All the columns in the Table Design window are arranged in a tabular form. Here you can define the columns by entering their attributes. Press 
to change from one attribute box to
another. When you enter the column name, DOMAIN enters default values in the remaining attribute boxes in order to save you typing time; you can, of course, overwrite these values as desired.
The Domain Name, Mode, and Default attributes are optional. If you select "char" as the Data Type, the Dec attribute is no longer relevant. DOMAIN responds to these dependencies by deactivating irrelevant attributes and shading in the corresponding boxes.
DOMAIN conveniently assists you in defining attributes. As soon as an attribute box is activated, a button is displayed on the right-hand side. When you click on the 
button for
Column Name or Domain Name, a list of column or domain definitions appears. Simply click on the desired column or domain definition in the list to transfer it as a definition of the
current column or domain. To view a list other than the standard list, you can request a dialog box for entering search arguments by using the Select command button.
The Mode, Data Type, Code, and Default attributes are displayed as combo boxes that provide you with a list of all permissible values for selection. You can define individual values
that differ from the default values only in the case of Default. The default value must be enclosed in apostrophes. The Length and Dec attributes can be set by clicking the
button without typing an entry.
You can either enter the Mode attribute immediately or define it by separately defining the primary key. You must enter the key columns, in the desired order and separated by semicolons, in
the primary key box below the column definitions. You can also click on the 
button to change to a more convenient mode where you can transfer the key columns from the list of all
columns in the order desired.
Define the key columns by moving them from the existing columns of the table in the left-hand list to the right-hand list. To do so, click on the arrow buttons; the order of the key columns is important.
The result of this type of definition is then displayed as a list of column names in the primary key box.
Subsequent changes to the key column definition for an existing table are possible only to a limited extent (see the ADABAS Reference manual).