data link/ database field help

[nina.linden]

Hello!

Am really hoping someone can help me. Am not sure if this is the right forum or not....? [moved to Fields forum]

I have 3 questions about database fields.

1. Does anyone have any experience with them and could give me hints as to pit falls. Or should I just not even go down that road...?

2. Have been experimenting with ODBC/ DSN files with moderate success. For some reason I cannot remove files to which I did test connections to from the drop down in the Fields window. (see jpeg) How to remove them?

All ideas are welcome.
Have good days all of you!

[RobertB]

For your second question: have you tried the DataLinks command?

[nina.linden]

Hello!

Yes I have tried but only get me to links to excel not database links....
And have checked in options where Data Links are stored and cleared that folder. hm

[irneb]

See this thread: http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=78139

[irneb]

As for hints and pitfalls. A few I've come across:

• In some cases formatting numbers don't work.' Workaround is to hack the field-codes in a text editor and copy-n-paste into the MText; or use a nested field inside a formula field.
• Both workarounds above break if you edit the field at a later stage.
• Use diesel fields to work with strings, e.g. to extract a portion of the drawing's filename you use $(substr,$(getvar,dwgname),2,3). 2 being the start position, and 3 the length to be extracted - change as needed.
• You cannot use nested fields inside a diesel field. You can paste another field's code into the diesel, it appears to work. But after clicking OK the nested field is converted to normal text - i.e. wont update.