Editing Fields

An Entity's Fields can be edited using the Schema Editor. To do so, make sure the Schema Editor is already open (double click or right-click a Schema node ( or ) in the Projects window and choose Edit Schema. In the Schema Editor you can make use of the icons located in the tool bar at the top of the window ( ) for adding new fields to the table. You can also use the Schema Editor to make changes to, convert types of, or delete existing fields.

Adding New Fields
Making Changes to Fields
Converting Types
Deleting Fields
Promoting columns to Fields

To add a new field:

A new field can be added by any of these methods:

In the Schema Editor
Using the 'New Field' items from the Data menu
In the Grid View
In Design mode of the Form View

First, specify where the new Field is required by making the Entity to which you want the Field adding active. The 'New Field' actions will only be active in the correct context (when it is explicit which Entity the field is to be added to). In the Views this is automatic. In the Schema Editor select the Entity from the Schema Editor's explorer located on the left side in the main window.

Depending on whether you want to create a new standard field (), or a new Chemical Terms field (), click the appropriate icon from the tool bar or menu. If you want to add a Chemical Terms field, please proceed to Adding Chemical Terms Fields. For standard fields, the New Standard Field dialog opens to guide you through the process:

Step 1. Field Name and Type:

In the Data Type drop-down menu, select a data type for the new field. Various data types are supported, including: Integer (), Decimal number (), Text (), Date (), and Boolean () (see table below).
Under Selected Standard Field Settings, specify the following settings:
- Field Name: Enter a field name.
- Required: Select TRUE or FALSE to specify whether the field is required.
- Discrete set of values: Select whether the contents of the field are defined as a small number of discrete values.
- Default value: Enter a default value for the field (optional).
- DB column name: Enter a name for the column that will be created in the database.
- Column definition: Optionally change the data type definition of the database column (choices will depend on the field type and the database you are using and will include values like: REAL, INTEGER, VARCHAR, CLOB).
- Length: Enter the character length of the given field (only applies to certain column types).
- Scale: Specify the amount of storage that is required for the decimal places of a number (only applies to certain column types).
Click Finish. A new field is generated and a corresponding field node displays in the Schema Editor under the selected table entity.

Note: Many of the field details will already be provided for you, such as Field Name and DB Column Name. Also, depending on the chosen data type, various options may be deactivated.

The following table lists the various data types supported for creating a standard field:

icons	descriptions
	Create a New Integer field
	Create a New Decimal number field
	Create a New Text field
	Create a New Date field
	Create a New Boolean field

To make changes to a field:

In order to make changes to an existing field, you can edit the existing parameters by selecting a field in the explorer located on the left in the Schema Editor, then make appropriate changes in the panel on the right. Only some properties can be changed once the field has been created, and this differs between the different databases.

To convert the type of an existing field:

You can convert a field to a new type. e.g. if a field has been imported into IJC as text, but is in fact numbers you can convert the values to numbers and create a new field with those values. Note that the old field is not changed, so if the conversion does not go to plan your old data is still present.

In order to convert the type of an existing field, choose 'Convert type' from the right-click menu of a selected field in the Schema Editor's explorer. The Convert field type wizard opens to guide you through the process:

Step 1. Field Type and details

Specify the details for the new field that is going to be created. These options are the same as when creating a new field.

Speicify the field type from the list of types.
Specify the field details, as if you were creating a new field.
Click Next.

Step 2. Data conversion:

The data conversion process takes place and you are notified of progress and any errors. Click Finish when the import is complete. The newly converted field will appear in the Schema Editor.

To delete a field:

You can delete an existing field by choosing Delete from the right-click menu of a selected field in the Schema Editor's explorer. A confirmation window opens, allowing you to specify whether the related column on the database should also be removed. Click OK to confirm. A Field can also be deleted from the Grid View,

To promote a column to a Field:

The database table may contain some columns that are not currently used by any Field. To see these unused columns click on the 'Filter unused database artifacts' toggle () in the toolbar of the Schema Editor.

To promote a column to a Field either select the column and click on the 'Promote to Field' button in its Editor, or click on the 'Existing standard Field' icon in the toolbar (). A wizard will open and prompt you for any necessary information.