Schema Editor - Column View

Column View lets you browse database schema using columns. Select an Nth column object, then from the N+1 column, Valentina Studio displays elements of the selected object. Column View makes it easy to navigate database schema.

This layout is similar to MacOS Finder. The only significant difference is that Valentina Studio have filter menu on the top of each column. We need this because a database object (e.g. Table) can have several kinds of elements (e.g. Fields, Methods, Links, Triggers), while Finder expose only files and folders.



The Schema Editor Browser provides shortcuts to groups of bonjour services, bookmarks and connections.

Connections are an organized list of connections to different database servers supported by Valentina Studio. Each connection has icon that indicates the type of connection and the name/IP of the server. To the right of each item is a Close icon. If you select the Close icon, you close the connection and all its databases.

Local databases that do not otherwise use a server are grouped under the supported local file formats, including Valentina Files and SQLite Files.

Each connection have contextual menu with commands that you can execute for it.

You can read details about each contextual menu here based on the database connection type:

• Valentina Files
• SQLite Files

• Valentina Server Connection
• Valentina SQLite Server Connection
• PostgreSQL Connection
• MySQL Connection
• MSSQL Connection

Right-click Connections group name to access a contextual menu to manage the group.

Bonjour is Apple's implementation of zero-configuration networking (zeroconf), which includes service discovery, address assignment, and hostname resolution. Bonjour locates devices such as printers, other computers, and the services that those devices offer on a local network using multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) service records.

If enabled on a network, Valentina Server (including Valentina SQLite Server) can promote normal and SSL ports so that they are visible to Valentina Studio. Double click to initiate a connection to Valentina Server. A login with password prompt appears. Once connected, a new connection item is added to the Connections group.

Servers found with Bonjour can be added to bookmarks using the contextual menu.

Valentina Studio and Valentina Server only support Bonjour and not other variations on ZeroConfig.

Read more about using Bonjour with Valentina Server.

The Bookmarks sub-group lets you view and connect with frequently used servers. Since Bookmarks can also save username and password information, saving time and allowing you to reconnect by double-clicking the connection.

The Bookmark icon next to each server name indicates the status of the server.

You can do the right-click on the “Bookmarks” group name to get contextual menu to manage the list, e.g. clear it.

Valentina Studio can search for database servers running on the localhost on default ports. This operation is started automatically after the first launch. Also, it can be initiated manually from the contextual menu. Each found server is added as a new bookmark.

The Page Toolbar or Schema Editor has:

• Dynamic set of action-buttons, which changes depending on selected object.
• Search Field that allows you to search child objects of a selected object by name using different patterns.

On the following picture you can see the result of search in the scope of database (because database is the select object) of all tables that “contains” literal 'Stat' in their name. Result is displayed immediately while you are typing.



Note, that on the right side of menu “Tables” is displayed icon of FILTER. If you move mouse cursor over this icon you will see tooltip, which describes applyied condition, for example: Contains 'Stat'. Right click on the filter-icon displays its contextual menu with “Remove” command.

You can go even more deep. Select one of filtered table and start type another search-string, which will filter now fields of that table. Note that now both menus “Tables” and “Fields” have filter icon.



Both these filters are independent. You can remove filter from “Tables” column, but “Fields” column still have filter. Important to note, that this is a filter for the column, not just to one table. This means that you can setup filter “Name” for column “Fields” and by arrow keys UP/DOWN easy check all tables to see, which of them have field “Name”. Watch this video to see how it works:

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Also you can select few objects at once (e.g. Tables) to see their child-objects (e.g. Fields) together. You can select few objects in the column using SHIFT and CMD (ALT for win) modifiers.



Such search feature is very useful when you know e.g. the name of field, but don't know or remember in which table it is. This can happens for example, if you learn third party database and related code.

You have columns to see hierarchy of objects of database schema. The first column shows the databases itself, each next column is able to show elements of a selected object of the previous column. For example, when you select a database in the first column, then the second column can show or sub-elements of database: Table, Links, Triggers, Procedures, Indexes, … When you select a Table in the second column you will see its Fields in the third column (as well as Links, Triggers, …).

Column can show objects of the same kind only, so each column has a menu on the top that allows to choose a kind of objects to display.

• You can resize each column by draging of its right bottom icon “||”.
• If you press and keep button ALT for Windows or Option for MAC during resize then all columns will get new the same width.

• You can do mouse right click on the empty space of the first column to get contextual menu, which contains commands available for data sources.
• You can do mouse right click on item to get contextual menu for that item.
• If you close a data source item then this closes all databases opened under its scope.

On the right side of Schema Editor in all three modes may present the Property Inspector. It displays properties of a selected object, so you can read them and edit.

Property Inspector can be hidden and shown from the application menu VIEW and using shortcut CMD + I.