Access External Databases
You can associate, or link, data stored in external databases with graphical objects in a drawing.
You can use the program to associate, or link, data stored in external database programs such as dBASE, Oracle, and Microsoft Access with graphical objects. You can use all of the external database features without prior knowledge of databases or query languages. This section, however, does not cover in detail the theory of database design or the semantics of Structured Query Language (SQL).
When you link database records to graphical objects in a drawing, you can use powerful database queries to filter and sort information. You can present the results of a query graphically.
When you have configured a data source, you can view and edit its records from within the program.
Links connect graphical objects with tables in an external database.
Labels are multiline text objects that display data in a drawing from selected fields stored in an external database table.
A query to the database is a search criterion that you construct to return the records you want.
You can export and import links and link templates, labels and label templates, and queries.
You can convert ASE links in drawings from Releases 12, 13, and 14 to AutoCAD 2000 or later format. You can save AutoCAD 2000 links in Release 13 and Release 14 format.