folder access: public, private,
and group. Folder object control groups are defined in iBase Designer using the Security Manager but
their usage is defined by the users who belong to the group, and the following two settings made in
the Options dialog:
• Default to 'Public' Access
• Prompt for category when saving
How these Option dialog settings affect the use of folder object control groups is summarized below.

Category prompt Default access type Result when you

save a folder object

ON Private You are prompted to select the

access type for the folder
object. The default access type
is the folder object control
group to which you belong. If
you belong to several groups,
the access type defaults to
private.
ON Public You are prompted to select the
access type for the folder object
— the default access type is
public.
OFF Private The folder object is
automatically saved in the
folder object control group to
which you belong. If you belong
to several groups, you are
prompted to select one or more
groups, or to change the access
type.
OFF Public The folder object is
automatically saved with public
access— overriding the
membership of the Folder
Object Control group. If you
belong to several groups, you
are prompted to select one or
more groups, or to change the
access type.

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 255

Setting default categories
When you save queries, sets, and definitions, you add them to specific category folders. You can
specify the default behavior to use when you create items of these types.

Procedure
To modify the default options:
1. Select Tools > Options > General.
2. Select the options to modify:
Option Description
Default Category To avoid the need to reselect a different category each time, you can set
Name a default category.
Default to 'Public' Access to items in a category can be either public, or private a specific
access user. Private items cannot be listed or viewed by any other user (apart
from the system administrator).
Prompt for category Queries, sets, and definitions are always saved in a category. However, by
when saving folder turning on this check box you can select the category and set the access
objects type.

Saving items into categories

You can save a query, set, or definition into specific categories to sort them and control access.

Procedure
To save an item in an existing category:
1. Click Save. You are then prompted for the item name.
2. Enter the name for the item, which must be unique to the database, and then click OK.
The default category is displayed in the Selected Category box. If the default category is empty
(does not exist yet), it is displayed in brackets next to the text Selected Category.
Note: If you are not prompted to select a category after clicking Save, then you need to follow the
steps in Moving items between categories.
3. Select the category in which to save the item.
Note:
To create a new category, simply enter the names of the categories you want, separated with a
backslash (\). For example: Operation Crest\Unit B\Vehicle Owners
In this example, both the categories for Operation Crest and Unit B will be created for you if they do
not exist.
4. Optional: Restrict who can access the item by clicking Restricted to groups and then selecting the
groups who can access the item.
Option Description
Public Any user can access the items.
Private Only the person who flagged the folder object as private and the system
administrator can see it. For example, unless you are logged on as a system

256 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Option Description
administrator, private report definitions belonging to others will not appear in the
All Report Definitions folder.
Note: If you are a member of a folder object control group, membership of this
group may prevent you from setting the access on folder objects to private.
Access to the object will always be set to the folder object group. For detailed
information, see below About folder object control groups.

Restricted to Only users who are in the groups can see these items.
groups
With Restricted to groups selected, check the groups that you want to have
access.
Note: You only see the groups of which you are a member.“Group access to
categories” on page 257

Moving items between categories

You can move queries, sets, and definitions into different categories as required.

Procedure
To move one or more items to a different category:
1. Select the item or items that you want to move.
Note: To select items from several categories, you need to open the All folder for the item type, for
example All Report Definitions.
2. Right-click on one of the items and from the menu, select Categorize.
3. If you are moving multiple items that are currently in different categories, Change Category is
displayed. Turn on this checkbox to indicate that you want to continue.
Note: You cannot change the category of an item from a public folder to a restricted folder while
another user has that item open on their screen.
4. Specify the category that you want to use.
5. If you do not want to set access control on the items, click OK. If you want to restrict who can
access these items, see“Group access to categories” on page 257.

Group access to categories

A folder object control group is the most restrictive of the three types of category folder access:
public, private, and group. Folder object control groups are defined in iBase Designer using the
Security Manager but their usage is defined by the users who belong to the group, and the defined
category settings.
The following options can be found in Tools > Options > General:
• Prompt for category when saving
• Default to 'Public' Access
How these settings affect the use of folder object control groups is summarized below:

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 257

 Category prompt Default access type Result when you save a folder
object
ON Private You are prompted to select the
access type. The default access
type is the folder object control
group to which you belong. If
you belong to several groups,
the access type defaults to
private.
ON Public You are prompted to select the
access type for the folder
object, the default access type
is public.
OFF Private The folder object is
automatically saved in the
folder object control group to
which you belong. If you belong
to several groups, you are
prompted to select one or more
groups, or to change the access
type.
OFF Public The folder object is
automatically saved with public
access.

iBase Settings
You can specify some general settings for how you use iBase in the Options dialog.
To use this dialog, click the:
• General tab to specify some basic settings for using iBase, for example, how you use categories.
These are your own personal settings, they do not affect any other user.
• Charting tab to set defaults that will be used when charting in Analyst's Notebook unless specified
otherwise in a charting scheme or the Charting Settings dialog. These are your own personal
settings, they do not affect any other user.
• Advanced tab to set options that affect just you (the User Settings area of the dialog) as well as all
users of this computer (the options in the Local Machine Settings area). For example, you may
specify the location of the templates folders. See below for details of the permissions required.

General settings
The basic settings on the General page of the Options dialog are described below.

Option Description

258 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Default Category Name Choose the default category that you want to use
when you save a new folder object (such as a
set). By default, you will use the folder name
General if you leave this blank.
This applies to all users of the database, when no
default category is specified for them in iBase
Designer. Any individual user of the database
may have a default category defined in iBase
Designer, in which case, this will be the folder
that is used to save all objects by default.

Prompt for Category when Saving Folder Objects If turned on, a prompt for a category is displayed
when you save a new folder object (such as a
set).
If turned off, you will automatically save folder
objects in the default category with the default
access type wherever possible. However, the
Categorize dialog will always be displayed if you
belong to more than one folder object control
group.

Default to 'Public' access Determines whether access to a folder object is

public, private to the user who flagged it as
private, or restricted to members of a folder
object control group. Private folder objects can
only be listed and viewed by the user who
flagged it as private and the system
administrator.

Maximum number of most recently opened The Most Recently Used list is the list of
databases to show in the file menu databases at the end of the options on the File
menu.
Each time a new database is opened, an entry for
it is placed in the list. Selecting the entry is a
quick means of re-opening the database.
This setting determines the maximum number of
entries there can be in the list. Once this number
is reached, new entries at the top push the
bottom entries off the list.

Number of rows to be displayed in a multi-line This determines the size of the box when
text box entering or editing data in multi-line text type
fields, in terms of the number of lines it can
display.
Open last used database on start-up Turn this on to quickly re-open the database you
opened last, whenever you start iBase.
(You do not have to open this database; a prompt
is displayed which you can use to cancel the
open and select an alternative.)

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 259

 Check for matching records whenever a This only applies to datasheets and displays a
discriminator field value changes (datasheets warning about potential duplicate records when
only) you enter data in a discriminator field which
results in a match with one or more existing
records.
This allows you to check your data at an earlier
stage than the Prompt to confirm creation of
matching records option which only warns you
when you attempt to save the record.

Prompt to confirm creation of matching records You are always warned when you attempt to save
a record that will create a potential duplicate.
However, you can display an additional prompt
that appears when you click Yes to create the
record.
Remember user for Windows single sign-on Depending how Windows security is set up at
your site, you may be prompted to select the
user to log on as. To avoid repeating this step
each time you log on, you can turn on the
Remember my selection check box in the Logon
dialog. You will then log on automatically in
future sessions.
When you need to log on as a different iBase
user:
• Turn off the Remember user for windows single
sign-on check box, and you will be prompted
again for the user to log on as when you next
log on.

Display dialogs in tabs This option allows you to choose whether new
dialogs appear as tabbed or independent
windows. By default this is set as tabbed.
Use legacy icons This option allows you to change the appearance
of entity icons to display the 8.1 or earlier icon
set. By default the latest icon set is displayed.
Activate global shortcut keys This option allows you to choose whether to use
and potentially customize the use of global
shortcut keys. By default this is turned on.

Default charting settings

Use the Charting page of the Options dialog to set the basic options for charting in Analyst's
Notebook. These settings can be changed in Analyst's Notebook, for the duration of the session, using
the Charting Settings dialog.

Option Determines...

260 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chart entity/link attributes When a record is added to a chart to become a
chart item, whether chart attributes are added or
not.
It only applies to particular entity or link types:
• If chart attributes are defined for the entity or
link type in the database design.
• If it is not overridden in the charting scheme by
the Chart Attributes option settings (for the
entity or link type or 'Defaults').

Chart pictures to represent entities instead of When an entity is added to a chart and the entity
their icons has a Picture type field, whether this picture field
value is used to represent the chart item (instead
of the entity's icon).
It only has an effect if there are no applicable
Chart Pictures? options settings in the charting
scheme (for the entity type or 'Default') that have
a non-'Blank' setting.
If there is more than one picture type field, the
top field when the entity is open in a Show dialog
is the one used. If you are in doubt, and your
entities are not displayed in a Show dialog (they
may open in a datasheet-based dialog), consult
your system administrator.

Rearrange new items added to a chart (not the How much a chart is re-arranged to
whole chart) accommodate newly added items.
Show toolbar in Analyst's Notebook Whether the iBase toolbar is displayed when
charting iBase data. See About the iBase Toolbar,
Menu, and Palettes for details.
Default Link Label The labels for chart links added from iBase.
The selected option becomes the default
selection in the Charting Settings dialog.

Multiple Link Style How iBase links added to charts are represented
on the chart. The selected option is the default
selection in the Charting Settings dialog.

Advanced settings
The options on the Advanced page in the User Settings area of the dialog affect just you. Because the
options in the Local Machine Settings area affect all users of this computer, your system administrator
may prevent you from changing these settings. See the Administration Center for further details.

Option Description
User Templates Folder Path name of the folder containing templates for
creating new databases. Any user can change
this path.

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 261

 Temporary Files Folder Path name of the folder for temporary files.
These files are created when, for example, you
use View to edit a document specified in a
document type field.
Any user can change this path.

Command Group File Path name of the Access database that organizes
the iBase command access control.
Icon List File Path name of the file that lists all the available
icons when, for example, you are editing an Icon
List code list.
Workgroup Templates Folder Path name of the folder containing database
templates for use by all users of this machine.
Graphics Folder Path name of the folder containing the icons
used in, for example, the database explorer and
menu items (but not the entity, or entity type,
icons).
Number of records to be displayed before auto- The number of records to be displayed before an
pausing automatic pause. You might see this, for
example, when records are being loaded in a
Browse dialog.
Specify '0' to disable auto-pausing.
Note: Contact your system administrator before
disabling this, or setting it to a high number, as
doing so may result in large numbers of alerts
being raised.

Managing Plug-ins
A plug-in is a software component that extends the basic functionality of iBase. Plug-ins need to be
activated before they can be used. You may want to de-activate a plug-in that you do not use because
it can simplify the user interface and use less computer memory; this will affect all users of this
computer.
Plug-ins that may be installed on your system include:

Plug-in Description
Audit History Viewer See “Viewing the record history” on page 41.
Coordinate Validator See “Converting Coordinates in bulk” on page
235.
Database Subsets See “ Creating database subsets (Microsoft
Access)” on page 165.
Duplicate Checker See “Checking for duplicates” on page 98.
Excel interface See “Exporting to Microsoft Excel” on page 153.

262 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 Full-Text Search An iBase 5 method of searching SQL Server
databases. In later versions, the method of
searching SQL Server databases is Search 360.
Schema Update Used in iBase Designer.
Valid End Types Used in iBase Designer.
Word Search See “Word search” on page 92 for details.
Generally you use either Word Search or Search
360.
Search 360 See “Searching for terms” on page 90.
XML Import and Export Used in both iBase and iBase Designer to import
and export data as XML. See “Bulk importing” on
page 51 and “Exporting data as XML” on page
154.
Alerting Configuration Used in iBase Designer.
Alerting Inbox See Chapter 8, “Alerting,” on page 125.
iBase GIS interfaces Available as part of Analyst’s Workstation
Note: This can also be installed separately from
Analyst's Workstation.

iBase RDHI See Working with the RDHI Importer.

After making changes, you will need to restart iBase or iBase Designer for the changes to take effect.
You can activate or de-activate plug-ins using this dialog.
To manage plug-ins:
1. In the Plug-in Manager dialog, turn on a check box to activate a plug-in or turn off a check box to
de-activate a plug-in.
2. Click OK to confirm your changes and close the dialog.
3. Restart iBase or iBase Designer for the changes to take effect.

Defining Common Folder Objects

Defining common folder objects is part of the Schema Update process.

About this task

Schema Update uses a template generated from one database to update the schema of another. This
is useful when you have a group of databases which you need to keep consistent in their design and
content. Updating a database schema can only be done in iBase Designer using the Update Schema
command. See the Designer online help for more details. The full process for updating a schema is as
follows:
1. In iBase, define the group of folder objects in the Common Folder Objects dialog that you want as a
core set of folder objects across a number of databases. You can, if required, view or edit an object
(such as a query or browse definition) to test that it is the one required or update it, before making
it common.

