OpenEdge Data Administration
Administer your OpenEdge (Progress ABL) databases without leaving VS Code. Browse and edit
schema — tables, fields, indexes and sequences — dump and load definitions and data, inspect
database properties and run schema reports. It is the modern, editor-native equivalent of the
classic Progress Data Administration tool.
Features
- Schema editing — create, edit and delete tables, fields, indexes and sequences, with
built-in ABL naming/keyword validation, frozen-table protection and Type II area checks.
- Dump & load — dump and load schema definitions (
.df), incremental definitions, table
data (.d files) and sequence values.
- Database administration — view database properties, and manage database identification
(maintenance and history).
- Schema reports — quick reports for tables, fields, indexes, sequences, views, triggers
and users.
- Multi-database, multi-scope connections — connect databases per project, workspace, user
or folder.
- AI-ready — exposes OpenEdge schema tools to VS Code's Language Model / MCP integration so
chat agents can inspect databases, tables, fields, indexes and sequences.
Requirements
| Requirement |
Details |
| VS Code |
1.101 or newer |
| Node.js |
v18 or newer — required to run the Data Administration backend server |
| OpenEdge |
Any supported Progress OpenEdge installation (11.x / 12.x) |
| DLC |
abl.configuration.runtimes must point to your OpenEdge (DLC) directory |
| ABL extension |
The OpenEdge ABL VS Code extension (AI4YOU.openedge-config-management) is installed automatically as a dependency |
Getting Started
- Install OpenEdge Data Administration from the VS Code Marketplace, or from a
.vsix
file provided by your team (Extensions panel → ⋯ → Install from VSIX…).
- Point VS Code at your OpenEdge runtime — set
abl.configuration.runtimes so it references
your DLC directory.
- Configure a database connection (see below).
- Open Data Administration in any of three ways:
- Click the Data Administration icon in the Activity Bar.
- Right-click any file in the Explorer → 📖 Dictionary Editor.
- Run
Ctrl+Shift+P → 📖 Dictionary Editor.
The backend starts automatically. The first launch may take a few seconds while OpenEdge
initialises.
Configuring a database connection
Connections can be defined in four scopes:
| Scope |
Where |
Use case |
| Project |
openedge-project.json in your project root |
Shared with the team via source control |
| Workspace |
VS Code workspace settings |
Shared across all folders in a .code-workspace |
| User |
VS Code user settings |
Personal / machine-specific connections |
| Folder |
Per-folder VS Code settings |
Per-project overrides inside a multi-folder workspace |
Project scope example — add to openedge-project.json:
{
"dbConnections": [
{
"name": "sports2020",
"connect": "-db sports2020 -H localhost -S 10001"
}
]
}
User / Workspace / Folder connections can also be managed directly inside Data Administration via
Settings → Connections — no file editing required.
Extension Settings
This extension contributes the following settings:
| Setting |
Type |
Default |
Description |
dictionary.httpPort |
number |
23005 |
HTTP port for the Dictionary backend server |
dictionary.ablSocketPort |
number |
23002 |
Socket port for ABL communication |
Commands
All commands are available from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and from the Data
Administration sidebar.
| Command |
Title |
openedge-data-administration.showDictionary |
📖 Dictionary Editor |
openedge-data-administration.showDatabases |
Databases |
openedge-data-administration.showTables |
Tables |
openedge-data-administration.showFields |
Fields |
openedge-data-administration.showIndexes |
Indexes |
openedge-data-administration.showSequences |
Sequences |
openedge-data-administration.refresh |
Refresh |
openedge-data-administration.dumpDefinitions |
Dump Definitions (.df) |
openedge-data-administration.dumpIncrementalDefinitions |
Dump Incremental Definitions (.df) |
openedge-data-administration.dumpData |
Dump Data (.d files) |
openedge-data-administration.dumpSequenceValues |
Dump Sequence Values |
openedge-data-administration.loadDefinitions |
Load Definitions (.df) |
openedge-data-administration.loadData |
Load Data (.d files) |
openedge-data-administration.loadSequenceValues |
Load Sequence Values |
openedge-data-administration.databaseProperties |
Database Properties |
openedge-data-administration.dbIdMaintenance |
Database Identification Maintenance |
openedge-data-administration.dbIdHistory |
Database Identification History |
openedge-data-administration.reportQuickTable |
Quick Table Report |
openedge-data-administration.reportQuickField |
Quick Field Report |
openedge-data-administration.reportQuickIndex |
Quick Index Report |
openedge-data-administration.reportSequence |
Sequence Report |
openedge-data-administration.reportView |
View Report |
openedge-data-administration.reportTrigger |
Trigger Report |
openedge-data-administration.reportUser |
User Report |
Documentation
Known Issues
| Symptom |
Fix |
| Backend fails to start |
Check the Dictionary Backend output channel |
| "No OpenEdge runtime configured" |
Set abl.configuration.runtimes in VS Code settings |
| Port conflicts |
Change dictionary.httpPort (default 23005) or dictionary.ablSocketPort (default 23002) |
The following capabilities are on the roadmap and not yet available: trigger and view editing,
DataServer schema pull/migration (MS SQL, Oracle, ODBC), security/domain/permission management,
CDC dump/load, and schema verify/validate.
Release Notes
See the CHANGELOG for the full release history.
License
This extension is proprietary software. See LICENSE.txt for details.
© KH-IT BV / AI4YOU. All rights reserved.
