Working With TopLink Workbench

Figure 5-1 shows the primary parts of TopLink Workbench window.

Figure 5-1 TopLink Workbench Window

Description of "Figure 5-1 TopLink Workbench Window"

The numbered callouts in Figure 5-1 identify the following user interface components:

1. Menu bar

   The menu bar contains menus for each TopLink Workbench function. Some objects also contain context-sensitive menus. See "Using the Menus" for more information.

2. Toolbars

   The toolbars contain shortcuts to specific functions. See "Using the Toolbars" for more information.

3. Navigator window section

   The Navigator window section shows the project navigation tree for all open projects (see "Using the Navigator"). Click the plus ( + ) or minus ( – ) sign next to an object (or double-click the object) to expand or collapse the tree. When you select an object in the Navigator window section, its properties appear in the Editor window.

4. Editor window section

   The Editor window section contains specific property sheets and option tabs for the currently selected object. See "Using the Editor" for more information.

5. Problems window section

   The Problems window section shows messages and errors for the currently selected object in the Navigator window section (see "Using the Problems Window"). Chapter 14, "TopLink Workbench Error Reference" contains detailed information on each error message.

Using the Menus

TopLink Workbench contains two types of menus:

• Menu Bar Menus

• Context Menus

Menu Bar Menus

The menu bar, located at the top of the TopLink Workbench window, provides menus for each TopLink Workbench function. Some menus (such as Selected) are context-sensitive; the available options may vary, depending on the currently selected object.

Figure 5-2 Sample Menu Bar Menu

Description of "Figure 5-2 Sample Menu Bar Menu"

Context Menus

When you right-click objects in the Navigator window, a context menu appears with functions specific to the selected object.

Figure 5-3 Sample Context Menu

Description of "Figure 5-3 Sample Context Menu"

Using the Toolbars

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

• Standard Toolbar

• Context Toolbar

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

Standard Toolbar

The standard toolbar furnishes quick access to the standard menu options (File, Edit, Selected, and so on).

Table 5-1 Standard Toolbar Buttons

Button	Description	Available for ...
	New	All
	Open
	Save
	Save as
	Save all
	Close
	Close all
	Help topics
	Export deployment XML	Projects
	Refresh classes
	Add or refresh classes
	Create new class

Context Toolbar

The context toolbar provides quick access to functions for the currently selected object in the Navigator (see "Using the Navigator"). The available buttons will vary, depending on which item you have selected.

You can also right-click the item and choose the appropriate option from the context menu.

Table 5-2 Context Toolbar Buttons

Button	Description	Available for ...
	Login to database	Databases
	Logout of database
	Add new table
	Add or update tables from database
	Refresh from database	Database tables
	Remove table
	Rename
	Add database platform	Database platform repositories
	Rename repository
	Delete platform
	Clone platform
	Add database type
	Import schema	Schemas
	Relational aggregate descriptor	Descriptors
	Relational class descriptor
	Relational EJB descriptor
	EIS composite descriptor
	EIS root descriptor
	EIS EJB descriptor
	XML descriptor
	Direct-to-field mapping	Attributes in relational descriptors
	Object type mappingFoot 1
	Type conversion mappingFootref 1
	Serialized mappingFootref 1
	Direct-to-XMLType mapping
	Direct collection mapping
	Direct map mapping
	Aggregate mapping
	One-to-one mapping
	Variable one-to-one mapping
	One-to-many mapping
	Many-to-many mapping
	Direct mapping	Attributes in EIS descriptors
	Direct collection mapping
	Composite object mapping
	Composite collection mapping
	One-to-one mapping
	One-to-many mapping
	Direct-to-XML mapping	Attributes in XML descriptors
	Direct collection mapping
	Composite object mapping
	Composite collection mapping
	Any object mapping
	Any collection mapping
	Transformation mapping	Attributes in all descriptors
	Unmap
	Session	Sessions configurations
	Session Broker
	Named connection pool	Server sessions
	Sequence connection pool
	Write connection pool
	Rename	Database sessions, session brokers
	Delete session

^Footnote 1 Deprecated. For more information, see "Using a Converter Mapping"

Using the Navigator

TopLink displays the items included in each project (descriptors, mappings, data source, and so on) in the Navigator on the left side of the TopLink Workbench window, as Figure 5-4 shows.

Figure 5-4 Sample Navigator

Description of "Figure 5-4 Sample Navigator"

The numbered callouts on Figure 5-4 identify the following user interface components:

1. Project (relational project)

2. Package

3. TopLink Descriptor (relational descriptor)

4. Attribute/mapping (direct to field mapping)

5. Unsaved/changed item

6. Database

7. Database table

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Active and Inactive Descriptors

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

Figure 5-5 Sample Active and Inactive Descriptors

Description of "Figure 5-5 Sample Active and Inactive Descriptors"

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

1. Inactive descriptor

2. Active descriptor

Errors and Missing Information

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

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

Using the Editor

The Editor, on the right side of the TopLink Workbench window, displays the property sheet associated with the currently selected item in the Navigator as Figure 5-6 shows.

Figure 5-6 Sample Editor

Description of "Figure 5-6 Sample Editor"

Figure 5-6 numbered callouts identify the following user interface components:

1. Selected element (from the Navigator)

2. Editor property tabs

Using the Problems Window

If an element in the project (such as a descriptor or mapping) contains an error or some deficiency (sometimes called neediness), the TopLink Workbench displays a caution icon (represented by a yellow triangle with a black exclamation point in the middle) to the left of the deficient element in the Navigator (see "Using the Navigator") and displays a message in the Problems window as Figure 5-7 shows.

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

Figure 5-7 Sample Deficient Mapping

Description of "Figure 5-7 Sample Deficient Mapping"

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

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

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

Using the Online Help

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

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

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