-D Lines tab

This tab corresponds to the Data Element description.

It is used to assign explanatory text to the Data Element, and values or ranges of possible values with their meaning.

It is also used to complement the description. It provides specific information that will be used where the Data Element is required (screen labels and format, relational database name for example).

Each value or range of values is entered as a code and a label. The label is to be used in user documentation. The values or ranges can be used in the Data Element validation process in batch and online programs.

Note: The possible actions with the buttons are also available in the contextual menu of the table.
Specific characteristics for Screens:

When a Data Element is used in a Screen, a short label, a column label, a sample value, and possibly a conversational format can be defined.

Delimiters of Data Element labels can be parameterized. The delimiter default value can then be overridden if it is used in the label. A delimiter is required for the column label but is optional for the short label.

In online programs, the format that is used for unprotected (variable) Data Elements is automatically calculated as an expanded version of the internal format. For protected fields, the output format is used. However, you can override these formats by specifying a conversational format.

For dates, the symbolic date formats can be used.

The values of the operation and action codes, and the corresponding internal values, can be indicated here. If not, they are indicated in the Screen description.

Error
This column displays a dot on all the existing description lines that are not empty.

Moreover, if this line is not correct, this column also displays an error or warning symbol, depending on the severity of the error. A hover help indicates the source of the error.

Type of line
Click Add and select one of the possible types.
Table 1. General line types
Value Meaning
No value Value or description line.

Enter a descriptive text for the Data Element. This text includes all the possible values with their meanings.

D Data Element default value.

One of the values can be referenced as the default value. When the value D is entered on the Segment -CE Lines tab, this value is assigned as the initial value.

Table 2. Special line types for Screens and Tables
Value Meaning
P Data Element presentation value.

The sample value is entered in the Description field. This value is used for information purposes when a Screen is simulated.

L Data Element short label.
This label is entered in the Description field, on 18 characters maximum.
Note: The length can be shortened by explicitly entering a delimiter (see description of the Allowed values field). The default delimiter is /.
C Column label.
The column label is defined on a single line but can use up to three lines. A delimiter in the column label indicates a line skip. The column label length corresponds to the length of its longest line. The maximum length is 18 characters, including the delimiter. A column label must be delimited by at least one delimiter, whose default value is /.
Note: To change the default delimiter, enter its value in the Allowed values field (see the description of this field).
F Conversational format.

This format is used for Data Elements that are used in input and output in online programs.

If no conversational format is defined, the extended internal format or the output format is recognized, depending on the nature of the Data Element in the Screen.

For Date Data Elements, enter the one-character symbolic value that represents the format in the Allowed values field.

For other Data Elements, enter the output format in the Description field. The corresponding internal format is automatically computed.

For numeric Data Elements, a BLANK WHEN ZERO clause can be obtained by entering Z after the format in the Description field (example: 9(4) Z).

O Declaration of the operation code values.

You can specify the values that the operation code can take according to the Data Element value. The Data Element value must be indicated in the Allowed values, and the operation code value in the More field. You can also specify these values directly in the Screen description.

I Declaration of the action code values.

You can specify the values that the action code can take according to the Data Element value. The Data Element value must be indicated in the Allowed values, and the action code value in the More field. You can also specify these values directly in the Screen description.

Table 3. Special line types for relational databases
Value Meaning
R This value generates the relational name of the Data Element, on 18 characters. This name is entered in the Description field.
The relational name of a parent Data Element is not carried forward to the child Data Element.
Note: With TURBOIMAGE, this field generates an item name different from the Data Element name. In this case, only the first 16 characters are recognized.
E With this value, you can enter a nonstandard date format in the Description field.

The format indicated on the Data Element Definition tab must be X(n). n must be smaller than 28 (or 15 for an ORACLE database) for the automatic management of dates in the Screens.

This format is recognized is the following generations:
  • SQL generation to generate DATE for ORACLE, SYBASE and SQL SERVER, and DATETIME for NONSTOP SQL
  • Screen generation for SQL access (TOCHAR and TODATE functions for ORACLE for example)
Nonstandard dates are not controlled in the generated programs. Only standard dates (types C, D, E, G, I, M, S) are controlled. Furthermore, the date operator (AD) cannot be applied to this nonstandard format.

Only the elements of the format are controlled. The way that you put them together is not controlled. For example, MD is rejected but MMMMMM and YY-DD/MM are accepted.

