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An Overview of Pervasive PSQL Control Center

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Pervasive PSQL Control Center (PCC) is an integrated framework in which users can connect to Pervasive PSQL engines, set up and modify databases and tables, query and update data, and tune engine performance.

PCC uses a file explorer-like motif-a tree of objects-referred to as the Pervasive PSQL Explorer. This tree of objects can be opened or expanded to reveal more detail. Examples of objects include engines, databases, tables, and users. The following figures illustrate PCC with several window views displayed. The Pervasive PSQL Explorer is the tree view on the left.

Figure 3-1 Pervasive PSQL Control Center on Windows Platforms

Figure 3-2 Pervasive PSQL Control Center on Linux Platforms

Note that the PCC graphical user interface (GUI) may look cosmetically different depending on your distribution of Linux.

Installing PCC

On Windows platforms, PCC is installed by default when you install a database engine or a client. See Pervasive PSQL v10 Optional Features in Getting Started With Pervasive PSQL.

On Linux, PCC is a separately installable component. See Installing PCC and Documentation on Linux in Getting Started With Pervasive PSQL.

Starting PCC on Windows

You start PCC from the Pervasive PSQL group on the Start menu. You may also run the executable file pcc.exe.

Starting PCC On Linux

You start PCC by running the executable script file pcc from a command prompt. The script file is located, by default installation, in the usr/local/psql/bin directory.

We recommend that you start PCC from a command prompt and not by double-clicking on the script file using a file browser application. See Table 3-2, Troubleshooting Guide for Running PCC .

The following requirements must be met to start PCC on Linux.

Table 3-1 Requirements for Starting PCC on Linux  
Requirement
Discussion
Pervasive PSQL server or client
A compatible Pervasive PSQL server or client must already be installed on the same machine.
X-Server access
The xhost command controls which clients can access X-Windows on the current machine. By default, xhost turns on access control. This means that only the user who starts X-Windows could start PCC.
You may turn off X-Windows client restrictions by typing xhost + at a terminal window.
Java Runtime Environment (JRE)
The Standard Edition of the JRE is required to run PCC. You can download the version from java.sun.com.
Some Linux distributions include gcj, a GNU compiler for the Java programming language. If your Linux distribution includes the gcj compiler, check your PATH environment variable. Ensure that the path to the Standard Edition JRE appears before the path to the gcj.
Rather than change your PATH variable, you could edit the pcc script and set the correct path in the script.
Note: The PCC installation informs you if the JRE is required.
To determine if the Standard Edition JRE is installed or if it is in your PATH variable, enter the following command at a terminal window:
java -version
A return message of "command not found" means that you need either to install a JRE Standard Edition or add the JRE path to the PATH environment variable. You can download the JRE from java.sun.com.
Add the PATH using an EXPORT command similar to the following (assuming your JRE is installed to /usr/local/java):
export PATH=/usr/local/java/bin:$PATH

If you have met the requirements to run PCC and still are having difficulty running the utility, refer to the following troubleshooting guide.

Table 3-2 Troubleshooting Guide for Running PCC  
Troubleshooting Condition
Discussion
You receive the error "java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError."
This error typically occurs if you try to start PCC by double-clicking on the script file using a file browser application. Start PCC from a command prompt.
This error can result if the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable is not set. The PCC script sets this variable for you. You may also explicitly set the variable with the following command:
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/psql/lib
You receive the error "SWT no more handles" when trying to run PCC as root or as user psql.
You are not required to log in as user psql or root to run PCC. However, if you are neither of these users, you must be a member of group pvsw.
The "SWT no more handles" error is caused by X-Server denying a connection to a client. Before switching to user psql or root, open a console window and type xhost + to allow other clients to connect to X-Server.
Now you can switch to user psql or root.
Also, sometimes the display environment variables needs to be set. As user psql or root, type the following command at a console window:
export DISPLAY=:0.0
or
export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0
You want to view the error log file for PCC or redirect the errors to the console window.
By default, the log file of PCC errors is located in a subdirectory of the user's home directory (the subdirectory is dir_pcc/workspace/.metadata). For troubleshooting, you may find it more convenient to redirect the errors to the console window.
To redirect errors to the console window, use the "-consoleLog" option when starting PCC:
pcc -consoleLog
You receive the following error message: "Unable to connect to database engine. Make sure the target machine is accessible and an engine is running on the target machine."
The context of this error occurs if you attempt to administer the local server.
To administer the local server, you must be a member of the pvsw group or be the root user.

Situations Requiring That You Clear PCC Cache

PCC caches certain information to improve efficiency. The cache must be cleared after you install or upgrade any other products that "plug in" to PCC. Otherwise, the installed or upgraded product does not appear in the Pervasive PSQL Explorer. For example, if you were to install or upgrade Btrieve 7.0 Data Exchange, you would then need to clear the PCC cache.

The cache can be cleared only by starting PCC with a parameter from the command line.

To clear PCC cache

  1. Exit PCC if it is running (click File 4 Exit).
  2. Open a command prompt, or terminal window, at the operating system.
  3. Change directory to the PSQL\bin folder in the Pervasive PSQL installation directory.

    4. For default locations of Pervasive PSQL files, see Where are the Pervasive PSQL v10 files installed? in Getting Started With Pervasive PSQL.

  4. Type pcc -clean and press Enter.

    5. This starts PCC and clears the cache. The newly installed or upgraded products should then appear in the Pervasive PSQL Explorer.

