After you have created an internal lookup table as a part of a graph, you may want to convert it to an external (shared) lookup table. So that you would be able to use the same lookup table for other graphs.

If you want to externalize internal lookup table into external (shared) file, do the following: Right-click the desired internal lookup table item in the Outline pane within Lookups group, then click Externalize lookup table from the context menu. If your lookup table contains internal metadata, you will see the following wizard.

Figure 35.2. Externalizing Wizard

In this wizard, you will be offered the meta subfolder of your project as well as a filename of the new external (shared) metadata file to which the internal metadata assigned to the selected lookup table should be externalized. If you want (a file with the same name may already exist), you can change the suggested name of the external (shared) metadata file. After clicking Next, a similar wizard for externalizing database connection will be open. Do the same as for metadata. Finally, the wizard for lookup tables will open. In it, you will be presented with the lookup folder of your project as the location for this new external (shared) lookup table file and then you can click OK. If you want (a file with the same name may already exist), you can change the suggested name of the lookup table file.

After that, the internal metadata (and internal connection) and lookup table items disappear from the Outline pane Metadata (and Connections) and Lookups group, respectively, but, at the same location, new entries appear, already linked the newly created external (shared) metadata (and connection configuration file) and lookup table files within the corresponding groups. The same files appear in the meta, conn, and lookup subfolders of the project, respectively, and can be seen in the Navigator pane.

If your lookup table contains only external (shared) metadata (and external database connection), only the last wizard (for externalizing lookup tables) will open. In it, you will be presented with the lookup folder of your project as the location for this new external (shared) lookup table file and then you will click OK. If you want (the file with the same name may already exist), you can rename the offered name of the lookup table file.

After the internal lookup table has been externalized, the internal item disappears from the Outline pane Lookups group, but, at the same location, there appears, already linked, the new lookup table file item. The same file appears in the lookup subfolder of the project and can be seen in the Navigator pane.

You can even externalize multiple internal lookup table items at once. To do this, select them in the Outline pane and, after right-click, select Externalize lookup table from the context menu. The process described above will be repeated again and again until all the selected lookup tables (along with the metadata and/or connection assigned to them, if needed) are externalized.

You can choose adjacent lookup table items when you press Shift and then press the Down Cursor or the Up Cursor key. If you want to choose non-adjacent items, use Ctrl+Click at each of the desired connection items instead.