Categorizing Datasources using Color-coding and Labeling

Go Up to Customizing the Navigator/Explorer Display

You can set up a means to visually distinguish between datasources used for different purposes in your organization. You can assign a category, such as development or production, when creating or editing a datasource. This color-codes or labels particular user interface elements associated with that datasource.

When you assign a category to a datasource, the Navigator/Explorer icons for the datasource show a distinctive color-coded category indicator. Optionally, you can customize your categorization scheme to include the following user interface elements:

• A short name label included in the Datasource toolbar combo/dropdown when a categorized datasource is selected
• Color-coded tabs on windows associated with actions against a categorized datasource, editor or ISQL windows for example
• Color-coding of the status bar at the bottom of the main window

The default categories [and short name labels] and the associated colors are as follows:

Default Category	Short Name Label	Color
Production	PROD
Development	DEV
QA	QA
Test	TEST

In addition to the defaults, you can create custom category/color code/label category combinations.

To work with color-coded datasource resources, you must be familiar with the following tasks:

• Enabling the specific user interface items that can be color-coded or labelled. For details, see Datasource Options.
• Customizing your category scheme. For details, see Customizing Datasource Categories.
• Assigning a category to a datasource when creating or editing it. For details, see Manually Registering or Editing Datasources.

Customizing Datasource Categories

You can customize your datasource category scheme. A datasource category has the following configurable components:

• Category name: The name displayed as a selection in the Select a category dropdown
• Short Name: The abbreviation shown in the Datasource toolbar dropdown when a categorized datasource is selected.
• Color: The color used to denote a categorized datasource in the Navigator/Explorer tree icons and window tabs.

Note: Display of specific user items used to denote categories is configurable. For more information, see Datasource Options.

To customize your datasource categories

1. On the Datasource menu select Register Datasource and then select the Datasource Group panel.
2. From the Select a category dropdown select Customize. The Manage Datasource Categories dialogs opens.
3. Take one of the following actions:
   • Create a new category by clicking New and selecting or providing a Full name, Short name, and Color combination.
   • Edit an existing category by selecting the category, clicking Edit and modifying the name and color combination.

   Note: The short name for a category cannot be edited.

   • Delete an existing category by selecting the category, clicking Delete and verifying the deletion at the prompt.