Creating Databases

When you open the Embedded Data Table Editor, a default database that has a single table is available. By using this default database as a starting point, you can create additional tables for the database and add the fields that you want for each table with the specific field properties that each field requires. After you design the database tables, you can add the data that you want to store in each table.

Adding a table to the database is not supported when you access the editor by clicking Edit Data on the List Items property page for a data entry control. This is because only the single table that contains the data that is linked to the control can be modified by using the control's List Items property page.

Use one of the following methods:

Create a new table. To do this, click Add Table on the Home tab.
Duplicate an existing table. To do this, in the Tables pane, use the secondary mouse button to click the table that you want to copy, click Copy, use the secondary mouse to click in the Tables pane, and then click Paste.
Import a table from another database. To do this, use the secondary mouse button to click an existing table in the Tables pane, and then click Import to start the Import Table wizard. For more information, refer to Importing Database Tables.

Use one of the following methods:

In Data view, click Click to Add, and then click the data type that you want for the field.
In the fields pane of Design view, click the blank row, and then enter the field name, data type, and optional description that you want for the field.
On the Fields tab, click next to Add Field, and then click the data type that you want for the field.

Use one of the following methods:

In Design view, click the row to select the field that you want, and then specify the properties for that field in the Field Properties pane.
In Data view, click the Fields tab, click within a column for the field that you want, and then specify the properties for that field by using the formatting, properties, and validation controls on the ribbon.

Depending on the data type of the selected field, the following options are available:

Format: Specifies the format of the data in the field. The available formats depend on the field's data type.
Default Value: Specifies the default value of the selected field.
Auto Number Start Value: Specifies the start value. Available for the auto-incrementing ID data type.
Auto Number Increment: Specifies the increment interval. Available for the auto-incrementing ID data type.
Field Size: Specifies the size of the field. Available for the text data type.
Choices: Specifies the choices that you want to be available for the field when you are entering data. Click Choices to open the Enter / Edit Choices dialog, where you can specify the choices that you want. Available for the multiple choice data type.
Indexed: Specifies that the Indexed property for the selected field is set to True (when selected) or False (when not selected).
Required: Specifies that the Required property for the selected field is set to True (when selected) or False (when not selected).
Unique: Specifies that the Unique property for the selected field is set to True (when selected) or False (when not selected).
Validation Error Message: Specifies an optional error message that will appear to the user if the database is not valid.
Validation Rule: Specifies a rule that is used to validate the data. To edit this rule, either click in the Validation Rule field or click to open the Edit Validation dialog.