Table 4. Line type specific to Data Elements from PacReverse
Value Meaning
S The COBOL data names of the associated PacReverse Data Elements are generated in the Description field.
Table 5. Line type for COBOL Copybooks
Value Meaning
A For Copybooks, when a variant Data Element is used as an alias-type Data Element, the Description field contains the name of the Segment where the parent Data Element is called.
Table 6. Line type for ADABAS databases
Value Meaning
A For a Data Element used in an ADABAS database. You can enter the values for the generation of the format buffer.
Table 7. Line type for the TURBOIMAGE class list
Value Meaning
T Values of the TURBOIMAGE class list.
More
This field is used to specify the following elements:
Table 8. Specification of a line or page skip
Value Meaning
No value or 1 New line.
2 1 blank line + 1 new line.
3 to 9 2 - 8 blank lines + 1 new line.
* Only in user manuals: page skip.
Table 9. Specification of a continuation of value
Value Meaning
+ This value indicates a continuation of a value range if it cannot fit on a single line
Table 10. Specification of an action code for Screens (Type of line set to I)
Value Meaning
C Creation
M Modification
D Deletion
X Mod-4 (implicit update)
Table 11. Specification of an operation code for Screens (Type of line set to O)
Value Meaning
A Display
M Update
S Next screen
E End of session
P Same page
O Call of another screen
Allowed values
This field is used to specify the authorized values of the Data Element.

These values undergo automatic validation if they are entered as numeric or alphanumeric literals (between quotation marks).

If the Data Element takes on a range of values, the range must be described as two values between parentheses and separated by at least one space. Inverted parentheses indicate that the value is excluded from the range.
Examples:

(E Z) means from E inclusive to Z inclusive.

)0 100( means from 0 exclusive to 100 exclusive.

If the description of a value is constituted of several lines, the value must be entered on the first line only.

The values that are assigned to a parent Data Element are automatically assigned to each of its child Data Elements.

The value varies according to the Type of line:
  • For a Type of line set to C, you must enter the delimiter for the end of each column label line (first position of the field). The default value is /.
  • For a Type of line set to L, you must enter the delimiter for the end of the short label (first position of the field). The default value is /.
  • For a Type of line set to O or I, you must enter the input value that corresponds to the internal value of the operation or action code that is entered in the More field.
Other values can be entered in this field. They are specific to the Screens, and to the specification of a conversational format.
Table 12. Values specific to the Screens
Value Meaning
*9 Numeric Data Element. It generates a COBOL NOT NUMERIC control.
*B Numeric Data Element. Leading blanks are replaced with zeros.
*Z Numeric Data Element. All blanks are replaced with zeros.
*A Alphabetic Data Element. Controls verify that all the characters are alphabetic.
*L Alphabetic Data Element. Controls verify that all the characters are lowercase alphabetic.
*U Alphabetic Data Element. Controls verify that all the characters are uppercase alphabetic.
Table 13. Specification of a conversational format (Type of line set to F)
Value Meaning
I Without century (picture x(6)): YYMMDD.
S With century (picture x(8)): CCYYMMDD.
D Without century (picture x(6)): MMDDYY or DDMMYY depending on the value that is entered in the Generated date format field on the Library Definition tab.
C With century (picture x(8)): MMDDCCYY or DDMMCCYY depending on the value that is entered in the Generated date format field on the Library Definition tab.
G With century (picture x(10)): CCYY-MM-DD in a Gregorian format.
E Without century (picture x(8)): MM/DD/YY or DD/MM/YY.
M With century (picture x(10)): MM/DD/CCYY or DD/MM/CCYY.
T Time.
TS Timestamp.
Description
The value of this field varies according to the value of the Type of line field.
  • With no selected value for the type of line, D, O, I, enter a descriptive comment (optional).
  • With L, C, or P, enter the label (with delimiters as needed) or a presentation value.
  • With A, enter the name of the Segment where the parent Data Element is called.
  • With R, enter the relational column name.
  • With E, enter the nonstandard date format with one or several of the following elements:
    • YY is the year (YYYY with the century)
    • MM is the month
    • MON are the first 3 characters of the month
    • DD is the day
    • HH is the time (00 - 23), except for SQL ORACLE (00 - 12)
    • HHAM or HHPM, where HH is the hour (00 - 12), and AM or PM is the am and pm indicator
    • HH24 is the hour (00 - 23) for SQL ORACLE
    • MI represents the minutes
    • SS represents the seconds
    • FF represents the milliseconds
    • Delimiters / . : - blank
  • For NONSTOP SQL, enter the start field and end field.
  • With F (for Data Elements other than dates), enter the output format (with the standard COBOL syntax).
    Note: To generate a BLANK WHEN ZERO clause with numeric Data Elements, enter a blank and a Z after the format (Example: 9(4) Z).

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