connecting to a file-based derby database

I want to work with a file-based database using apache derby. I was wondering if anyone can carify how to connect & create this database using netbeans as an IDE. I passed through derby manuals trying to figure this one out, but all i got was "Embedded Derby JDBC Database Connection", which i was told is not a file-based approach, and either way, the connection didn't seem to work. any help would be much appreciated

When you download NetBeans 7.1.2, the "All" package you get the glassfish app server with it. After installing w/ glassfish, in the IDE you should be able to select the Services tab > Expand Databases and you should see Java DB. R. Click on Java DB and select Start Server. Then R. Click again and select Create Database. Enter the db name, user and a password. BTW i normally use APP for both the user and password because this way it also becomes the default schema and I don't have to go changing around anything for production environment.

Now in the Java DB group you should see the new database you created. R. Click on that and select connect. You should see a connection item appear under the Databases group. Expand this item and you should see the APP schema in bold indicating it is the default schema. Expand that and R. Click on the Tables select Create Table and you'll get a ui that helps you populate a table. Repeat until all your tables are created. Other ways to create tables using the ide is right click on the Tables and select Execute Command where you can run DDL to define the tables schema. This is the way i do db creation, by saving my script as an .sql file so i can delete the db and rerun it again as needed.

Here is an example of the my dbinit.sql script i use to create my tables in derby.

create table usertable (
    username varchar(128) NOT NULL CONSTRAINT USER_PK PRIMARY KEY ,
    password varchar(128) NOT NULL,
    email varchar(128) NOT NULL,
    firstname varchar(128) NOT NULL,
    lastname varchar(128) NOT NULL
);

create table grouptable(
    username varchar(128) NOT NULL,
    groupid  varchar(128) NOT NULL,
    CONSTRAINT GROUP_PK PRIMARY KEY(username, groupid),
    CONSTRAINT USER_FK FOREIGN KEY(username) REFERENCES usertable(username)
        ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE RESTRICT
);

insert into usertable(username,password,firstname,lastname) 
    values ('admin', '21232f297a57a5a743894a0e4a801fc3','','');
insert into grouptable(username,groupid) values ('admin', 'USER');
insert into grouptable(username,groupid) values ('admin', 'ADMIN');

You can easily delete the database you've created by right clicking on the database, R. click on the database you wish to remove and select delete. and reuse your script to regenerate it.

Hope this helps! :)