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Creating, altering, and dropping objects in Data Studio
Now that you know how to create, connect to, and drop a database, and have an overview of the types of objects in DB2, you'll learn how to use Data Studio to interact with and create those objects. Once again, for the detailed creation commands to enter into the command line, use the links to the Information Center in the Resources section.
In this latest version of Data Studio, instead of deploying each change to database objects individually and immediately, now Data Studio utilizes change plans, which will let you deploy all changes at one time.
In this example, we will create a new schema in the Sample database called TEMP. Once you connect to the Sample database, left-click on the Schema folder in the Administration Explorer view, which will load the list of all schemas in the List Editor. At the top of the List Editor, there is a green plus sign (+) that, when clicked, creates a new object with default values and opens the Properties view at the bottom of the screen with editable values. You may instead right-click on the Schema folder in the Administration Explorer view and select Create Schema.
Figure 12. Create Button in the List Editor
Figure 13. Creating an object from the Administration Explorer View
For our example, a new schema will appear with the default name of Schema2 and to the left of that name in the List Editor will be a delta symbol, denoting an undeployed change. Change the name to TEMP in the Properties view. Until these changes are deployed, you may reselect the undeployed object and continue to alter it. You will not see the List Editor reflect the name change until you click on it in the List Editor or click on the schema folder in the Administration Explorer view.
Figure 14. The new schema in the List Editor
Figure 15. Editing the schema name in the Properties view
To deploy this change to the database, you may click on the Change Plans folder in the Administration Explorer view, right-click on the change plan that is still in Pending status, then select Review and Deploy. Alternatively, you may click the Review and Deploy Changes button no matter what objects you may be reviewing in the List Editor. This button is third from the right on the second level of buttons at the top right of the List Editor.
Figure 16. Reviewing the Change Plan in the List Editor
Figure 17. The Review and Deploy Button
Before deploying changes to the database, Data Studio will open the Review and Deploy window, which will show you the exact command that it is about to issue to the database. This is the same command that you would issue if you created the schema using the command line.
Figure 18. The Review and Deploy window
While our example created a schema, you should know that the same process can be used to create any database objects mentioned in Introduction to Databases and Database Objects, with the differences being in the options you would need to select and alter in the Properties View.
Altering and dropping database objects
Altering and dropping database objects is done in a similar format. Start by viewing the object in the Administration Explorer view. Right-click on the object you want to alter or drop and select the appropriate option. If you select Alter, the values in the Properties view become editable, just as they were when creating a new object. When all your changes are complete, you may then deploy them as you did when creating an object.
Data Studio can also be used to insert, update, and delete data from tables. To do so, click on the Tables folder in the Administration Explorer view and find the table you would like to alter in the list editor. Right-click on that table and select Edit Data. This will open the table data editor in another tab, showing the data is in the table's rows and columns. Individual cells may be updated, and whole rows may be created or deleted.
Figure 19. The Commit button
As with altering to database objects, these changes do not take effect until committed. The button to commit your changes is in a similar same location to the deploy changes button from the List Editor, third from the right, at the top-right of the table data editor's tab. If you would not like to commit the changes you have made, you may click the refresh button, which is the right-most button of the group in the top-right corner of the tab.
Table of contents
- Before you start
- Introduction to DB2 databases and database objects
- Creating a database
- Connecting to and dropping databases
- Creating, altering, and dropping objects in Data Studio
- Conclusion
- Resources
- About the author
