Time for action – exploring the sample database

Let's explore the sample database:

1. Open the transformation you just created.

2. Right-click the connection in the Database connections list and select Explore in the contextual menu. The Database explorer on connection window opens.

3. Expand the Tables node of the tree and select CUSTOMERS. This is how the explorer looks:

   

4. Click on the Open SQL for [CUSTOMERS] option.

5. The following SQL editor window appears:

   

6. Modify the text in the window so that you have the following:

   	SELECT 
   	  CUSTOMERNUMBER
   	, CUSTOMERNAME
   	, CITY
   	, COUNTRY
   	 FROM CUSTOMERS

7. Click on Execute. You will see the following result:

   

8. Close the preview window (the window that tells the result of the execution) and the SQL editor window.

9. Click on OK to close the database explorer window.

What just happened?

You explored the Pentaho sample database with the PDI Database explorer.

A brief word about SQL

Before explaining the details of the database explorer, it's worth giving an introduction to...