Adding and Maintaining Symbol Tables

This document covers the following topics:

Available Functions: Symbol Table Master

Start of instruction setTo list all functions available for a Symbol Table Master node

Start of instruction setTo list all functions available for a symbol table master

Listing Symbol Table Masters

Start of instruction set To list all master symbol tables of an owner

  • In the object workspace, select the Symbol Table Master node of an owner and choose List from the context menu, or press F8.

    A Symbol Table Master List window similar to the example below opens:

    graphics/list_master_symbol_tables.png

    This window lists master symbol tables already defined to Entire Operations. You see only the symbol tables that belong to your owner (here: EXAMPLE). If no master symbol tables have been defined for your owner, the list is empty.

    The functions available from the context menu are explained in Available Functions: Symbol Table Master List.

This section covers the following:

Available Functions: Symbol Table Master List

When you select a symbol table from the Symbol Table Master List window, you can open a context menu and perform the following functions:

Function Shortcut Description
Open CTRL+O See Modifying a Symbol Table Master.
Display CTRL+D See Displaying a Symbol Table Master.
New CTRL+N See Adding a Symbol Table Master.
Refresh F5 See Refreshing Object Lists.
Where used --- See Listing Jobs and Networks that use a Symbol Table Master.
Delete DELETE See Deleting a Symbol Table Master.
Copy data CTRL+C See Copying Objects - Copy Data Function.
Paste data CTRL+V See Pasting Objects.
Version Usage --- See Maintaining the Usage of Symbol Table Versions.
Export --- See Exporting Objects in the Import/Export Functions documentation.
Add to Workplan --- See Add to Workplan.
Save as File --- See Saving Symbol Tables as Files.

Displaying a Symbol Table Master

Start of instruction setTo display a symbol table master

  1. In the object workspace, select a Symbol Table Master instance.

  2. Choose Display from the context menu, or press CTRL+D.

    A Display Symbol Table Master window similar to the Maintenance Symbol Table Master window opens.

    The window contains a table with a list of all symbols defined for the symbol table master.

    The fields and table columns contained in the window are explained in Fields and Columns: Symbol Table Master.

  3. If you want to view additional information on a listed symbol, select the required symbol from the table and choose Display.

    A Display Symbol Master window similar to the Maintenance Symbol Master window opens.

  4. You can view all symbol definitions on the tabbed pages of the window. The fields on the pages are described in Fields: Master and Active Symbols.

Adding a Symbol Table Master

You can add a symbol table master by either copying an existing table (see the Copy data/Paste data functions of a symbol table instance/master node) or creating a new symbol table with the New function. This requires that you define at least one symbol master along with the table.

This section provides instructions for using the New function.

Start of instruction setTo add a symbol table master

  1. In the object workspace, select the Symbol Table Master metanode.

  2. From the context menu choose New, or press CTRL+N.

    A Create new Symbol Table Master window opens.

    The fields and columns contained in the window correspond to the field and columns in the Maintenance Symbol Table Master window. They are explained in Fields and Columns: Symbol Table Master.

  3. Enter a name for the symbol table and symbol table version and choose Add.

    A Create new Symbol Master window opens.

    The fields and tabbed pages contained in the window correspond to the fields and tabbed pages in the Maintenance Symbol Master window. They are explained in Fields: Master and Active Symbols.

  4. If required, enter a different symbol table name and version and make your definitions on the tabbed pages Main, Multiple Symbol Values and Value Check.

  5. Choose OK when you are finished.

    The symbol table master is created and now ready to use in the active network.

This section covers the following topics:

Fields: Master and Active Symbols

The fields on the tabbed pages Main, Multiple Symbol Values and Value Check (symbol masters only) of a Symbol Master or Symbol Active window are explained in the following table.

The fields are either write-protected or available for input depending on whether you view or modify the symbols. The table indicates when a field does not apply to active symbols.

Main Page:
Symbol Name of the symbol to be used as a variable.
Format  Format of the symbol (variable). Possible values:
A   Alphanumeric (including special characters)
D Date
H Alphanumeric; hidden

  • The symbol value will not be visible in the Value field.

  • In lists and logs, the symbol value will be displayed as *** hidden ***.

L   Alphanumeric; conversion to lower case
N   Numeric

See Value for the numeric field format.

U   Alphanumeric; conversion to upper case
Value Value of the symbol to be substituted. To enter a fixed length or an empty string, include the value in quotes. Use two apostrophes to get a quote within a string.

Example: 'Fixed Length '

Notes:

  1. If a value is longer than 40 characters, continue on the second Value line. The maximum value is 80 characters. Be careful with insertions and deletions. The two lines are concatenated to one symbol value.
  2. The maximum length for a numeric value is N10.4 (10 digits before the decimal point and 4 digits after the decimal point). A decimal point can appear at any position.
  3. A date must use the format YYYYMMDD.
  4. The value of a hidden symbol (format H) can be entered, but it will be invisible.

See also Defining Multiple Symbol Values and Specifying a Range Check for Numeric Symbol Values.

