Creating a DB2 UDB Database with the Create Database Wizard

If you have ever installed software on a computer using a graphical installation program, more than likely, the interface you used is what is known as a wizard . A wizard is a GUI tool consisting of a sequenced set of dialogs that have been designed to guide a user through the steps needed to perform a complex operation. More often than not, the dialogs (often referred to as pages) that make up a wizard are processed in the order that they appear; thus, they orchestrate a step one, step two, step three...input scenario. The Create Database Wizard is no exception, and the pages it contains are designed to capture information about the characteristics of the database to be created.

In Chapter 2, we saw that the Control Center is the most important and versatile GUI tool DB2 UDB has to offer. We also saw that the Control Center is comprised of several elements, including:

• An objects pane (located on the left-hand side of the Control Center), which contains a hierarchical representation of every object type that can be managed from the Control Center.

• A contents pane (located on the right-hand side of the Control Center), which contains a listing of existing objects that correspond to the object type selected in the objects pane. (For example, if the Tables object type were selected in the objects pane, a list of all tables available would be listed in the contents pane.)

By highlighting the Databases object shown in the objects pane of the Control Center and clicking the right mouse button, you will bring up a menu that contains a list of options available for database objects. The Create Database Wizard is invoked by selecting Create, followed by Database Using Wizard from this menu. Figure 4-3 shows the Control Center menu items that must be selected in order to activate the Create Database Wizard; Figure 4-4 shows what the first page of the Create Database Wizard looks like when it is activated.

Figure 4-3. Invoking the Create Database Wizard from the Control Center.

Figure 4-4. The first page of the Create Database Wizard.

Once the Create Database Wizard is displayed, you simply follow the directions shown on each panel presented to define the characteristics of the database that is to be created. (These same characteristics can be specified through the various options available with the CREATE DATABASE command.) When you have provided enough information for the DB2 Database Manager to create the database, the "Finish" push button displayed in the lower right corner of the wizard (see Figure 4-4) will be enabled. When this button is selected, the specified database will be created.