Adding Tables and Columns

Now that you’ve successfully connected your database to Dotnet Report, the next step is to set up tables and columns within your Data Connection. This process ensures that the relevant data from your database is available for end users to create and customize reports in the Dotnet Report Builder. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of configuring tables, columns, and additional schema-related features.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following:

1. You have successfully connected your database to Dotnet Report (as outlined in the previous guide).]
2. You have navigated to the /dotnetsetup route in your application to access the Dotnet Report setup page.

Step 1: Access the Schema Setup Page

1. After navigating to the /dotnetsetup route in your application, the Dotnet Report setup page will load.
2. Go to the “DB Tables and Views” section to access all tables linked to your connected database.
3. Click “Load All Database Tables” to retrieve all available tables.
4. Dotnet Report will automatically fetch and display all Tables and Views from your database.
5. The database schema, including tables, views, and their respective columns, will be presented for easy reference.

Step 2: Select Tables and Columns

1. Viewing Tables and Columns:
   • All tables and views from your database will be displayed, along with their fields/columns.
   • You can expand each table to view its columns.

2. Selecting Tables and Columns:
   • Select All: Use the Select All button to include all tables and their columns in the Report Builder.
   • Manual Selection: If you don’t want to include all tables, manually select specific tables by clicking the checkbox next to the table name.
   • Column Selection: After selecting a table, you can either:
     • Use the Select All Columns button to include all columns from the table.
     • Manually check the columns you want to include.

3. Customizing Display Names:
   • Double-click on a table or column name to edit its display name. This is useful for making the names more user-friendly in the Report Builder.

Step 3: Preview and Save Your Changes

1. Save All Changes:
   • After selecting the desired tables and columns, click the Save Changes button to commit your selections.
2. Save Individual Tables:
   • If you prefer to save changes table by table, click the Save button next to each table.
3. A preview of the selected table is also available before saving

Step 4: Additional Configuration Options

Once your tables and columns are set up, you can further enhance your schema configuration with the following advanced features:

1. Manage Categories

• Categorize your tables into custom categories for better organization.
• To manage categories:
  1. Click on the Manage Categories option.
  2. Create new categories or assign tables to existing categories.
  3. This helps end users easily locate and use tables in the Report Builder.

2. Import Tables/Views

• If you have a predefined schema configuration, you can import tables and views using a JSON file.
• To import:
  1. Click on the Import Tables/Views option.
  2. Upload the JSON file containing your schema configuration.
  3. The tables and views will be imported and displayed in the setup page.

3. Visualize Joins

• Dotnet Report allows you to visualize the relationships (joins) between tables.
• To visualize joins:
  1. Click on the Visualize Joins option.
  2. A diagram will be displayed, showing how tables are related to each other.
  3. This feature is particularly useful for understanding and managing complex database schemas.

Step 5: Set Up Custom Tables and Table Relationships (Next Steps)

The next step in schema setup is defining relationships between tables and/or adding custom tables. This ensures that data from related tables can be combined and used effectively in reports. The process of setting up relationships will be covered in detail in the next section of this guide.

By following this guide, you have successfully set up tables and columns in your Dotnet Report. You’ve also explored advanced features like categorizing tables, importing schemas, and visualizing joins. These steps ensure that your database schema is well-organized and ready for end users to create meaningful reports.

In the next section, we’ll dive into setting up relationships between tables, completing the schema setup process and enabling seamless report generation.