OpenBuildings™ Designer Help

To establish a database link

  1. Open (Catalog Editor).
  2. Expand the Duct Fitting RoundElbow catalog type and highlight the DefaultRound catalog item.
  3. Select the right-click > Properties menu to open the Default Round Properties dialog. Ensure the required Destination and File Name are defined.


    Default Round Elbow Properties: Create UDL file.

  4. For UDL File, click (Create a new UDL file) icon to open the New File dialog.
  5. In the New File dialog, create a new file name called DefaultRoundElbow (no spaces) and click OK.

    The Data Link Properties dialog opens.

  6. Several of OLE DB Providers are listed in the Provider tab, based on your system configurations. Select the preferred provider from the list, for example the Microsoft Office 12.0 Access Database Engine OLE DB Provider, and click Next.


    The Data Link Properties dialog.

    The Data link Properties dialog, Connection tab appears.
  7. Place the cursor in Data Source field, and enter the database location.

    In our example, get the Lindab.mdb location in the active dataset fittings_lib folder.

  8. Click Test Connection.

    The "Test Connection Succeeded" message appears.

  9. Click OK to accept the properties and dismiss the Data Link Properties dialog and return to the Default Round Properties dialog.
  10. Save and dismiss the Default Round Properties dialog by clicking OK.
    Note: The newly created UDL file for the DefaultRoundElbow entry is generated in the database folder in the active workspace.


  11. Resize and expand the DataGroup Catalog Editor from left to right to display all the list box columns. Select the Default Round item (RoundElbow catalog type) and make the following entries:
    Definition Property Table Column Linked
    EndSpec2_22 Diameter 1 (D1 Ø) roundelbow D1 On
    EndSpec2_22 Diameter 2 (D2 Ø ) roundelbow D2 On
    To select, click in the respective column and choose the value from the drop down list. To set Linked, double click in the cell to turn it on.


    Table entry for DefaultRound elbow in the Catalog Editor.

  12. In the Catalog Editor toolbar select > Save to save the changes.

    The catalog item icon for Default Round changes from to a linked state .

  13. Select (Reload) to refresh the datagroup system with the new datagroup catalog settings updated.
  14. Tentatively place an HVAC round elbow component. Notice that the new EndSpec properties display are selectable from the linked table. When in the locked position (), the selected size will remain as the only choice until the locks are disabled (unlocked ).


    The End Spec parameters are seen linked to a database.

Parent topic: Establishing Links to Delivered Databases