Database columns and types

The Database Interface Designer and mtsmaker with the Type Tree Maker generate type trees for queries, tables, views, and stored procedures in an ODBC-compliant RDBMS (Relational Database Management System). Item types are created in a type tree that represents the data types of the columns of a query, table, view, or stored procedure.

The Database Interface Designer and mtsmaker get information about columns by calling the ODBC driver for your RDBMS to describe the columns associated with a query, table, view, or stored procedure. The ODBC driver for the RDBMS has mapped the data types in each column to ODBC data types as appropriate. From the RDBMS, the ODBC Driver Manager returns the ODBC data type, length, and other information to the Database Interface Designer and mtsmaker. The ODBC data types are then mapped to types in a type tree. The Database Interface Designer and mtsmaker have no knowledge of the RDBMS-specific data types-only the ODBC data types.