External data exists in local desktop databases or in ODBC data sources. Open Data Base Connectivity (ODBC) drivers draw data from Structured Query Language (SQL) data sources, such as Oracle and Sybase data files. They also support Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, delimited text files, and others.
NetObjects Fusion automatically imports all the fields available in the external database file. If a simple text field contains a valid path to an image file, NetObjects Fusion asks if you want to make the field an image field. Before you add an external data object, make sure you have all the necessary fields. You cannot add fields once you create the external data object.
Note:NetObjects Fusion Connector for Macromedia ColdFusion and NetObjects Fusion Connector for Microsoft Active Server Pages support dynamic data publishing. Visit Online view for information about these connectors.
To create a data object from a SQL data source:
Display the Select Data Source dialog:
In Page
view, select the New External Data Source tool 
from the
Advanced Tools toolbar, and draw a rectangle on the page.
If you
are in Assets view, click the Data Objects tab, and then click the New
Asset button 
on the control bar.
The Data Object dialog appears.
Select External and then click the Source button.
The Select Data Source dialog appears.
You can select an existing data source or create a new data source.
To create a new data source, click New in the Select Data Source dialog and follow the steps in the Windows Create New Data Source wizard.
To select an existing ODBC source on your system, you can use the File Data Source tab or the Machine Data Source tab:
File Data Source. Select from the list of data sources and click OK.
Machine Data Source. Select from the Data Source Name list and click OK.
Depending on the data source type you choose, the Select Workbook or Select Database dialog appears.
Follow these steps:
Select a file in the dialog and click OK.
If the source refers to a multiple-file database or a spreadsheet with multiple tabs, the Select dialog appears. Select the file or tab and click OK.
NetObjects Fusion creates the data object, gives it the name of the selected file or tab, and imports its fields as simple text fields.
If a simple text field contains a valid path to an image file, you can choose to make it a text field or an image field.
The data object is now an asset of your site, and you can continue as follows:
If you’re working in Page view, the Data Publishing dialog is still open. You can select fields and format the data list as described in Creating a Data List, and lay out your stacked pages as described in Creating Stacked Pages.
If you’re in Assets view, go to Page view, select
the Data List tool 
from the Advanced toolbar, and draw a
rectangle on the page. In the Data Publishing dialog, select the newly
created data object from the drop-down list. Select fields and format
the data list as described in Creating
a Data List, and lay out your stacked pages as described in Creating
Stacked Pages.