NaturalONE Version 8.3.7
 —  Predefined Object Types in Predict  —

Defining Basic Attributes of Fields

This document covers the following topics:

Most attributes are applicable to fields of all file types.

Basic attributes applying to different field types are described below. Type-specific attributes are described in the section Defining Derived Fields.

For general information on how to manage objects (for example, how to add or copy an object), see the Predict Object Description documentation.


Field List Tab

Unlike all other predefined object types, a node for the object type Field is not shown at the top level of the tree view window containing the list of all documentation objects.

Fields can only be added via the Field List tab of the object type File.

Fields can be modified in two ways:

Note:
Field type, level number, field format, field length and the maximum number of values/occurrences can only be modified on the Field List tab since these attributes influence the record structure of a file.

The following information is displayed for fields:

Field list

Not all columns of the table on the Field List tab can be shown at the same time. Therefore, a horizontal scroll bar is provided. The columns are described below.

The following commands are available (in addition to the standard commands):

Command Description
Insert Add a new row.
Delete Delete the selected row.
Import Invoke the Find dialog box. Specify all search criteria in this dialog box. When you choose the Start Find button, all found fields are automatically copied to the end of the list
Source Only available if derived fields can be specified. Invokes a new window in which you can define derived fields. See Defining Derived Fields.
Standard Invokes a new window in which you can couple the selected field and a standard field.

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Field Type

The field type is indicated in the column Ty of the Field List tab. The following types can be specified:

CM Counter Field for multiple value field of type MU/MC
CP Counter Field for periodic group of type PE/PC
DV Derived field (SQL File types) see note below
GR Group
HM Hyperdescriptor as a multiple value field
HP Hyperdescriptor as a field of a periodic group
HQ Hyperdescriptor as a multiple value field of a periodic group
HY Hyperdescriptor
MC Multiple value field with automatic counter
MD Indicator for union view. Can be set in the subquery editor only. MD indicates from which fields of the selected master file(s) the union, except or intersect view is created. See Editing the Subquery of an SQL View.
MU Multiple value field
OD Collation descriptor
PC Periodic group with automatic counter
PE Periodic group
PH Phonetic descriptor
QN SEQNO field
SB Subfield/descriptor
SP Superfield/descriptor
**,/* Comment line
blank None of the above. Normal field

Note:
Derived field is also used in Predict as a generic term for hyperdescriptors, phonetic descriptors and sub/superfields and descriptors.

If HM, HP, HQ, HY, OD, PH, SB or SP is specified, an additional window can be invoked using the Source button. See Defining Derived Fields.

Defining Periodic Groups in Periodic Groups

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Level Number

The level number of the field is indicated in the column L of the Field List tab. The level number is used to define a group structure. Level numbers 1 to 9 can be used (except for Adabas files, see below).

Adabas Files

The following rules apply to level numbers for Adabas files:

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Field Format

The format of the field is indicated in the column F of the Field List tab. One of the following values can be specified (depending on the file type):

A Alphanumeric IV Interval
AL Long varchar L Logical
AV Varchar LO Large object
B Binary/char for bit data LX Bfile
BL Long varchar bit data MO Money
BT Bit MS Smallmoney
BV Varchar for bit data N/U Numeric unpacked
D Date NS/US Numeric unpacked with sign
DS Smalldatetime OK Object key
DT Datetime P Packed numeric
F Floating point PS Packed numeric with sign
FD Decimal floating point S Serial
G Graphic T Time
GL Long vargraphic TK Table key
GV Vargraphic TS Timestamp
I Integer blank Undefined

See tables in the section Field Length for valid combinations of format and length.

The following rules apply:

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Character Set

The parameter Character set determines the format in which data is stored. It is indicated in column Cs of the Field List tab. The possible values depend on the file type and format.

File Type Format Character Set
ASCII EBCDIC Bitdata Single Byte Double Byte Mixed Data XML
Adabas A, AV, LO         Y   Y  
Adabas D A, AL, AV   Y Y Y        
DB2 A, AL, AV       Y Y   Y  
LO       Y Y Y Y Y
Oracle A, AL       Y        
AV             Y  
LO       Y     Y  
Informix A, AV             Y  
AL       Y        
Ingres A,AV       Y        
AL *     Y        
Sybase A, AV *     Y Y Y    
AL       Y        

Note:
A value must be specified for field types and formats marked with an asterisk (*).

