Description of Functions

The functions SYSMAIN provides in menu mode or as a command in the MAINUSER subprogram are described in the following table. For each function provided in menu mode, there is a corresponding command with the same name. Exception: Terminate.

Function/Command Explanation
List Lists a Natural object or a range of objects for a specified library and provides the option to view the sources of these objects. In addition, this function can be used to produce a list of all libraries contained in the current Natural system environment.
Find Locates and lists a Natural object or a range of objects in a single library or a range of libraries and provides the option to view the sources of these objects.
Copy Copies a Natural object from a source library to a target library. The object remains unchanged in the source library.

If the target library already contains an object with the same name as the object to be copied, the specified object is not copied. You can use the replace option (see Using the Replace Option) if you want to overwrite an object in the target library.

Move Transfers a Natural object from a source library to a target library. The object is deleted from the source library and added to the target library.

If the target library already contains an object with the same name as the object to be moved, the specified object is not moved. You can use the replace option (see Using the Replace Option) if you want to overwrite the object in the target library.

Delete Deletes a Natural object from a source library.

In menu mode, you can use the confirm option to confirm the deletion or cancel it.

Rename Gives an object a new name using either of the following methods:

  1. Rename the object or a range of objects in the source library.

  2. Copy the object or a range of objects from the source to the target library and rename them in the target library.

If the library already contains an object with the same name as the object to be renamed, the original object is not renamed. You can use the replace option (see also Using the Replace Option) if you want to overwrite the original object.

Import The import function is used to copy objects (files) from an external source to a Natural library. Alternatively, you can use the unload and load functions of the Object Handler (see the relevant documentation).

The following must be considered before attempting to import objects:

FILEDIR.SAG:

FILEDIR.SAG contains internal library information required by Natural such as the object name, programming mode (structured or reporting), object kind (source object and/or cataloged object) and user ID. When you import objects, the file directory FILEDIR.SAG of the target library is automatically updated to contain information on the newly imported objects.

Be aware that Natural will not update the file directory FILEDIR.SAG if you use a non-Natural function or facility to copy objects to a Natural library. As a result, you cannot access the objects contained in this library.

The objects to be imported with SYSMAIN must have been created with Natural.

Terminate Terminates the SYSMAIN utility.

Instructions for executing a SYSMAIN function with either menu functions or commands issued to SYSMAIN with the MAINUSER subprogram are provided in the relevant sections of this documentation. Because of the similarities between the processing of programming objects and DDMs, the instructions for the menu functions only refer to the selection of programming objects.