copyform Command--Copy a Form to Another Database
Copyform is a Visual-Forms-Editor command that copies a form, a QBFName, or a JoinDef from one database to another.
The process has two steps:
1. Copy one or more forms, QBFNames, or JoinDefs from a database to a text file by using the first syntax below.
2. Copy the objects from the text file into a database by using the –i flag shown in the second syntax below.
One type of object only (form, QBFName, JoinDef) can be specified in a single copyform command.
Because the process has two steps, you can use copyform to change the ownership of a form, QBFName, or JoinDef. Copy the desired object into a text file, then copy the form back into the database under a new owner.
For a discussion on using the copyform command to change ownership of a database, see the Database Administrator Guide.
The copyform command has the following formats.
Copy the object from the database to a text file:
copyform dbname |vnode::dbname[/server_class] filename
form{ ,form} | -q qbfname{, qbfname} | -j joindef{, joindef}
[-uusername] [-s]
Copy the object from the text file to the database:
copyform -i dbname |vnode::dbname[/server_class] filename [-uusername] [-r] [-s]
form
Specifies the name of the form. No QBFNames or JoinDefs associated with the form are copied.
Copyform copies only the form's definition to a text file. The format of this text file is not useful for determining what is in the form. Most of the file consists of the entries from the system catalogs in text format. Because these catalogs are interdependent, do not alter or edit this file, or you can cause the irrecoverable destruction of the form.
-q qbfname
Copies the specified QBFName. Multiple QBFNames can be specified. Forms and JoinDefs associated with the qbfname are also copied. A space is required between –q and qbfname.
-j joindef
Copies the specified JoinDef. Multiple JoinDefs can be specified. A space is required between –j and joindef.
filename
Specifies the name of a text file in which to write the forms, or the name of the text file previously created by copyform, that contain the forms to be copied into the database.
-uusername
Copies forms owned by the specified user, as described in Standard Flags and Parameters.
-s
Suppresses status messages.
-i
Indicates this is an input operation. This parameter is required for the input step.
-r
Suppresses the verification prompt for overwriting existing objects. If an object exists in the database under the same name and owner, the object from the file overwrites it. If this flag is not specified, the user is prompted for verification.
Last modified date: 08/14/2024