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 263

 Sets cannot be defined as common folder objects as they refer to specific records in the database,
which will not exist in other databases.
1. In iBase Designer, make any other changes to the schema that you want to apply to the databases.
2. Generate the template.
3. Use Schema Update to apply the template to each database in turn. The common folder objects
will be synchronized between the source database and target database, that is, the result of the
update will be that the same set of folder objects exists in both databases.
Common folder objects across databases:
• have identical names
• are in the same categories
• have an identical definition

Procedure
To define a folder object as a common folder object
1. From the Tools menu, select Common Folder Objects. The Common Folder Objects dialog is
displayed. It lists all the folder objects in the database.
2. In the Types area, select the type of folder object that you want to review. Sets are excluded from
the list because they are dependent on specific records existing in the database. Labelling
schemes are also excluded. The hierarchy of folders and the objects in the All folder are listed on
the right.
• To include a folder object in the template, turn on its check box. When the template is used to
update the schema of another (target) database, the object will be added to the group of
common folder objects in the target database. If the object exists as a common folder object in
the target database already, it will be updated so that it matches the object in the template.
Categories are also copied across so that there is a consistent set for all common folder
objects.
• To exclude a folder object from the template, turn off its check box. The object will be removed
from the template. When the template is used to update the schema of another (target)
database, the object will be removed from the group of common folder objects in the target
database, if it exists. The folder object will still exist in the source database, from which the
template was generated.
If the common folder object has been renamed since it was last applied to other databases as a
common object, this may cause a clash with another object in the target database which has
the new name. In this case, the existing object in the target database is renamed - an
underscore is added as a prefix. During the update process a message will inform you of any
renamed objects in the target database. Renamed objects are easy to identify as they appear at
the top of the list due to the underscore prefix.
3. Click OK to update the common folder objects for this database. You will be warned if a common
folder object:
• is dependent on a set. Sets cannot be saved in a template so you must turn off the check box
for any object that depends on a set.
• is dependent on a folder object that has not been selected as a common folder object (or that
has been deleted).
The setting of these check boxes is saved in the database and redisplaying the Common Folder
Objects will display the common folder objects defined in the database.

264 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 To make the folder objects common to a group of databases, you now need to create a template
from this database, and apply it to each target database in turn using the Schema Update
command in iBase Designer.

Labeling and Charting Schemes

Labeling schemes determine how the label that identifies and represents an entity or link is derived
from the fields in the record. For example, person records may have a label comprising the Last Name
field together with the First Name field. There will be one definition for the label to be used within
iBase, and one to be used when a record is added to an Analyst's Notebook chart.
Charting schemes control how the detailed information for iBase entity and link data is added as
Analyst’s Notebook chart item properties. A labeling scheme is one part of a charting scheme.

Labeling Schemes
Labeling schemes determine how the label that identifies and represents a record is derived from the
fields in the record. For example, person records label might comprise the surname together with the
given name, while for vehicle records the label might comprise the manufacturer, model and
registered number. You can also include 'free text' in the label, text that does not vary between labels.

About this task

For each item type in a labeling scheme, you can set the label to be used within iBase, and the label to
be used in Analyst's Notebook.
Each labeling scheme covers all the entity and link types in the database. If there is more than one
labeling scheme, it is because you might want different label formats at different times. You specify
which scheme is in use by making it the 'default'.
Note: For certain entity types, Smart Matching in Analyst's Notebook assumes a property semantic
type for the label value. Since the semantic type that is assumed cannot be changed, specify an entity
type's label to be a property with a suitable semantic meaning. Consider that for some entity types,
the assumed property semantic type is a Details kind. The label is then parsed during Smart Matching
to locate the various parts of the textual value. Do not assign a Details kind of semantic type to a
property that is used for a label. Instead, specify a property that is a part of a Details type, and assign
the semantic type with the correct specific meaning. For example, for a Credit Card, specify the label
to be the Card Number property, which is a part that is located in a Bank Card Details property. For
more information, see the topic Assumed Semantic Types for Labels.

Procedure
To create a labeling scheme:
1. Select Format > Labeling Schemes > New.
2. Select the entity or link type to label.
3. Display the page for the type of label you want to define.
• Standard for the label to be used within iBase.
• Chart for the label to be used for Analyst's Notebook chart items.
4. Select fields and text you want to include in the label.
Note: You can see a Sample label. Click Next and Previous to change which record the sample is
based on.
5. Repeat these steps until you have defined standard and chart labels for all the entity and link types
as required.

Chapter 14. Configuring the iBase Environment 265

 6. If you have more than one labeling scheme, you must set one to be the default, that is the scheme
that is in use at any particular time. To select a labeling scheme as the default: In the Database
Explorer window, right-click on the labeling scheme and select Set as Default.

266 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 15. Creating a database template
Database templates hold no data records but that do contain definitions of database objects to allow
databases to be created quickly that match frequently used configurations. You can use any database
that you can access to create a database template.

Procedure
1. Select File > New Database Template.
2. In the Template Manager, click New.
3. Browse to the database that you would like to use as the basis for your template.
4. Review the entity and link types to check that you opened an appropriate database.
5. Enter a name for the new database. Choose a name that is suitable for use as a file name.
6. Click OK to create the template.

What to do next
If you create a template from an existing database, create a new database from the template and
check in both iBase Designer and iBase that the new database includes only useful components.
If your organization uses semantic types, check that the IBM i2 Semantic Type Library is up-to-date
and contains no duplicates. If any semantic types are missing, do not create new ones but instead
load them from file as described in Loading the Semantic Type Library.
If there are any inappropriate items, remove the items, then close the database and create a second
template, based on the database that you prepared. You can then discard the first template and
database, leaving you with the second template for ongoing use.
You can copy the template file to other iBase installation folders to make it available to other users.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 267

268 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 16. Loading the semantic type library
The first time you display the Semantic Types dialog or the Select Semantic Type For dialog, they
display the iBM i2 Semantic Type Library only. If there are any semantic types specific to your
organization (custom semantic types), you need to load these before assigning semantic types to your
data. The Semantic Type Library for your organization is saved in a file with a . mtc file extension.

Procedure
1. Select Tools > Database Design > Semantic Types.
2. In the Semantic Types dialog, click Load.
3. Select the required custom semantic type file (MTC) file, and click Open. The tree view is updated
to show all the semantic types in the library.
Note: If you see any names ending 001, 002, and so on, there are duplicate names for the
semantic types in use in your organization. You need to remove the duplicates created in either
this database or another database. How you do this will depend on which database holds the
central Semantic Type Library for your organization. For details, see Chapter 22, “Maintaining the
semantic type library,” on page 283.
4. If you load the wrong MTC file, click Cancel to remove the library, otherwise when you click OK you
will add the custom semantic types to the current database.

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270 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 17. Configuring audit history
By default Audit History enables the guest account in the iBase log database. However, you can
configure Audit History to disable the guest account. You must then use an alternative SQL Server
user for logging Audit History information to the log database.

Before you begin

Attention: These steps are not reversible. After the guest account is disabled, you cannot
enable it again.
The SQL User that you use to replace the Guest account must be associated with a login that also has
a corresponding account in the iBase log database. It needs appropriate permissions in each
database.
Note: To create an account to replace the guest account, create a login that is associated with a user
in the iBase main database and the iBase log database.
The following database roles are needed:
• The iBase main database user must be a db_datareader.
• The iBase log database user must a db_datawriter.

Procedure
To disable the guest account and use an alternative SQL Server user account:
1. Display the Configure Audit History by clicking Database Properties > Configure.
2. Connect to the SQL Server as a user with system administrative permissions. Select Use specific
SQL Server account.
3. Select an Authentication type:
• Windows authentication. Your Windows user account must have the system administrator
permissions.
• SQL Server authentication. You must enter an SQL Server login, and password, that has system
administrator permissions.
Note: You can use either method of connecting to the server, regardless of the security method
that is used in the iBase connection file.
4. Click Connect.
5. In Audit history logging account, select an SQL Server user to replace the guest account.
6. In Authentication with iBase Log Database, enter a certificate password to be used by the SQL
Server to:
• Create the certificate.
• Back up the certificate (the password is required to restore the certificate from the backup).
• Provide the security context for logging audit history.
7. Click OK.

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272 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 18. Managing SQL Server Connection
Settings
You use the Database Configuration utility (iBaseConfig) to manage SQL Server settings held in an
iBase connection file (whether a security connection file or a database connection file).

About this task

You can change:
• The name of the server that holds the database.
• The server login name and password for all users if SQL Server authentication is used.
• The security mechanism that is used: SQL Server authentication or Windows authentication
(integrated security).
Typically, you use the Database Configuration utility when you have use SQL Server tools to change
the server or login details for existing databases. For example:
• After you create a database, you can change the SQL Server login used by the iBase application to
one with fewer permissions.
• After you use backup and restore tools to move a database from one server to another, you can
reestablish a connection between iBase and SQL Server.
You can inspect many of these details in the Database Properties dialog within iBase or iBase
Designer. The advantage of using the Database Configuration utility is that it displays these settings
without opening the database on the server, allowing you to specify a different server and test the
connection.
Note: You must to update any copies of the connection file(s) held on other machines. Users are
unable to connect to the server if the path or file name is different and see the message: The security
file has failed an integrity check. Access is denied.

Procedure
1. In iBase Database Configuration, enter the following details and then click Next:
Option Description
Security File Enter the name of the security (.ids) file or the security connection file that
Name secures the database connection file. If you want to change the connection
details for a security connection file, leave Database File Name blank.
Database File Enter the name of the database connection (.idb) file. By entering a
Name database file name, you change the connection details for the database that
contains the entity and link data rather than the security data.
User Name, Enter the user name and password of an iBase System Administrator (that is,
Password a member of an iBase database management group with all permissions
granted).

When you click Next, the connection file is opened, the connection settings are read, and the
database and SQL Server information is displayed.
2. You can change many of the settings, for example if you move the database to another server or
want to change the method of login to an existing server. However, you cannot change the
database type or database name.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 273

 Option Description
Server From the Server drop-down list, select the name of the server. Alternatively
if you know the name of your server, enter it in the field. You must enter a
name that can be seen from network client computers. If you are working on
the server computer, this means that you cannot choose (local) or its
equivalent presentation as a single period (.).
Note: You may need to click Refresh to make the list display all of the
accessible servers that are running Microsoft SQL Server.

Login Name, After selecting a server, you must choose the authentication method to be
Password used for connection to the SQL Server instance. You can use either SQL
Server or Windows authentication:
• To use SQL Server authentication, enter the SQL Server login name and
password. You can enter the details of any user who has the appropriate
access rights on the server.

Use Windows To use Windows authentication, turn on the Use Windows Authentication
Authentication check box. Each iBase session will log on to the database using the Windows
login name with which the user started their Windows session.

Note: The Database Name box displays the name of the Microsoft SQL Server database that the
connection file (.idb file) connects to. It is not possible to change this name. This prevents a user
from connecting to a database where they do not have access by using a connection file for which
they do have access permissions.
3. Turn on the Test connection check box before you save to be informed if the settings do not work.
4. Click Save to update the connection file. A summary of its actions is then displayed. A typical
summary looks like this:

Test connection succeeded.

Server Name
Server Login Name
Server Login Password
Integrated Security setting
Unicode setting
Completed.

274 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 19. SQL Server database names
The names that you choose for the security (ids) file and database (idb) file in iBase are used to
generate the names of the SQL Server databases. For this reason, you might want to discuss the
naming convention to use with your SQL Server administrator.

Main iBase database

A complete logical iBase database (for entity and link data) contains two Microsoft SQL Server
databases:
• An iBase database:
Typically the database name is similar to the name of the connection file, but is subject to
modification to comply with SQL Server naming rules.
The database name always contains an underscore ( _ ). For example, if the requested database
name is Intelligence, SQL Server uses the name Intelligence_ and the connection file
remains Intelligence.idb. Additionally, any spaces in database names are replaced by
underscores (_). T
• An Audit Log database:
The Audit Log database is the database name with _log added at the end, for example
Intelligence__log. (Notice the double underscore in this single-word database name.)
These two databases are always present.

iBase security database

Optionally, iBase security data can be held in an SQL Server database. The SQL Server name follows
the rules for the main iBase database but is appended with _sec. For example, if the name of the
Access security file is Intelligence.ids then the SQL Server name is Intelligence__sec.

Renaming SQL Server databases

To rename an SQL Server database that contains entity and link data (not security data), create a new
database in iBase Designer with the wanted name. The name must uniquely identify the database
within your iBase system and also when used with third-party iBase databases. You must be logged
on to the correct security file when you do rename a database. The connection file that is required by
iBase to connect to the database on the server is also created. To move the data to the new database,
your SQL Server administrator must make a backup of the SQL Server database that you want to
rename and then restore the backup over the new database.
Attention: You cannot rename an SQL Server security database in this way. You lose the
connection between the security file and the databases that it secures and prevent your users
from opening the databases.

