The Object Handler provides wizards that determine the processing sequence for the following:
Unloading data from the Natural system environment into Natural work files.
Loading data from work files into the Natural system environment.
Scanning the contents of Natural work files.
To activate the wizards
In the Main Menu, select the Advanced user field if required (the field is not selected by default).
The wizards provide the keys PF8 and PF7 to navigate between the screens (steps). Use PF12 to cancel the processing sequence.
The steps described in this section show the processing sequence performed with the unload, load or scan wizard.
To start the unload, load or scan procedure
From the Main Menu, choose Unload, Load or Scan by entering any single character next to the function required or by using the corresponding PF key.
The initial Wizard screen appears with the following options:
Unload/Load/Scan objects into/from Natural work file(s).
Start Object Handler command procedure.
If you want to unload objects into a work file, load object from a work file or scan objects in a work file, proceed with Step 2 - Unload/Load/Scan Objects into/from Work Files below.
Or:
If you want to use a command procedure for unloading, loading or
scanning objects, choose Start Object Handler command
procedure and proceed as follows:
On the initial Wizard screen, choose Start Object Handler command procedure. The Procedure screen appears.
In the Name field, enter the name of a Workplan of the type PROCEDURE by using either of the following options:
Type in the name of a Workplan of the type PROCEDURE (see also Workplans) that should be used for the transaction.
Choose Select Workplan or choose
PF5 to display a list of available Workplans of the type PROCEDURE.
In the line next to the Workplan you want to select, enter the command
S or SE. Choose
ENTER to execute the command and fill the Name
field on the Procedure screen.
Select List Workplan or choose PF4 if you want to display the Workplan specified.
See also List the Available Workplans in the Workplan Library in the section Administration.
Choose ENTER to continue.
Proceed with Step 5 - Execute Processing.
To unload, load or scan objects into/from Natural work files
On the initial Wizard screen, choose Unload/Load/Scan objects into/from Natural work file(s).
Choose ENTER or choose PF8 (Next) to continue. The Options screen of the wizard appears with the following fields, commands and alternative PF keys:
| Field | PF Key | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer format | Only valid if Use default
options (this is the default) has been selected.
If selected, the data to be processed is written in Transfer format to/from the work file. See also Work File Format in Work Files.
Unload function: Load and scan functions: The data to be loaded or scanned is expected to be in Transfer format. |
|
| Unicode work file | Only applies to the unload function and if
Transfer format has been selected.
If this option is selected, all object sources are converted to Unicode/UTF-8 (Universal Transformation Format, 8-bit form) before they are written to the work file. |
|
| Use PC File | Only applies if Entire Connection is installed.
If selected, the data to be processed is read from or written to an Entire Connection work file. |
|
| Portable work file | Not required for the load and scan functions, which
automatically choose the appropriate work file type and ignore this option if
set.
Portable work file is only valid if the following applies:
|
|
| Work file | Only valid if
Use default
options (this is the default) is selected.
See Work Files. |
|
| Use default options | Default options are used (this is the default). For the options available, see Profile Settings and Set Additional Options in Settings. | |
| Set additional options | PF4 | Only valid if
Use default
options has been selected.
Invokes the Options screen of the wizard where you can modify the default settings and enter additional options for the processing sequence. See Set Additional Options in Settings. |
| Use Option Workplan | If selected, a Workplan of the type OPTION is used (see Workplans). | |
| Name | Only valid if Use Option Workplan has
been selected.
The name of a Workplan of the type OPTION to be used. |
|
| List Option Workplan | PF6 | Only valid if Use Option Workplan has
been selected.
Displays the contents of the Workplan specified in the field Name. |
| Select Option Workplan | PF5 | Only valid if Use Option Workplan has
been selected.
Displays a selection list of available Workplans of the type OPTION (see also List the Available Workplans in the Workplan Library in Administration). |
Select any of the options provided and (if necessary) complete the fields to be used for the processing sequence.
Choose ENTER or choose PF8 (Next) to continue.
The Parameters screen of the wizard appears.
To set parameters for the processing procedure
On the Parameters screen, select any of the following options and (if necessary) complete the fields to be used for the processing sequence:
| Field | PF Key | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Do not use parameters | If selected (default setting), no parameters are set. | |
| Use global parameters | If selected, global parameters are used. See Set Global Parameters in Settings. | |
| Set global parameters | PF4 | Only valid if Use global parameters has
been selected.
If selected, the Parameters screen is invoked. See Set Global Parameters (Settings) and parameter-setting (Direct Commands) for descriptions of keywords and valid input values. |
| Use Parameter Workplan | If selected, a Workplan of the type PARAMETER is used (see Workplans). | |
| Name | Only valid if Use Parameter Workplan has
been selected.
The name of a Workplan of the type PARAMETER to be used. |
|
| List Parameter Workplan | PF6 | Only valid if Use Parameter Workplan has
been selected.
If selected, the contents of the Workplan specified in the field Name are displayed. |
| Select Parameter Workplan | PF5 | Only valid if the field Use Parameter
Workplan has been selected.
If selected, a selection list of available Workplans of the type PARAMETER is displayed (see List the Available Workplans in the Workplan Library in Administration). |
Choose ENTER or choose PF8 (Next) to continue.
The Select Unload/Load/Scan Type screen appears.
To select the type of object you want to process
On the Select Unload/Load/Scan Type screen, choose one of the three options described below. Note that the first option only applies to the load and scan functions. For the keywords and valid values that apply to each object type, see the relevant explanations in the section Object Specification.
Select Load/Scan all objects to process all objects from the work file.
Select a particular type of object:
Choose ENTER or choose PF8 (Next) to continue.
Depending on the type of object selected, a screen appears where you can specify selection criteria for the objects to be processed.
Enter selection criteria and choose Details (if available) for further object specifications, if required. For information on Details, see the relevant explanation in the section Object Specification.
Select Use Selection or List Workplan to use a Workplan of the type SELECTION or LIST. See also Workplans.
Choose ENTER or choose PF8 (Next) to continue.
The Selection or List screen appears. In the Name field, enter the name of a Workplan of the type SELECTION or LIST by using either of the following options:
Type in the name of a Workplan.
Or:
Choose Select Workplan or PF5
(SelWP) to display a list of all Workplans available. In the line next to the
Workplan you want to select, enter either the command
S or SE.
Choose ENTER to execute the command and fill the Name field on the Selection or List screen. See also List the Available Workplans in the Workplan Library in the section Administration.
Choose List Workplan or PF4 (Li-WP) if you want to display the contents of the Workplan entered in the Name field.
Choose ENTER or PF8 (Next) to continue.
The wizard displays the processing command generated from the input data.
You can save the command displayed as a Workplan of the type
PROCEDURE (see also Workplans), by
entering the command SAVE or by choosing
PF5 (Save).
To execute the processing procedure
On the command execution screen, choose ENTER or choose PF8 (Next) to confirm the settings and to process the objects specified.
If required, choose PF7 (Back) and modify the processing settings before you confirm command execution.
The Object Handler performs the function and displays a confirmation message.
Choose ENTER to continue.
A report screen appears with a list of the objects processed.
Choose PF3 (Exit) to leave the report screen or choose PF12 (Canc) to terminate the function.
A window appears where you can choose whether to continue processing data.
Choose No and then ENTER to terminate the function.
Or:
Choose PF12 to terminate the function.
The Main Menu appears.
To continue processing
On the report screen, choose PF3 (Exit).
A window appears where you choose whether to proceed with the next processing step.
Choose Yes.
A screen appears with the option to reuse or change previous settings.