Specifications

CHAPTER 3 Managing the Database
Users Guide 91
• Prohibit null values for an appended column
• Alter an existing index
Some DBMSs let you do the following, but others do not:
• Append columns that allow null values
• Increase or decrease the number of characters allowed for data in an
existing column
• Allow null values
• Prohibit null values in a column that allowed null values
Database painter is DBMS aware
The Database painter grays out or notifies you about actions that your DBMS
prohibits.
For complete information about what you can and cannot do when you modify
a table in your DBMS, see your DBMS documentation.
❖ To alter a table:
1 Highlight the table and select Alter Table from the pop-up menu.
Opening multiple instances of tables
You can open another instance of a table by selecting Columns from the
View menu. Doing this is helpful when you want to use the Database
painter’s cut, copy, and paste features to cut or copy and paste between
tables.
The table definition displays in the Columns view (this screen shows the
Employee table).