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HCL Domino Designer User Guide and Reference
This guide provides information on using HCL Domino Designer and programming language reference information.
Connectors
Connectors provide native access to a wide variety of DBMS products, ODBC, the platform File system, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, and Transaction Processing systems.
Connectors and Connectivity Guide
Chapter 3 Introduction to Connectors
This chapter provides introductory information about each of the supplied HCL Connectors.
General Connection Document Considerations
This section lists general considerations for using a connection document.

HCL Domino Designer User Guide and Reference
This guide provides information on using HCL Domino Designer and programming language reference information.
- What's new in Domino Designer 14.5?
  The following features are new for developers in HCL Domino® Designer 14.5.
- What's new in Nomad Designer?
  HCL Nomad for web browsers v1.0.10 introduces the capability to design Notes databases. For more information, see HCL Nomad for web browsers User Documentation, Nomad web Designer.
- Accessibility and keyboard shortcuts
  Accessibility features assist users who have a disability, such as restricted mobility or limited vision, to use information technology content successfully.
- Application Design
  Welcome to the Application Design section of Domino® Designer Help.
- Application Management
  Welcome to the Application Management section of Domino® Designer Help.
- Domino® Query Language
  Domino® Query Language (DQL) is a facility running on a Domino server that provides a terse, shorthand syntax for finding documents. It supports a wide variety and complexity of search terms. It leverages existing design elements, avoiding the need to write detailed code to access them. DQL consolidates all methods in Domino for searching document contents.
- Composite Applications - Design and Management
  Composite applications are a key element in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and contextual collaboration strategy. The ability to create and edit composite applications lets you easily integrate different types of components and technologies.
- DB2® Access views
  Domino® Designer includes two types of design elements to assist you in managing data contained in DB2® enabled Notes® databases:
- Programming Overview and User Interface
  This section contains general guidelines and examples that show where to use Java, LotusScript, and the formula language.
- Formula Language
  This section documents the formula language.
- LotusScript® Language
  Welcome to the LotusScript® Language section of Domino® Designer Help.
- LotusScript/COM/OLE Classes
- Java/CORBA Classes
  This section documents the Java/CORBA classes.
- Connectors
  Connectors provide native access to a wide variety of DBMS products, ODBC, the platform File system, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, and Transaction Processing systems.
  - Connectors and Connectivity Guide
    - Chapter 1 DCTEST and CONTEST
      This chapter provides information about DCTEST and CONTEST. These programs test system and application connectivity to external data sources.
    - Chapter 2 Connectivity
      This chapter provides instructions and information for setting up and testing connectivity to the following database systems:
    - Chapter 3 Introduction to Connectors
      This chapter provides introductory information about each of the supplied HCL Connectors.
      - Connectors Overview
        A connection document defines how a Connector will interact with a specific data source. The connection provides specific access parameters, such as server names, user IDs and passwords. The "connected" databases are the databases that HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) or Domino® Enterprise Connection Services (DECS) can access. Because the forms used with each connection type are different, each connection document is described separately.
      - Connectors and Supported Data Sources
        HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) and Domino® Enterprise Connection Services (DECS) provides the following standard connectors.
      - Using Multiple Connections of the Same Type
        You can create multiple connections to the same database by making copies of a connection definition and then renaming the copies. You might do this is to access the same database but to set various permission levels for specific tables or to use a different user name and password.
      - Processing RTF Fields Between Notes® and RDBMS
        Notes® is primarily a document management system, not a relational database management system (RDBMS). Because of this, Notes performs special handling for attachments stored in rich text fields.
      - Transferring Attachments
        Notes® stores attachment data separately from rich text field data. Currently you can only transfer attachments from Notes to Notes; rich text fields with attachments do not store correctly in the target RDBMS such as DB2® and Oracle.
      - Processing Empty and NULL Values
        In Domino® Enterprise Connection Services (DECS) and in HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI), empty data in a Notes® rich text or Text field is not set to NULL when it is transferred. It is transferred as "". To set empty data to NULL requires that you write a LotusScript® routine or a stored procedure.
      - Supported Connector Characteristics - List of Terms
        The following table defines the terms used in the "Supported Characteristics" section of each connector chapter in this manual.
      - Connection Documents
        A connection document enables you to define connections to external data sources. connection documents contain access information for specific databases and users. When you create an activity, you make connection choices from the existing set of defined connections.
      - General Connection Document Considerations