    Note
    Use of the -clean parameter when starting PCC provides no advantage under normal usage. The parameter is required only if you install or upgrade a plug-in product.

Editors and Views Within PCC

The PCC main window comprises editors and views:

You can display and work with objects through the different editors and views. Multiple editors of the same type (for example, SQL Editor) can be open at the same time. Each object being edited is represented by a tab on top of the editor. The tab contains the name of the object. Data modified within an editor must be explicitly saved (for example, with File 4 Save).

Views, such as Pervasive PSQL Explorer, can be opened only one at a time. Actions performed within a view are applied immediately. No explicit save is required.

Editor and View Characteristics

The following table summarizes the characteristics of the editors and views.

Table 3-3 Characteristics of PCC Window Views
Characteristic
Pervasive PSQL Explorer
SQL Editor
Grid
Text
Outline
Table Editor
Contains icons specific to that view

 

   
Can be closed
 

Can be minimized
   

 
Can be maximized
 

Can be restored to previous size
 

     

Can be opened in new window

 
Can be rearranged within PCC main window
 

Can be "pulled" from PCC and placed on desktop
   

 

Pervasive PSQL Explorer

This view displays a tree of objects that can be opened or expanded to reveal more detail. Click the expand icon to the left of an object to reveal subordinate objects. The expand icon may be a "+" symbol, a "4" symbol, or some other similar symbol. Click the collapse icon to hide subordinate objects. (The collapse icon appears after you click an expand icon.)

The tree of objects includes a root node named Pervasive PSQL. The root node contains subordinate objects such as clients, services (if applicable), engines, databases, tables, views, stored procedures, user-defined functions, triggers, groups, users, and system objects (such as system tables).

Figure 3-3 Example Objects Shown in Pervasive PSQL Explorer

Accessing Object Properties

A right-click on an object reveals actions or dialogs applicable to that object. For example, you can right-click on an object then click Properties to display configurable settings for the object (provided properties apply to the object). You may also click an object then press Alt+Enter to display properties.

SQL Editor

SQL Editor allows you to run Structured Query Language (SQL) statements against a Pervasive PSQL database. See SQL Editor for a detailed discussion.

Grid

The Grid window view shows in a matrix format, like a spreadsheet, the result of running SQL statements. Each field is represented as a column and the data appears in cells within the columns. You can change data directly in the Grid cells as well as add additional rows to the Grid.

Both Table Editor and SQL Editor use the Grid. See To view table data and Grid Window View for further details.

Text

The Text window view shows in a text format the result of running SQL statements. The text is display only. You cannot change data values by changing the text, but you can copy text. See Text Window View for a detailed discussion.

Outline

The Outline window view allows you to view the SQL statements in a tree structure. The root node of the tree is the same name as the name of the SQL Editor window view. See Outline Window View for a detailed discussion.

Note that the editor must support an outline or the Outline window view is not available. Currently, only SQL Editor supports an outline view.

Table Editor

Table Editor allows you to add, delete, or change the characteristics of columns within a table. The table may be one newly created or an existing table that you want to edit. See Table Editor for a detailed discussion.

Preferences

You can set general preferences for your experience in PCC. You can also set preferences for the window views in PCC (page 3-10) or for the external tools (page 3-12).

To set general preferences for Grid
  1. On the PCC Window menu, click Preferences. Expand the Pervasive node if it is not already expanded.
  2. Click General.

The following are the options that can be set in the General Preferences:

Select Always remove associated DSN entries to have all DSN entries for any database automatically deleted along with the database without prompting.

Unselect Do not prompt for new database each time a SQL document is opened to be prompted to select a database each time you open a SQL document in the SQL Editor. If this option is unselected, select it to use the most recently selected database when you open a SQL document. The selected database is not maintained across PCC sessions. If you close and reopen PCC, you will have to select a new default database context.

Preferences for Window Views

You can set preferences for the following window views:

To set preferences for Window Views
  1. On the PCC Window menu, click Preferences. Expand the Pervasive node if it is not already expanded.
  2. Perform one of the following actions:
    1. To set preferences for Data Grid, click Data Grid.
    2. To set preferences for SQL Editor, click SQL Editor.
    3. To set preferences for Table Editor, click Table Editor.
    4. To set preferences for Text, click Change next to the Text Pane Font field.

Additional Utilities

Some utilities have not yet been tightly integrated within the Windows PCC framework. However, they may still be started from within PCC by selecting them through the Tools menu:

External Tools

You can add your own software programs to the PCC Tools menu. This provides a convenient way to start the programs from PCC.

To add external tools

  1. On the PCC Window menu, click Preferences. Expand the Pervasive node if it is not already expanded.
  2. Click External Tools.
  3. Click New.
  4. Type a name for Tool Label that you want to appear in the Tools menu.
  5. Type the path and file name of the program for Tool Location.

    6. You can click and browse to the file location if your prefer.

  6. Optionally, type any parameters for Tool Parameters that should be passed to the program when the program starts.
  7. Click OK.
  8. Click OK (or Apply then OK) to close the Preferences dialog.

To set preferences for external tools

  1. On the PCC Window menu, click Preferences. Expand the Pervasive node if it is not already expanded.
  2. Click External Tools.
  3. Click the desired tool in the External Tools list.
  4. Perform one of the following actions:
    1. To remove the tool from the list, click Remove.
    2. To move the tool toward the top of the list, click Up.
    3. To move the tool toward the bottom of the list, click Down

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