Main Menu Ribbon Tabs

Director’s main menu ribbon lets you invoke operations for selected or displayed objects in the Instance Explorer or Multiple Document Interface (see Multiple Document Interface).

The items displayed on the menu tabs are context-sensitive, meaning they are enabled or disabled depending on the context of the application—typically, depending on what is currently selected.

Each tab groups tools in functional areas. For example, the Home tab contains a File area that groups the tools New, Open, Close, Save, Save As, and Save All.

The Home menu tab contains icons in the following areas:

The icons in this section perform file operations on documents displayed in the Multiple Document Interface.

Creates a new query for the currently selected installation. This command opens a new query tab in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Create a New Query.

Lets you browse for and open an existing SQL file from a file chooser dialog (see File Chooser Dialog). For more information, see Open an Existing Query.

Closes the open document currently selected in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Close a Document.

Saves the open document currently selected in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Save an Unsaved Document.

Saves the open document currently selected in the Multiple Document Interface, letting you specify a name and location. For more information, see Save an Unsaved Document.

Shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+S

Saves all currently open documents that can be saved

The icons in this section perform editing operations on documents displayed in the Multiple Document Interface (see Multiple Document Interface).

Pastes text from the clipboard

Cuts any selected text to the clipboard

Copies any selected text to the clipboard

Selects all text in the current field or document

The icons in this section of the Home tab control what is displayed in the IDE (see Interface Design).

Shows or hides the Instance Explorer

Shows or hides the Start Page

Lets you select an open page to make it the active page in the Multiple Document Interface

Refreshes the objects listed in the Instance Explorer

The Options icon on the Home tab opens the Options dialog (see Options Dialog). For more information, see Setting Options for Director.

Clicking this icon closes the Director desktop client.

The Connection menu tab provides options pertaining to instance connection. It contains the following areas:

The icons in this section of the Connection tab perform connection operations on instances displayed in the Instance Explorer.

Opens the Connect to Instance dialog to connect to an instance (see Connect to an Actian Database Instance) in the Instance Explorer

Disconnects the currently selected instance (see Disconnect from an Actian Database Installation)

Refreshes all currently connected instances displayed in the Instance Explorer

The icons in this section of the Connection tab perform start and stop operations on database instances selected in the Instance Explorer.

Starts the instance or server selected in the Instance Explorer

(Windows only) Starts the instance or server selected in the Instance Explorer as a service (see Start an Instance)

Stops the instance or server selected in the Instance Explorer (see Stop an Instance)

The icons in this section of the Connection tab provide support operations on database instances selected in the Instance Explorer.

Displays server side logs in a tab of the Multiple Document Interface (see Multiple Document Interface)

Opens the Translate Between Port Values dialog, which lets you translate alphabetic or alphanumeric instance IDs to numeric port values or vice versa (see Translating Between Instance IDs and Port Values)

The options on the Database tab let you initiate operations for database elements. It contains the following areas:

The icons in this section of the Database tab perform operations on databases and database objects displayed in the Instance Explorer.

Contains the following options for performing database operations:

Opens the New Database dialog (see New Database Dialog). For more information, see Create a Database Create a Database.

Opens the Backup Database dialog (see Backup Database Dialog). For more information, see Back Up a Database.

Opens the Restore Database dialog (see Restore Database Dialog). For more information, see Restore a Database.

Opens the Generate Statistics dialog (see Generate Statistics Dialog). For more information, see Generate Statistics.

Opens the Display Statistics dialog (see Display Statistics Dialog). For more information, see Display Statistics.

Opens the Modify System Tables dialog (see Modify System Tables Dialog). For more information, see Modify System Tables.

Opens the Modify User Tables dialog (see Modify User Tables Dialog). For more information, see Modify User Tables.

Opens the Verify Database dialog (see Verify Database Dialog). For more information, see Verify a Database.

Opens the Alter Database dialog (see Alter Database Dialog). For more information, see Alter a Database.

Opens the Extend Database dialog (see Extend Database Dialog). For more information, see Extend a Database.

Opens the Display Database Information dialog (see Display Database Information Dialog). For more information, see Display Database Information.

Opens the Delete Database dialog (see Delete Database Dialog). For more information, see Delete a Database.

Opens the Database Properties dialog (see Database Properties Dialog). For more information, see View Database Properties.

Contains the following options for performing table and index operations:

Opens a new table document (see New Table Interface) in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Creating Tables.

Opens the Delete Table dialog so that you can delete the table currently selected in the Instance Explorer. For more information, see Delete a Table.

Opens the Table Properties dialog (see Table Properties Dialog). For more information, see View Table Properties.

Opens the Set Primary Key dialog. For more information, see Assign Primary Keys.

Opens the New Index dialog (see Index Dialog). For more information, see Create an Index.

Opens the Delete Index dialog. For more information, see Delete an Index.

Opens the Index Properties dialog. For more information, see Viewing Properties for Objects.

Contains the following options for performing view operations:

Opens the New View dialog (see New View Dialog). For more information, see Create a View.

Opens the Delete View dialog. For more information, see Delete a View.

Opens the View Properties dialog (see View Properties Dialog). For more information, see Viewing Properties for Objects.

Contains the following options for performing procedure operations:

Opens the New Procedure dialog (see Procedure Dialog). For more information, see Create a Procedure.

