To display the content of this section, you must select
a group call in the list of called elements. A group is a set of elementary
Data Elements. In the Group definition section,
you indicate the name and label of the group, and other options such
as occurs, sort, and redefines (optional). Click More if
you want to indicate subschemas for the group. You can also define
or modify the -G lines of the group from this section.
A group is a set of elementary Data Elements. You can
add up to 99 elementary Data Elements to a group, on nine different
levels maximum. A group can include other groups. All elementary
elements are then counted to define the group. A group can also include
one or more Segments. Each Segment called in a group is considered
as an elementary Data Element. The group Data Element can be defined
at the repository level. If so, its length is automatically recalculated
(sum of the lengths of the elementary Data Elements) regardless of
its repository format. If the group is used as a key (sort key or
access key), then the combined formats of the elementary Data Elements
must still be compatible with the format you have indicated for the
group. When you create a group, it does not contain any elementary
Data Element, it is empty. You must add the Data Elements to the group
then.
- Name
- Enter the code of the group. It is free, but cannot exceed 6 characters.
You can change the group code or label at any moment, after the group
is created.
- Label
- Enter a label of the group. It is free but cannot exceed 36 characters.
You can change the group label at any moment after the group is created.
- Occurs
- This field represents the OCCURS clause of an
elementary Data Element, a group, or a filler. The restrictions of
the COBOL OCCURS clause apply.
- Sort key
- This field identifies all the Data Elements that can be used as
control break sort keys, or as access keys to a file, a database or
a Pactables Table.
Note: It is advised to dedicate a Segment to only
one type of use. Each Data Element that can belong to a sort key must
be referenced by a unique alphabetic or numeric character. It is advised
to reference the indicators by a series (1, 2, 3 for example). The
actual sort sequence is selected at the Program level (on the -CD
Lines tab).
You must not forget that the format
of key group Data Elements must have been entered in the repository
or at the Segment level.Table 1. Possible values
of the sort key for PactablesValue |
Comments |
U |
References the access key for a Table. This
value must be indicated on the group Data Element if it is a group
key. |
S |
Indicates that the Data Element belongs
to at least one subsystem. |
Table 2. Possible values of the sort key
for DL/1 databasesValues |
Comments |
U |
References a unique key for a DL/1 database. |
M |
References a multiple key for a DL/1 database. |
1 - 9 |
Secondary index All other values designate a
search field. |
Table 3. Possible values of the sort key
for AS400 and relational databasesValues |
Comments |
0 - 9 |
AS400 physical file key. relational databases |
V |
Variable length column |
Blank |
Fixed-length column |
W |
For DB2® SQL,
SQL/DS and ORACLE, generation of a variable length column (VARCHAR). |
L |
For DB2 SQL,
SQL/DS and ORACLE, generation of a LONG VARCHAR. |
Note: Sort keys are not authorized on Data Elements redefining
other Data Elements.
- Redefines
- Redefinition is possible within a Segment or Logical View. It
generates the COBOL REDEFINES clause. The Data Element
that contains this option redefines the Data Element of the same COBOL
level that precedes it in the -CE lines. If a Data Element that redefines
another Data Element is contained in a group, it is considered to
be an elementary Data Element. It must be taken into account in the
calculation of the number of Data Elements that are contained in a
group (except for DL/1 database Segments).
Note: When Data Elements
are redefined, their respective lengths are not taken into account.
It is your responsibility. The redefined Data Element length is used
for the address calculation. Redefined Data Elements are ignored when
generating for the Database Description function. If the Redefines box
is checked, no initial value can be entered.
- To redefine a Data Element, select the Redefines option.
A Set of Redefines line is created in the -CE
lines. It contains the redefined Data Element and the preceding Data
Element of the same level in the tree structure. You must then define
the Occurs option in the Set of
Redefines section.
More
Click
More to
open a wizard where you indicate controls on the group call or specify
the subschema that the group belongs to.
Note: To open this wizard,
you can also click the button that appears when you click the columns Values/Subfunction,
and Update target in the table of the tab.
-G Lines
Click -G Lines to
define -GC lines for the element that is called in the Segment.