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"Quadrant" Explorer

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[This content is no longer valid. For the latest information on "M", "Quadrant", SQL Server Modeling Services, and the Repository, see the Model Citizen blog.]

You can use the Microsoft code name “Quadrant” Explorer to examine the content of a SQL Server database, including SQL Server Modeling Services databases. The Explorer provides a fast and efficient way to find the information you want in a database.

This topic briefly describes how to use the Explorer to perform the following actions:

  • Examine open database sessions that are connected to a local or remote instance of SQL Server.

  • Browse tables and records in the database.

  • View or edit tables and records .

Explorer UI

To open the Explorer, on the View menu, click Explorer, and then select one of the available instances. Each instance represents a database session. For more information about sessions, see About Database Sessions in "Quadrant". The Repository option opens an Explorer for the default Repository database that is created by the SQL Server Modeling CTP setup.

An Explorer is a workpad, in that it can be moved, floated, and closed.

The first node in the Explorer is the Database, which contains the schemas and tables that are in the database that you connected to.

Examining Open Database Sessions

When you create a new session to a database, a new instance of the Explorer opens with the name of the session as its title. To view a list of Explorer instances that represent sessions, on the View menu, click Explorer. Note the Quadrant database at the bottom of the list. It contains data used by Microsoft code name “Quadrant” to configure views of workpads and cannot be disconnected.

For more information about how you can manage open sessions and reconnect to a session, see How to: Connect to a SQL Server Database with "Quadrant".

Viewing Database Content

Databases with Modeling Services support can be organized in folders and will show up hierarchically in the Explorer. You can browse folders for specific records associated with a folder, or you can browse individual tables for specific record types from the Database node. For more information, see How to: Use Folders to Organize Data.

Note

The Explorer displays folders only if they are defined. Therefore, databases without Modeling Services support will not show a folder structure in the Explorer.

To view or edit items in a database, double-click the item in the Explorer. The item appears in a new workpad. The default view of the workpad depends on the type of the object. Singlular items are shown in Properties view, whereas collections are shown in other views. For more information about various viewers, see "Quadrant" User Interface Reference. You can open any item from the Explorer. For more information, see How to: Examine Data in Detail. For more information about examining database content by using the Explorer, see How to: Use the Explorer to Examine Databases.

Adding or Updating Folders

When you open a record in its own workpad, you can change the folder it belongs to by editing the Folder field. You can also create a new folder or delete a folder in the Explorer directly. For more information, see Exploring and Organizing Data in "Quadrant".

See Also

Tasks

How to: Connect to a SQL Server Database with "Quadrant"
How to: Examine Data in Detail
How to: Use Queries in "Quadrant"
How to: Use the Explorer to Examine Databases

Other Resources

Connecting to Data Sources with "Quadrant"
Exploring and Organizing Data in "Quadrant"