Defining Tables in Zim
When an EntitySet or data relationship is created, it is declared to be a table managed either by Zim or by an SQL server. This declaration is done by the field EntType in the data dictionary EntitySet EntitySets or, for data relationships only, in the field RelType in the data dictionary EntitySet Relationships. This flag is checked to determine whether standard Zim code or SQL code (including SQL statements) should be generated when the object is referenced in a Zim command. The following tables indicate how to specify whether Zim or a SQL Server is managing an EntitySet or data relationship.
| EntType and RelType | Managed By |
| blank | Zim |
| “ZIM” | Zim |
| “JDBCSAM” | JDBC SAM |
For example, if the field EntType in the definition of the EntitySet Customers contained the SAM name JDBCSAM, then the EntitySet Customers is a table managed by the JDBC SAM which in turn will handle data from this entity set that is located on a particular SQL database server.
If the field EntType or RelType is either blank or the value “ZIM”, the object continues to be managed by Zim; no other object definitions are required.
When the object is created, a check ensures that the SAM name in the field EntType or RelType is a valid server name.