Introduction to Database Interface Definition

Documents created with KCM can use data from a data source, which typically is a Data Backbone XML file that is sent to KCM to create documents. In cases where KCM needs to retrieve the data directly from a data source, you can use a DID, which is a description of a database. When a Master Template created with a DID is running, KCM retrieves the data from the data source.

DIDs are created in KCM Designer for Windows using the DID specification language.

A DID is a map that contains database files, external data retrieval programs, XML tags, and SQL queries. A DID is created from a DID document that has two levels:

1. DID module level (or DID source level):

   On this level, you define DID components such as entries and functions.

2. DID definition level:

   On this level, you declare which of these components on the module/source level are accessible in Master Templates.

You can create DID modules for different connection types and combine these DID modules in a single DID (see Configure connection types).