Character Set
ASCII Data is stored in ASCII format.
EBCDIC Data is stored in EBCDIC format.
Bitdata Data is stored in binary form, no conversion is performed.
Single Byte Data is stored in single-byte format. Double-byte characters are not possible.
Double Byte Data is stored in double-byte format. String comparisons function differently to single-byte data.
Mixed Data Data is stored in single and double-bytes. Data is subject to DB2 rules for multiple-byte character sets.
XML Data is stored in XML format.

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Character Set - Adabas

The following character set is used to define wide character fields.

Adabas Predict
Format Option Format Character Set
A   A blank or single
W   A Mixed
A LA AV blank or single
W LA AV Mixed
A LB, L4 LO blank or single
W LB, L4 LO Mixed

Note:
Option L4 applies to Adabas on Open Systems Version 5 or above only.

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Field Length

The field length is indicated in column Length of the Field List tab. This length is independent of its internal representation. When generating external objects, the field length is adjusted according to the internal representation of data used by the data storage system. For example: a field which is documented with length P9 is implemented with length P5 by the Adabas LOADER utility and the Adabas nucleus.

The following additional rules apply:

Table of Field Formats and Lengths

The table on the following pages contains the valid format/length combinations for fields of the following file types:

Column File Type
A / U Adabas file / userview
A(SQL) / AT / B Adabas file with SQL usage, Adabas cluster table, Adabas SQL view
BT / BV Adabas D table / view
D / E / IT / IV / MT DB2 table / view / Intermediate table / view / DB2 query table
F rdb file
I / J / K IMS segment / segment layout / userview
JT / JV Ingres table / view
L / R / V / W Logical VSAM file / view / Physical VSAM file / view
M ISAM file
O Other
OT / OV Oracle table / view
P / Q Entire System Server file / userview
S Sequential file
T RMS file
X General SQL file
XT / XV Informix table / view
YT / YV Sybase table / view
1 LEASY
2 ISAM BS2000

Note:
The tables do not contain the file types C (conceptual) and Z (standard). For these file types, any format/length combinations are allowed.

Key for the following table

no length Format is valid; length must not be specified.
no restr. No restrictions: any length may be specified.
p.q (m/n)
p number of places before the decimal point
q number of places after the decimal point
Where:
0 <= p <= m
0 <= q <= n
1 <= p+q <= m
n.m - n2.m2 Range of places before and after the decimal point. For example, fields of format MO for Sybase tables and views can have up to 15 places before the decimal point and up to 4 places after the decimal point (1.0 - 15.04).
*1 0 means 2GB
*2 0 means 4GB
Field Format A, U A(SQL) AT, B BT, BV D, E, IT, IV, MT F I, J, K JT, JV L, R, V, W M
A 1-253 1-253 1-4000 1-254 1-253 1-253 1-2000 1-253 no restr.
AL     0-99999 *1 1-99999     0-99999 *1    
AV 1-16381 1-32767 1-4000 1-32767     1-2000    
B 1-126 1-126    1-255 1-126 1-126 1-2000 1-126 no restr.
BL             0-99999 *1    
BT                  
BV        1- 32704     1-2000    
D no length no length no length no length no length no length   no length no length
DS                  
DT             no length    
F 4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8   4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8
FD       9 / 17          
G       1-127          
GL       1-16383          
GV       1-16383          
I 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 2 / 4 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8
IV                  
L no length   no length     no length   no length no length
LO up to 2 GB     up to 2 GB          
LX                  
MO             no length    
MS                  
N p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)     p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
NS p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (18/18) p.q (31/31) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
OK             no length    
P p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)     p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
PS p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (18/18) p.q (31/31) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
S                  
T no length no length no length no length no length no length   no length no length
TK             no length    
TS     no length no length          
U p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)     p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
US p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (18/18) p.q (31/31) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
Field Format O OT, OV P, Q S T X XT, XV YT, YV
A no restr. 1-2000 no restr. no restr. 1-253 1-253 1-32762 1-255
AL   0-99999 *1         0-99999 *1 0-99999 *1
AV   1-2000         1-32762 1-255
B                
BL no restr.   1-126 no restr. 1-126     1
BT                
BV               no length
D no length   no length no length no length   no length  
DS               no length
DT   no length         no length no length
F 4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8   4 / 8 4 / 8 4 / 8
FD                
G                
GL                
GV                
I 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 2 / 4 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 2 / 4 1 / 2 / 4
IV             7 / 17  
L no length   no length no length        
LO   0-99999 *2            
LX   0-99999 *2            
MO             p.q (32767/99) 1.0 - 15.04
MS               1.0 - 6.04
N p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (32/32)   p.q (38/38)
NS p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (32/32)  
OK                
P p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (32/32)    
PS p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (32/32)  
S             no length  
T no length   no length no length no length      
TK                
TS   no length           no length
U p.q (29/29)   p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (32/32)    
US p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)   p.q (32/32)  
Field Format 1 2
A 1-253 1-253
AL    
AV    
B    
BL 1-126 1-126
BT    
BV    
D no length no length
DS    
DT    
F 4 / 8 4 / 8
FD    
G    
GL    
GV    
I 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 1 / 2 / 4 / 8
IV    
L no length no length
LO    
LX    
MO    
MS    
N p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
NS p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
OK    
P p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
PS p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
S    
T no length no length
TK    
TS    
U p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)
US p.q (29/29) p.q (29/29)

