Database Toolbox Release Notes    

Chapter 2
Database Toolbox 2.2 Release Notes


New Features

This section introduces the new features and enhancements in the Database Toolbox 2.2, added since the Database Toolbox 2.1 (Release 12.0).

For information about Database Toolbox features that are incorporated from Version 2.0, see New Features in the Database Toolbox 2.1 Release Notes.

Retrieve Data as numeric or structure Format

You can specify as a preference the format in which data is retrieved from a database, called the DataReturnFormat. Options are numeric, structure, and cellarray. Previous versions of the Database Toolbox only supported the cellarray format.

You can use the numeric format when all data to be retrieved is numeric or when nonnumeric data is not relevant. Any strings in the data are converted as specified in the NullNumberRead preference, for example, NaN. The numeric format allows for a significant reduction in memory usage. The structure format allows you to access the retrieved data as a MATLAB structure.

To set the preference, use the setdbprefs function. In the Visual Query Builder, set the format using the Query -> Preferences menu. For details on the options, see the reference page for setdbprefs.

Export Numeric or Structure Data

Using insert and update, you can export data that is a numeric matrix, a structure, or a cell array. Previous versions only supported data in a cell array for export. There is no specific action you take to specify the format for exported data; the data is exported in its current MATLAB format.

Specify Error Handling Preference

You can specify the behavior for handling errors when retrieving data from a database, called the ErrorHandling preference. The options are store, report, and empty. Previous versions of the Database Toolbox only supported the store option, meaning the error message is stored in the returned data. The report option immediately displays any error messages in the Command Window. For the empty option, the error message is in the returned data, but it returns objects that could not be created as empty handles.

To set the preference, use the setdbprefs function. In the Visual Query Builder, set the preference using the Query -> Preferences menu. For details on the options, see the reference page for setdbprefs.

LONGCHAR Data Type Supported

The LONGCHAR data type is supported. This is called the Memo data type in Microsoft Access.


  Major Bug Fixes Database Toolbox 2.1 Release Notes