DB Listing
- Last UpdatedMar 09, 2026
- 6 minute read
The DB Listing window allows you to query and output aspects of the database for example to report changes since a certain date.
Control Menu
The menu options available under Control are:
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Clear Output |
Clears the Command Output window used when Destination is set to Screen. |
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DB Listing |
Outputs a listing of the specified parts of the database in its current state. |
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DB Changes |
Outputs a listing of the changes to the specified parts of the database as a macro which can be run later to return the database to the state it was in at the given time or session. You can edit the macro file so that only the required elements are changed. |
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DB Differences |
Outputs a listing of the specified parts of the database, with the old and new elements and attributes changed or added since the given time or session. |
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Output |
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Options |
Displays an Output Options window allowing control over specific information to be output in a query. |
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Backtrack Mode |
Is only active in DB Changes mode and controls the style of the output information. If on, then the output can be run as a macro which returns the database to the state it was in at the given time or session. If off, then the output is a report on the changes made since the time or session. |
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Add and Remove Menus
The menu options under Add and Remove are used to populate the Elements list.
The Remove option is only active when there are elements in the Elements list.
The following are common to the Add and Remove:
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CE |
Adds or removes the current element. |
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CE Members |
Adds or removes the members of CE, but not CE. |
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Pick |
Only active in Model. Allows you to add or remove elements by graphical picking using event driven graphics. |
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Current Collection |
Adds or removes all elements in the selected lists. Lists are created using the Collections window. |
The Remove option has the following items which are not present in the Add menu:
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All |
Removes all elements from the Elements list. |
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Selected |
Removes all items selected in the Elements list. |
Colour Menu
The following are the menu options under Colour:
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Highlight > Elements |
Displays a Colour Selection window. When a color is picked, the contents of the Elements list is highlighted in that color, in all the graphical views. Only elements already in the Drawlist is highlighted; elements are not automatically added to the Drawlist. |
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Highlight > Changes/ |
The option is Changes or Differences according to the mode. It is not available at all in DB Listing mode and displays a Color Selection window. When you click Apply, the color picked is used to highlight any elements that have changed. |
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Unhighlight |
Removes the highlight from the CE only, the Elements in the list or all elements in the graphical views. |
Query Menu
A Query is always output to the screen. If the Destination is set to File then output is made to the specified file as well as screen.
A file output contains comment lines, which start with -- so it can be run as a macro at a later stage.
The following are the menu options under Query:
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Clock |
Outputs current Time and Date. |
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CE and Elements |
The options under CE output information about the current element, and the options under Elements output information about all the elements in the Elements list on the window. |
Note:
Querying extremely long Element lists can take a long time.
Both Query > CE and Query > Elements have the following sub options:
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Session |
Outputs:
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Last Modified |
Outputs:
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Note:
The Query operation can be a time consuming operation if the CE is a DB world element or a
large site, or other top-level element, and so you are prompted with a message to
confirm this operation.
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History |
Similar to the Last Modified Query, but gives the information for every session in which the element has been created or modified. You needs to confirm the query for top-level elements. |
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Claimed by |
Outputs the name of the user who has the current element claimed out for modification, which is Unset if no user has the element claimed. |
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DB Name/Mode |
Outputs the name, DB name, the DB access mode (RW, R, Multiwrite) and the claim mode (implicit, explicit). |
Destination Settings
You can send the output of queries to a File or Screen. If File is selected, enter a valid path and filename.
If Screen has been selected, the result is the output to a standard Command Window when Apply is clicked.
Select New File to create a new file to output the result to. Select Overwrite or Append if the file exists.
Browse displays a file browser allowing a previously created output file to be used as the destination.
Elements
The Elements part of the window lists elements that is reported on when Apply is clicked.
Click on any element in the list to navigate to that element in the Catalogue Explorer.
The active field in the Changes Since pane depends on the mode (Changes, Listing or Difference). None of the controls are active in DB Listing mode. In DB Changes and DB Differences modes, the following options can be selected:
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Savework |
Reports on changes since the last Save Work. |
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TimeDate |
Reports on changes since a given time and date. The time format is specified as HH:MM on a 24 hour clock, for example 16:15. The date format is DD MMM YYYY, for example 9 Feb 1998 or 30 Aug 97. |
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Session |
Reports on changes since the given session number. Input a session number or use the plus and minus (+/-) options to increment the session number. |
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Extract |
Only active when the current element is in an extract database. When this option is chosen, the options in the Since Extract frame becomes active. Refer to Changes Since Extract for further information. Type in the session number, or change it using the + and - options. |
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Stamp |
Reports on the changes since the Stamp selected from the Since Stamp list at the bottom of the window. Remember that each DB has its own sessions. The current DB is displayed by Database Name at the bottom of the frame. Refer to Changes Since Stamp for further information. |
Note:
Time Date and Session are related, changing one affects the other settings, and also
display the correct Session User.
Click More to open a window that displays the Database Name, Reason for session (such as a Save Work), the Session No (the session number) and any Comments associated with the Session.
Changes Since Extract
The first drop-down list in the Since Extract area displays all the databases in the extract hierarchy above the current extract, with the Master at the top of the list.
The options on the next drop-down list are:
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Only |
Compares the current database with the selected extract ancestor database. |
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Latest |
Compares the database with the latest version of the selected extract ancestor database. |
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Session |
Compares the database with the selected ancestor extract since session nn of that extract. |
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Date |
Compares the database with the selected ancestor extract since the given date in a session of the ancestor extract. |
Changes Since Stamp
The Since Stamp part of the window is only available if the Stamp option has been selected (see above). Select the Display drop-down to list Stamps by: Name, Date, Function or Description.
Highlight Changes
The Highlight Changes option is only active when the window is in DB Changes or DB Differences mode with a Design database selected. If switched on, the changed elements is highlighted in all the 3D graphics views in the color specified by Color > Changes. The Highlight Changes option is useful after a Get Work to view the changes that other users have made.
Apply is only active when there are elements in the Elements list.
Cancel exits the window and clears the Elements list.