Note:
For format LO the length can be specified in units of KB, MB or GB. Enter the desired value followed by the corresponding character (K for KB, M for MB and G for GB). For limitations refer to the above tables.

SQL: DBMS Format and Corresponding Predict Format

The table below indicates the DBMS format and the corresponding Predict format for fields in files of the following types:

BT, BV Adabas D table/view
JT, JV Ingres table/view
OT, OV Oracle table/view
XT, XV Informix table/view
YT, YV Sybase table/view

Key for the following table

n length
p,q
p total number of places
q number of places after the decimal point
File Type DBMS Format Predict Format Character Set
BT, BV BOOLEAN L  
CHAR(n) A(n)  
CHAR(n) ASCII A(n) ASCII
CHAR(n) BYTE A(n) Bitdata
CHAR(n) EBCDIC A(n) EBCDIC
DATE D  
FIXED(p,q) NU, US, or PS  
FLOAT(15) F4  
FLOAT(18) F8  
INTEGER I4  
LONG AL  
LONG ASCII AL ASCII
LONG BYTE AL Bitdata
LONG EBCDIC AL EBCDIC
SMALLINT I2  
TIME T  
TIMESTAMP TS  
VARCHAR(n) AV(n)  
VARCHAR(n) ASCII AV(n) ASCII
VARCHAR(n) BYTE AV(n) Bitdata
VARCHAR(n) EBCDIC AV(n) EBCDIC
JT, JV BYTE(n) B  
BYTE VARYING BV  
C(n) A(n)  
CHAR(n) A(n) Bitdata
DATE DT  
DECIMAL (p,q) PS  
DECIMAL (p,q) NS  
DOUBLE PRECISION F8  
LONG BYTE BL  
LONG VARCHAR AL Bitdata
INTEGER I4  
INTEGER1 I1  
MONEY MO  
OBJECT_KEY OK  
REAL F4  
SMALLINT I2  
TABLE_KEY TK  
TEXT(n) AV(n)  
VARCHAR(n) AV(n) Bitdata
OT, OV BFILE LX  
BLOB LO Bitdata
CHAR(n) A(n)  
CLOB LO  
DATE DT  
DECIMAL(p,q) NS  
DECIMAL(p,q) PS  
DOUBLE PRECISION F8  
INTEGER I4  
LONG AL  
LONG RAW AL Bitdata
NCLOB LO Mixed data
NVARCHAR2(n) AV(n) Mixed data
RAW(n) A(n) Bitdata
REAL F4  
ROWID A and type QN  
SMALLINT I2  
TIMESTAMP TS  
VARCHAR2(n) AV(n)  
XT, XV BYTE AL Bitdata
CHAR(n) A(n)  
DATE D  
DATETIME YEAR TO FRACTION(5) DT  
DECIMAL(p,q) NS  
DECIMAL(p,q) PS  
FLOAT F8  
INTEGER I4  
INTERVAL DAY TO FRACTION(5) IV  
MONEY MO  
NCHAR(n) A(n) Mixed data
NVARCHAR(n) AV(n) Mixed data
REAL F4  
SERIAL S  
SMALLINT I2  
TEXT AL  
VARCHAR(n) AV(n)  
YT, YV BINARY(N) A(n) Bitdata
BIT BT  
CHAR(N) A(n) Single byte
DATETIME DT  
FLOAT F8  
IMAGE AL Bitdata
INT I4  
MONEY MO  
NCHAR(N) A(n) Double byte
NUMERIC, DECIMAL (p,q) NS  
NUMERIC, DECIMAL (p,q) PS  
NVARCHAR(N) AV(n) Double byte
REAL F4  
SMALLDATETIME DS  
SMALLINT I2  
SMALLMONEY MS  
TEXT AL  
TIMESTAMP TS  
TINYINT I1 or B1  
VARBINARY(N) AV(n) Bitdata
VARCHAR(N) AV(n) Single byte

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Descriptor Type

The descriptor type is indicated in column D of the Field List tab. The possible values are given in this and the following table.

