When importing a file for
SQL, MiniVend by default uses the first column of the
ASCII file as the primary key, with a
char(16)
type, and assigns all other columns a char (128) definition. These definitions can be changed by placing the proper definitions in
COLUMN_DEF
Database directive attribute:
Database products COLUMN_DEF price=char(20), nontaxable=char(3)
You can set this as many times as desired if it will not fit on the line nicely.
Database products COLUMN_DEF price=char(20), nontaxable=char(3) Database products COLUMN_DEF description=char(254)
To create an index automatically, you can append information when the value is in quotes:
Database products COLUMN_DEF "code=char(14) primary key"
The field delimiter to use is TAB by default, but can be changed with the Database DELIMITER directive:
Database products products.csv dbi:mSQL:minivend:localhost:1114 Database products DELIMITER CSV
If you wish to create other secondary keys to speed sorts and searches you can do so in the COLUMN_DEF:
Database products COLUMN_DEF "author=char(64) secondary key"
or use external database tools. Careful! Not all SQL databases use the same index commands.
If you wish to use an existing SQL database instead of importing, set the NoImport directive in catalog.cfg to include any database identifiers you never wish to import:
NoImport products inventory
WARNING: If MiniVend has write permission on the products database, you must be careful to set the NoImport directive or create the proper .sql file. If that is not done, and the database source file is changed, the SQL database could be overwritten. In any case, always back up your database before enabling it for use by MiniVend.