Association Administration

Defining more than just one association between two object types is possible. To ensure unique identification of these associations, an identifier - the Association code - is necessary.

The terms active and passive association describe the different views of parent and child object on the same association. The term active association describes the view of the child object, while the term passive association describes the view of the parent object.

This section covers the following topics:


Predefined Associations

The following associations are predefined in Predict:

Parent Association Child Code
Database Contains FI File FI
Contains DC Dataspace DC
Dataspace Contains FI File FI
Field Is verified by VE Verification VE
Triggered by TR Trigger TR
File Has Fields Field EL
Has TR Trigger TR
Interface Contains MD Method MD
Contains PY Property PY
Keyword Decomp. into KY Keyword KY
Library Structure Contains SY System SY
Node Contains SV Server SV
Network Contains NO Node NO
Uses VM Virtual Machine VM
Packagelist Uses PR Program PR
Program Uses FI concept. File FI
Uses PR concept. Program PR
Defines IE Interface IE
Invokes MD Method MD
Input FI File IN
Returns FI File RE
Report Listing Uses ET Extract ET
Server Uses PR Program PR
System Uses PR concept. Program PR
Uses PG Packagelist PG
Has subappl. SY System CS
Has component PR Program CP
Has component VE Verification CV
Has component FI File CF
Has library SY System LI
Virtual Machine Contains DA Database DA
Child Association Parent Code
Database Belongs to VM Virtual Machine VM
Dataspace Located in DA Database DA
Field Belongs to FI File FI
Extract Contained in RT Report Listing RT
File Contained in DA Database DA
Ref. by PR Program PR
Contained in DC Dataspace DC
Input to PR Program IP
Result of PR Program RS
Is comp. of SY System CF
Interface Defined in PR Program PR
Keyword Composed by KY Keyword KY
Method Belongs to IE Interface IE
Invoked by PR Program PR
Node Contained in NW Network NW
Packagelist Contained in SY System SY
Program Belongs to SY System SY
Used by PR Program PR
Contained in PG Packagelist PG
Used by SV Server SV
Is comp. of SY System CP
Property Defined in IE Interface IE
Server Contained in NO Node NO
System Contained in LS Library Structure LS
Is subappl. of SY System CS
Is library of SY System LI
Trigger Triggers FI File FI
Triggers EL Field EL
Verification Verifies EL Field EL
Is comp. of SY System CV
Virtual Machine Belongs to NW Network NW

In addition to the predefined associations, user-defined associations can be created. User-defined associations can define a relationship between predefined as well as user-defined object types. With the exception of the object types Owner and Field, all objects types can be linked in any combination.

Association Administration Menu

This menu is called by entering code A in the Metadata Administration menu.

    09:45:32             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
                         - Association Administration Menu -
   
   
                           Function
   
                           A  Add an Association 
                           D  Display Association 
                           M  Modify Association 
                           P  Purge Association 
                           S  Select Association 
                           T  Modify attribute names and numbers
                           X  Cross reference of an Association 
   
    Code ................. 
   
    Object type code ....* 
    Association code ....* 
    Link direction ......* 
   
   
    Command ===>
    Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
           -     -    Stop   -     -    Flip  Print  -    Let    -     -    Main
   
  
Parameters
Code To select one of the functions available. The functions are described on the following pages.
Object type code Code of the object type the association belongs to.
Association code Unique association identifier.
Link direction A Active
P Passive

Note:
If you add a new association (function code A), A (active) is obligatory.

Add / Modify Association - Code A,M

The left pane of the screen (Active Association) displays the view of the parent object, the right pane of the screen (Passive Association) displays the view of the child object.

Defining the Association

The Add and Modify functions use the same screens.

13:13:30             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
                            - Add Association -                               
                                                                              


 
  Active Association                   Passive Association                    
    Code ...... PR                       Code ...... SY                       
    Name ...... PROGRAM                  Name ...... SYSTEM                   
    Title ..... Uses PR concept.         Title ..... Belongs to SY            
                                                                              
                                                                              
                        Object types                                          
                                                                              
                          Parent ...... SY System                             
                          Child ......* PR Program                            
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12--- 
       -     -    Stop   -     -    Flip  Print  -     -     -     -     -

The association codes must be unique concerning object types and the link direction. Referring to the above screen this implies that:

  • among all active associations of object type SY (System), the code PR is allowed only once and

  • among all passive associations of object type PR (Program), the code SY is allowed only once.

This ensures that an association can be identified uniquely with the object type, association code and and the link direction.

