Each step in a project represents a stage in the release pipeline. A step in Datical software is also known as a Dbdef, a connection, or an environment.

Prerequisite

The database must be set up with permissions for the Datical user before you create DbDefs for it.

See Configuring Databases for Datical DB Release Pipelines.

Information in a Step

The information in a step includes:

Connection to the database for the step. Typically this is a URL (and possibly other database-specific connection information), plus login credentials.
Step settings. The nature of the settings is specific to the type of database.

Where to Create or Edit Steps

Datical DB GUI

Click the Add Step or Edit Connection link to create or edit step settings.

When you click an Add Step link, you provide information in two dialogs in the following order:

In the Select a Database dialog. You provide the name of the step, an optional context, and choose the Database Platform (type).
In the dialog Where is your (Name) Database Located?, you provide additional settings. Some settings vary by database type (Oracle settings shown).

When you click Edit Connection, you use the second dialog.

Project Creation Scripts

See Creating a Datical Project Using the Project Creation Script (project_creator.groovy).

DB2 Database Step Settings

Datical DB GUI	Description
Connection Settings
Hostname	Hostname or IP address for the database.
Port	50000 by default.
Database	Database name
REORG:	Automatically Perform with each Deploy Perform a DB2 reorg operation when changes are deployed to this step. The operation reclaims unused space.
z/OS:	Connection targets DB2 for z/OS Select if this is a DB2 system running on z/OS
Database Credentials
Username	Service name used by Datical to access the managed database for the step.
Password	Password for the service name. We strongly recommend to use runtime credentials because it is more secure than stored credentials (due to the possibility of the stored password being decoded).
Optional Information
Contexts	Affects where changesets are deployed.
Labels	Defines labels to be applied to changesets deployed to this step.
Schema Name	Schema name to use. Requires Database property.
CLPPlus Timeout (seconds)	Time to wait for a CLPPlus script to complete. We recommend setting a value for this for all of your REF dbDefs, but only your REF dbDefs.
Environment Type	Used by the DMC Dashboard to show operation statistics, which are grouped by type.
Storage Settings: Include Table and Index Storage Information	Include information about where and how the database is stored.
Project Creation Settings
Baseline	Create Baseline Changelog - select to create a baseline changelog from a snapshot of the schema. All objects currently in the database are captured and represented in the changelog.
StoredLogic	Externalize Stored Logic (Procedures, Package, Functions) - select to save stored logic objects outside of the changelog.

Oracle Database Step Settings

The DbDef type for Oracle is used for two types of Oracle database:

Oracle Database (installed) - see Oracle Database Setup.
Oracle on Amazon RDS (cloud) - see Oracle on Amazon RDS Setup

Datical DB GUI	Description
Connection Settings
Connection Type:	Choose one: BASIC - Basic (EZCONNECT) connection. Requires the following properties: Hostname Port Service Name or SID TNSNAMES/LDAP - TNSNAMES (local file) or LDAP (server). Requires the following properties: TNS Alias
Hostname	Hostname or IP address for the database.
Port	1521 by default
Identifier	Choose one and provide value: Service Name - Oracle Service Name, orcl is the default SID - Oracle Service Identifier
TNS Alias	Service Name. It must match the service name you want TNSNAMES - service name defined in a `tnsnames.ora` file LDAP - service name defined on an LDAP server. The LDAP server is one specified in an `ldap.ora` file
Accelerator: Enable Accelerator for Oracle (Improves Performance)	Off by default. Datical provides an optional accelerator that compresses results before sending them from the database over the network and then decompresses them when they are received.
Database Credentials
Username	Service name used by Datical to access the managed database for the step.
Password	Password for the service name. We strongly recommend to use runtime credentials because it is more secure than stored credentials (due to the possibility of the stored password being decoded).
Optional Information
Contexts	Affects where changesets are deployed.
Labels	Defines labels to be applied to changesets deployed to this step.
Schema Name	Schema to use.
SQL*Plus Timeout (seconds)	Time to wait for a SQL*Plus script to complete. We recommend setting a value for this for all of your REF dbDefs, but only your REF dbDefs.
Environment Type	Used by the DMC Dashboard to show operation statistics, which are grouped by type.
Storage Settings	Include Table and Index Storage Information Include information about where and how the database is stored.
Project Creation Settings
Baseline	Create Baseline Changelog - select to create a baseline changelog from a snapshot of the schema. All objects currently in the database are captured and represented in the changelog.
StoredLogic	Externalize Stored Logic (Procedures, Package, Functions) - select to save stored logic objects outside of the changelog.

PostreSQL Database Step Settings

Datical DB GUI	Description
Connection Settings
Hostname	Hostname or IP address for the database.
Port	5432 by default
Database	Database to access
Database Credentials
Username	Service name used by Datical to access the managed database for the step.
Password	Password for the service name. We strongly recommend to use runtime credentials because it is more secure than stored credentials (due to the possibility of the stored password being decoded).
Optional Information
Contexts	Affects where changesets are deployed.
Labels	Defines labels to be applied to changesets deployed to this step.
Schema Name	Schema to use, requires Database property
EDB*Plus Timeout (seconds)	Time to wait for an EDB*Plus script to complete. We recommend setting a value for this for all of your REF dbDefs, but only your REF dbDefs.
Environment Type	Used by the DMC Dashboard to show operation statistics, which are grouped by type.
Storage Settings	Include Table and Index Storage Information Include information about where and how the database is stored.
Project Creation Settings
Baseline	Create Baseline Changelog - select to create a baseline changelog from a snapshot of the schema. All objects currently in the database are captured and represented in the changelog.
StoredLogic	Externalize Stored Logic (Procedures, Package, Functions) - select to save stored logic objects outside of the changelog.

SQL Server Database Step Settings

Datical DB GUI	Description
Connection Settings
Hostname	Hostname or IP address for the database.
Port	1433 by default
Application Name	Datical DB (application accessing the database)
Database Name	Database to access
Instance Name	SQL Server instance to use (database server). The default instance is used if an instance name is not specified.
Security	Integrated Security Use Windows authentication to access the database. When set for a DbDef, overrides the project setting to use runtime credentials.
Database Credentials
Username	Service name used by Datical to access the managed database for the step.
Password	Password for the service name. We strongly recommend to use runtime credentials because it is more secure than stored credentials (due to the possibility of the stored password being decoded).
Optional Information
Contexts	Affects where changesets are deployed.
Labels	Defines labels to be applied to changesets deployed to this step.
Schema Name	Schema to use, requires Database property
SQLCMD Timeout (seconds)	Time to wait for a SQLCMD script to complete. We recommend setting a value for this for all of your REF dbDefs, but only your REF dbDefs.
Environment Type	Used by the DMC Dashboard to show operation statistics, which are grouped by type.
Storage Settings	Include Table and Index Storage Information Include information about where and how the database is stored.
Project Creation Settings
Baseline	Create Baseline Changelog - select to create a baseline changelog from a snapshot of the schema. All objects currently in the database are captured and represented in the changelog.
StoredLogic	Externalize Stored Logic (Procedures, Package, Functions) - select to save stored logic objects outside of the changelog.

Configuring Step Settings (DbDefs)