How To Use the LDAP Test Tool

ErnestoM — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:45:55 GMT

For best results, the LDAP Test Tool should be executed from the server where DBXL is installed but can also be run your workstation. The tool is for showing the LDAP string to use in the ADService web.config. The tool also verifies the LDAP connection by showing the Active Directory contents for the alias provided.

Prerequisites

Requires .NET 2.0
Must be joined with a domain
The Active Directory domain controller must be accessible

Installation and Use

Save the .zip file, available by clicking DOWNLOAD above.
Extract contents of the .zip.
From a command-line prompt, enter "ldaptest.exe userlias", without the quotes and replacing useralias with a valid domain user alias.

Figure 1

Results

The command initially returns the LDAP connection string, as seen in Figure 1. The value in this case will be ldap://DC=AutonomySystems,DC=local/

After this first line, the command window will display the Active Directory data for the user provided. For privacy issues, those results are not shown in Figure 1.

If the user alias specified cannot be found, a "User ‘username' not found." Error will be shown as in Figure 2.

Figure 2

Using the Active Directory Standalone Tool

ErnestoM — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:15:41 GMT

Qdabra’s Active Directory Standalone Tool, like the Active Directory Web Service within Database Accelerator (DBXL) v2.3, contains five methods: GetManagerAlias, GetMyInfo, GetUserInfo and IsUserMemberOfGroup and GetEmployeesForManager. This document will discuss installation, configuration and use of the tool. Click DOWNLOAD above to obtain the document; click here for information on purchasing the tool.

How to Use the QdUpgrade WinForm Tool

ErnestoM — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:35:48 GMT

The Qdabra Upgrade Tool, also known as the QdUpgrade Tool, allows you to add functionality to your existing solutions by upgrading your forms, turning them into qForms to gain additional functionality in DBXL. A qForm-based solution will have catalog and search functionality that are not available out of the box in non-qForm solutions. Click DOWNLOAD above to obtain both the tool and documentation for it.

Using Qdabra’s Query Builder Tool

ErnestoM — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:54:30 GMT

Qdabra’s Query Builder Tool allows you to generate queries through an easy-to-use interface. These queries can be used with the QueryDB and QuerySharePoint web services.

Installation
The tool is included with DBXL starting with version 2.2 and is accessible by navigating to http://<servername>/QdabraWebService/default.htm and clicking on the Install Qdabra Query Builder link. Once installed, QueryBuilder can be found in C:\Program Files\Qdabra Software\Qdabra Query Builder.

Release Notes

If you type in a value it will be interpreted by Query Builder as a string. If you want to use an XPath (Schema Node) or a database column, you must use the taskpane to make the selection.
For help with uninstalling older versions of Query Builder, please see the document called Uninstalling Qdabra's QueryBuilder InfoPath form tool.

Configuration
Before creating a filter you must establish a connection to your data source and set some configuration parameters.

Data Sources

This first section establishes the connection between Query Builder and outside sources.

In the Web Service URL Prefix field, enter the URL to your host.

The Web Service Name is populated with QdabraWebService by default. You will only need to change this default value if you changed the value during installation of DBXL.

You then make the essential choice: Query a database or query a SharePoint list. This selection, made in the Target column, determines the parameters you will need to provide in the rest of the form.

If using QueryDB, you will need to provide the Database Connection String. Alternatively, Query Builder allows you to construct the string.

Click on Construct now, and you’ll be able to enter the Data source (server name) and Initial Catalog (Database name).

In addition, you can select between Windows or SQL Server Authentication. Note that for SQL Server Authentication, you will also need to provide a login and password.

When done, click Done to have Query Builder create the Database Connection String.

If using QuerySharePoint, you will need to provide the SharePoint list URL.

Finally, you’ll note that you can attach an InfoPath Form Template in this section. This is useful when creating dynamic queries, that is, when the SQL or SharePoint query depends on a value within the InfoPath form.

Query Parameters

This section is only required when querying a SQL database. In it, you will provide the Database Name and the Table Name. Note that if you used the Construct Now button to add an Initial Catalog (Database Name), that same value will be used in the Database Name field in the Query Parameters section.

In addition, you can specify:

Max Row Count: The number of rows that will be returned by the query

Distinct: Checkbox that tells the query to select only distinct values

Use

The next three tables allow you to create the operations you wish to carry out in your query: listing columns, filtering data and sorting rows.

Query Columns
This section allows you to specify the columns that will be returned by your query.

Click on Insert return column.

Click on the Select Database Column icon ( ).

The taskpane will show the schema pertaining to the Database Connection String or SharePoint List URL you entered in the Data Sources section. From the taskpane you can select the column you wish to return.

Repeat steps 1 through 3 to add as many columns as desired.

Query Filter
This section allows you to create a filter that will be applied to the data.

Click on Insert logical operator if you wish to add more than one comparison. A dropdown will allow you to determine the logic applied to your comparisons: AND, OR, NOT.

Click on Insert comparison to create a new row for a comparison filter.

Click on the Select Database Column icon ( ).

The taskpane will show the schema pertaining to the Database Connection String or SharePoint List URL you entered in the Data Sources section. From the taskpane you can select the desired column.

Make a selection from the Comparison Operator dropdown.

Finally, for the Value or Column Name you have two options:

To compare against a value in your form, click the Select Schema Node icon ( ). Note that this requires that an InfoPath Form be attached in the Data Sources section.

To compare against another column, click the Select Database Column icon ( ).The taskpane will show the schema pertaining to the Database Connection String or SharePoint List URL you entered in the Data Sources section. From the taskpane you can select the desired column.

Query Sort
This section allows you to establish the way that your data will be sorted.

Click on Insert sort column.

Click on the Select Database Column icon ( ).

The taskpane will show the schema pertaining to the Database Connection String or SharePoint List URL you entered in the Data Sources section. From the taskpane you can select the column you wish to sort by.

Select Ascending or Descending from the Sort Order dropdown.

Repeat steps 1 through 4 if you wish to add additional sorting.

Query Strings
Clicking the Build Now button will populate the three numbered boxes in the Query Strings section.

The first query is meant for use in the “Sample value” screen in the Data Connection Wizard. This query has an added (default) maxrows=2 parameter. This speeds up performance, allowing the form to gather the schema to be returned without retrieving hundreds of rows.

The second query is meant for use in two situations:

For static queries (i.e. those that do not refer to a field in the form) the second query is meant for use in the “Set Value” screen in the Data Connection Wizard.

For dynamic queries, the second query is meant for use in form rules.

The third query is meant for use in code.

Please see the documents titled Implement Static and Dynamic queries using QuerySharePoint and Implement Static and Dynamic queries using QueryDB for full step by step examples that illustrate the Query Builder Tool’s role in the process of creating a form.

Others

How To Use the LDAP Test Tool

Using the Active Directory Standalone Tool

How to Use the QdUpgrade WinForm Tool

Using Qdabra’s Query Builder Tool