Connection Profiles
A connection profile is a named, reusable connection stored inside the automation project. Define the server once, then every step that talks to that system picks the profile from its Connection Profile drop-down — no credentials to repeat, and a server change is a one-place edit.
Four profile types exist, one per external system family:
| Profile type | Created as | Used by |
|---|---|---|
Sql | SQL Connection | Run SQL Query step, SQL data sources |
NoSql | NoSQL Connection | Run NoSQL Query step, NoSQL data sources |
Smtp | SMTP (Send Mail) | Send Mail (SMTP) step |
MailInbox | Mail Inbox (IMAP/POP3) | Receive Mail step |
Quickest Scenario
- Select the project node in the automation project tree, then open the Connection Profiles tab.
- Click Add → SQL Connection.
- Type a Profile Name (for example
OrdersDb), choose the Database Type, then fill Server, Database, Username and Password. - Click Test Connection — the result line under the button confirms the settings before you write a single step.
- Add a Run SQL Query step and select
OrdersDbin the Connection Profile picker. The inline connection fields disappear; the step now uses the profile.
Managing Profiles
The Connection Profiles tab lists the project's profiles on the left and edits the selected one on the right:
- Add — a split button offering the four kinds: SQL Connection, NoSQL Connection, SMTP (Send Mail), Mail Inbox (IMAP/POP3).
- Remove — deletes the selected profile. Steps that referenced it fall back to their inline settings and must be re-pointed.
- Profile Name — the name every step refers to. Rename it here and all referencing steps follow automatically.
Inside a step, the picker behaves the same way everywhere:
- With profiles of the matching type defined, the drop-down lists them and the placeholder of the empty state reads - use step settings -.
- The clear button (tooltip Clear profile (use inline settings)) drops back to inline configuration.
- With none defined yet, the picker shows No connection profiles defined. and a Create a connection profile link that creates one on the spot and switches the step to it.
A profile always wins over what is typed inline: once a profile is selected, its values override the step's inline fields.
Profile Fields
SQL Connection
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Profile Name | Name referenced by steps. |
| Database Type | SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite. |
| Use Connection String | Toggle between a full connection string and the individual fields below. |
| Connection String | Direct connection string (when the toggle is on). |
| Server / Database | Host (or IP) and database name. |
| Auth Mode | Windows, Server or Mixed (SQL Server). |
| Username / Password | Credentials. The password is stored encrypted. |
| Trust Certificate | Appends TrustServerCertificate=True — dev/staging servers with self-signed certificates. |
| Test Connection | Opens a real connection and reports the result. |
SQL Server, PostgreSQL and SQLite are supported out of the box. MySQL and Oracle ship in the Aethrix.Database.Providers extension package, which is distributed separately from Aethrix Studio and installed into the project from the Extension Hub; until that package is present, both Test Connection and a step run report that the engine requires the plugin.
NoSQL Connection
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Profile Name | Name referenced by steps. |
| Database Type | MongoDB or Azure Cosmos DB. |
| Connection String | Direct connection string. |
| Test Connection | Opens a real connection and reports the result. |
For Azure Cosmos DB the query step additionally needs the database and container ids; for MongoDB the container id is the collection name.
SMTP (Send Mail)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Profile Name | Name referenced by steps. |
| Server Address | SMTP host name or IP. |
| Port | Default 587. |
| SSL/TLS | Use SSL/TLS. |
| STARTTLS | Upgrade the plain connection to TLS (on by default). |
| Username / Password | SMTP credentials. The password is stored encrypted. |
| Test Connection | Opens a real connection and reports the result. |
Mail Inbox (IMAP/POP3)
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Profile Name | Name referenced by steps. |
| Protocol | IMAP or POP3. |
| Server Address | Mail server host name or IP. |
| Port | Default 993. |
| SSL/TLS | Use SSL/TLS (on by default). |
| STARTTLS | Upgrade the plain connection to TLS. |
| Username / Password | Mailbox credentials. The password is stored encrypted. |
| Test Connection | Opens a real connection and reports the result. |
Variables and Secrets
Server addresses, connection strings, usernames and passwords accept ${VariableName} placeholders. They resolve from the active environment at run time, so a project file carries no environment-specific hosts or credentials — promote the same project from staging to production by switching environments, not by editing steps.
Passwords are kept encrypted in the project file: the clear value exists only in memory while the project is open. See Encryption & Security for how project encryption works.
Test Connection
Every profile type carries its own Test Connection button. It opens a real connection using the current settings and prints the outcome — or the error — in the line under the button, without running a test case. For SQL profiles the test honours the authentication mode and the Trust Certificate switch; for mail profiles it validates the full transport (protocol, port, SSL/TLS, STARTTLS) before the credentials are used.