User Guide › Design › Data Acquisition › Adapters › Adding Adapters › Add an SQL Adapter › Connection Step

Connection Step

The Connection step is used to set the type of database the adapter is connecting to and set a connection string to access the source database.

The user has the ability to manage data sources in the Connection step by:

• Saving the data source as a template (click )
• Setting an existing data source interface as default (click )

For more information, see Managing Predefined Data Sources.

In the Connection step:

1. In Database Type, select the database type you are trying to connect to from the list.
2. In Connection string, type a connection string to access the source database or:
   1. Click Set connection string to set the connection string using the standard Windows system interface for configuring connection strings to data sources.

   -OR-

   1. Click Select from template to select a data source from an existing template. The Data Source Templates window is displayed.
   2. Select a data source from the list shown and click OK. The data source is uploaded to the Connection step.
3. Click Test Connection to test that the inputted connection string is valid and a connection is established.
4. If you are an advanced user, click Advanced to configure advanced parameters related to the Connection step. The Connection Advanced Settings window is displayed.
   1. select Connection string and type a connection string to access the source database.

   The connection string can be defined in one string or by segments. When the connection string element does not contain Segment elements, the connection string is taken from the connection string element text. If it contains at least one Segment element, the connection string is concatenated from that. Segments are mainly used to access Excel and Text files when the file name is not static, but defined as a name pattern.

   -OR-

   1. Select Connection string segments and:
   2. If a segment exists, click to edit or to delete.

   -OR-

   1. Click Add segment to select the segment type. The Segment details window is displayed.
   • Select Text segment and in the Text field, type the text that is concatenated to the connection string as is.

     -OR-

   • Select File segment and:

     In File Path, type the path to the location of the source date files.

     In Name Pattern, type the data source file name (can use wildcards).

     In Initial File name, type the first file from which the adapter searches for the file with the given pattern.

     Select the Use Path check box to have the file path concatenated to the connection string.

     Select the Use File name, to have the file name concatenated to the connection string (required for Excel files).

     Select the Update Schema File check box to have the adapter update the schema.ini file with the current file name (required for Text files).

   • Click OK. The Connection tab is displayed showing the added segment.
   • If necessary, repeat step b to add more segments.
   • Click to delete the segment.
   • Click to edit the segment.

   Note: The order of the segments can be changed by clicking or next to the desired segment.

   1. In Connection timeout, type a positive integer number that indicates, in seconds, how long to wait for the connection to open. The value 0 indicates to wait indefinitely until the connection is opened. If not specified, the default value is 15 seconds.

   Note: Some of the providers do not support this functionality.

   1. In Query timeout, type a positive integer number that indicates, in seconds, how long to wait for the query to execute. The value 0 indicates to wait indefinitely until the execution is complete. If not specified, the default value is 30 seconds.

   Note: Some of the providers do not support this functionality.

   1. In Transaction mode, select Explicit to have the adapter use a transaction command (not set in the database) when querying large databases or Implicit to have the adapter query the large database directly having the transaction command set in the database.
   2. In Rollback segment name, type a name for a rollback segment that is not the default. For use in large databases.
5. Click Next. The Adapter Wizard page Data Source Interface step is displayed.