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276 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 20. Authenticating connections to SQL
Server
All users connect to an iBase SQL Server database using the same SQL Server login identifier (ID) and
password, which is saved as part of the database properties.
The SQL Server login is used:
• when any iBase user logs on to a security file and opens the database
• when any iBase administrator upsizes a database from Access to SQL Server format, creates a new
database or uses the Database Configuration utility
The identity of the user attempting to connect is authenticated by using one of the following
mechanisms (as defined as part of the SQL Server login):
• SQL Server authentication
• Windows authentication, sometimes called integrated security, where SQL Server accepts the fact
that a user has logged on to a Windows domain as sufficient permission to connect to the server.
(This is a more secure method than SQL Server authentication because it uses the Kerberos
authentication protocol.)
You can also inspect the server and login names in the Database Properties dialog in iBase Designer.
Before you can create or upsize a database, the SQL Server login name and password must be
configured in Microsoft SQL Server, for example by your SQL Server administrator. As a minimum, the
login must have the dbcreator server role.

Creating databases
After creating an iBase SQL Server database, the SQL Server login and password are stored,
encrypted, in the connection file (.idb file).
It is your choice whether all iBase administrators who create databases use the same SQL Server
login and password, or whether each iBase administrator has an individual login. Individual logins
make it easier for the SQL Server administrator to trace the owner of a database on the server, so you
might prefer this option if several users are likely to create databases.

Changing the SQL Server login after database creation

Because the SQL Server login is used when any user logs on to a security file and opens the database,
you might prefer to change the login after you create the database to an SQL Server login with a lower
level of permissions or to use Windows authentication instead.
You can do this using the Database Configuration utility. This is a much safer method than changing
settings while a database is open, using the Database Properties dialog.
If you choose to change the login that is used to a less powerful one suitable for use by iBase users,
you must to ask your SQL Server administrator to grant iBase users permissions on the new database.
Note: You could add this login, which should be mapped to a Windows user group, to the model
database. This ensures that members of this group are automatically given database access rights to
any database created in iBase.

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278 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 21. Controlling what is audited
iBase starts auditing at the lowest possible level of detail when you create a database. You cannot
stop this level of auditing but you can choose to start at a higher level, and to modify all auditing
options for existing databases. The audit level applies to all users equally, and only to the database in
which you specify it.
Each of the available auditing options and the circumstances when you might want to use them are
described in the following information.
Note: Independently of setting the audit level, you can configure the database to log commands that
are run by users, case control, and audit history. For more information, see:
• System Commands Access Control Groups
• Working with cases
• Audit History

Audit levels 1 - 5
Level 1 records the least detail and level 5 records the most detail. The level of auditing is cumulative,
each level records the information for all lower numbered levels. For example, level 3 records queries
and all information specified by levels 1 and 2.

Level Description
1 Logs each time that a user logs in, a database is
opened or closed, or when an email alert is sent.
Note: If the database is configured to audit the
use of commands, or to request a reason for use
of a command, those commands, and reasons
appear at this level. If your SQL Server database
is set up for Audit History, extra logging occurs at
all levels. Also, if an SQL Server database is case-
controlled, the log always records when cases
are added, modified, deleted, renamed, closed,
or reopened.

2 Also logs when entity types, link types, and fields

are added, changed, or deleted. In other words,
this level logs a change of database design.
3 Also logs each time that a query is run on the
database. The query can be direct, for example
by using Find, Browse, Query, or Search 360; or
indirect, for example by using a browse definition
based on a query. Search 360 search criteria are
audited at level 3 and upwards.
Note: The log does not include work on sets or
how the data was retrieved.

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 4 Also logs when entity and link records are added,
changed, or deleted. In other words, this level
logs a change of database data content. The log
includes when records are soft-deleted, or
purged and when a conflict is detected, or
restored, or solved.
Note: The log does not include individual records
that are affected by a Bulk Import, only the start
and end of the import is recorded.

5 Also logs when entity and link records are

accessed or viewed, without change to the data.
This logging produces large volumes of audit
data and for this reason, is available only for SQL
Server databases.
Note: The log does not include individual records
that are affected by a Bulk Import, only the start
and end of the import is recorded.

Attention: Because XML exports can be used to export large amounts of data (potentially all
the records in a database), XML exports are not audited.

More about audit level 5

Audit level 5 produces high volumes of audit data. For this reason, it is available only with iBase SQL
Server databases. Use this option only when strictly required.
As a way of controlling the volume of audit data, you can set Number of records to be displayed
before auto-pausing to a low number. When the audit level is 5, this option pauses the listing of
records, returned by a query or browse, at the specified number.
The useful consequence for auditing is that the audit log records only the number of records that the
user views. For example, if the user cancels after a pause that shows 50 records, only those first 50
records are shown in the audit log. If the user continues to list the other records, those records are
audited as normal.
Audit level 5 can be used with Reason for Action entries. See System Commands Access Control
Groups for details.

Audit history
In SQL Server database, changes to the data in entity and link records, and code lists, can be recorded
if the Audit History is turned on. For audit levels 1 - 4, changes to the data are recorded and
additionally, at audit level 5 record accesses (views) are logged. A reason for an update can also be
recorded as part of the audit log of a record. See Audit History for details.
Note: If you initialize a database for alerting, audit history is automatically turned on. Alerting must be
turned off before audit history can be turned off. The audit history provides the details that enable
users to understand the edits and views that raised the alerts. The same details are displayed
regardless of the audit level of the database. A user who is denied access to the Audit History cannot
see alert details.

280 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Audit log options
Depending on the type of database and your logging requirements, you can define how log data is
written to the Audit Log database with the following options.

Action Description
Choose the initial level of auditing detail for a In iBase, select File > New Database > Details >
new database. Audit Level.

Change the audit level for an existing database. In iBase Designer, select File > Database
Properties > Audit Level.

Audit the usage of selected commands. In iBase Designer, select Security > System
Commands Access Control.
• Selecting any command groups on the Reason
for Action page will prompt the user for a
reason for running the command. After the
user supplies a reason, iBase adds the text to
the audit log (as Detail). This reason will
subsequently be used as a default for all
subsequent reasons within the same session of
work.
• Command groups selected on the Audit page,
record the action without prompting for a
reason or otherwise notifying the user.
Auditing that is configured in this window applies
to particular groups of users, at all audit levels,
and to all databases accessed through the same
security file. For more information, see System
Commands Access Control Groups.

Record the history of changes to individual From the File menu in iBase Designer, select
records in SQL Server databases Database Properties. Use the Audit History
check box in the Database Properties dialog box.
You can also configure Audit History to disable
the Guest account and replace it with an existing
SQL Server account for audit history logging.
For more information, see Audit History and
Configuring Audit History.

Activate case control in a new SQL Server In the iBase window, select Create New
database. Database and click OK. Use the Case Control
option on the Advanced tab of the Advanced
page to set up case control in a new database
before any data has been added to it.

Activate case control in an existing SQL Server From the File menu in iBase Designer, select
database. Database Properties. Use the Case Control
option on the Advanced tab.

Chapter 21. Controlling what is audited 281

282 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 22. Maintaining the semantic type library
All IBM i2 products and databases at your site should use the same Semantic Type Library. The best
way to achieve this is to define any custom semantic types centrally in one database, and treat this
library as the central Semantic Type Library for your organization. You can then distribute them to
other iBase databases by using a custom semantic type (MTC) file. See below Saving the Semantic
Type Library to file for details.
You can edit and delete custom semantic types but not ones from the standard Semantic Type
Library. You should always do this in the database that holds the Semantic Type Library for your
organization. All work on custom semantic types should be done in one central place because a
semantic type is uniquely identified by the database in which it was created rather than by its name.
It is important to control how custom semantic types are created and edited— lack of control may
result in duplicate names for semantic types in one or more of your databases. One possible method
of resolving duplicate semantic types when there are several iBase databases involved is described
below.

Saving the Semantic Type Library to file

Custom semantic type files store details of the semantic types defined in the database from which
they are saved. They do not store any details of how the semantic types are assigned; you need to use
the Database Design report to obtain this information.
You should save your Semantic Type Library to file whenever you add, edit, or delete semantic types
to the database that holds the central Semantic Type Library for your organization:
• In the Semantic Types dialog, click Save and select a folder for the Semantic Type Library file. The
semantic types are saved in a file with a .mtc file extension.

Editing custom semantic types

You can edit the name, description, and synonyms of a custom semantic type, but not of a standard
type from the Semantic Type Library. You cannot add additional notes to custom semantic types.
Note: Do not alter the name or description for a custom semantic type in a manner that changes the
original meaning of its usage. Different instances of the same custom semantic type will be aligned
(matched) regardless of the name or description of the custom semantic type.
To edit a custom semantic type:
1. Select Tools > Database Design > Semantic Types.
2. Right-click on the semantic type and select Edit. The Edit Custom Semantic Type dialog is
displayed.
3. Click Save and save a new custom semantic type file to record your changes.
4. Click OK to save your changes.

Deleting custom semantic types

To delete an unassigned custom semantic type, and any children that it may have:
1. In the Semantic Types dialog, unassign the custom semantic type if required. For details, see
Chapter 25, “Assigning Semantic Types to your data,” on page 293.
2. Right-click on the semantic type and from the shortcut menu, select Delete. The custom semantic
type is deleted immediately.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 283

 3. Click Save and save a new custom semantic type file to record your changes.
4. Click OK to save your changes.
Note: If you inadvertently delete the wrong custom semantic type, reload the semantic types from
file. Do not recreate it.

How semantic types with duplicate names can occur

Duplicate names for semantic types may occur when you:
• Copy and paste entity types, link types, and fields between databases that define their own
Semantic Type Libraries rather than make use of one centrally-defined library.
• When you load a Semantic Type Library into a database where similarly named semantic types
already exist.
Duplicate semantic types are renamed so that they can be displayed in the tree view of the Semantic
Types dialog.

284 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 23. System Commands Access Control
groups
System Commands Access Control Groups can be used to deny and hide specific iBase commands to
users.
System Commands Access Control groups allow you to:
• Deny use of iBase commands that would otherwise be available to users because of their
membership of one or more Database Management groups.
• Hide iBase commands and toolbar buttons that are not available because of a user's membership of
one or more Database Management groups. Where it is not possible to hide these, a message is
displayed You do not have the necessary permissions to perform this action.
• Record the user's reason for using a particular command.
• Log the use of the command in the audit log.
To display the System Commands Access Control dialog:
• Click From the Security menu in iBase Designer, select System Commands Access Control.
Existing security groups are listed in the left of the dialog. See Creating Groups and Adding Members if
there no groups of this type defined in the security file.
Note: You can also deny use of iBase functionality to all the users of the local machine, rather than
just to the members of a specific user group.

Access to basic menu commands in iBase

A user with full database management permissions (such as SYSADMIN) always has access to the
following menu commands in iBase, even when they are denied access to all the system commands
listed in the following section:
• Find, list, and show records
• Use iBase Link charts
• Create reports
• For links, view the valid end types
• Lists sets, add records to sets, and view set membership
• List labeling schemes and set a default labeling scheme
• Search for duplicate and matching records
• Examine their user details and the database properties
• Set session defaults and change the settings in the Options dialog
• Export data to Microsoft Excel using the Excel Interface
• Define folder objects as common folder objects (only of use when there is a Schema Update license)

Denying access to menu commands in iBase

iBase has several hundred commands including some with very similar names, which would make
administration tricky and tedious if you had to make individual decisions for each command. To
reduce this complexity, the commands are divided into groups.
To deny access to the commands in a command group:

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 • In the System Commands Access Control dialog, select the group on the left and then turn on the
required check boxes on the Access Denied page to deny access to those commands.

Group Name Description

Advanced Analysis Denies access to Scored Matching, Field
Calculator, starting Analyst's Notebook from
iBase, sending data to Analyst's Notebook
charts, and commands for Mapping
Configurations and sending data to maps.
Alerting SQL Server databases only: denies access to the
commands in the Database Explorer for adding
alert definitions. Users are still able to receive
alerts.
Basic Analysis Denies access to queries, combining sets and
analyzing sets, and the Coordinate Query Builder.
Batch modification Denies access to commands that affect batches
of records: Merge Entities, Batch Edit and Batch
Delete.
Charting Denies access to all the commands on the
shortcut menu in Analyst's Notebook that apply
to existing records in an iBase database. For
example: users cannot expand records, use the
Timeline Wizard, find common neighbors,
populate cards, expand records and so on. It also
prevents a user from opening Analyst's Notebook
while iBase is open. It does not restrict the use of
iBase link charts.
Note: Users in Analyst's Notebook can continue
to add new records to the iBase database, and
add the records created during the session to
sets but cannot expand them.

Charting Schemes Removes or denies access to the commands for

creating, editing, and saving charting schemes,
as well to the commands on the shortcut menu
for categorizing, listing and renaming them as
folder objects.
Note: Users can still send data to Analyst's
Notebook for charting and are prompted to
select a charting scheme as usual.

