Step 1: Setup Project and Connect to Database

In general, it is not necessary to create a project to use the database tools of Workshop. The IDE can connect with any existing database that has a JDBC driver. From Workshop, you can simply create a database connection and proceed to use the database tools.

For this tutorial, we will open an existing demo application which contains a database, so that we can demonstrate the database tools.

Create a new project and load the sample application

In order to access the demo database, we must first create a project and install the files.

1. Choose File > New > Example.
2. In the New Example dialog, select JPA > Workshop JPA Tutorial from the list.
3. Click Next.
   
4. Verify that the value workshop-jpa-tutorial is in the project name field, click Finish.
   
   
   

Connect and analyze database schema using DbXplorer

In this step, we will learn how to explore databases using the DbXplorer™, a view that provides an intuitive interface for database access through the ORM Workbench. Using the DbXplorer, you can setup a database connection, add and edit data, review the database artifacts, query the data in an existing table or column, and generate object relational mappings.

Create a New Database Connection

1. Click on the DbXplorer view tab, if it is visible. If not, open the DbXplorer view by clicking Window > Show View > DbXplorer.
2. Right-click anywhere within the DbXplorer view and select New Connection.

   

3. In the Add Database Connection wizard, enter a database connection name. The database connection name can be arbitrary and does not have to match the actual name of the database server. Click Next to proceed.

   

4. In the Add Database Connection dialog, click Add and select the Hypersonic JDBC driver file, <path to workspace>\workshop-jpa-tutorial\web\WEB-INF\lib\hsqldb.jar.

   

5. Click Next.
6. In the JDBC Driver Class field click Browse and select org.hsqldb.jdbcDriver.
7. Workshop provides sample Database URL's for some standard databases, which can be accessed from the Populate from database defaults pull down menu. Select HypersonicSQL In-Memory.

   

8. For database URL jdbc:hsqldb:{db filename}, specify the Hypersonic database script file location for {db filename}: <path to workspace>\workshop-jpa-tutorial\web\hsqlDB\SalesDB .
9. For User, enter sa.

   

10. Click the Test Connection button to verify the connection information.

    

11. Click Finish. The new database connection displays in the DbXplorer view.