View source for Kexi/Handbook/Building Simple Databases/Designing Forms/Assigning data sources/en

<languages/>
====Assigning data sources====

The fields you have inserted on the Form have no data source assigned and are not yet able to display information from the database. To assign a data source we will use the {{Icon|server-database}} (Data Source) tab of the '''Property Editor''' pane. 

The very first step is to specify the data source for the Form as a whole. i.e. the location from where all of the displayed data will be fetched. As mentioned above, you will use the '''''Persons''''' table as the data source for the new form.

# Click on the form's surface, as you will alter its properties.
# Switch to the {{Icon|server-database}} (Data Source) tab and enter '''''persons''''' table name in the '''Form's data source''' drop down list. Alternatively, you can select this name from the drop down list. 

You have assigned the form's data source. The next step is to specify each widget's data source. 

# Click the first text field widget at the top of the form.
# In the {{Icon|server-database}} (Data Source) tab of the property pane enter field name '''''name''''' in the '''Widget's data source''' drop down list. More conveniently, you can select this name from the drop down list. 
# Click on the next text field widget and enter '''''surname''''' as the data source.
# Enter data sources for '''''street''''', '''''house_number''''' and '''''city''''' text fields in a similar way. 

You can now save the form's design (this is not mandatory to test the form in action, but is recommended). To save, click the toolbar <menuchoice>Save</menuchoice> button<!--FIXME no File menu nor shortcut in master/2.4.0 or use the <menuchoice>File-> Save</menuchoice> (<keycap>Ctrl+S</keycap>) menu command-->. Upon saving you will be asked to enter the form's name. Enter '''''Persons''''' as caption and click the <menuchoice>OK</menuchoice> button. The form's name will be filled in automatically. 

This is the right moment for testing your form. Click the <menuchoice>Data</menuchoice> toolbar button. Unless you made a mistake while entering the data sources, you should see the form's fields filled with data from the '''''Persons''''' table.

{{Note|
* If you want to remove widget's data source assignment for a form widget, you can use the {{Icon|edit-clear-locationbar-rtl}} button in the <menuchoice>Widget's data source</menuchoice> box.<!--FIXME not in master/2.4 <menuchoice>Clear widget's data source</menuchoice> button near the '''Widget's data source''' drop down list. Similarly, you can use the <menuchoice>Clear form's data source</menuchoice> button near the '''Form's data source''' drop down list.--><!--}}-->

* Use the {{Icon|go-jump}} (Go to selected form's data source) button to select appropriate table or query in the '''Project Navigator''', so you can quickly open a table or query being the data source of the form.}}<!--{{-->

{{Prevnext2
|prevpage=Special:MyLanguage/Kexi/Handbook/Building_Simple_Databases/Designing_Forms/Inserting_widgets_-_text_fields
|prevtext=Inserting widgets - text fields
|nextpage=Special:MyLanguage/Kexi/Handbook/Building_Simple_Databases/Designing_Forms/Inserting_text_labels
|nexttext=Inserting text labels
|index=Special:MyLanguage/Kexi/Handbook|indextext=Back to menu
}}

[[Category:Kexi]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]