DataLoad Development
Before V4.2 DataLoad loaded data using keystroke
macros, but with this release it could edit forms playback files. These
offer a significantly faster and more reliable way to load data and setup
into Oracle Applications.
Version 4.2 Changes
New Features
- DataLoad can now by used to open, edit and save Oracle Forms' playback
files:
- The data load is run by the Oracle forms server, ensuring a much
faster and more reliable load.
- The data is loaded as fast as the forms can operate and no more
'sleeps' are required.
- The data cannot "overtake" the forms, which caused the load
to get out of sync with the forms.
- Standard Oracle functionality is used, ensuring all forms validation
is still applied.
- A new file format, '.fld, is used to hold the forms playback data.
- DataLoad validates the data sent to drop lists to ensure the data is
appropriate for the drop list.
- This functionality is restricted to 5 record loads only because it is
a demonstration of the full functionality available in DataLoad
Professional. This is the only functionality restricted in this way.
- DataLoad can
import data from Excel. This feature is intended for users who preprocess
their data in Excel, such as by using formulas, filters or sorting. The
following options also apply to Excel Import:
- Import the
data from Excel only.
- Import the
data from Excel then automatically start loading into Oracle.
- Import just
the data selected in the Excel worksheet.
- Import all
data in the Excel worksheet.
- Cell
comments can be entered which are displayed when the mouse is stationary
over a cell containing a comment.
- Automatic tabbing. This option causes DataLoad to
automatically send a TAB after sending data to a cell, while prefixing the
data with a '&' prevents a TAB from being sent when AutoTab is turned
on.
- An
option has been added to convert data to or from no auto tabbing, i.e. a
'&' is inserted or removed at the front of the data.
- The .dld
and .fld extensions are automatically registered so that DataLoad opens when
file such a file is opened in explorer.
- The last five DataLoad files opened are listed in the File
menu and can be quickly opened from there.
- If
the window name or command group is not set when a load is started the user
is prompted for this information.
- A 'Default'
flag is now included on the Options dialogue so the settings can apply to
all future sheets.
- A new option
configures DataLoad as the target application to be used when Exporting data
from Oracle Applications.
- Save as or Open should use the last file's directory
as the current default directory.
- The data size and current time has been added to a new
status bar.
- Alt Gr can be sent as a keystroke using \& rather
than the \% which is used for left Alt.
- The F2 key now puts a grid cell into edit mode.
- Commands are no longer case sensitive.
Bug Fixes
The following issues have been fixed in V4.2:
- Spurious commands could be automatically inserted beyond the last row of
the load and without the user's knowledge. If a single cell was selected then you click to highlight an
entire command column the cell in the command column on the same row as the
single cell originally selected gets a command auto inserted. This also
means that if you have a whole column selected and the active 'clear'
cell in the selection is in the last row then when you click on a command
column the last row gets a command inserted that the user can't see, hence
the load continues for a long time and beyond the data the user expected to
be loaded.
- If an auto insert causes extra rows to be added to the grid
those rows don't have rows numbers.
- The DataLoad and Progress windows could become white during a load because
they weren't repainted.
- The
Save button should be enabled if a column is manually resized.
- Pasting into the first line didn't set all the heading.
- Multiple pastes of data didn't work unless you selected
more rows than necessary.
- DataLoad failed to access the default browser on a PC where
the user has inadequate registry privileges.
- A ".dld" was always
appended to file names, even when saved in tab delimited format.
- A file ending .dld was
always opened or saved as a DataLoad file format even if it was actually tab
delimited.
- Converting
to Keystrokes or Copy & Paste didn't turn saving on.
- Edit->Convert
To. turned the mouse pointer to an hour glass.
Command Definitions
The following command definitions have changed in V4.2:
- 11i command definitions have been included.
- *SB should be '\' and not ' '
- *NB should use + not ^
- *PB should use + not ^