SaveToDB Options Dialog Box

The Options dialog box lets you configure settings for the SaveToDB add-in.

General Options

Interface Language

Change the SaveToDB user interface language here.
Restart Microsoft Excel to apply new settings.

Default Data Language

Set the default data language.
Developers must add translations to support this feature. See the Developer Guide.
Use the Reload Workbook Tables... or Reload Data and Configuration buttons to reload data in the new language.

This Workbook Data Language

Change the data language for the active workbook.
Developers must add translations to support this feature. See the Developer Guide.
Use the Reload Workbook Tables... or Reload Data and Configuration buttons to reload data in the new language.
This setting is saved in the workbook.

Encrypt Connection String Passwords by Default

Check this option to encrypt connection string passwords by default.
The add-in uses the Microsoft Cryptography API for encryption. Only the user on this machine can access the passwords.

Encrypt Connection String Passwords in This Workbook

Check this option to encrypt connection string passwords in this workbook only.
The add-in uses the Microsoft Cryptography API for encryption. Only the user on this machine can access the passwords.

Connection Timeout

Set the server connection timeout here.
Increase this timeout for busy servers and slow connections, or decrease it to get connection errors faster.

Command Timeout

Set the command execution timeout here.
Increase this timeout to handle large database updates.

Maximum Number of Lines in Memory

Set the maximum number of lines stored in memory when generating commands to update data.
The add-in uses files to store generated commands when this limit is exceeded.
This option is particularly useful when working with large datasets in 32-bit Excel.

Maximum Number of Loaded Rows (SELECT TOP)

Set the maximum number of rows loaded from a database.
Excel supports a maximum of 1 million rows.
The add-in shows a warning message when the loaded data reaches this limit.

Table Row Update Mode

Use All Cells to save all columns in all rows where any cell was edited, even if no changes were made.
Use Changed Cells Only to save only columns with actual changes.
The first mode is faster and saves less data in the workbook. The second mode can save time when many rows are edited but remain unchanged, such as when a user copies and pastes an entire column.
Developers can override this setting for specific objects.

Excel Options

Rename SaveToDB Tab to Database

In SaveToDB 8 and higher, the tab is named Database instead of SaveToDB.
Uncheck this box to revert to the original name.

Hide Advanced Menu Items

Check this box to hide advanced menu items.
You can customize advanced menu items using the Customize Ribbon dialog box.
You can also hide and unhide advanced items using the Hide Advanced Menu Items checkbox.

Show the Information Group on the Ribbon

Uncheck this box to hide the Information group on the ribbon and free up space.

Number of Values in Parameter History

This field sets the limit for stored parameter values.
The maximum value is 1000.
See also Parameters Group.

Show the Open URL Menu

Check this box to display the Open URL menu in the Excel context menu.
The add-in detects URLs automatically.

Show the Table Views Menu

Check this box to display the Table Views menu in the Excel context menu.
See also Views Group.

Apply Default Formats

Check these options to apply the default formatting for editable tables.
See details in the Table Format Wizard.
Check NOT NULL columns to highlight empty cells in non-NULL columns. The add-in creates conditional formatting for these columns, which you can modify.
You can also manually format boolean fields using the Format Range as Checkboxes button in the Developer Tools Menu.

Advanced Options

Open the Last Workbook at Startup

Check this option to open the last opened workbook when Excel starts.
Press Shift to disable this feature for one session.

Rotate Cell Values on Double-Click

Check this option to rotate cell values when double-clicked.

Filter Source Rows on Double-Click in Pivot Tables

Check this option to filter source rows when double-clicking in pivot tables.

Launch the Calendar on Double-Click in Date Cells

Check this option to open the calendar when double-clicking in date cells.

Change Auto Filters Using the Row Over Tables

Check this option to use rows over tables to change table auto-filters.

Create Validation Lists Using Object Definitions Automatically

Check this option to enable automatic creation of validation lists.

Keep Wrap Text in Cell Editor

Check this option to retain the Wrap Text property when updating a cell from the Cell Editor.
Note: This option breaks the Excel Undo functionality.

Keep Formulas on Data Refresh

Check this option to retain cell formulas during data refresh by default.
Developers can override this option for specific database objects.

Keep Comments on Data Refresh

Check this option to retain cell comments during data refresh by default.
Developers can override this option for specific database objects.

Skip Loading Data if There Are No Insertions or Deletions

Check this option to skip loading data when only UPDATE commands are used.
This can save time when reloading large datasets.

Protect Data Loaded via OLEDB and ODBC

Check this option to allow the add-in to load data via OLEDB and ODBC and paste it into Excel tables instead of using Excel QueryTable objects.
This helps prevent loss of precision for large numbers and milliseconds in datetimes.
See details in "Sample 13 - Data Types."

Developer Options

Add SaveToDB Data Sheets

Click this button to add hidden sheets used by the SaveToDB add-in for storing configuration data.
The add-in automatically adds sheets when you connect to database objects using the Database Connection Wizard or to data service objects using the Web Data Connection Wizard.

Remove SaveToDB Data Sheets

Click this button to delete SaveToDB data sheets in the active workbook.
Use this if you want to remove the SaveToDB add-in from a computer or clear SaveToDB data from a workbook.

Show SaveToDB Data Sheets

Click this button to display the hidden SaveToDB data sheets in the active workbook.
You can also unhide the sheets manually using the Visible sheet property in the Visual Basic Editor (Alt-F11).

Hide SaveToDB Data Sheets

Click this button to hide the SaveToDB data sheets in the active workbook.

Clean SaveToDB Data Sheets

Click this button to delete SaveToDB configuration data, except for core information about connected objects.
Use this option to clean the workbook before distribution.
Then reload workbook tables and query lists.

Log File TextBox

This textbox displays the path of the SaveToDB log file.
Specify the full path to a writable folder.

Browse

Click this button to open a dialog box for selecting the log file path.

SQL Queries CheckBox

Check this box to log SQL queries sent to databases.

Metadata Loader CheckBox

Check this box to log SQL queries used to load database metadata.

Operation Telemetry CheckBox

Check this box to log operation telemetry.

Open

Click this button to open the SaveToDB log file.

Open Installation Folder

Click this button to open the SaveToDB installation folder.
The Languages subfolder contains interface translation files.

Open Connection String Cache

Click this button to open an editor for cached connection strings.
The SaveToDB add-in saves the connection string when a user successfully connects to a database. The next time, it uses the cache to suggest a username and password when connecting with a new workbook.
The add-in encrypts connection strings using the Microsoft Cryptography API. Only the user on this machine can access the strings.

Clean Image Cache Folder

Click this button to clear cached images loaded from the web.
See details in the Images article.