Use the following procedure to dump ABL database or table definitions:
1. Access the Data Administration tool. The Data Administration main window appears.
2. Make sure you are using the database (the source) from which you want to dump the table definitions.
3. Choose Admin > Dump Data and Definitions > Data Definitions (.df file). The Data Administration tool lists all the tables defined for the database alphabetically.
4. Choose the table where you want to dump the definitions, or choose ALL.
If you choose ALL, the .df file will also contain the sequences and auto-connect record definitions, but not the collation/conversion table. The Data Administration tool displays a default name for the file that you can dump data definitions into (hidden tables are not dumped). This default file is always the name of the table or database with a .df extension. The Data Administration tool truncates table names to eight characters. When you dump only one table, the table dump name becomes the default for its corresponding contents dump file. For example, if you specify customer.d as the filename, when you dump the file contents, the default filename is customer.d. If you specify to dump all the tables, the default name is db-name.d.
5. Accept this default or enter a different name and choose OK. The Data Administration tool displays each object name as it writes its definition to the data definitions file.
You see each table name on the screen as the Data Administration tool writes its definition to the .df file. After all of the table definitions are dumped, the Data Administration tool displays a status message and prompts you to continue.
6. Choose OK to return to the Data Administration main window.