Prompting

(list box)

 Specifies whether the user is to be prompted for this symbol during manual activation of the job network. See also Symbol Prompting during Network or Job Activation.

Possible selection options:
A Prompt for symbol at each activation.
E Prompt only if no value is specified in the table.
N Never prompt for symbol.
Prompting

(check box)

 Write back modified active symbol to the master table as well.

Note:
The symbol is also written back if a respective global setting is available. See also Entire Operations Defaults in the section System Administrator Services of the Entire Operations Administration Documentation.

Prompt Text  Optional text to be displayed when symbol prompting is performed, to help the user specify the correct value.

See also Symbol Prompting during Network or Job Activation.

Multiple Symbol Values Page:
Values 1 to 100 Assign multiple values to a symbol.

These can be used in subsequent replacements of the same symbol. See also Defining Multiple Symbol Values and Specifying a Range Check for Numeric Symbol Values.

You can enter up to 100 values here. The maximum (internal) value length is 80. These values are used for subsequent substitutions.

Note:
If an Adabas version older than Version 8 is used, the absolute size of these multiple-value symbols is limited by the block size of the Adabas DATA.

Value Check Page:
Not applicable to active symbols

Used to define a range of numbers to be checked for valid input of either numeric symbol values or a user exit. You cannot use both options.

See also Specifying a Range Check for Numeric Symbol Values and User Exit for Validating Symbol Values.

None Select this button (default) if you neither use Range check nor User exit.
Range check Select this button if you want to define and/or activate a range of numbers to be checked during input of numeric symbol values.
Value from Start (from) and end (to) number of the range of numbers to be checked.

Valid input values: 1 to 999.

Value to
User exit Select this button if you want to specify and/or activate a user exit.
Library Name of the library in which the user exit resides

Note:
You cannot select the libraries SYSLIB and SYSLIBS. They are reserved for internal use.

User Exit  Name of the user exit

If the name of a valid library is entered in Library, you can select a user exit from the drop-down list box.

Modifying a Symbol Table Master

Modifying a master symbol table or an active symbol table consists of adding, modifying or deleting symbols and their current values.

Start of instruction setTo modify a symbol table master

  1. In the object workspace, select a Symbol Table Master instance.

  2. Invoke the context menu and choose the Open function.

    Or:
    Press CTRL+O.

    A Maintenance Symbol Table Master window similar to the example below opens:

    graphics/open_symboltablemaster.png

    You can modify a selected symbol (here: CLASS) by choosing Modify, add a new symbol by choosing Add, or delete a selected symbol by choosing Delete.

    The fields and columns contained in the window are explained in Fields and Columns: Symbol Table Master.

  3. If you choose Delete, a window prompts you to delete the selected symbol.

  4. If you choose Modify or Add, a Maintenance Symbol Master window similar to the example below opens:

    graphics/edit_symbolmaster.png

  5. Make the required definitions in the fields of the tabbed pages Main, Multiple Symbol Values and Value Check. They are explained in Fields: Master and Active Symbols.

  6. Choose OK when you are finished.

    The symbol table master is changed and now ready to use in the active network.

This section covers the following topics:

Fields and Columns: Symbol Table Master

The fields and columns in the Create new Symbol Table Master, Display Symbol Table Master or Maintenance Symbol Table Master window are explained in the following table:

Field/Column Description
Symbol  Name of the symbol used as a variable.
Format  Format of the variable.

Possible values:
A
Alphanumeric (including special characters)
D Date
L Alphanumeric; conversion to lower-case letters
N Numeric
U Alphanumeric; conversion to upper-case letters
Prompt  Prompting.

The user is prompted for this symbol during manual activation of the job network.

Possible values:
A  Prompted for symbol at each activation.
E  Prompted only if no value is specified in table.
N  Never prompted for symbol.
Value  Current value of the variable, i.e., the string or number substituted in dynamically generated JCL.

Possible entries:
empty column No value is defined for the variable.
*** n multiple values ***   One or more values (n) are defined for the variable.

Select the Multiple Symbol Values tab to view or change the values.

Modified by  User who last modified the symbol.
Time Date and time when a user last modified the symbol.

Maintaining the Usage of Symbol Table Versions

You can determine a period (from/to date range) during which a particular symbol table version is used as the current symbol table for all scheduled job activations.

The Version Usage function is used to define the maintenance of date ranges, in which symbol table versions are to be used for scheduled activations.

Note:
You cannot use the Version Usage function to add a symbol table version. You can define a symbol table version when you create or copy a symbol table master.

This section covers the following topics:

Related Topic:

Listing, Defining and Deleting Version Usage

This section provides instructions for listing, defining and deleting version usage definitions for symbol table versions.

Start of instruction setTo list version usage definitions

  1. In the object workspace, select a symbol table master.

  2. Open the context menu and choose Version Usage.

    A Version Usage Symbol Table Master window similar to the example below opens:

    graphics/vers_usage_stm.png

    The window lists the version usage defined for the selected symbol table master version (the table is empty if no definition exists).

    If you enter an asterisk (*) in the Version field, all version usages defined for all versions of the symbol table master are listed in the window as shown in the example above. The fields and columns are explained in Fields and Columns: Version Usage Definition.

