Version 4.2 Changes

New Features

• DataLoad can now by used to open, edit and save Oracle Forms' playback files:
  • The data load is run by the Oracle forms server, ensuring a much faster and more reliable load.
  • The data is loaded as fast as the forms can operate and no more 'sleeps' are required.
  • The data cannot "overtake" the forms, which caused the load to get out of sync with the forms.
  • Standard Oracle functionality is used, ensuring all forms validation is still applied.
  • A new file format, '.fld, is used to hold the forms playback data.
  • DataLoad validates the data sent to drop lists to ensure the data is appropriate for the drop list.
  • This functionality is restricted to 5 record loads only because it is a demonstration of the full functionality available in DataLoad Professional. This is the only functionality restricted in this way.
• DataLoad can import data from Excel. This feature is intended for users who preprocess their data in Excel, such as by using formulas, filters or sorting. The following options also apply to Excel Import:
  • Import the data from Excel only.
  • Import the data from Excel then automatically start loading into Oracle.
  • Import just the data selected in the Excel worksheet.
  • Import all data in the Excel worksheet.
• Cell comments can be entered which are displayed when the mouse is stationary over a cell containing a comment.
• Automatic tabbing. This option causes DataLoad to automatically send a TAB after sending data to a cell, while prefixing the data with a '&' prevents a TAB from being sent when AutoTab is turned on.
• An option has been added to convert data to or from no auto tabbing, i.e. a '&' is inserted or removed at the front of the data.
• The .dld and .fld extensions are automatically registered so that DataLoad opens when file such a file is opened in explorer.
• The last five DataLoad files opened are listed in the File menu and can be quickly opened from there.
• If the window name or command group is not set when a load is started the user is prompted for this information.
• A 'Default' flag is now included on the Options dialogue so the settings can apply to all future sheets.
• A new option configures DataLoad as the target application to be used when Exporting data from Oracle Applications.
• Save as or Open should use the last file's directory as the current default directory.
• The data size and current time has been added to a new status bar.
• Alt Gr can be sent as a keystroke using \& rather than the \% which is used for left Alt.
• The F2 key now puts a grid cell into edit mode.
• Commands are no longer case sensitive.

Bug Fixes

The following issues have been fixed in V4.2:

• Spurious commands could be automatically inserted beyond the last row of the load and without the user's knowledge. If a single cell was selected then you click to highlight an entire command column the cell in the command column on the same row as the single cell originally selected gets a command auto inserted. This also means that if you have a whole column selected and the active 'clear' cell in the selection is in the last row then when you click on a command column the last row gets a command inserted that the user can't see, hence the load continues for a long time and beyond the data the user expected to be loaded.
• If an auto insert causes extra rows to be added to the grid those rows don't have rows numbers.
• The DataLoad and Progress windows could become white during a load because they weren't repainted.
• The Save button should be enabled if a column is manually resized.
• Pasting into the first line didn't set all the heading.
• Multiple pastes of data didn't work unless you selected more rows than necessary.
• DataLoad failed to access the default browser on a PC where the user has inadequate registry priviledges.
• A ".dld" was always appended to file names, even when saved in tab delimited format.
• A file ending .dld was always opened or saved as a DataLoad file format even if it was actually tab delimited.
• Converting to Keystrokes or Copy & Paste didn't turn saving on.
• Edit->Convert To. turned the mouse pointer to an hour glass.

Command Definitions

The following command definitions have changed in V4.2:

• 11i command definitions have been included.
• *SB should be '\' and not ' '
• *NB should use + not ^
• *PB should use + not ^