Data Editor - Linking Records [Binary Link]

Valentina Database except FK-links has ObjectPtr and BinaryLinks.

BinaryLink very differs from FK and ObjectPtr links, which are based on additional field in the MANY Table (i.e. information about link of two records is stored in the child-Table actually). BinaryLink is a database object, which stores information about link of two records separately from Tables. A BinaryLink stores link as pair of RecID values { RecID_1, RecID_2 }.

RecID is a special field that exists in each Valentina Table and keeps system-assigned values. This differs it from a regular ID field, which keeps user-assigned values.

Exactly because of these system-values of RecID, we was need to invent a special way how to link records without typing values by user, because user simply should not care about system values. Valentina Studio introduces this new way with the help of Related Table Editor and mouse clicks.

Let we have two tables. Table “tblPerson_BL” is linked to table “tblPhone_BL” as M:M with the help of BinaryLink “linkPhonePerson_BL”.

Note, that Valentina Studio shows you a lots of info and prompts about link and its character:

• In the menu you can see the name of link and its cardinality.
• If enabled show of RecID fields, then you will see in both top and bottom tables RecID fields with KEY icon.
  • Both these columns are highlighted by yellow color.

Records of two tables can be linked only by mouse clicks when we working with a BinaryLink. Because we even do not have cell where to enter RecID value, as we have it with ObjectPtr-link.

To link records by mouse clicks:

• Mark a record in the top Table.
• Click in the first mark-column of the bottom Table on a record that should be linked.

To unlinking record(s) by mouse click:

• mark a parent-record in the top Table.
• unmark the needed child-record (one click in the first column of the record) in the bottom Table.