        This section lists general considerations for using a connection document.
      - Connection Document Action Bar
        This section describes features that are common to most connection documents.
      - Common Connection Document Fields
        The tables that follow describe fields that are common to most connection documents The only fields that are available in every connector are Name, Category(s), and Comments. Specific connector fields are described in the individual chapters of this guide.
      - Password Encryption
        Password encryption allows HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) users to encrypt password information using their own encryption keys. The HEI server is always able to read the passwords. Password encryption in HEI pertains specifically to the password as stored in the Notes® database and as seen on the screen, not for communicating to the external system database. When data is sent to the external system database, encryption is removed.
      - Calling External Procedures
        Procedures from external systems may be used in a number of forms-based activities and from within LC LSX scripts. Some connectors provide procedure functionality as an alternate method of performing data selection or modification operations, while for others it is the only method of communicating with an external system. In all cases, there are various contexts and requirements regarding the behavior and handling of parameters for procedures.
      - Connectors and Supported Data Management Activities
        There are three HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) Advanced RealTime activities - Virtual Fields, Virtual Documents, and Virtual Agents. All other activities are referred to as Data Management activities.
      - Connectors and Supported RealTime Activities
        Connectors that work with HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) Advanced RealTime activities and DECS are listed in this topic.
      - Connector Data Type Conversion Tables
        This section describes how HCL Enterprise Integrator (HEI) handles data type conversions. It is provided as background information. This information may be particularly helpful if you are scripting with the LC LSX Classes.
    - Chapter 4 Connector for Notes®
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for Notes®, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 5 Connector for DB2®
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for DB2®, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 6 Connector for File System
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for File System, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 7 Connector for ODBC
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for ODBC, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 8 Connector for Oracle
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for Oracle, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 9 Connector for OLE DB
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for OLE DB, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 10 Connector for Sybase
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for Sybase, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 11 Connector for Text
      This chapter provides information about the Connector for Text, including descriptions of the fields in the connection document.
    - Chapter 12 Metaconnectors for HEI
      This chapter provides an introduction to HEI Metaconnectors and contains information for creating and using the different types of Metaconnectors.
  - LSX for Connectors
    LotusScript® Extensions for Connectors (LC LSX) enhances the power of Notes® by extending its scripting to data outside of Notes through the use of Connectors. The programming model is independent of the individual connector. This eliminates the need to learn each individual system, while at the same time allowing experienced users to access the individual features of a specific system.
  - Accessing external databases through LS:DO
    Developers are advised not to use LS:DO. Developers should use the Connector LSX for (LCLSX) when accessing external data sources.
- Javadoc™ for Domino® Designer related APIs
  As part of providing additional Java™ reference documentation, Domino® Designer ships with a help plugin that contains Javadoc™ for additional Domino Designer related APIs.

General Connection Document Considerations

This section lists general considerations for using a connection document.

Rollback

The "Rollback upon error" option, specified on a connection document, will not be effective when a transaction within an activity must be closed to complete the next step of the operation. For example, a Direct Transfer activity, with "Overwrite existing data" enabled", cannot restore the truncated data if the transfer portion fails.

View Specification

When specifying view names on a connection document, only list views that will actually be used by all activities that use the connection document. Specifying a view name that is not needed by the calling activity may cause that activity to fail.

Connection Pooling

For optimum performance of a connector, underlying connections to the external systems can be pooled. This pooling occurs in the connector API and is automatic with subsequent connections. LotusScript® provides a simple programmatic interface to connection pooling.

The LCSession class exposes a property called "ConnectionPooling." Setting this property to True enables connection pooling. For more information, see the "Connection Pooling" section in the Connector LotusScript® Extensions Guide.

Connecting to Supported Data Source

In order to connect to a supported data source, you must have the required connectivity software for that data source installed on your server. Verify that all of your database software is installed and current with all available maintenance releases and fix packs before attempting to create connection documents.