expression A variable that represents a Database object.
Parameters
Name
Required/Optional
Data Type
Description
Name
Optional
Variant
A Variant (String subtype) that uniquely names the new TableDef object. See the Name property for details on valid TableDef names.
Attributes
Optional
Variant
A constant or combination of constants that indicates one or more characteristics of the new TableDef object. See the Attributes property for more information.
SourceTableName
Optional
Variant
A Variant (String subtype) containing the name of a table in an external database that is the original source of the data. The source string becomes the SourceTableName property setting of the new TableDef object.
Connect
Optional
Variant
A Variant (String subtype) containing information about the source of an open database, a database used in a pass-through query, or a linked table. See the Connect property for more information about valid connection strings.
Return Value
TableDef
Remarks
If you omit one or more of the optional parts when you use the CreateTableDef method, you can use an appropriate assignment statement to set or reset the corresponding property before you append the new object to a collection. After you append the object, you can alter some but not all of its properties. See the individual property topics for more details.
If name refers to an object that is already a member of the collection, or you specify an invalid property in the TableDef or Field object you're appending, a run-time error occurs when you use the Append method. Also, you can't append a TableDef object to the TableDefs collection until you define at least one Field for the TableDef object.
To remove a TableDef object from the TableDefs collection, use the Delete method on the collection.
Example
This example creates a new TableDef object in the Northwind database.
Visual Basic for Applications
Sub CreateTableDefX()
Dim dbsNorthwind As Database
Dim tdfNew As TableDef
Dim prpLoop As Property
Set dbsNorthwind = OpenDatabase("Northwind.mdb")
' Create a new TableDef object.
Set tdfNew = dbsNorthwind.CreateTableDef("Contacts")
With tdfNew
' Create fields and append them to the new TableDef
' object. This must be done before appending the
' TableDef object to the TableDefs collection of the
' Northwind database.
.Fields.Append .CreateField("FirstName", dbText)
.Fields.Append .CreateField("LastName", dbText)
.Fields.Append .CreateField("Phone", dbText)
.Fields.Append .CreateField("Notes", dbMemo)
Debug.Print "Properties of new TableDef object " & _
"before appending to collection:"
' Enumerate Properties collection of new TableDef
' object.
For Each prpLoop In .Properties
On Error Resume Next
If prpLoop <> "" Then Debug.Print " " & _
prpLoop.Name & " = " & prpLoop
On Error GoTo 0
Next prpLoop
' Append the new TableDef object to the Northwind
' database.
dbsNorthwind.TableDefs.Append tdfNew
Debug.Print "Properties of new TableDef object " & _
"after appending to collection:"
' Enumerate Properties collection of new TableDef
' object.
For Each prpLoop In .Properties
On Error Resume Next
If prpLoop <> "" Then Debug.Print " " & _
prpLoop.Name & " = " & prpLoop
On Error GoTo 0
Next prpLoop
End With
' Delete new TableDef object since this is a
' demonstration.
dbsNorthwind.TableDefs.Delete "Contacts"
dbsNorthwind.Close
End Sub
This example uses the CreateTableDef and FillCache methods and the CacheSize, CacheStart and SourceTableName properties to enumerate the records in a linked table twice. Then it enumerates the records twice with a 50-record cache. The example then displays the performance statistics for the uncached and cached runs through the linked table.
Visual Basic for Applications
Sub ClientServerX3()
Dim dbsCurrent As Database
Dim tdfRoyalties As TableDef
Dim rstRemote As Recordset
Dim sngStart As Single
Dim sngEnd As Single
Dim sngNoCache As Single
Dim sngCache As Single
Dim intLoop As Integer
Dim strTemp As String
Dim intRecords As Integer
' Open a database to which a linked table can be
' appended.
Set dbsCurrent = OpenDatabase("DB1.mdb")
' Create a linked table that connects to a Microsoft SQL
' Server database.
Set tdfRoyalties = _
dbsCurrent.CreateTableDef("Royalties")
' Note: The DSN referenced below must be set to
' use Microsoft Windows NT Authentication Mode to
' authorize user access to the Microsoft SQL Server.
tdfRoyalties.Connect = _
"ODBC;DATABASE=pubs;DSN=Publishers"
tdfRoyalties.SourceTableName = "roysched"
dbsCurrent.TableDefs.Append tdfRoyalties
Set rstRemote = _
dbsCurrent.OpenRecordset("Royalties")
With rstRemote
' Enumerate the Recordset object twice and record
' the elapsed time.
sngStart = Timer
For intLoop = 1 To 2
.MoveFirst
Do While Not .EOF
' Execute a simple operation for the
' performance test.
strTemp = !title_id
.MoveNext
Loop
Next intLoop
sngEnd = Timer
sngNoCache = sngEnd - sngStart
' Cache the first 50 records.
.MoveFirst
.CacheSize = 50
.FillCache
sngStart = Timer
' Enumerate the Recordset object twice and record
' the elapsed time.
For intLoop = 1 To 2
intRecords = 0
.MoveFirst
Do While Not .EOF
' Execute a simple operation for the
' performance test.
strTemp = !title_id
' Count the records. If the end of the
' cache is reached, reset the cache to the
' next 50 records.
intRecords = intRecords + 1
.MoveNext
If intRecords Mod 50 = 0 Then
.CacheStart = .Bookmark
.FillCache
End If
Loop
Next intLoop
sngEnd = Timer
sngCache = sngEnd - sngStart
' Display performance results.
MsgBox "Caching Performance Results:" & vbCr & _
" No cache: " & Format(sngNoCache, _
"##0.000") & " seconds" & vbCr & _
" 50-record cache: " & Format(sngCache, _
"##0.000") & " seconds"
.Close
End With
' Delete linked table because this is a demonstration.
dbsCurrent.TableDefs.Delete tdfRoyalties.Name
dbsCurrent.Close