Setting Column Properties

You can set or change the properties of a column within the grid that appears when you view the table in Column Properties view or when you design a single table.

To set column properties

1. In your database diagram, select the table whose column properties you want to define.
   
   
2. If you're not already in Column Properties view, right-click the table and choose Column Properties from the shortcut menu.
   
   
3. Click inside the cell that shows the property setting that you want to change. You may have to scroll or enlarge the table to see the property.
   
   
4. Type or select a new setting.

Note   The data types available in your database typically have default values. Many databases have rules concerning allowable property values. For example, a binary data type is often limited to a length between 1-255. If you type an invalid value for properties with such limitations, a message box will appear.

The new setting takes effect in the database diagram as soon as you press the TAB key or click outside the cell. The new setting is saved in the database when you save the table or your diagram.

Note   You can also set column properties in Custom view for any columns you've chosen to display in this view. For more information about Custom view, see Changing a Table View.