Code lists Removes the Code Lists command from the

Edit menu so that users cannot change items on
pick lists or icon lists.
Create Link/Entity Removes the commands and toolbar buttons for
adding new entity or link records whether using a
standard dialog, a datasheet or Analyst's
Notebook.

286 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Database Statistics Removes the commands for Database Statistics,
Database Design Report, and Security Design
Report.
Define Analysis Users can chart existing queries but they cannot
define new queries in iBase or Analyst's
Notebook. Also, in iBase, they cannot open,
categorize, list or rename queries, or use the
Coordinate Query Builder.
Labeling Scheme Users can still list the labeling schemes and
select a default labeling scheme but they cannot
add, delete, edit or rename labeling schemes,
alter the contents of a labeling scheme or copy
them.
Report Definitions Users can still produce reports but they cannot
add, edit, delete, categorize, list or rename report
definitions.
Soft Delete Removes the commands on the Edit menu for
restoring and purging soft deleted records.
Tools Removes the commands on the Tools menu in
iBase for editing the MRU list and activating plug-
ins.
View History SQL Server databases only: prevents users from
displaying the audit history both in iBase and in
Audit Viewer. If alerting is used, it prevents users
from displaying the alert details.

You can inspect the detailed definitions of these groups by looking in a supplied, unsecured Access
database, CommandGroups.mdb. This is in the application data area of your installation (see
Installation and Application Data Folders for details). The command groups, their descriptions, and
their definitions are in the _CommandGroup table.
Do not attempt to change these definitions, at least not without obtaining advice from your supplier. If
you make changes to CommandGroups.mdb, then you need to apply it to the current security file by
selecting Database Setup > Update Command Groups from the Tools menu.

Recording the reason for an action

You can require the user to enter a reason for using a particular command in iBase, or an iBase
command when working in Analyst's Notebook. The reason is recorded in the audit log; however, the
records affected by the command are only recorded if you set the audit level of the database to level
5. For further information about audit level 5, see Controlling What is Audited.
To prompt the user to record a reason for an action:
• In the System Commands Access Control dialog, select the group on the left and then turn on the
required check box on the Reason for Action page.

Group Description

Chapter 23. System Commands Access Control groups 287

 Audit Analysis Members of the group are prompted to enter a
reason whenever they open a database or
perform any analysis on iBase records, such as:
• Run a folder object such as a browse definition,
report definition, query, import specification
and so on
• Use any iBase command when the database is
open in Analyst's Notebook
• Use any charting commands when in iBase
• Use any mapping commands when in iBase
• Use the Field Calculator dialog
• Copy data to the clipboard
• Export data using the Excel Interface dialog
• Use the Coordinate Query Builder

Audit Charting Members of the group are only prompted to enter

a reason when they work with iBase data on
charts, specifically:
• Open Analyst's Notebook
• Use any iBase command when the database is
open in Analyst's Notebook
• Use any charting commands when in iBase

Audit Data Exposure Members of the group are prompted to enter a

reason when they use any command in iBase
that may result in data being printed (for
example by exporting or reporting); or use iBase
data in Analyst's Notebook, or IBM i2 iBase
Geographic Information System Interfaces.
Data Auditing: create, edit, delete Members of the group must enter a reason for
adding, editing, or deleting records before they
can save the record. They are also prompted to
do this when merging entities, batch editing and
deleting, and assigning icons.

Auditing the commands used

You can record the commands used by a user in the audit log:
• In the System Commands Access Control dialog, select the group on the left and then turn on the
required check box on the Audit page.
The three command groups are identical to the groups on the Reason for Action page. See above for
details of the commands covered by each group.

What users see

Users do not see the commands that you have denied, so named menus (such as File) and shortcut
menus become shorter, and some submenus might disappear entirely.

288 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Note: Although some command groups deny commands for listing folder objects, users can still see
which folder objects exist by using the Details window of the Database Explorer.

Chapter 23. System Commands Access Control groups 289

290 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 24. Audit history
In SQL Server databases, changes to the data in iBase entity and link records can be recorded.
Changes are recorded following these iBase operations:
• Entering and editing records
• Deleting records
• Batch editing
• Merging entities
• Assigning icons
• Importing data, including bulk import
• Editing code lists
Audit History is independent of the audit level of the database and, if used, the following actions
become available at all audit levels in Audit Viewer:
• Record Added
• Record Modified
• Record Deleted
• Code List Modified
• Bulk Import
However, in a database with audit level 5, you can also find out who viewed specific records.
Note: Audit History is automatically turned on if you initialize a database for alerting and you cannot
turn it off when alerting is active. The audit history provides the details that enable users to
understand the edits and views that raised the alerts. The same details are displayed regardless of
the audit level of the database. A user who is denied access to the Audit History cannot view the
details.

Audited field types

Aside from data associated with calculated fields (that is not directly stored, but depend on values
held in other fields) all field types can be audited. In the audit log, all data is converted to text apart
from Document and Picture fields which are stored in their original format. You can view this historical
data in Audit Viewer or in iBase itself when showing a record or link, unless permission to do so is
denied.

What is recorded
The following are recorded when a record is updated in iBase:
• Original value
• iBase user who made a change
• Date and time the change was made
• Machine name of the editing user
• OS user name (name of the Windows user)
• Reason for the change
• SCC – needed to ensure that the user only sees the data they should if SCC values are altered during
records history

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 291

 • Location of user – from iBase user location
• Reason for the update (optional)
• Whether the update was made using an IBM i2 product
• Data in the extra field (if this feature is used)
The following is recorded if an iBase record is updated directly in SQL Server:
• The name of the account used to connect to SQL Server
If a single record was changed, the audit log records a Record Modified action and the record ID is
displayed in Audit Viewer. This is not possible for a bulk import when the audit log records a bulk
Import action.
Note: Changes to code lists are also audited, that is old and new values, descriptions and parent pick
lists.

Setting up audit history

To enable and set up audit history, in the iBase Designer Database Properties, turn on Audit History.
An Audit History action is added to the audit log to record when, and who, enabled this feature.
You can require users who modify records in iBase to enter the reason for the edit before they can
save their changes:
• In iBase Designer, select System Commands Access Control > Reason For Action and turn on or
off Data Auditing.
Note: You might need to run the Tools Update Command Groups command first.
By default all users will be able to view the audit history. To deny users access to this, edit the
appropriate user group:
• In iBase Designer in the System Commands Access Control dialog, display the Access Denied page
and turn on or off the View History check box.
You can also configure audit history to disable the Guest account and replace it with an existing SQL
Server login for audit history logging. For further details, see Configuring Audit History.

Maintaining auditing stored procedures

When a user logs into a database with Audit History turned on, checks are made on the SQL Server
database and, if any problem is detected with auditing, the user is denied access to the database. To
fix the problem, reopen the database in iBase Designer.

292 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 25. Assigning Semantic Types to your data
To benefit from the visualization and advanced analysis capabilities, for example, of Analyst's
Notebook when charting iBase data, you can assign relevant data with a semantic type that identifies
the real world content of the data.
Do I have to assign semantic types to all data fields?
To construct a Semantic Type Library that accurately models your database schema, you can add
a semantic type for relevant entity types, link types, fields, standard fields, and, optionally, icons
in your database. Doing so ensures that your users can take full advantage of other IBM i2
applications that use semantic types, such as Analyst's Notebook.
Are different semantic types available?
There are three semantic types that are supported: entity semantic types (for entities and icons),
link semantic types, and property semantic types (for fields and standard fields). For more
information, see Chapter 29, “Setting up Semantic Types,” on page 301.
What if I cannot find a suitable semantic type?
If you cannot locate a suitable semantic type in the Semantic Type Library, you can derive your
own custom semantic type from the appropriate generalized semantic type. iBase, Analyst's
Notebook and other IBM i2 applications will treat a custom semantic type as a specialization of its
recognized parent semantic type.
It is important to select the correct parent because the custom semantic type will inherit its behavior,
and this will determine how the custom semantic type is used during, for example, matching
operations on Analyst's Notebook charts. For details, see Chapter 30, “Defining custom semantic
types,” on page 303.
Note: You must log on as a database administrator in order to assign semantic types.

Unassigning semantic types

To remove a semantic type from an entity type, link type, field, standard field, or icon:
1. In the Database area of the Semantic Types dialog, select the item that you want to unassign. The
semantic type is highlighted in the tree view.
2. Click Remove.
3. When you have finished, click OK to save your changes.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 293

294 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 26. Creating groups and adding members
You set the permissions for all users by adding groups and defining the permissions for each group.
Users acquire permissions by becoming a member of one or more groups.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 295

296 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 27. Common folder objects
You can simplify the administration of several common databases, by defining a core set of folder
objects (common folder objects).
Common folder objects across all the databases:
• Have identical names
• Are in the same categories
• Have an identical definition
• Are set to Public access (unless you are using iBase database replication in which case the original
access setting on the folder object is preserved)
Any authorized user can define folder objects as common items.
There is otherwise no visible difference between an ordinary folder object and a common folder
object. For this reason, you might want to use a naming convention for common folder objects or keep
them in a specific category.

How common folder objects are updated

Common folder objects are updated by running the Schema Update command in iBase Designer.
This command applies changes held in a database template to the schema of the database in which it
is run.
When a folder object, such as a report definition or a charting scheme, is defined as a common folder
object, it can be:
• Added to databases that do not already contain it
• Updated with the changes held in a database template
• Removed from a database if it exists in the database but not in the template
Ordinary folder objects remain unchanged (but are renamed if they have the same name as a common
folder object).
To update a compatible database with the current folder objects, create a template from the database
containing the folder objects, and then apply that template to the other database. For more
information, see Updating Database Schemas.

Defining a common folder object

To define an existing folder object as a common folder object:
• From the Tools menu in iBase, select Common Folder Objects. The Common Folder Objects
dialog is displayed. Click Help in the dialog for information on how to use the dialog.
• Dependent on a set. Being data-dependent, sets cannot be saved in a template.
• Dependent on a folder object that is not selected as a common folder object (or that is deleted).
A folder object cannot be defined as a common folder object if it is:
The settings that are made in the Common Folder Objects dialog are saved in the database.
Redisplaying the dialog displays the common folder objects defined in the database.
Any template that is saved from the database, distinguishes between ordinary and common folder
objects.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 297

 Effect of adding, modifying, and removing common folder objects
What happens when you define a new folder object as a common folder object in the source database
on folder objects in the target database is summarized below:

In the source database, add a folder object and An identical common folder object is added to
define it as a common folder object the target database. If any ordinary folder object
with the same name exists, then the object is not
overwritten but it is renamed by adding an
underscore to the beginning of the name.
Note: The access permission is not copied,
unless you are using iBase database replication.

In the source database, modify a common folder The common folder object in the target database
object is updated to match the definition in the source
database, including any updates to the name or
category. If the common folder object was
renamed in the source database, then any
ordinary folder object in the target database with
the same name is not overwritten. It is renamed
by adding an underscore to the beginning of the
name.
Note: The access permission is not copied,
unless you are using iBase database replication.

In the source database, make a common folder The common folder object is deleted from the
object into an ordinary folder object target database.
In the source database, delete a common folder The common folder object is deleted from the
object target database.

Note: You are informed if any name changes are made during the update process. The renamed folder
objects are identifiable as they appear at the top of any lists (because of the underscore prefix).

298 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 28. Installation and application data
folders
When you install iBase, you can install it in the folder suggested by the installer or to a folder of your
choice. Regardless of where you choose to install the product, any data that is used by the IBM i2
application is automatically copied to the application data folder as defined by the version of
Microsoft Windows that you are running. These are hidden Windows folders.
The application data folder is defined by the version of Microsoft Windows that you are running. Users
also have a folder for storing files such as iBase templates. The folder can also contain shortcuts to
other folders that contain per user application data.

Per machine data

Data that is specific to the machine on which iBase is installed is held in the per machine application
data area given previously. This is a copy of data in C:\Program Files. You should not use any data
held in the Program Files area. If you choose to copy configuration files from one machine to another,
then you should always overwrite the files in the application data area.

Folder Files or folders

i2\i2 iBase <n>\ en- us Iconlist.txt
\Configuration
Military Iconlist.txt
Combined Iconlist.txt
FTSexclude.txt
WSexclude.txt

i2\i2 iBase <n>\ en-us\CommandGroups CommandGroups.mdb

i2\i2 iBase <n>\ en-us\Settings Settings.xml (as set by options in the Options
dialog)
Note: All users have read/write access to this file
unless you change the permissions on the file.

i2\i2 iBase <n>\ en-us\ *.idt files (the default workgroup templates
WorkgroupTemplates supplied by IBM and any templates that you
want to make available to all users)
i2\i2 iBase <n>\ en-us\Mapping Mapping configuration files. For information on
the mapping configuration files, see the release
notes for iBase GIS Interfaces.
i2\i2 iBase <n>\ en-us\Scheduler Scheduler.mdb (you can specify an alternative
location)

Per user data

Application data that is specific to a user of the machine is copied to, or created in, the per user
application data folder given previously.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 299

300 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 29. Setting up Semantic Types
A semantic type is a category of data that defines how iBase interprets that data. For example, the
Person entity semantic type could be applied to entity types such as Male, Victim and Witness. The
semantic type allows iBase to understand that each of those entity types are a different way of
depicting people in the real world.
All IBM i2 products at your site should use the same Semantic Type Library. To achieve this, assign
semantic types to the database schema, and define new ones, in one database only and then
distribute them to any other related databases in your organization.
To make use of semantic types, you can assign a semantic type to each relevant entity type, link type,
field, standard field, and icon. You do not need to assign a semantic type to everything in your
database schema.
Semantic types can then be saved to a file for distribution to others in your organization. Semantic
types are also saved in any templates that you create from the database.

