Database (ODBC)

Create a database object by clicking the  icon on the overlay toolbar.

Note: There is a full overlay tutorial that takes you in a step by step fashion through the process of adding an ODBC data source to an overlay. Click here to see this tutorial.

 

When the object is selected its property grid is revealed on the left:

 

 

1.  Name – please enter a name for your object. This will identify this object on the layer list and will be easier to manage objects especially in a layout with many objects.

2.  Alignment – this value determines where the database object anchors itself in the work area. For example, if you choose ‘Right’ then any change to the text value will adjust to the right side edge of the text object.

3.  Data Source Name – is the name you entered when creating an ODBC System Data Source in the System DSN tab found in the ‘ODBC Data Source Administrator’. This is found in Windows XP by default by going to Start/Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Data Sources (ODBC).

4.  Left % – value entered positions the text object’s left edge equivalent to percentage value of the work area.

5.  Scrolling – setting this value to ‘Yes’ will extend the text left and right edges to the edges of the work area by default if your ‘Width’ value is set to 100 %. You can change the Width value as mentioned below. The text will then scroll across the text object area from right to left.

6.  Scroll Duration – this value sets the scroll duration in seconds for the text string entered. This value determines how long it takes for the first character of the text string to enter the right edge of the text area and leave the left edge of the text area.

7.  SQL – this is a standard SQL statement that defines the data you would like to display. An example of this would be ‘SELECT price FROM menu_prices WHERE menu_item = 'burgers';’

8.  Top % – value entered positions the text object’s top edge equivalent to percentage value of the full height of the work area.

9.  Update Interval – this value is the number of seconds that the ODBC object counts down before updating the text data from the database.

10. Width % – this value is only valid when you have set your text to scrolling. Value entered for Width is proportional to a percentage of the work area.

 

Right clicking on the text icon brings up the following menu options:

 

 

1.  ‘Remove’ deletes the text object.

2.  ‘Font’ will bring up a windows font dialogue. Use this to change the font properties of the text object.

3.  ‘Choose Color’ brings up the color chooser dialogue.

The text in the text object is changed to the chosen color.

4.  ‘Use Color’ changes the text in the object to the active color in the color block.

5.  ‘Choose Background Color’ brings up the color chooser. The background color of the text in the object will change to the chosen color.

6.  ‘Use Background Color’ will change the background color of the text in the object to the color in the active color block.

7.  ‘Use Transparent Background‘ will make the background of the text transparent.

8.  ‘Bring to Front’ brings the object to the top layer in the work area.

9.  ‘Send to Back’ pushes the object to the bottom layer of the object stack. The object will occupy the layer just above the background.