    13:58:05             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
                               - Add Association -
   
    PR System Uses PR concept.                            Added 2007-05-31 at 13:12
    SY Program Belongs to SY                                 by HNO
   
    Codes                              Default associations
      Parent object type ..... SY        Active for System ................ N
      Child object type ...... PR        Passive for Program .............. N
      Association internal ... 2000146   Designated if multiple ........... N
      Association type no. ..* 4000146
   
    Abstract     Zoom: N
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    Screen number .... 1        (H=Header)                  Free attributes:  80
   
  

The fields Screen number and Free attributes are described in First Screen in the section Object Type Administration.

Designated if multiple

This option is used when loading data from Predict Version 4.1 into Predict Version 4.3.

In Predict Version 4.1, exactly one association between a parent and a child object was allowed. Since Predict Version 4.2, multiple associations between a parent and a child object are possible.

When loading a parent and a child object from Predict Version 4.1 into Predict Version 4.3, if in the target environment multiple associations between these objects exist, then the option "Designated if multiple" must be set to Y for the association in the target environment that corresponds to the association in the source environment.

Defining Attributes

Attributes of associations and attributes of object types are defined in the same manner.

Defining the Header Layout for the Link Editor Screen

    13:07:12             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
                             - Modify header layout -
   
    Parent name ..... CHNG-ENHANCEMENT                 Modified 2007-05-31 at 10:53
    Child name ...... HEB-TEST                               by HNO
   
         Number of:
         Attr. Scr.  Column                                     Length  Format
    ---- ----------  ------  Association attribute header ----- ------- --------
     1.   1     1      1      attr1                               5      N 1.0
     2.
    ---- ----------  ------  Child attribute header ----------- ------- --------
     1.   1     1      10     A                                   2      N 1.0
     2.
    ---- ----------  ------  ---------------------------------- ------- --------
   
   
    Layout:                               ....+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4
   
          Heb-test                        attr1    A
          ------------------------------- -----    --
   
   
   
  

This screen appears after the attributes have been defined. Here you can define the layout of the Link Editor screen.

Note:
The attributes of the child object type can only be defined if the child object type is a user-defined object type.

The following rules apply:

  • The total length of all attribute values must not exceed 30 characters (including blanks to separate the columns).

  • The text of the header lines can be modified as desired.

  • The attributes of the association must be specified in their full length and must be positioned to the left of the attributes of the child object type in the Link Editor screen.

  • Only the alphanumeric attributes of the child object type can be displayed in a length less than the length of the attribute type.

  • In the field Length, a length greater than the attribute length can be defined for the header line text.

Parameters
Number of Attr. Number of the attribute in the definition screen.
Number of Scr. Number of the definition screen of this attribute.
Column Position in the Link Editor screen.
Assoc. attr. header Header text for the attribute of the association in the Link Editor screen.
Child attr. header Header text for the attribute of the child object type in the Link Editor screen.

Display Association - Code D

Displays the association definition in a format similar to the screens that are used to add or modify the association definition.

    13:58:05             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
                              - Display Association -
   
    PR System Uses PR concept.                            Added 2007-05-31 at 13:12
    SY Program Belongs to SY                                 by HNO
   
    Names                                                 Abstract
      Active  Association .. PROGRAM 
      Passive Association .. SYSTEM
 
    Codes                            
      Parent object type ..... SY SYSTEM      
      Child object type ...... PR PROGRAM      
      Association internal ... 2000004
      Association type no. ..* 2002000
 
    Defaults
      Active for System ................... N
      Passive for Program ................. N
      Designated if multiple .............. N

Purge Association - Code P

Deletes all associations between objects of the parent type and objects of the child type as well as all retrieval models that report on the association.

Select Association - Code S

Displays a list of associations. If both fields Object type code of parent/child are left blank, all association types are displayed. Enter a valid object type code for parent or child to restrict the selection to associations with the specified parent/child.

Sample Output

     13:35:34             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
                            - Association Selection Menu -
   
    Mark   Parent              Association           Child            Predef.
   
      _    SY System           PR Uses PR concept.   Program          yes
      _                        PG Uses PG            Packagelist      yes
      _                        CS Has subappl. SY    System           yes
      _                        CP Has component PR   Program          yes
      _                        CV Has component VE   Verification     yes
      _                        CF Has component FI   File             yes
      _                        LI Has library SY     System           yes
      _                        FI Uses File          File
 
 

 
   
    Hit the corresponding PF-KEY to STOP, Enter 'X' to ABORT or 'T' for TOP : _
   
   
   
  

Modify Attribute Number - Code T

The functions Modify attribute number of associations and Modify attribute number of object types are defined as described above.

Cross Reference of an Association - Code X

Enter codes in fields Object type code, Association code and Link direction to display retrieval models which use the specified association.