Concepts of Incorporation

Incorporation functions are used

• to find external objects that are not yet documented/connected to a documentation object,

• to document applications that are not yet documented in Predict,

• to redocument applications that are not completely documented in Predict.

This document covers the following topics:

• Overview of Incorporation Options

• Overview of Incorporation Subfunctions

• Connecting External and Predict Objects

• Calling Incorporation Functions

Overview of Incorporation Options

Incorporation functions perform the following tasks:

• Compare
  Compare external and documentation objects (command code T). The function finds implemented objects already documented with Predict objects, where the implemented object and the Predict object are not connected. If an implemented and a documented object with no differences are found and the parameter Connect automatic is set to Y, the implemented object is connected to the Predict object.

• Connect
  Connect external and documentation objects (command code C). The function connects documentation and implementation objects and - if appropriate - the documentation object is partially updated. For example: physical file attributes are updated, but file lists are not.

• Display
  Display IDs of objects that must be documented in Predict before objects can be incorporated (command codes M and V).

  • Display related DDM(s) that must be documented in Predict before DDMs can be incorporated (command code V)

  • Display DB2 databases, tablespaces and storagegroups that must be documented in Predict before tables/views or tablespaces can be incorporated (command code M).

• Incorporate
  Incorporate external objects (command code I). A Predict object is created, its attributes are taken from the implemented object. The implemented object and the new documentation object are connected.

• Replace
  Replace documentation objects with newly created objects (command code R).

  • Replace IMS database objects in Predict with newly created objects.

  • Replace file object by incorporating COBOL copy code.

Overview of Incorporation Subfunctions

Not all incorporation subfunctions are available for all object types. See table below.

Connecting External and Predict Objects

The incorporation functions Compare, Connect, Incorporate and Replace can be used to connect Predict objects and external objects.

See the section Handling of External and Documentation Objects in this documentation for a description of the basic principles of connecting external and Predict objects.

Identifying Corresponding External and Documentation Objects

Incorporation functions read information from Predict and from external sources to try and find objects that correspond. Corresponding objects are identified as follows:

Sources of Information on External Objects

Predict reads the following external sources of information:

Calling Incorporation Functions

When working online, incorporation functions are called from object type-dependent Incorporate screens. These are called by entering code I and an external object code in a Predict main menu.

To display a list of the valid external objects that can be processed with incorporation functions, select function code I in a Predict main menu and either leave the Object type blank or enter an asterisk. The external object types displayed depend on the environment. If DB2 is not installed, for example, DB2 objects are not contained in the list.

Incorporation Functions are Executed in Two Steps

• Create a list of external objects not yet connected to any Predict documentation object by specifying selection criteria.

• Process the selected objects with incorporation functions.

When incorporating Natural Security users and Super Natural users, the external object is selected and the incorporation subfunction is executed in one step.

Step 1: Selecting the Objects to be Processed

A selection list containing external objects is displayed. Selection criteria determine which objects are contained in the list. The layout of the list depends on the external object type.

13:50:11             *****  P R E D I C T  *****             2007-05-31
                      - Incorporate DB2 Tablespaces -
Search-crit.: Tablespace name=ALL
    DB2       Tablespace   Predict
Cmd database  name         dataspace ID                     Remark

__  ABAG      ABAGTS01                                      DA missing
__  ABAG      ABAGTS02                                      DA missing
__  ABAG      ABAGTS03                                      DA missing
__  ABAG      ABAGTS04                                      DA missing
__  ABAG      ABAGTS05                                      DA missing
__  BGCDA     AAB$PACE                                      SC missing
__  BGCDA     TABSPACE     PD-TABSPACE                      SC missing
__  DB01      TS01                                          DA missing
__  DSNCV     DSNAUTH                                       DA missing

Remarks which apply to all Object Types

Step 2: Processing Objects with Incorporation Functions

Compare - Code T

Compares the external objects with Predict objects and reports differences between attributes and lists of children (if applicable). Requires that both an implemented object and a corresponding Predict object exist. This function connects Predict objects to external objects if the following prerequisites are met:

• The parameter Connect automatic is set to Y.

• No differences or insignificant differences are found between the external object and the Predict object. If insignificant differences are found, the Predict object is updated.

Applicable to all external object types except Natural Security, Super Natural users and SQL tables/views.

Connect - Code C

Connects the external object to an existing Predict object and

• copies current information from external object to the Predict object;

• writes to the generation log of the object that a corresponding implemented database existed when the connection was established;

• connects child objects to the corresponding external objects.

Applicable to all external object types except Natural Security, Super Natural users and SQL tables/views.

Display Masters - Code M

When incorporating tables/views/tablespaces, higher-level objects (databases, storagegroups, tablespaces) must be documented in Predict. This function finds higher-level objects that are not documented.

Display Related DDMs - Code V

When incorporating DDMs, related DDMs must already be documented in Predict. This function displays related DDMs that must be incorporated before a DDM can be incorporated.

Applicable to DDMs.

Incorporate - Code I

Creates Predict objects from information of external objects and connects the Predict objects to the external objects. Applicable to all external object types.

• When incorporating files/tables/views, Predict objects for the files in the database and links from files to fields are also created.

• When incorporating IMS databases, Predict objects for the files in the database and links from files to fields are also created.

Type-specific parameters determine how the different incorporation functions work.

Replace - Code R

This is the only function with which existing Predict objects documenting NDBs can be changed. Applicable to NDBs for IMS databases and segments.

Overview of Function Codes and Commands

The following table gives an overview of the codes to be entered in a Predict main menu and the corresponding commands.

Using Incorporation Functions in Batch Mode

Incorporation functions can be used both online and in batch mode. Exception: Incorporate DDM is only available online.