How to use semantic types in iBase

Although the Semantic Type dialog is displayed in various locations in iBase Designer, it is only
displayed in iBase when a user runs a query that includes semantic types, to allow the selection of
entity, link or semantic property types to search.
At this release, users can use semantic types within iBase itself for running queries with semantic
conditions. Semantic types are also used when iBase data is charted on Analyst's Notebook charts.
Note: Certain entity types can have Smart Matching behavior in Analyst's Notebook if they have a field
that is assigned an identifying property semantic type.

About the Semantic Type library

We provide the IBM® i2® Semantic Type Library, which contains semantic types that you assign to data
in your data sources. These semantic types identify the meaning of the data they represent, and are
used by applications such as Analyst's Notebook to properly interpret and align the data from
different data sources.
The library includes three different kinds of semantic type definition:
• Entity semantic types (for entity types and icons)
• Link semantic types
• Property semantic types (for entity and link type fields, including standard fields)
You must decide which kinds of semantic type best represents your data.
Each semantic type consists of the following elements:
• Name
• Data type, such as text or number
• Optional synonyms— alternative names that are used when searching for suitable semantic types
• Description that provides guidance on how the type should be used
• Additional notes
Depending on its location in the hierarchy of semantic types, the function of a semantic type will be
general or specific. For example, Motor Vehicle is a specialized type of Transport, and Bus is a
specialized type of Motor Vehicle. In the event that Bus is not specific enough, you could create a

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 custom semantic type. However, you should not add any custom types without the agreement of
others at your site and, once you have added them, you must share the updated Semantic Type
Library with all users of IBM i2 products at your site. For details, see Chapter 22, “Maintaining the
semantic type library,” on page 283.

Assigning semantic types in iBase Designer

There are two ways of assigning semantic types in iBase. You can:
• Work with single entity types, link types, and field types. See Chapter 32, “Assigning a semantic
type,” on page 307 for details.
• Work with all the objects in the database schema. See Chapter 25, “Assigning Semantic Types to
your data,” on page 293 for details.

Restrictions on how you assign semantic types

There are a few restrictions on how you assign semantic types:
Entities and icons
You can use any entity semantic type that is suitable for the data. Chapter 25, “Assigning
Semantic Types to your data,” on page 293 for details.
Links
You can use any link semantic type that is suitable for the data. See Chapter 25, “Assigning
Semantic Types to your data,” on page 293 for details.
Fields
You can use any property semantic type. However, consider the underlying data type when
making your choice:

Data Type Possible Semantic Type

Number Any of the numerical semantic types found by expanding Abstract Number
Text Any of the text semantic types found by expanding Abstract Text
Yes or No (Boolean) Any of the flag semantic types found by expanding Abstract Flag
Date and time Any of the numerical semantic types found by expanding Abstract Date &
Time
Binary Any of the numerical semantic types found by expanding Abstract Binary

When assigning semantic types to fields, you cannot assign the same semantic type to two or more
fields in the same entity or link type. See Chapter 25, “Assigning Semantic Types to your data,” on
page 293 for details.
Standard fields
You can use any property semantic type as explained above for Fields. When assigning semantic
types to standard fields, you cannot assign the same semantic type to two or more standard fields
in the same database.
Note: You cannot assign abstract semantic types to database objects— you can only create custom
semantic types from them.

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Chapter 30. Defining custom semantic types
You may find that the semantic types supplied do not contain a semantic type that is appropriate for
your data. In this case, you can define custom entity, link, and property semantic types.

About this task

When you define a semantic type, it inherits some of the properties of the parent, but not its name or
synonyms.
Note: Be sure to carefully search for an available semantic type before you define your own custom
semantic types. Before you can do this, you may need to load all the custom semantic types available
at your site. See Chapter 16, “Loading the semantic type library ,” on page 269.
Never define a custom semantic type when the Semantic Type Library in use at your site already
contains an appropriate semantic type. If you do, you will end up with duplicate types (such as
Football Match, Football Match_001, Football Match_002) and the information retrieved from your
database cannot be aligned with information retrieved from other data sources that has the correct
semantic type assigned. This will limit your users' ability to analyze data from different sources.
A custom semantic type has a globally unique, internal identifier which is derived from the database in
which it is created. Therefore an entity semantic type called Football Match created in one database is
distinct from an entity semantic type of the same name created in a different database. To avoid the
problems that this will cause, make sure to share the custom semantic types with other users in your
organization.
In order to avoid the creation of duplicates, you should do only create custom semantic types in the
database that holds the Semantic Type Library for your organization.
When to define custom semantic types
You may decide to define custom semantic types for a variety of reasons.
For example, consider if your data contains different kinds of sporting events. The Semantic Type
Library contains an Event entity semantic type, but it does not contain entity semantic types for
distinguishing between different kinds of sporting events. To ensure that appropriate semantic
types for sporting events are added to your Semantic Type Library, you must define custom
semantic types that are derived from the Event entity semantic type.
If it is not necessary to distinguish between different specializations of an entity, then you can
simply assign the appropriate generalized entity semantic type to your data. For example,
suppose your data contains a list of people who have attended an annual convention. The library
does not contain a Convention entity semantic type, but you can assign the Event entity semantic
type to your Convention data field because your data contains records for only one kind of event.
You may want to define a custom property semantic type if you want to assign multiple values for
the same property to a single entity or link. For example, suppose your database contains a list of
a person's bank account numbers, and you have decided to represent each bank account as a
field on the entity type, rather than use bank account entities with links to the person that owns
them. Since a property semantic type can only be added once to each entity semantic type or link
semantic type in a Semantic Type Library, you can create specializations of the Account Number
property semantic type so that each occurrence has a unique property semantic type assignment.
Deriving the custom semantic type from the correct parent
Choosing the correct semantic type to derive your new custom semantic type from is a critical
decision because the custom semantic type inherits characteristics and behaviors from its parent.
In the sporting event example (given above in When to define custom semantic types), it would be

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 inappropriate to derive the custom semantic types from the Document entity semantic type, for
example, because a sporting event is not a special type of document.
Sharing and reusing custom semantic types
If others in your organization are also assigning semantic types to data, you should share your
custom semantic types so that all databases use the same Semantic Type Library. If two people
define custom semantic types of the same name, they are not identical because the semantic
type name does not uniquely identify the semantic type— its unique identity is determined by the
database in which it is created.
For more information about duplicate names and sharing your custom semantic types with others,
see Chapter 22, “Maintaining the semantic type library,” on page 283.
Backing up the Semantic Type Library
After adding custom semantic types to your library, save them to file so that you can:
• Distribute the new semantic types to others in your organization.
• Restore deleted custom types (you cannot recreate custom semantic types by adding a new one
of the same name).
To do this, click Save in the Semantic Types dialog. The Semantic Type Library is saved in a file
with an .mtc file extension. For further information, see Chapter 22, “Maintaining the semantic
type library,” on page 283.

Procedure
1. Select Tools > Database Design > Semantic Types.
2. Load any custom semantic types specific to your organization.
See Chapter 16, “Loading the semantic type library ,” on page 269 for details.
3. Locate the semantic type that is a generalization of the special type that you require. You can do
this by searching for semantic types that have a generalized name.
For example, if you require additional entity semantic types to represent different stolen property
articles, you should derive these custom semantic types from the Property entity semantic type.
4. On the appropriate page, select the generalized type, right-click, and select New.
5. Change the name of the custom semantic type to a name that reflects your usage.
6. In the Synonyms box, enter some other words that have the same meaning, and that you want to
group together under the same semantic type.
For example, synonyms for Location might be Area, Map Reference, Region, and Situation. Enter
these like this (with no space after the commas):

Area,Map Reference,Region,Situation

7. In the Description box, enter some notes on how to use the custom semantic type.
8. Click OK to add the new semantic type as a child of the generalized semantic type. Notice that
the icon changes slightly to indicate a custom semantic type. This allows you to see which are
standard semantic types and which are specific to your organization.
9. Assign the custom semantic type to an item in your database schema in the usual way.
10. When you have finished, click OK.

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Chapter 31. Database schema updates
Schema changes to an operational database on a server are typically made and tested in a temporary
copy of the database before application to the operational database itself. You can use the Update
Database Schema command in iBase Designer to manage this process, making the changes and then
applying them to the other databases by applying a new database template.
This process is only suitable for compatible databases. A compatible database is any database that is
created from the same database template or any copy of a database. These databases are compatible
because their entity types, link types, fields, and standard fields share underlying table names,
column names, and identifiers. For example, you cannot make a database 'compatible' by adding an
apparently identical entity type because the entity type might not have the same table ID as the other
databases.
A source database becomes incompatible with the other databases if you turn on case control - any
action that you take must be repeated in all the related databases. Adding, modifying, or deleting
entity types, link types, fields or standard fields does not make it incompatible because these
changes can be updated to the target databases by saving a template.
A target database becomes incompatible if there is a conflict between the identifiers in the source
and target databases. For example, if you manually add an entity type to the target database that has
the same identifier as a different entity type in the source database. It also becomes incompatible
with the source database if you turn on case control when the source database is not case-controlled.

Updating the original schema

Elements of a database schema that can be updated:
• Entity types, link types, fields, and standard fields
• Datasheets
• Pick lists, icon lists, and SCC lists
• Common folder objects, such as import specifications, report definitions, queries, charting schemes
and so on (but not labeling schemes).
You can add to and edit these items as required.
Attention: Removing entity types, link types, fields or standard fields from the schema of an
operational database deletes the data held for those database objects.
For information about updating the schema of replicated databases, see Chapter 33, “iBase database
replication,” on page 309.

Creating a template for a schema update

To create a template that captures the updates to a database schema, including any changes to the
common folder objects, create a template from the database that contains the required updates.
You should always test the new template before you apply it to the operational database or any copy
databases. To do this, create a copy of the operational database and apply the update template to it
(using the steps in the following section). Only when you verify that the database was updated
correctly, should you apply these steps to your operational database.
Note: You can also create new databases from this template if required. Any database created from
the template contains both the ordinary folder objects and the common folder objects.

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 Updating the schema of a database from a template
After you create a suitable template, you can apply the new schema to the operational database and
to any copies of it. Before you start, make sure that you have:
• A backup of the databases
• Permissions to create and delete files in the same folder as the main database .idb file
To apply the schema change:
1. In iBase Designer, log on as a database administrator and open the database.
2. From the Tools menu, select Database Design Update Database Schema. An empty Update
Database Schema dialog is displayed.
Note: You cannot display this dialog if you are a member of a Data Access Control group that
denies access to any tables or fields in the database.
3. Select the template that contains the schema changes.
After you select a template, you can review the entity types, link types, and fields in the template

by clicking .
4. On the Additions and Modifications page, and the Deletions page, review the changes that are
listed. For example, the Additions and Modifications page summarizes the changes made to:
• Entity types and their fields
• Link types and their fields
• Standard fields
• Datasheets
• Pick lists, icon lists, and SCC lists
• Common folder objects (listed separately for each type of folder object)
• Semantic Type Library (but specific changes are not listed)

5. If required, click to save a list of the schema changes in a file that you can print later.
6. Click Update when you are ready to apply the changes. When this is finished, you are warned if any
folder objects were renamed because they have the same name as a common folder object in the
template.

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Chapter 32. Assigning a semantic type
To benefit from the visualization and advanced analysis capabilities of other IBM i2 applications, such
as Analyst's Notebook, you can assign relevant data with a semantic type that identifies the real world
content of the data.

About this task

There are two ways of assigning semantic types. You can either assign a single semantic type when
adding or editing entity types, link types, fields or standard fields by using the Select Semantic Type
For dialogs (as described below), or you can assign semantic types to all the items in the database
schema by using the Semantic Types dialog (see Chapter 25, “Assigning Semantic Types to your
data,” on page 293 for details).
You must log on as a database administrator in order to assign semantic types.
Note: When you are assigning semantic types to fields, you cannot assign the same semantic type to
more than one field in the same entity or link type.
Note: You cannot unassign the semantic type of an item in this dialog. You can only assign a different
semantic type. To unassign a semantic type, use the Semantic Types dialog. Select Tools > Database
Design > Semantic Types.

