Red Hat Database: Graphical Tools Guide
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Configuring Visual Explain

This section describes how you configure Visual Explain.

If your database server has the rh-postgresql-test package installed and the regression tests have been run, you will be able to perform the Visual Explain tutorials that appear later in this manual. (If these have not been done, you might want to install the rh-postgresql-test package and run the regression tests now.) Refer to the Red Hat Database Getting Started / Installation Guide for details.)

Configuring Visual Explain's Operation

On the Edit menu, click on Configuration. The Configure window appears.
If you want, change the settings for:
- Use EXPLAIN ANALYZE When Possible
  "ANALYZE" is an EXPLAIN option that is available starting with PostgreSQL version 7.2. In addition to the usual EXPLAIN output, you will see:
  These extra attributes may not be shown for some nodes. This is normal behavior.
- Display Tool Tips
  "Tool Tips" are the explanatory labels that appear when you rest the mouse cursor over a button.
Click on the Display tab. The Display settings appear.
If you want, you can change the following settings:
- Anti-Alias Trees
  Anti-aliased graphics are more attractive, but take a little longer to display.
- Use Large Icons
  This setting controls the size of the icons used to display the results of the SQL query. The large icons are 48x48; the small icons are 32x32.
  This setting is independent of the magnification that you can apply by using the magnification icons or drop-down magnification menu.
Click on the Databases tab. The Databases settings appear.
If you want, you can enable Save Database Passwords.
Visual Explain stores database connection information that can include a database password. However, if you save your password, that password is saved in the Visual Explain configuration file in plain text.
How you configure a connection to a database is described in the next section.

Configuring a Connection to a Database

If the Databases tab of the Configure window is not currently being displayed, on the Edit menu, click on Configuration, then click on the Databases tab.
On the Databases tab, click on New. The New Database window appears.
Fill in the fields on the New Database window:
Click Test on the New Database window.
- If the connection fails and the connection parameters you entered are correct, contact you System Administrator.
- If the test passes, click OK on the Testing Database Connection window, on the New Database window, then click OK on the Configure window.

Modifying or Copying an Existing Database Connection

	Modifying or Copying an Existing Database Connection
	Modifying or copying an existing database connection is a similar to creating a new connection. To modify an existing database connection, select the database connection you want to copy, then click on Edit rather than New. To copy an existing database connection, select the database connection you want to edit, then click on Copy. A connection called Copy 1 of `connection_name` appears at the bottom of the list of connections. Select the Copy 1 of `connection_name` and click Edit and make the required changes.

Modifying or copying an existing database connection is a similar to creating a new connection.

To modify an existing database connection, select the database connection you want to copy, then click on Edit rather than New.
To copy an existing database connection, select the database connection you want to edit, then click on Copy. A connection called Copy 1 of connection_name appears at the bottom of the list of connections. Select the Copy 1 of connection_name and click Edit and make the required changes.

Deleting a Connection to a Database

On the Edit menu, click on Configuration. The Configure window appears.
Click on the Databases tab.
Select the database connection you want to delete, then click on Delete.

Nickname	regression-db
Database	regression
Host	`hostname`
Port	5432
User Name	postgres
Password	`password`