gvSIG-Desktop 1.12. User manual

As you know, the dbf format doesn't allow field names with more than 10 characters. This limitation could be solved using alias for these fields. This option is also available for layers stored in a geodatabase.

If you wish to use this functionality you will need to create a text file with the same name as the layer in which you want to use "alias" names. Save this text file in the folder "alias" that was created when installing Navtable.

When installing gvSIG, a folder with the name gvSIG will also be created:

On Windows it is usually installed here "C:Documents and Settingsuser"

On GNU/Linux you will find it here: "/home/user/gvSIG"

When installing Navtable, a folder with the Name "Navtable" is saved to the "gvSIG" folders. At the Navtable folder you will find the "Alias" one, where you should save the text file mentioned above.

In this file you can define long names or alias for the field names.

Name_original_field=long_name

It's only necessary to describe a row for the fields you want to define an alias name for. The order of the lines isn't important, that means, you don't need to follow the same sequence like the field's names of the table.

When Navtable is opened, the according "alias" text file will be found automatically. If new names for the fields are available there, Navtable will use these ones instead of the original names.

Example: There is a dbf file with the following fields:

We define an alias text file with the same name as the shape file: Afg_district.alias in this case. In this file we will write the following text:

prov_code=province code
distr_code=district code

This file Afg_district.alias will be saved in the same folder as the file Afg_district.shp. Now we can open the table of this layer with Navtable and can see the following:

Important for Windows:

Windows doesn't show the file extension by default. For this reason for a new alias text file the name of the file will be probably name_layer.alias.txt and Navtable will not be able to read this alias file.

In order to have a correct result for this functionality we recommend you to deactivate the option hide hidden files and folders. You can make this in Windows Explorer: Extras > File Options > View > Advanced Settings > Hidden Files and Folders