How to break dependency links

Dependent maps, tables and columns are the result of a calculation with MapCalc or TabCalc (in which you used the definition sign =) or the result of another operation. The complete expression by which dependent output objects are created is stored by the output maps, tables and columns as their definition. Dependent data objects thus know how they were created and on which input data they depend.

In principle, dependent data objects cannot be edited as the results of calculations or operations need to be protected. If you do want to edit a dependent map, a dependent table or a dependent column, you need to break the dependency links first. Breaking dependency links means that the map, table or column no longer knows how it is created nor from which maps, tables or columns it was created.

To break dependency links of dependent maps and dependent tables:

select one or more dependent maps and/or tables in a Catalog,
press the right mouse button,
choose Properties from the context-sensitive menu,

select one or more dependent data objects in a Catalog,
open the Edit menu in the Main window,
choose Properties.

The Property sheet(s) of the selected dependent map(s) and/or table(s) will appear:

go to the Dependency tab, and
click the button Break Dependency Link.

When a dependent map is displayed in a map window, or when a dependent table is displayed in a table window, you can also open the File menu in the map or table window and select the Properties command. The Property sheet of that map or table then appears. To break the dependency link, go to the Dependency tab, and click the button Break Dependency Link.

To break dependency links of dependent columns:

open a table in a table window,
double-click a column header (displaying the column name) of a dependent column,

from the Columns menu, choose Column Management, a dialog box appears in which all columns are listed, then
double-click a column in the list, or select a column in the list and click the Properties button.

The Column Properties dialog box will appear; click the button Break Dependency Link.

To break dependency links on the command line or in scripts:

You can also break dependency links by typing the following on the command line in the Main window or in a script:

breakdep object.ext

For object.ext fill out the object name and its extension.

It is allowed to use the DOS wildcards * and ?.

For more information, see Appendices : script language (syntax).

Examples of using wildcards:

to break the dependencies of all raster maps starting with A, you can thus type:

breakdep a*.mpr

to break the dependencies of all objects in this directory, you can thus type:

breakdep *.*