Procedure
1. If this is the first time you have assigned semantic types in this database, you should load the
Semantic Type Library for your organization.
See Chapter 16, “Loading the semantic type library ,” on page 269 for details.
2. Select an Entity Type, Link Type, Field, or Standard Field,
3. In the Semantic Type area, open Select Semantic Type For.
The Search Available Semantic Types box displays the name of the current entity type, link type,
or field. The Ordered Results area suggests some semantic types that may be suitable for
assigning to it, based on a comparison of its name with the name of the semantic type and any
synonyms set up for it. You can review the suggested semantic types by clicking on a result to
display information on the right.
4. If none of the semantic types in the Ordered Results area are suitable, you can search the library.
There are two ways of doing this:
• In the Search Available Semantic Types box, enter the word or phrase that you want to search
on. As you type, possible matches are displayed in the Ordered Results area.
• Browse the semantic types displayed in the tree view.
For detailed information, see Chapter 34, “Searching for semantic types,” on page 311.
Note: If none of the semantic types are suitable, and you are working in the database that contains
the central semantic type library for your organization, you can create a custom semantic type. For
important information on the dos and don'ts of creating custom semantic types, see Chapter 30,
“Defining custom semantic types,” on page 303 and Chapter 22, “Maintaining the semantic type
library,” on page 283.
5. When you have located the correct semantic type:
a) Select it and click OK to return to the Entity Type, Link Type, or Field dialog, which displays the
selected semantic type.

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 b) Click OK to save your changes— the assignment is not completed until you click OK. To cancel
the assignment, click Cancel.

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Chapter 33. iBase database replication
iBase database replication is the process of automatically distributing copies of iBase data and
database objects between SQL Server instances in different locations and keeping this data
synchronized. The data is copied by use of SQL Server merge replication, using the standard tools
provided in SQL Server. iBase database replication provides more tools to manage the iBase
database. All servers that are involved in replication must use the same SQL Server version.
In iBase database replication, one of the iBase database servers is configured as the Publisher, and
empty iBase databases are created at the other locations. To start replication, the SQL Server
administrator either configures a subscription that downloads a snapshot of the data over the
communications link or transfers the data on removable media using a backup file.
Owing to the complexity of SQL Server replication, the users who configure and maintain the
underlying SQL Server databases require appropriate SQL Server training. Analysts do not require any
additional skills to operate iBase within a replicated environment. Senior analysts with responsibility
for operations such as merging, batch editing and deleting, restoring, and purging, and reviewing
conflicts require an understanding of the replication environment.

What does iBase database replication contain?

iBase database replication is installed as part of iBase. It contains the following functionality to
enable iBase administrators to manage replication:
• Conflict Viewer dialog— for reviewing the data conflicts that might occur when two users change the
same record within the same replication cycle. Conflicts are reviewed on a record by record basis at
the publisher site.
• File Manager dialog for uploading files into one database for replication to the databases at other
sites. Files might be a database template, audit archive files, IBM® i2® Text Chart templates, and so
on.
• Update Database Schema dialog for applying changes to the database design.
• Status report to show whether replication is configured in SQL Server.

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310 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 34. Searching for semantic types
Procedure
1. Select Tools > Database Design > Semantic Types.
2. In the Semantic Types dialog, click the Entity Types, Link Types or Standard Fields tabs to go to
the appropriate page
3. Enter the semantic type that you want to search for.
As you type, possible matches are displayed in the Ordered Results area.
4. You can widen your search by trying the following on the text displayed in the Search Available
Semantic Types box:

Tip Example
Shorten the displayed text "Documents" to "Document"
Simplify the displayed text "End date" to "date" or "end"
Consider alternative spellings "tire" to " tyre"
5. If none of the semantic types in the Ordered Results area are suitable, you can browse the
semantic types displayed in the tree view.
You may find it easier to browse the semantic types if you first familiarize yourself with the top-
level semantic types and their contents. Click on each semantic type to display a brief description
of how each one is used.

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312 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 35. Bulk Updating information
Bulk updating Cyber IP DNS Resolution information allows existing records and the results of imports
to be populated with cyber fields. Records must be added to a query or set in order to be updated
with relevant information.

Procedure
To perform a Cyber IP DNS Resolution bulk update:
1. Open the Cyber IP DNS Resolution Bulk Update.
2. In the Record Source area, specify the records that you want to check the entity or link type
against:
• Query - update records included in the results for a query, which you select. The query is run
when you click Update.
• Set - update the records included in a set, which you select.
3. In the Update Options area, choose whether you would like existing values to be overwritten with
the results of the update and select the fields you would like to update:
• Geocode - Uses data files to look up the IP address and provide the associated country,
latitude and longitude.
• Lookup IP Address (using Hostname) - Uses Windows Sockets to determine the IP address.
• Lookup Hostname (using IP address) - Uses Windows Sockets to determine the hostname.
• Lookup Spam Blocklist - look up the IP address and determine if it has been registered as a
spam provider.
4. As a record of the update you can create a new set or append the results to an existing set. This
may be useful later to identify the modified data. Select the Add updated records to a set check
box and either:
• Create new set using the name - enter the set name in the text box provided.
• Append the records to the set - add the records to a set, which you select.
Note: The Add updated records to a set check box will be unavailable if you do not have
permission to create sets.

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314 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 36. Working with cases
You can partition data in your database into different cases. Each case contains records belonging to a
particular investigation.
You can then assign access to groups of users to one or more cases. To create and manage cases, you
need both Database Administrator and Security Administrator permissions.
Note: Before you can create a case, you need to activate the database for case control; seeChapter
37, “Activating case control,” on page 319 for details. You cannot use case control if IBM i2 iBase
Database Replication is installed on your machine. You cannot use cases with Scheduler.
You can assign users to several cases, but to add or modify data in a case, the user must select only
that case when opening the database. Users can view records across all the cases to which they have
access, but they will not be able to modify the data.
Each case has the following properties:

Property Explanation
Name The name given to a case when it is created.
Case names must be unique across the entire
database.

Date Created Automatically captured when the case is first

created.
Date Closed Automatically captured when the status is set to
closed.
Description Used to provide more information about the
case. Can be updated when required.

Note: Word search is unavailable if you have a case-controlled database.

Opening and closing cases

Data can only be added to an open case. Closed cases can be selected by users when opening the
database, but only in read-only mode. Closed cases are included in multi-case analysis mode.
You can close and re-open a case multiple times. Each time you close a case, the Date Closed column
in the Select Case dialog is automatically updated.
To close or re-open a case:
1. In the left pane of the Database window, select Cases.
2. Double-click on the case whose status you want to change.
3. In the Case dialog, select Open or Closed in the General page.

Assigning users access to cases

Users assigned to a single case will be connected to that case automatically when they log in, without
being prompted to choose a case in the Select Case dialog. When working in a single case, users can
create new records as well as viewing existing data.

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 Users authorized to access several cases can open a single case or open all cases at once in multi-
case analysis mode. When opening all cases in multi-case analysis mode, new records cannot be
created.
To assign users to a case:
1. In the left pane of the Database window, select Cases.
2. Double-click on the case to which you want to add or remove users.
3. Select the Users tab to add or remove individual users. To assign a user to this case, double-click
on their name, or click once to select them and click Add.
Added users appear in the list on the right. To remove a user, double-click on their name in the
Users that can access this case box or click once and then click Remove.
4. Select the Groups tab to add or remove Data Access Control groups of users. To assign a group to
this case, double-click on the group name, or click once to select it and click Add. To remove a
group double-click on their name in the Groups that can access this case box or click once and
then click Remove.
Note: Users who are not authorized to access any cases will be unable to open the database.
For help on setting up users and groups in the database, see Chapter 38, “Creating users,” on page
321 and Chapter 39, “Creating security groups,” on page 323.

Removing users from cases

When you remove a user from a case, you deny the user access to any of the records in the case.
If alerting is in use, then:
• the user is removed from any alert definitions that they own (and only a system administrator can
change the alert definition)
• the user's alert definitions remain active for other users
• no alerts are removed from the user's alerting Inbox (but the alert details can no longer be viewed)

Adding data to a case

If you have data that you want to add to a particular case, the quickest way is to import that data into
the case. See Chapter 40, “Importing and exporting data,” on page 325.
If you have a large amount of data, you can use Bulk Import to import it into the required case more
quickly than by using a standard import. See “Bulk importing” on page 51.
You can also add records manually, one at a time, to the case in iBase User. Select the required case

Records in a case
When a single case is selected by a user, any queries that are run will return results based only on the
records in the current case. Similarly, sets and reports will only include records in the current case.
Whenever a user selects "All records" when logged into a single case, this refers to all the records in
that case only.
When several cases are selected in multi-case analysis mode, then "All records" applies to the
records in all of the cases to which you have access.
Note: In contrast, the alerting Inbox always shows all the user's alerts regardless of the current case.
However, the user can only view the details for an alert when they are logged into the case that
contains the alert definition.

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Multi-case analysis mode
Multi-case analysis mode is useful for querying, browsing or reporting on data across several cases.
In multi-case analysis mode, users can view records in all the cases (open and closed) to which they
have been given access, but they cannot add, modify or delete any records in the database.

Deleting a case
To delete a case, right-click on the case name in the left or right pane in the Explorer view and select
Delete.
Important: Deleting a case purges (hard-deletes) all records in the case, the audit history for those
records, all alert definitions and any alerts remaining in the alerting inboxes of the subscribers.

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318 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 37. Activating case control
Case control is used to partition the records in your database into a number of cases, so that groups of
users can be given access only to certain cases. This is useful when you want to authorize users to
work only on records relating to particular investigations.

About this task

Note:
• Case control options are only available if database replication is not installed.
• Case control can only be applied to SQL Server databases.
• You cannot use both Standard (SCC) Control and Case Control in a database. You need to decide
which of these security methods is the most suitable for your requirements.
• You cannot initialize a database for replication when you have activated case control. You cannot
activate case control in a replicated database.
• You cannot use cases with Scheduler.

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320 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 38. Creating users
You can create and edit user accounts. Managing the access that users have to an iBase database
allows you to secure your data.
You can:
• Create new users.
• Add contact details for users (which are used by the Created By and Updated By fields in the
properties of a record, and if you assign owners to records).
• Change a user's password (only for users with iBase user names and passwords).
• Add and remove group memberships to affect a user's permissions.
• Remove a user's access, and prevent them from logging on to a security file.
• Make users inactive or delete them.

How users acquire permissions

Users gain the database management permissions accumulated from all database management
groups of which they are a member. There is a similar combination of permissions or restrictions for
the user’s membership of each other type of group.
If there are Data Access Control groups, then a new user is automatically made a member of all these
groups. This gives them the lowest possible level of data access, which is safe from a security
perspective but may prevent the user doing useful work. You can change this default group
membership, whenever you wish, to give the user meaningful access to data.
To see the current database management permissions, click Show User Permissions. For further
details, see Chapter 42, “Checking user permissions,” on page 329.

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322 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 39. Creating security groups
You can create security groups, edit the membership of the groups, and set the properties of database
management groups, that is, the database permissions that users gain through membership of one or
more database management groups.

About this task

All groups have users as members. A particular user can be a member of any number of groups, of any
types. The user gains the properties defined for all the groups of which they are a member.
For details of the group types, see Chapter 43, “Managing security,” on page 331.
Note: Data Access Control and Folder Object Control groups have a part of their definitions in a
database. These parts and their relationships to security groups are not preserved when you create a
template from a database. However, the groups are still available in the security file, so you can re-
create any settings required in a newly created database based on that template.

Procedure
To create a group:
1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. Click the Groups tab, and do one of the following:
• Click New.
• Select an existing group and click Edit.
3. In the Group dialog, select a type from the Group Type list.
For details of these groups, see Chapter 43, “Managing security,” on page 331.
Note: The Data Access Control type is only available if Extended Access Control is enabled.
4. Enter a Name for the group, up to 50 characters.
5. If you are defining a Database Management group, set the permissions for the group by turning on
the check boxes for the desired permissions. See Chapter 42, “Checking user permissions,” on
page 329 for a description of these permissions.
6. If you wish to set the membership for the group, click the Users tab and turn on the check boxes
for the users you wish to add as members of this group.
If there are a large number of users, you may find it useful to:
• Display the users who do not belong to the group by turning on the Show Unselected Items
Only check box.
• Add all users to the group by clicking Select All.
• Remove all users from the group by clicking Clear All.
7. Click OK to create the new group.
8. If you have created a System Commands Access Control group or a Data Access Control group,
define the security for the group. For details, see Chapter 45, “Setting up System Commands
Access Control groups,” on page 337 or Chapter 46, “Setting up Data Access Control groups,” on
page 339.

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324 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 40. Importing and exporting data

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 325

326 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 41. Bulk importing
Bulk imports enable you to import data more quickly, and should be considered if you have large
volumes of data to import or if you find the standard importer too slow. Before you can create and run
a bulk import, the database must be activated for bulk imports.
You can only run bulk import on an SQL Server database. Bulk imports from XML files additionally
require that the database supports Unicode. In addition, you can only run a bulk import from iBase
Designer or the Scheduler utility. Use the Scheduler to run bulk imports at times when the database is
not being used.