Opens the selected procedure in an MDI tab. For more information, see Modify a Procedure.

Opens the Delete Procedure dialog. For more information, see Delete a Procedure.

Opens the Procedure Properties dialog. For more information, see View Procedure Properties.

Contains the following options for performing sequence operations:

Opens the New Sequence dialog (see Sequence Dialog). For more information, see Create a Sequence.

Opens the Sequence dialog (see Sequence Dialog). For more information, see Modify a Sequence.

Opens the Delete Sequence dialog. For more information, see Delete a Sequence.

Opens the Sequence Properties dialog. For more information, see View Sequence Properties.

Contains the following options for performing event operations:

Opens the New Database Event dialog (see Database Event Dialog). For more information, see Create an Event.

Opens the Delete Database Event dialog. For more information, see Delete an Event.

Opens the Database Event Properties dialog. For more information, see View Event Properties.

Contains the following options for performing synonym operations:

Opens the New Synonym dialog (see Synonym Dialog). For more information, see Create a Synonym.

Opens the Delete Synonym dialog. For more information, see Delete a Synonym.

Opens the Synonym Properties dialog. For more information, see View Synonym Properties.

The icons in this section of the Database tab perform operations at the installation level on users, groups, roles, and profiles displayed in the Instance Explorer.

Contains the following options for performing operations on user accounts:

Opens the New User dialog (see User Dialog). For more information, see Create a New User.

Opens the Modify User dialog (see User Dialog). For more information, see Modify a User.

Opens the Delete User dialog. For more information, see Delete a User, Group, Role, or Profile.

Opens the User Properties dialog. For more information, see View Properties for Users, Profiles, Groups, or Roles.

Contains the following options for performing operations on user groups:

Opens the New Group dialog (see Group Dialog). For more information, see Create a New Group.

Opens the Modify Group dialog (see Group Dialog). For more information, see Modify a Group.

Opens the Delete Group dialog. For more information, see Delete a User, Group, Role, or Profile.

Opens the Group Properties dialog. For more information, see View Properties for Users, Profiles, Groups, or Roles.

Contains the following options for performing operations on user roles:

Opens the New Role dialog (see Role Dialog). For more information, see Create a Role.

Opens the Modify Role dialog (see Role Dialog). For more information, see Modify a Role.

Opens the Delete Role dialog. For more information, see Delete a User, Group, Role, or Profile.

Opens the Role Properties dialog. For more information, see View Properties for Users, Profiles, Groups, or Roles.

Contains the following options for performing operations on user profiles:

Opens the New Profile dialog (see Profile Dialog). For more information, see Create a New Profile.

Opens the Modify Profile dialog (see Profile Dialog). For more information, see Modify a Profile.

Opens the Delete Profile dialog. For more information, see Delete a User, Group, Role, or Profile.

Opens the Profile Properties dialog. For more information, see View Properties for Users, Profiles, Groups, or Roles.

The Import Data icon is available only for Actian Vector databases. It opens the Actian Director Import Wizard. For more information, see Import Data into an Actian Vector Table with the Import Wizard.

The icons on this tab perform operations on queries displayed in the Multiple Document Interface (see Multiple Document Interface). It contains the following areas:

For more information, see Query Document Toolbar.

The icons in this section perform file operations on documents displayed in the Multiple Document Interface.

Creates a new query for the currently selected installation. This command opens a new query tab in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Create a New Query.

Lets you browse for and open an existing SQL file from a file chooser dialog (see File Chooser Dialog). For more information, see Open an Existing Query.

Closes the open document currently selected in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Close a Document.

Saves the open document currently selected in the Multiple Document Interface. For more information, see Save an Unsaved Document.

Saves the open document currently selected in the Multiple Document Interface, letting you specify a name and location. For more information, see Save an Unsaved Document.

Shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+S

Saves all currently open documents that can be saved

The icons in this section perform editing operations on documents displayed in the Multiple Document Interface (see Multiple Document Interface).

Pastes text from the clipboard

Cuts any selected text to the clipboard

Copies any selected text to the clipboard

Selects all text in the current field or document

The icon in this section of the Query tab executes a whole or partial query displayed in the Multiple Document Interface (see Multiple Document Interface).

Runs the query in the active MDI tab. If text is selected in the query, it runs that portion of the query.

The icons in this section of the Query tab set options for the display or writing of query results. Select one of the following options before you execute a query:

Displays the results in graphical format on a tab in the lower half of the MDI, below the query

Displays the results in text format on a tab in the lower half of the MDI, below the query

Sends the results to a text file, whose name you must specify in the Save As dialog after executing the query

Sends comma-delimited results to a CSV file, whose name you must specify in the Save As dialog, and opens the file in the default spreadsheet program (Windows only)

For more information about specifying the default output for query results, see Specify Default Output Format and Location for Query Results.

The icons in this section of the Query tab set the context for query operations.

Specifies an available instance to perform queries on. Instances listed in the drop-down menu are limited to those installations connected in the Instance Explorer. To connect another instance, see Connect to an Actian Database Instance.

Lists the databases in the selected instance. To query a database, select it from the drop-down.

The icons on this tab provide links to the following online resources:

The Local Help icon opens the Director help system (JavaHelp).

The About icon displays a dialog about the version and build of Director.

The Support Options icon opens a topic in the Director help system that describe your Actian Support options.