Definition tab

In this tab, you define properties that will be taken into account in the instances that call the Skeleton. These instances can be a COBOL Program or COBOL Copybook for a COBOL Skeleton, or a Source Code for a generic Skeleton.

A generic Skeleton contains a field that does not exist in a COBOL Skeleton. A COBOL Program or COBOL Copybook that is generated from a COBOL Skeleton always has a cbl extension. On the other hand, you can specify the extension of a Source Code that is generated from a generic Skeleton. For example, you can enter txt, ddl, bat, or java as the extension. If you do not enter anything, the extension will be the Skeleton name.
Note: The code that is generated from the Source Code instance will be analyzed by the Rational Programming Patterns scanner only if you indicate the extension name, followed by pdp, in the RPP Generated File Scanner language definition. For example, if the extension is txt, you must indicate txtpdp.

The generic and COBOL Skeletons contain a table where you can enter properties. Properties are variables that can be assigned values.

Click Add to add a property. A new line is added to the table. It contains the values Unknown. Specify the following elements:
  • The property name (mpcode for example),
  • The default value of the property (MP01 for example),
  • The property description (Micropattern code for example).
Some properties are predefined:
  • currentDate: This property will be replaced with the generation date and time. The format varies according to the launching language of the Rational® Programming Patterns client (for example: 11/18/14 3:59 PM or 21/11/14 14:59).
  • localUser: This property will be replaced with the ID of the user who is connected to the local operating system.
  • name: This property will be replaced with the name of the generated instance.
  • label: This property will be replaced with the label of the generated instance.
  • sourceCodeId: This property will be replaced with the sourceiId attribute of the generated Source Code instance.
  • programId: This property will be replaced with the programId attribute of the generated COBOL Program instance.
  • copyId: This property will be replaced with the copyId attribute of the generated COBOL Copybook instance.

If you select the Overload box, the value of the property will be displayed and will be editable in the second page of the creation wizard of the calling instance.

When the instance that calls this Skeleton is generated, all the occurrences of this property will be replaced with the default value. A property can be defined at various levels.

The priority order is as follows:
  • A parameter that is indicated in a Static Micropattern call in the source of the calling instance,
  • A variable that is defined as a property in the Definition tab of the calling instance,
  • A variable that is defined as a property in the Definition tab of the Skeleton.

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