Data may be imported from external data sources, or linked to external data sources, in a number of ways:
· Using the File / Open...File option to access and view Excel, QDB and ASCII text files. Once opened as a spreadsheet, select the spreadsheet and use the right mouse menu to access options to Import to Characteristic or Link to Characteristic.
· Using the File / Open Data Source option to specify a linked Data Source in the Select Data Source dialog box.
· Using the Data Source tab in the Define Characteristic dialog box to specify an ODBC link to an external data source.
Imports are static, meaning that the import will bring in the data currently residing in the data source, but will not automatically retrieve new data if it is added to the data source. However, ODBC Import definitions can be saved and then refreshed periodically to append new data. When an external data source is used for on-going data storage, you may be more interested in defining a link to the source so that new data is automatically refreshed within this database.