Replacing a design

About this task

The Replace Design command makes a database identical to a template and is the only way to distribute design changes if the database doesn't inherit its changes from a template. If you have at least Designer access in the database ACL, you can replace the design of a database with the design from a template.

If you use a template to refresh or replace the database design, to ensure that the option "Prohibit design refresh or replace to modify" takes effect, select this option as well as the option "Propagate this prohibition of design change" in the design properties of the template.

Components that are not replaced during Replace Design

About this task

The following components are not changed during a Replace Design procedure:

  • The database icon (unless you enabled "Allow design refresh or replace to modify the database icon" in Icon Properties)

  • The database title and category
  • The database ACL and encrypt database settings

    Note that the ACL roles are updated (File - Application - Access Control - Roles).

  • The "Using Database" and "About Database" documents (unless you have disabled the "Prohibit design refresh or replace to modify" box in the Design Properties box)
  • Individual elements whose design is protected from updates (that is, if "Prohibit design refresh or replace to modify" is selected in the Design Properties box for the element)
  • Individual elements whose template is inherited (that is, if "Inherit from the design template" is selected in the Design Properties box for the element)
CAUTION: An element with inheritance set is not replaced even if its design is not protected from updates (that is, if "Prohibit design refresh or replace to modify" is not selected).
  • The "List as advanced template in 'New Database' dialog" option on the Design tab of the File - Database Properties box
  • All options on the Advanced tab of the File - Database Properties box, except "Document table bitmap optimization" and "Don't support specialized response hierarchy"

Components that are replaced during Replace Design

About this task

The following components are replaced during a Replace Design procedure:

  • Forms, fields, form actions, and event scripts
  • Pages
  • Views, folders, and view actions
  • Agents
  • Navigators
  • Framesets
  • Shared fields
  • Database Properties selections, except the "advanced template" option
  • All options on the Design tab of the File - Database Properties box, except "List as advanced template in 'New Database' dialog"
  • The options "Document table bitmap optimization" and "Don't support specialized response hierarchy" on the Advanced tab of the File - Database Properties box

To replace the design of a database

About this task

If a database replicates to other servers, replace the design of only one database and let the changes replicate to other replica databases.

Procedure

  1. Select the database on the server and choose File - Application - Replace Design.

  2. Select the template.
  3. Click Replace and Yes to confirm.