A Table is a set of n occurrences of a Segment and must belong to a Data Structure. A Table, described only once, can be called into any entity that uses Tables (Programs, Segments, Tables, Database Blocks). It is a set of Data Elements, grouped because they are related to the same topic. Many of its characteristics are similar to the Segment's.
The access key Data Element is used to access a table item, an item being an individual location in the Table. The key is indicated on the -CE lines tab of a Table in the Data Element call section by the value 'U' in the Sort key field. The table access key can be defined as a group Data Element. However, the access key is updated by the use of the elementary Data Elements which make it up. By default, the access key of a Table belongs to all of the subschemas defined for the Table. When a Table is generated, it is not possible to modify its structure or the length of the key.
These Data Elements represent all of the information contained in a Table. They correspond to all the elementary Data Elements. For every 'information' Data Element, it is possible to code a certain number of validations in a dedicated wizard. To open the wizard, click More in the Data Element call section in the -CE lines tab of a Table.
A Data Element specified with an OCCURS is considered a single 'information' Data Element with an alphanumeric usage. Its length is equal to the length of the Data Element multiplied by the number of occurrences.
The elementary Data Elements in a group must belong to the same subschemas.
The 'information' Data Element is used during update to assign a table item to one or more subsystems. This Element is indicated on the -CE lines tab of a Table in the Data Element call section with the value 'S' in the Sort key field. It requires a length equal to at least the number of subsystems defined for the Table (for potential assignment of the table item to all the subsystems).
These Data Elements correspond to group Data Elements. They are entered in the description of a Table only for technological purposes (programming, and so on) and are not used by Pactables.