Applying Datatips

In order to apply datatip information from an external database we will need to use the Intelligent Objects Editor.

Applying Datatip Information

Saving the Settings

Removing Datatip Information

Exercise

Applying Datatip Information

Load the HAUL_ROUTE layer, which should have been created through the Getting Started tutorial. If this layer has not been created, then you will need to complete the Getting Started tutorial before continuing.
Select Design > Intelligent Objects > Intelligent Objects Editor.
Go to the Database section of the Intelligent Objects Editor interface.
Select ‘ Intelligent_Objects ’ from the Data source drop-down list. If you cannot select this, then an ODBC data source does not exist. Refer to the ODBC Interface documentation for steps on how to set up an ODBC link.
Figure 1 : Specifying the Data Source
Go to the Types section of the Intelligent Objects Editor interface and select the Retrieve datatip information from database option.
Figure 2 : Retrieving Datatip Information from the Database
Under the SQL Statement section, construct the following statement:
```
        
   Select * from Haulage_Information where haulage_route = ‘$NAME’         
           
```
The above statement is saying select all fields of a record (*) from the Haulage_Information table where the value in the haulage_route field is equal to the name of an object. In our case, where the object name is ROUTE_1 , the fields for the record that has a matching HAULAGE_ROUTE value of ROUTE_1 displays through the datatip.
To construct the statement:
- Click Columns. From the displayed panel, enter an asterisk ( * ) in the first field of the first row.
- Select Haulage_Information from the drop-down list.
- Click Build to construct the remainder of the statement.
Click Apply and select Polygon from the displayed dialog box.
From the Multiple Selection box, select the Object selection method followed by the ROUTE_1 design object. Right-click twice to return to the Intelligent Objects Editor interface.
Hover your mouse over the design object to display the data from your Haulage_Information table of the external database.
Figure 3 : Intelligent Objects Datatip

Saving the Settings

Go to the Save Specification section of the Intelligent Objects Editor interface and enter Haulage in the Specification file field.
Figure 4 : Saving your Settings to a Specification File
Click Save and close the Intelligent Objects Editor interface.

The resulting specification file will be stored in your current working directory. This specification file, which can be opened and viewed through a text editor, holds the panel settings for the Intelligent Objects Editor interface and can be reloaded at a later time.

Removing Datatip Information

Go to the Types section of the Intelligent Objects Editor interface and click Remove.
From the Remove Data dialog box, select the Datatip Information option followed by the Polygon entry.
From the Multiple Selection box, select the Object selection method followed by the ROUTE_1 design object. Right-click twice to return to the Intelligent Objects Editor interface.
Hover your mouse over the object to confirm that the standard Vulcan datatip has been restored.
Figure 5 : Standard Vulcan Datatip

Exercise

Create another line in the ‘ HAUL_ROUTE ’ layer using the coordinates below:

X	Y	Z
-222	-13	0
-7	-61	0
41	-58	0
70	-42	0
114	-37	0

Assign the object an object name of ROUTE_2 and apply the intelligent objects datatip tool so that when hovering your mouse over either of the two objects the datatip displayed relates to the HAULAGE_ROUTE table in your external database.

Click the Save button to save the layer to your design database.