Linking Tables

Link tables into Manifold using the File - Link - Table dialog. In addition, tables stored within databases using spatial DBMS technology can be linked by connecting to the database using Database Console, clicking on the table to highlight it and then clicking the Link button in the Database Console toolbar.

When using the File - Link - Table dialog the Files of type choice acts as a filter for what is displayed in the browse pane in the Link dialog. Simple file types are linked directly from the Link dialog by choosing the desired type in the Files of type box. More complex links from data sources such as databases are linked by choosing Data Sources () in the Files of type box and then using the Data Source dialog.

Tables may be imported into a Manifold project or linked into a project. Importing the table brings the data into Manifold so that it may be stored in the Manifold .map file and managed by Manifold System. Linking the table leaves the data stored in an external file. See the Importing Tables topic for information on importing tables into a Manifold project.

Linking a table into a project leaves the table's data stored in an external database file that is managed by a database provider other than Manifold. Linked tables may be created from external data sources using the following formats and data sources:

ACCDB	Microsoft Office 2007 and later. Can be linked read/write.
CSV	Comma separated values ASCII files, including files using .txt or .csv or other extensions.
DB	Borland Paradox.
DBF	dBase and FoxPro.
DSN	ODBC file data source that describes an ODBC driver to use. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
HTML	Tables in web pages.
MDB	Access 97 and later versions of Access .mdb files.
UDL	Microsoft Universal Data Link file that describes an OLE DB connection. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
WKx	Lotus tables.
XLS	Excel tables.
XLSX	Microsoft Office 2007 and later. Can be linked read-only.
ADO.NET Data Sources	A generic ADO.NET connection allowing use of a .NET .DLL assembly, provider class and connection string (parameters). Linked using the Data Source dialog.
ADO.NET ODBC Data Sources	Connect using the standard Microsoft .NET ADO.NET provider for ODBC. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
ADO.NET OLE DB Data Sources	Connect using the standard Microsoft .NET ADO.NET provider for OLE DB. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
ADO.NET Oracle Data Sources	Connect using the standard Microsoft .NET ADO.NET provider for Oracle. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
ADO.NET SQL Server Data Sources	Connect using the standard Microsoft .NET ADO.NET provider for SQL Server. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
ODBC Data Sources	Connect to a data source using ODBC drivers installed on this system. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
OLE DB Data Sources	Connect to an OLE DB data source using an OLE DB provider installed on this system. Linked using the Data Source dialog.
DB2 Data Sources	Connect to IBM DB2 equipped with the DB2 Spatial Extender using IBM's native spatial connection technology. A spatial DBMS connection accessed through the Data Source dialog. This option requires Enterprise Edition or above.
Oracle Data Sources	Connect to an Oracle data sources using the Oracle Call Interface (OCI), the native Oracle interface for exchanging data. A spatial DBMS connection accessed through the Data Source dialog. This option requires Enterprise Edition or above.
PostgreSQL Data Sources	Connect to PostgreSQL equipped with the PostGIS spatial extender using native PostgreSQL connection technology. Connections made using this data source will have any password required masked so that later usage will not inadvertently expose the password. A spatial DBMS connection accessed through the Data Source dialog. This option requires Enterprise Edition or above.
SQL Server Data Sources	Connect to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 spatial DBMS facilities using native SQL Server 2008 spatial connection technology. A spatial DBMS connection accessed through the Data Source dialog. This option requires Enterprise Edition or above.
Important:	Using a vendor's native spatial DBMS connection technology (like those above) provides better performance and allows using features, such as built-in spatial DBMS facilities, not exposed through generic database interfaces such as ODBC, OLE DB and ADO .NET. For example, exchanging data with Oracle data sources via OCI automatically maps geometry columns into Oracle SDO_GEOMETRY data and will likewise map geometry columns into the native geometry types used by DB2, PostgreSQL and SQL Server 2008. Note: because the Database Console provides a more convenient user interface for browsing databases, we will almost always use the Database Console to import or link components from a database instead of using the File - Import or File - Link menu commands.

In general, ADO.NET is a much faster connection technology than OLE.DB or ODBC.

Linking to a Table within the Project Not Allowed

Although Manifold can link a drawing, image or surface to a table within the same project, linking a table to a different table in the same project is not allowed. This prevents circular references (tables that link to each other in a circular loop) from happening.

Important Note when Using 64-bit Manifold Editions

Due to a lack of required Microsoft facilities in 64-bit Windows systems, Manifold in 64-bit mode cannot export, import, export or link to DB, HTML, MDB, XLS or WKx format files. This includes no access to the MDB parts of Manifold MFD and MapInfo TAB imports. The workaround for importing or exporting such files is to launch Manifold in 32-bit mode by using the Manifold System (32-bit) shortcut, perform the export from or import into a .map project file and then re-launch Manifold in 64-bit mode using the Manifold System (64-bit) shortcut. Linking is more complex: the data must be in some format usable in 64-bit mode within 64-bit Windows systems, such as a SQL Server database. Alternatively, the data can be kept within a Manifold .map project file and linked using the Manifold ODBC driver.