What is a bulk import?

A bulk import allows significantly faster importing, and is useful for importing large quantities of data
without user intervention. You set up a bulk import in the same way as any other import, using an
import specification, although there are a few minor differences between a standard and a bulk
import (see the next section).
To define a bulk import specification:
• You need to be logged on as a database administrator.
Note that bulk importing has the potential to create more links than a standard import. In bulk
importing, all specified links between matching link ends are created, in contrast, for standard
imports only the first link between specified ends is created, see the example below:

A bulk import specification is the same as any other import specification, with the following
limitations:
• You cannot import picture and document fields.
• There is no user action during the import to confirm matching records.

Differences between bulk imports and standard imports

Bulk imports have the following features:
• Bulk imports are not sensitive to trailing spaces.
• The order of importing elements can be different. When importing links with ends of the same type,
bulk import will import all end 1 records before all end 2 records. If records are updated by both
end 1 and end 2 data, end 2 updates will take precedence.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 327

 • Bulk imports are case sensitive when comparing the contents of Append Only fields.
• String comparisons take account of the locale.
• If no records are imported, an empty import set will be created, to identify the fact that the import
took place.
Bulk import is incompatible with Audit Levels 4 and 5. At audit level 4 or 5 changes to individual
records are audited, but when running a Bulk Import the creation or update of individual records is
not audited.

Defining a bulk import specification

Bulk import specifications are defined, edited and saved in the same way as any other import
specification. You can create a new specification from scratch, typically in iBase rather than iBase
Designer, or load an existing one. For more information on creating import specifications, see the
iBase help.
To mark the import specification as a bulk import, turn on the Bulk Import check box on Page 1 of the
Import Wizard.
Note: The Bulk Import check box is unavailable if the database has not been activated to allow bulk
import.

Importing into a database with case control

If your database is case enabled, you have to specify the case into which you want to import the data
when running the import.
When you run the bulk import, the Select Case dialog is displayed. Select a single case to which all the
imported records will be added.
Note: You cannot run a bulk import into a case-enabled database using the Scheduler utility.

328 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 42. Checking user permissions
Each user's permissions are displayed in the User permission dialog, you use this dialog to check
what actions can be performed in iBase. You can perform an action if there is a check mark in the box
to the left of each action. These permissions are part of the database design; they cannot be changed
in this dialog.
The following objects are folder objects, and are subject to the folder object permissions set for the
user account.
• Browse definitions
• Queries and Scored matching (definitions)
• Sets
• Report definitions
• Import and export specifications
• Import and export batch specifications
• Charting schemes
Note: Labeling schemes and alert definitions are not folder objects.
The user permissions are described below.

Permission When turned on When turned off

Add Entity/Link Records You can add new records to the You can find, browse, and show
database. the records in the database but
you cannot add any new ones,
either individually or by
importing them.
Update Entity/Link Records You can edit records that you Once you have added a new
have added. record, you cannot change it in
any way. This includes batch
editing, assigning new icons,
and merging.
Note: Users who can apply icon
shading will also be able to
assign icons.

Delete Entity/Link Records You can delete records that you Once you have added a new
have added. record, you cannot delete it,
either individually or by using
batch delete.
Update/Delete Entity/Link You can edit and delete any You cannot edit or delete
Records created by other users record in the database. records created by other users.
Add Folder Objects You can add new sets, and save You can run queries, reports,
queries, report definitions, and so on, either by using
import specifications, and so on definitions created by other
that you add yourself. users or by using new
definitions of your own. You
cannot save your definitions.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2020 329

 Update Folder Objects For folder objects created by Once you have added a new
you, you can edit existing folder object, you cannot edit it.
queries, report definitions,
import specifications, and so
on. You can also edit the
contents of existing sets,
including appending records to
existing sets.
Delete Folder Objects You can delete folder objects Once you have added a new
that you added yourself. folder object, you cannot delete
it.
Update/Delete Restricted You can update and delete You cannot update or delete
Folder Objects created by other restricted folder objects created restricted folder objects created
users by other users. by other users.
Update/Delete Public Folder You can update and delete You cannot update or delete
Objects created by other users public folder objects created by restricted folder objects created
other users. by other users.
Database Creator, Database A system role that is only relevant when using iBase Designer. See
Administrator, Security below for details.
Administrator
Audit Administrator The Audit Administrator role is not administrative. Instead, it
allows a user with this permission to view the records displayed
and modified by other users who are defined as having a
restricted audit log.

Note: The folder objects actions (as in Add Folder Objects for example) apply to folder objects in
general. There is also access control on individual folder objects based on the membership of Folder
Object Control Groups.
There are three system roles:
• Database Creator
• Database Administrator
• Security Administrator
Note: Audit Administrator is not a system role.
These roles are not modified in any way by the other types of iBase security groups. As supplied,
iBase gives all these roles to members of the System Administrators group, which is suitable where
you intend a small number of people to be able to perform all roles including database design,
security administration, and maintenance of data integrity in operational databases.
It is possible to create groups that partition the overall administration capability. For example, you
can create:
• Database Designers able to create database designs but not access data.
• Security Administrators able to create groups, manage users, and monitor audit logs, but not access
data.
• Database Managers, able to change data and folder objects for the purposes of resolving conflicts,
weeding or archiving old data, and generally maintaining the operational efficiency and relevance of
a live database, but not manage users.

330 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 43. Managing security
You can define a security policy and create new users and security groups using the Security Manager.
All groups have users as members.
A particular user can be a member of any number of groups, of any types. The user gains the
properties defined for all the groups in which they are a member.
You can also set the other properties of database management groups, and change users' passwords
or active status.

Creating a security policy

The security policy specifies rules for adding and changing passwords that apply only to user
accounts with iBase user names - they do not apply to users that can log on with single sign-on. For
further details, see Chapter 47, “Creating a security policy,” on page 341.

Types of security group

There are four different types of security group:

Type Description
Database Management A database management group controls read,
write, update, and delete permissions to, for
example, entities, links, and folder objects. The
properties are set in the Group dialog.
See Chapter 39, “Creating security groups,” on
page 323 for details.

System Command Access Control A system command access control group denies
access to specific iBase commands. This
provides finer control over the actions a user can
perform. Denied commands are typically hidden
from the user. The properties are set in the
System Commands Access Control dialog.
See Chapter 45, “Setting up System Commands
Access Control groups,” on page 337 for details.

Data Access Control A Data Access Control ( DAC) group controls

permissions related to entities, links, and fields
in each database. This allows a very fine control
of how individual pieces of data are made visible
to, or modifiable by, groups of users. The
properties are set in the Data Access Control
dialog.
See Chapter 46, “Setting up Data Access Control
groups,” on page 339 for details.

Folder Object Control This has no management properties set in iBase

Designer. Users define the usage for groups of
this type, using the Categorize dialog and
settings made in the Options dialog.

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 Type Description

See Chapter 48, “Working with categories,” on

page 343 for details.

Creating users and groups

To create a new user:
1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. Click the Users tab. The Users page is displayed listing any existing users.
3. Click New to display the User dialog where you can enter the user details. For further information,
see Chapter 38, “Creating users,” on page 321.
To create a group:
1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. Click the Groups tab. The Groups page is displayed listing any existing groups.
3. Click New to display the Group dialog where you can choose the type of group and define its
properties. For further details, see Chapter 39, “Creating security groups,” on page 323.

Inspecting users and groups

To view the:
• Database management permissions for a user: on the Users page, right-click on a user name, and
from the shortcut menu, select User Permissions. See Chapter 42, “Checking user permissions,” on
page 329 for details.
• Groups a user belongs to: on the Users page, double-click on the user name to list the groups. The
user is inactive if there is no plus sign next to it.
• Users belonging to a group: on the Groups page, double-click on the security group type, and then
double-click on the particular group.

Editing and deleting users

You can edit and delete users on the Users page of the Security Manager dialog.
To make a user a member of additional groups, edit their database management permissions, or
make them inactive:
1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. On the Users page, select the user name.
3. Click Edit. See Chapter 38, “Creating users,” on page 321 for details.
To remove a user's membership of one or more groups:
1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. On the Users page, select the group.
3. Right-click, and select Remove.
Note: A user must belong to at least one group otherwise they will not be able to log on.
You can also delete a user and remove any record of this user from the database. For details of the
consequences of deleting user accounts, see Chapter 38, “Creating users,” on page 321; you may
prefer to make the account inactive instead.

332 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Editing and deleting groups
You can do the following on the Groups page of the Security Manager dialog.
To add users to a group:
1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. On the Groups page, locate the group by double-clicking on the appropriate type of security group
and then select the group.
3. Click Edit to display the Group dialog. See Chapter 38, “Creating users,” on page 321 for further
details.

To remove users from a group:

1. Select Security > Security Manager.
2. On the Groups page, locate the group by double-clicking on the appropriate type of security group
and then double-click on the group to lists its members.
3. Right-click on a user, and from the shortcut menu, select Remove.
To delete a group:
1. Remove all the users from the group as described above.
2. Select the group and click Delete.

Chapter 43. Managing security 333

334 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 44. Checking user permissions
Each user's permissions are displayed in the User permission dialog, you use this dialog to check
what actions can be performed in iBase. You can perform an action if there is a check mark in the box
to the left of each action. These permissions are part of the database design; they cannot be changed
in this dialog.
The following objects are folder objects, and are subject to the folder object permissions set for the
user account.
• Browse definitions
• Queries and Scored matching (definitions)
• Sets
• Report definitions
• Import and export specifications
• Import and export batch specifications
• Charting schemes
Note: Labeling schemes and alert definitions are not folder objects.
The user permissions are described below.

Permission When turned on When turned off

Add Entity/Link Records You can add new records to the You can find, browse, and show
database. the records in the database but
you cannot add any new ones,
either individually or by
importing them.
Update Entity/Link Records You can edit records that you Once you have added a new
have added. record, you cannot change it in
any way. This includes batch
editing, assigning new icons,
and merging.
Note: Users who can apply icon
shading will also be able to
assign icons.

Delete Entity/Link Records You can delete records that you Once you have added a new
have added. record, you cannot delete it,
either individually or by using
batch delete.
Update/Delete Entity/Link You can edit and delete any You cannot edit or delete
Records created by other users record in the database. records created by other users.
Add Folder Objects You can add new sets, and save You can run queries, reports,
queries, report definitions, and so on, either by using
import specifications, and so on definitions created by other
that you add yourself. users or by using new
definitions of your own. You
cannot save your definitions.

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 Update Folder Objects For folder objects created by Once you have added a new
you, you can edit existing folder object, you cannot edit it.
queries, report definitions,
import specifications, and so
on. You can also edit the
contents of existing sets,
including appending records to
existing sets.
Delete Folder Objects You can delete folder objects Once you have added a new
that you added yourself. folder object, you cannot delete
it.
Update/Delete Restricted You can update and delete You cannot update or delete
Folder Objects created by other restricted folder objects created restricted folder objects created
users by other users. by other users.
Update/Delete Public Folder You can update and delete You cannot update or delete
Objects created by other users public folder objects created by restricted folder objects created
other users. by other users.
Database Creator, Database A system role that is only relevant when using iBase Designer. See
Administrator, Security below for details.
Administrator
Audit Administrator The Audit Administrator role is not administrative. Instead, it
allows a user with this permission to view the records displayed
and modified by other users who are defined as having a
restricted audit log.

Note: The folder objects actions (as in Add Folder Objects for example) apply to folder objects in
general. There is also access control on individual folder objects based on the membership of Folder
Object Control Groups.
There are three system roles:
• Database Creator
• Database Administrator
• Security Administrator
Note: Audit Administrator is not a system role.
These roles are not modified in any way by the other types of iBase security groups. As supplied,
iBase gives all these roles to members of the System Administrators group, which is suitable where
you intend a small number of people to be able to perform all roles including database design,
security administration, and maintenance of data integrity in operational databases.
It is possible to create groups that partition the overall administration capability. For example, you
can create:
• Database Designers able to create database designs but not access data.
• Security Administrators able to create groups, manage users, and monitor audit logs, but not access
data.
• Database Managers, able to change data and folder objects for the purposes of resolving conflicts,
weeding or archiving old data, and generally maintaining the operational efficiency and relevance of
a live database, but not manage users.

336 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 45. Setting up System Commands Access
Control groups
For users in each security group of type System Commands Access Control, you can:
Deny use of iBase commands
Users can be denied access to iBase commands. This provides finer control over the actions a
user can perform. It may also simplify the user interface for certain tasks, even if the commands
are not denied by the user’s database management permissions.
Note: Commands that are denied are typically hidden; they are not displayed as unavailable.
However, some denied commands may be displayed, should a user attempt to use them a
message is displayed that they do not have the correct permissions.
Request the user to record the reason for use
Display a dialog requesting a reason for using the command, then record the reason and action in
the audit log.
Audit the use of the command
iBase has several hundred commands including some with very similar names, which would make
administration tricky and tedious if you had to make individual decisions for each command. iBase
is supplied with predefined groups of related commands to reduce this complexity. For example,
the Batch Import/Export command group contains the commands related to batch import or
export, as shown in the displayed Description. How to set up security groups, edit the
membership of the groups, and use these to set access to system commands is described below.