    The following functions are available:

    Function Description
    Add See To add or modify a version usage definition.
    Modify Modifies the usage definition selected in the table row. See To add or modify a version usage definition.
    Delete Deletes the usage definition selected in the table row.

    A window prompts you to confirm the deletion with Yes or cancel the action with No.

    Auto Refresh/Refresh See Refreshing Object Lists.

Start of instruction setTo add or modify a version usage definition

  1. In the Version Usage Symbol Table Master window, choose Add to create a new definition.

    Or:
    In the Version Usage Symbol Table Master window, select the table row that contains the definition you want to modify, and choose Modify.

    The input fields that appear in the window are shown in the following example:

    graphics/vers_usage2_stm.png

  2. Enter the required values or select a value from the drop-down list boxes. Activate or deactivate a From or To field by selecting the check box next to it. Deactivated fields are ignored and not processed. For additional information, see Fields and Columns: Version Usage Definition.

  3. Choose OK when you are finished.

Fields and Columns: Version Usage Definition

Field/Column Description
From

(column or input field)

 Start date of a default usage period of a network version.

>>>>>>>> denotes that no start date has been defined.

Possible value for an input field:

A start date or no value (check box of field not selected) for no start date.

You can open the drop-down list box to select a date from a calendar.

Default: start date is not defined.

Note:
Date ranges must not overlap.

To

(column or input field)

 End date of a default usage period of a network version.

>>>>>>>> denotes that no end date has been defined; the usage is unlimited (infinite).

Possible value for an input field:

An end date or no date (check box of field not selected) for an unlimited (infinite) time.

You can open the drop-down list box to select a date from a calendar.

Note:
Date ranges must not overlap.

Default: end date is not defined.
Version

(column)

 Symbol table version for which version usage is defined.
Description

(column)

 Description of the defined version usage.
Symbol Table Version Input field for the symbol table version to be used as the current version during the period specified in the From/To fields.

Enter the required version or select a version from the the drop-down list box.

Version Usage Description Input field for a description of the version usage.

Maximum input: 70 characters.

Saving Symbol Tables as Files

Start of instruction setTo save a master symbol table as a file

  1. In the object workspace, select a Symbol Table Master instance and choose Save as File from the context menu.

  2. Specify the file format and type as described in Report Output Options and choose OK.

    An output file similar to the example below is created:

    graphics/sym_mastr_list.png

    This output displays the selected symbol table master and all related information.

Start of instruction setTo save an active symbol table as a file

  1. In a Symbol Prompting window, select Save active symbol table as file and choose Continue.

  2. Specify the file format and type as described in Report Output Options and choose OK.

    An output file similar to the example below is created:

    graphics/active_symbol_table_report.png

    This output displays the active symbol table and all related information.

Using Active Symbol Tables

This section covers the following topics:

Available Functions: Symbol Table Active

Start of instruction setTo list all functions available for a symbol table active node

Start of instruction setTo list all functions available for a symbol table active

Modifying a Symbol Table Active

Start of instruction setTo modify an active symbol table

  1. In the object workspace, select a Symbol Table Active instance.

  2. Open the context menu and choose Open, or press CTRL+O.

    A Maintenance Symbol Table Active window similar to the example below opens:

    graphics/open_symboltableactive.png

    Here, you can add, modify or delete a symbol of the symbol table without affecting the master symbol table definition.

    The fields, columns and functions available in the window correspond to the fields, columns and functions of the Maintenance Symbol Table Master window. They are explained in the following sections:

  3. Make your definitions and choose OK when you are finished.

Listing Active Jobs Using a Symbol Table Active

This function is used to display all active jobs using an active symbol table.

Start of instruction setTo list all active jobs using an active symbol table

  1. In the object workspace, select a Symbol Table Active instance.

  2. Open the context menu and choose Active Usage.

    An Active Usage Symbol Table Active window similar to the example below opens:

    graphics/active_usage_symbol_table.png

    The window lists all active jobs used by the active symbol table. The columns contained in the window correspond to the columns in the Where used Symbol Table Master. They are explained in Columns: Symbol Table Usage

Deleting a Symbol Table Master

Restrictions:

  • You cannot delete a master symbol table that is still used by one or more jobs. In this case, the error message EOR1859 - Symbol Table ... used in Definitions occurs. You can only delete the symbol table if you either specify another symbol table for these jobs or delete them. Proceed as described in Listing Jobs and Networks that use a Symbol Table Master to find the jobs that use the symbol table.

  • You cannot delete a master symbol table with a symbol table version that is still defined in the version usage of the symbol table. In this case, the error message EOR2691 - Version ... - current usage found occurs. You then need to delete the usage defined for the version as described in Maintaining the Usage of Symbol Table Versions.

Start of instruction setTo delete a symbol table master

  1. In the object workspace, select a Symbol Table Master instance.

  2. Choose Delete from the context menu, or press DELETE.

    A confirmation window opens.

  3. Choose Yes to confirm the deletion or No to cancel the action.