Defining NaturalX Objects

A local data area (LDA) contains data elements which are to be used in a single Natural module. You may reference more than one data area; in that case you have to repeat the reserved words OBJECT and USING, for example:

DEFINE DATA
  OBJECT USING DATX_L
  OBJECT USING DATX_P

  ...
END-DEFINE ;

For further information, see also Defining Fields in a Separate Data Area in the Programming Guide.

A data area defined with DEFINE DATA OBJECT may be a parameter data area (PDA). By using a PDA as an object data area you can avoid the extra effort of creating an object data area that has the same structure as the PDA.

Data can also be defined directly using the syntax shown in Direct Data Definition.

The Natural reserved word END-DEFINE must be used to end the DEFINE DATA statement.

Level number is a 1- or 2-digit number in the range from 01 to 99 (the leading zero is optional) used in conjunction with field grouping. Fields assigned a level number of 02 or greater are considered to be a part of the immediately preceding group which has been assigned a lower level number.

The definition of a group enables reference to a series of fields (may also be only 1 field) by using the group name. With certain statements (CALL, CALLNAT, RESET, WRITE, etc.), you may specify the group name as a shortcut to reference the fields contained in the group.

A group may consist of other groups. When assigning the level numbers for a group, no level numbers may be skipped.

A view-definition must always be defined at Level 1.

The name of a group. The name must adhere to the rules for defining a Natural variable name.

See also the following sections:

• Naming Conventions for User-Defined Variables in Using Natural.

• Qualifying Data Structures in the Programming Guide.

With an array-definition, you define the lower and upper bounds of dimensions in an array-definition.

For further information, see Array Dimension Definition.

A variable-definition is used to define a single field/variable that may be single-valued (scalar) or multi-valued (array).

For further information, see Variable Definition.

A view-definition is used to define a view as derived from a data definition module (DDM).

For further information, see View Definition.

A redefinition may be used to redefine a group, a view, a DDM field or a single field/variable (that is a scalar or an array).

For further information, see Redefinition.

A handle identifies a dialog element in code and is stored in handle variables.