Administering system commands

1. You create each security group and edit its membership.
2. In the System Commands Access Control dialog, select the required group and set up access to
system commands as required.
3. Add users to this group by editing its membership.

Setting access to system commands

The System Commands Access Control dialog has two main areas, a list of security groups on the left
and a tabbed area on the right. To view the current configuration or to configure a group, first select
the group in the Security Groups list. Then you can click each tab to see the command groups where
the check boxes are turned on and, if you wish, turn on or off various command groups.
In the Access Denied page, if a check box is turned on then the command group is denied to that
security group.
In the Reason For Action and Audit pages, if a check box is turned on then use of any command in the
command group is recorded in the audit log. If you turn on a command group in the Reason For Action
page, there is no need to turn on the same command in the Audit page.
Auditing set up in this dialog applies to particular groups of users, at all audit levels, and to all
databases accessed through the same security file.

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338 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
Chapter 46. Setting up Data Access Control groups
A Data Access Control ( DAC) group controls permissions related to entities, links, and fields in each
database. This allows a very fine control of how individual pieces of data are made visible to, or
modifiable by, groups of users.

About this task

Data Access Control Group Permissions control:
• Denying access or modification to all records for a particular entity type or link type.
• Hiding administrative fields in records or making administrative fields read-only to certain groups of
users.
• With SQL Server databases only, making selected records of various entity types or link types
inaccessible according to the security classification code (SCC) given to each record.
Data Access Control is specific to each database in which it is defined. Consider carefully how you
might want to use a scheme using this type of conditional access.
Important: After making changes to a Data Access Control group in a database that uses alerting, log
off and then reopen the database as soon as possible, in either iBase or iBase Designer. This will apply
the security changes to any existing alert definitions.

Procedure
1. Open a database.
2. Select Security > Data Access Control.
3. Use the Security Manager dialog to create one or more Data Access Control groups, and assign
users as members of those groups.
4. Open the Data Access Control dialog. The dialog has two main areas, a list of security groups on
the left and a tabbed area on the right, with tabs for:
Page Notes
Tables List of check boxes and names of all the entity types and link types in the
database. Each name is of the form Type: Name, to show which type it
represents. For example, the names might include Entity: Account.
If a check box is turned on then the named table (all records of that named
entity or link type) or field is denied to members of the selected security
group.

Fields List of check boxes and names for all the fields of all the entity types and link
types in the database. Each name is of the form TypeName: FieldName, to
show which entity type or link type contains the field. For example, the names
might include Account: Account Type. In these pages, standard fields appear
separately for each entity or link type and you can control the appearance of
each standard field independently.
Important: You will be warned if you deny access to a mandatory field (or if
you make a denied field mandatory). If you choose to deny access to this field
(or make a denied field mandatory), you will prevent members of the group
from adding records of the entity or link type.

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 Page Notes

If a check box is turned on then the named field is denied to members of the
selected security group.

Read-Only If a check box is turned on then the named table (all records of that named
Tables entity or link type) or field is made protected from change by members of the
selected security group.
Read-Only If a check box is turned on then the named field is made protected from
Fields change by members of the selected security group.
Security List of check boxes and names for all classification entries in all SCC code lists
Classification defined in the database.
Codes
If a check box is turned on then all records with that classification are denied
to members of the selected security group. (If any classification name appears
in more than one SCC list, the denial of records applies to all records with that
classification regardless of the list in which it appears.)

Note: If you have opened an Access database, the dialog does not display the Security
Classification Codes tab. This is because iBase does not support this form of control for Access
databases. For this reason, there is some duplication of contents in these tabbed pages.
5. To view the current configuration or to configure a group, first select the group in the Security
Groups list. Then click each tab to see the entries where the check boxes are turned on and, if you
wish, turn on or off various entries.
6. Save the changes.

Results
The specified access will be applied.
Note: The relationship to database contents means that the full definition of a Data Access Control
group is stored in two parts. The name and membership of each group is stored in the security file.
The restrictions on members of each group are stored in the database.
To apply the same control to another database controlled by the same security file, open that
database and with the window of that database active, enter the Data Access Control dialog. Your
security groups will already exist so you need only turn on the same check boxes to apply the same
security.

340 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 47. Creating a security policy
A security policy sets restrictions on the user accounts that are set up to access iBase. The security
policy specifies rules for adding and changing passwords that apply only to user accounts with iBase
usernames and passwords.

About this task

New security files do not have a security policy because by default none of the settings on the
Security Policy page of the Security Manager are turned on.
The absence of a security policy means that:
• Minimum password length is four-characters.
• No restriction on the characters that are used to make up passwords.
• Passwords never expire.
• No limit to the number of attempts to log on.
• Last used username is displayed at the next logon.
• No password history (although a new password cannot be the same as the current password).
Note: Although a security policy is part of the security file, it is not replicated even if you choose to
replicate the security file. Enabling each site that is involved in iBase Database Replication to maintain
their own security policy. However, the password history is replicated as it is possible that users might
need to log on and change their account details at any of the sites.

Procedure
To view a security policy or change its settings:
1. In iBase Designer, Select Security > Security Manager > Security Policy.
2. Enter the requirements for new iBase passwords.
Option Use this option to
Minimum password Enforce a minimum number of characters for the password, 1 - 20
length characters.
Minimum password Prevent the user from changing their password for a specified number of
age days.
Note: This restriction can be overridden by turning on Reset password at
next logon.

Maximum Force the user to change their password after a specified number of days
password age has passed. By default, passwords never expire.
Show password Remind the user to change their password for a specified number of days
expiry reminder before the expiry date.
Enforce password Prevent the user from changing their password back to one used
history previously. The new password is compared to all previous passwords. Set
the passwords remembered option to limit the number of passwords that
are used in validating the new password.
Lock out user after Control the number of times the user can enter an incorrect password
before their account is disabled.

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 Option Use this option to

Note: You can unlock the account in the User settings by turning on
Account is active.

Reset account lock- Automatically unlock an account that has been disabled as a result of too
out after many failed logon attempts.
Note: Administrative accounts are automatically reset after thirty minutes.

Enforce complex Force the user to select a password of a suitable complexity.

passwords
Hide last username Hide the name of the last user to use iBase. By default, last used
when logging on username is displayed at the next logon.
Enforce FIPS The Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are standards that
compliance are specified by the United States Government for approving
cryptographic software. If you are working in environments that enforce
FIPS compliance, you must ensure that your passwords are encrypted
using logic that matches this standard.
Note: FIPS compliance prevents iBase from using advanced and more
efficient cryptography algorithms. However, if your windows policy is FIPS
enabled, you must select this option.

Note: The changes that you make do not affect existing passwords unless you require users to
change their passwords when they next log-on.
3. Click Apply to save your changes. The changes come into effect when you log off.
4. If you are editing an existing policy, and change the password settings, select whether you want to
force users to change their password when they next log-on.

342 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Chapter 48. Working with categories
You can manage your folder objects (such as import specifications) by storing them in categories. In
this way you can keep folder objects together by user or by case.
Access to the contents of some categories may only be available if you are a member of a particular
user group.
When you create a new folder object, you may be prompted to specify a category and access
restrictions. This depends on the setting of Prompt for category when saving folder objects in the
Options dialog (available from Tools > Feature Availability in iBase). If you are not prompted to
specify a category when you save an item, then it is saved by default in either a General category or in
the default category defined in the Options dialog. By default, the access to a folder object may be
public, private or restricted to a folder object control group.
Note: System administrators can restrict access to folder objects by users according to their
membership of Folder Object Control groups. Alternatively, you can make useful definitions available
for general use. Folder Object Control groups and their members are specified in the database design.
Access control is set on individual folder objects, not on categories.
To move items between categories, you need to use iBase rather than iBase Designer.

More about categories

Categories appear as folders, with similar behavior to Windows Explorer folders, and you navigate the
folders in a similar way.
Notice that categories:
• Cannot be renamed.
• Disappear when you delete the last item in them and then close the dialog.
When saving folder objects in categories, the folder defaults to a General folder, which is not
displayed in the dialog if there is nothing in it.
You can set the default behavior for categories. See below Setting the defaults for categories.

Setting the defaults for categories

You can define the default behavior for categories by selecting Tools > Feature Availability >
Options. The General page is displayed.

Option Description
Default Category Name To avoid the need to reselect a different category
each time, you can set a default category. A
category with this name does not have to exist.
In the Default Category Name box, enter the
default name to use.

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 Option Description
Default to 'Public' access Access to a folder object in a category can be
public, private to the user who flagged it as
private, or restricted to members of a folder
object control group. Private folder objects
cannot be listed or viewed by any other user
(apart from the system administrator).
To set the default access type for any new folder
objects that are created:
• Turn on the check box so that new folder
objects are public by default (this overrides any
membership of folder object control groups to
which you may belong).
• Turn off the check box so that new folder
objects are private by default, or default to the
folder object control group to which you belong
(if you belong to several folder object control
groups, you will be prompted to select an
access type).
For detailed information on access types and
folder object control groups, see below About
folder object control groups.
You may be able to change the access before
saving folder objects. See the option Prompt for
Category when saving folder objects below.

Prompt for category when saving folder objects Folder objects are always saved in a category.
However, by turning on or off this check box you
can select the category and set the access type
before saving the object:
• Turn on the check box to display a dialog in
which you can select the category and access
type.
Note: When this check box is turned on,
clicking Cancel in the Categorize dialog will
also cancel the save.
• Turn off the check box to automatically save
folder objects in the default category with the
default access type where possible. The
Categorize dialog will always be displayed if
you belong to more than one folder object
control group.

Saving in an existing category

To save an item in an existing category:
1. Click Save in the relevant dialog. You are then prompted for the item name.

344 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

 If you are not prompted to select a category after clicking Save, then you cannot change the
category. You can, however, change it later by using iBase.
2. Enter the name for the item, which must be unique to the database, and then click OK.
The default category is displayed in the Selected Category box. If the default category is empty,
(does not exist yet) is displayed.
3. If required, select a different category in which to save the item. The category name is displayed in
the Selected Category box. You can also save the item in a new category; see Saving in a new
category below.
4. If required, restrict who can access the item by clicking Restricted to groups and then turning on
or off the check box next to the groups who can access the item.
5. Click OK.

Saving in a new category

In the Categorize dialog, you can create new categories, organized in hierarchies.
In the Selected Category box, enter the name that you want to give the category. You do not need to
enter the item name. For example:
Operation Crest
Categories can contain other categories.
To create a new category, simply enter the names of the categories you want, separated with a
backslash (\). For example: Operation Crest\Unit B\Vehicle Owners
In this example, the category Unit B will be created for you if it does not yet exist.
Note: The new categories are not displayed until you close and then reopen the Categorize dialog.

Setting the access on folder objects

1. When you modify multiple folder objects that currently have different access restrictions, a
Change Access check box will be displayed. You first need to turn on this check box before
modifying the access restrictions.
2. Select one of the following:

Option Description
Public Any user can access the folder objects.
Private Only the person who flagged the folder object
as private and the system administrator can
see it. For example, unless you are logged on as
a system administrator, private import
specifications belonging to others will not
appear in the All Import Specifications folder.
Note: If you are a member of a folder object
control group, membership of this group may
prevent you from setting the access on folder
objects to private. Access to the object will
always be set to the folder object group. For
detailed information, see below About folder
object control groups.

Chapter 48. Working with categories 345

 Option Description
Restricted to groups Only users who are in the specified groups can
see these folder objects.
With Restricted to groups selected, check the
Folder Object Control groups that you want to
have access. You only see the Folder Object
Control groups of which you are a member.

3. Click OK.

About folder object control groups

A folder object control group is the most restrictive of the three types of folder access: public, private,
and group. Folder object control groups are defined in iBase Designer using the Security Manager but
their usage is defined by the users who belong to the group, and the following two settings made in
the Options dialog:
• Default to 'Public' Access
• Prompt for category when saving
How these Option dialog settings affect the use of folder object control groups is summarized below.

Category prompt Default access type Result when you

save a folder object

ON Private You are prompted to select the

access type for the folder
object. The default access type
is the folder object control
group to which you belong. If
you belong to several groups,
the access type defaults to
private.
ON Public You are prompted to select the
access type for the folder object
— the default access type is
public.
OFF Private The folder object is
automatically saved in the
folder object control group to
which you belong. If you belong
to several groups, you are
prompted to select one or more
groups, or to change the access
type.

346 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase

Category prompt Default access type Result when you
save a folder object

OFF Public The folder object is

automatically saved in a public
folder— overriding the
membership of the Folder
Object Control group. If you
belong to several groups, you
are prompted to select one or
more groups, or to change the
access type.

Chapter 48. Working with categories 347

348 Using iBase: Using IBM i2 iBase
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