SQLite Maestro online Help
Foreign Keys
A foreign key constraint specifies that the values in a column (or a group of columns) must match the values appearing in some row of another table. They are said to maintain the referential integrity between two related tables. As SQLite does not enforce foreign key constraints, the possibility of generation referential integrity triggers is implemented.
See also: Table Editor, Index Editor.
You can find answers on the commonest question about working with foreign keys here:
Foreign keys are created within the Foreign Key Properties dialog window. In order to open the dialog you should either
| • | open the table in Table Editor and the Foreign Keys tab there; |
| • | press the Insert key or select the Add New Foreign Key... item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar) |
or
| • | select the table in the explorer tree and use the Create New Foreign Key popup menu item |
or
| • | select the table Foreign Keys node or any foreign key within the table in the explorer tree and use the Add New Foreign Key... popup menu item. |
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Foreign Keys are edited within the Foreign Key Properties dialog window. In order to open the dialog you should either
| • | open the table in Table Editor and the Foreign Keys tab there; |
| • | press the Enter key or select the Edit Foreign Key item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar) |
or
| • | select the foreign key to edit in the explorer tree and use the Edit Foreign Key popup menu item. |
You can change the name of the foreign key using the Rename Foreign Key dialog. To open the dialog you should either
| • | select the foreign key to rename in the explorer tree; |
| • | select the Rename Foreign Key item from the popup menu |
or
| • | open the table in Table Editor and the Foreign Keys tab there; |
| • | select the foreign key to rename; |
| • | select the Rename Foreign Key item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar). |
|
To drop the foreign key:
| • | select the foreign key to drop in the explorer tree; |
| • | select the Drop Foreign Key item from the popup menu |
or
| • | open the table in Table Editor and the Foreign Keys tab there; |
| • | press the Delete key or select the Drop Foreign Key item from the popup menu (alternatively, you may use the corresponding link of the Navigation Bar) |
and confirm dropping in the dialog window.
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