Columns Property Page (ADP)

This property page contains a set of properties for a column within a table or for the set of output columns within a view or in-line function.

Table name

This property does not appear if you are working with a view or in-line function. Shows the name of the table containing the column whose properties you are viewing. The Table Name option is editable only within the Database Designer — not from within the Table Designer. If more than one table is selected in your diagram, only the name of the first table is visible.

Object name

This property does not appear if you are working with a table. Shows the name of the view or in-line function containing the output column whose properties you are viewing. The Object Name option is not editable.

Column Name

Shows the name of the selected column. To show properties for a different column, expand the Column Name list.

If you are working on a table, this shows the name of one of the table’s columns. If you are working on a view or in-line function, this shows the name of an output column.

Expression

Applies only if you are working on a view or in-line function. Shows the database expression for the output column — the column that appears in the output of the view or in-line function. If the column corresponds directly to a source column, the expression will show the owner name, table name, and column name. For example, if the view or function includes the qty column from the sales table, the expression is dbo.sales.qty.

If the column corresponds to a derived column defined in the view or in-line function, the expression shows the derivation. For example, a column called profit could have an expression of revenue-expenses.

Description

(Microsoft SQL Server 2000 only.) Shows the text description of the selected column. The value is stored as a SQL Server extended property.

Data type

Shows the data type of the selected column.

If you are working with a view or in-line function, Data type applies only to output columns that correspond directly to columns in the underlying table, view, or function. In other words, if the output column is derived, the Data type property is blank. You cannot edit this property for a view or in-line function.

Length

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the length of the selected column.

Nullable

Determines whether or not you can enter Null values in the column.

• NULL     Null values are allowed.

• NOT NULL     Null values are not allowed.

Default Value

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the default for this column whenever a row with no value for this column is inserted into the table. The value of this field can be either the value of a SQL Server default constraint or the name of a global constraint to which the column is bound. The drop-down list contains all global defaults defined in the database. To bind the column to a global default, select from the drop-down list. Alternatively, to create a default constraint for the column, enter the default value directly as text.

Precision

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the maximum number of digits for values of this column.

Scale

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the maximum number of digits that can appear to the right of the decimal point for values of this column.

Identity

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows whether the column is used by SQL Server as an identity column. Possible values are:

• No     The column is not used as an identity column.

• Yes     The column is used as an identity column.

• Yes (Not For Replication)     The column is used as an identity column, except while a replication agent is inserting data into the table.

Identity Seed

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the seed value of an identity column. This option applies only to columns whose Identity option is set to Yes or Yes (Not For Replication).

Identity Increment

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the increment value of an identity column. This option applies only to columns whose Identity option is set to Yes or Yes (Not For Replication).

Is RowGuid

Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows whether the column is used by SQL Server as a ROWGUID column. You can set this value to Yes only for a column that is an identity column.

Formula

(SQL Server 7.0 or higher only.) Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the formula for a computed column.

Collation

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows the collating sequence that SQL Server applies by default to the column whenever the column values are used to sort rows of a query result. To use the default collating sequence for the database, choose <database default>.

Format

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Shows the display format for the column. To change format, select a format from the list.

Decimal Places

Shows the number of decimal places to be used for displaying values of this column. If you choose Auto, the number of decimal places is determined by the value you choose in Format.

Input Mask

(SQL Server 2000 only.) To change the input mask, click in this text box, then click the button that appears alongside it.

Caption

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Shows the text label that appears by default in forms using this column.

Indexed

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Applies only if you are working on a table. Shows whether an index exists on the column. Possible values are:

• No     No index exists on the column.

• Yes (duplicates OK)     A non-unique single-column index exists on the column.

• Yes (no duplicates)     A unique single-column index exists on the column.

Hyperlink

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Indicates whether the values in this column can be interpreted as hyperlinks.

IME Mode

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Determines the IME (Input Method Editor) status of the column when users enter values into that column. Your choices are:

• No Control     No Control is the default.

• On     Indicates the IME is on and characters specific to Chinese, Japanese, or Korean can be entered as values for this column.

• Off Indicates the IME is off. When users enter values into the column, the keyboard behaves the same as English entry mode.

• Disable     Similar to “Off”, except that “Disable” prevents users from turning the IME on.

• Hiragana     Valid for Japanese IME only.

• Katakana     Valid for Japanese IME only.

• Katakana Half Valid for Japanese IME only.

• Alpha Full     Valid for Japanese and Korean IME only.

• Alpha Valid for Japanese and Korean IME only.

• Hangul Full     Valid for Korean IME only.

• Hangul     Valid for Korean IME only.

IME Sentence Mode

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Determines what additional IME conversion applies by default when users enter values into the column. Your choices are:

• Phase Predict     Indicates a basic level of conversion. This is the default.

• Plural Clause     Supports conversion using additional dictionaries with name, geographic, and postal data.

• Conversation     Supports conversion that recognizes conversational language.

• None     Disables character conversion.

Furigana

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Indicates a column into which the Furigana equivalent of the text entered by the user is stored. When the user enters a value into this column, that value is stored, and in addition, the Furigana equivalent of the entered text is stored in the column named in this control.

Postal Address

(SQL Server 2000 only.) Specifies a control or field that displays either an address corresponding to an entered postal code or customer barcode data corresponding to an entered address.