Additional Information on Descriptor Fields

Descriptor fields can be of various types and control which fields can be used in search criteria (for example in Natural FIND, READ or HISTOGRAM statements). Natural programs can only read Adabas files using fields that are defined as a descriptor (usually type D). It should be part of the design to decide which fields are going to be descriptors, superdescriptors etc.

Adabas however, has a feature where a file can be read using any field - regardless of whether it is a descriptor or not. This is called a non-descriptor search. For large data volumes, this can be very slow. This is because there are no indexes built for non-descriptor fields and a physical scan of the data is required. Despite, if there are only a few records, and it is understood that a physical file scan is taking place, then it can be useful on some occasions.

By putting N into the descriptor type in a DDM, Natural programs are allowed to use this field as a non-descriptor search field. That way you can control in the DDM which fields are allowed to be searched on.

The various descriptor types are documented in more detail in Columns of Field Attributes in the section Using the DDM Editor of the Natural Editors documentation.

Code Description File Type
A, U AT, B, A(SQL) M O F S T IV, D, E, MT C I, J, K P, Q
D Descriptor/Index Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y   Y
Disallow                      
A Alternate index                 Y Y  
N Not inverted Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y    
Search field                   Y  
P Primary Index   Y           Y Y    
Q Sequence                 Y Y  
E Foreign key   Y           Y Y    
F Foreign index   Y           Y Y    
Force                      
K Common Key                      
blank No descriptor Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
None                      

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Descriptor Type - continued

Code Description File Type
Z 1 2 L, R, V, W X BT, BV OT, OV JT, JV YT, YV XT, XV
D Descriptor/Index                    
Disallow Y                  
A Alternate index   Y Y Y            
N Not inverted         Y Y Y Y Y Y
Search field                    
P Primary Index   Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Q Sequence                    
E Foreign key         Y Y Y Y Y Y
F Foreign index                    
Force Y                  
K Common Key                 Y  
blank No descriptor   Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
None Y                  

The following rules apply:

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Maximum Number of Values / Occurrences

Maximum number of values for a multiple value field or occurrences of a periodic group is indicated in the Occ column of the Field List tab. This parameter must be specified for multiple value fields and for periodic groups in a redefinition.

Field Occurrences in range
Within a redefinition 1- 99999
Outside a redefinition 1 - 65535

When generating Copy Code, the value specified is used as the default for generating the specifications of MU/MC or PE/PC fields in a format buffer and/or record buffer.

When generating ADACMP/ADAFDU definitions, the Occ parameter is evaluated. If Occ is specified, the number of occurrences of each input data record is constant.

If Occ is not specified, the number of occurrences is taken from a counter field preceding a MU/MC or PE/PC field.

Note:
For fields of type QN, the Occ column is used to identify either the table level or an individual occurrence of a multiple value field or periodic group.

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Unique Option

The unique option is indicated in column U of the Field List tab. For groups, this attribute must be blank; for other fields, one of the following values can be specified:

U Unique.
X Used for unique descriptors in PE to exclude the occurrence (index) number from the definition of uniqueness.
blank Not unique.

Unique option must be blank for fields within a redefinition.

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Field Short Name

For file types listed below, the field short name is indicated in the column DB of the Field List tab. This two-character short name must be defined for the following file types:

A Adabas file L Logical VSAM file
AT Adabas cluster table R Logical VSAM view
I IMS segment U Adabas userview
J IMS segment layout V VSAM file (physical)
K IMS userview W Physical VSAM view

A field short name must conform to the rules for coding Adabas field names.

Field short names for userviews of Adabas, IMS and VSAM files need not be unique.

For fields within a redefinition, parameter Field short name must be blank.

Field short names for SQL tables and views are maintained internally by Predict and cannot be modified by users.

Rotated fields of files of type A (with SQL usage), type AT and B have the same short name and are identified uniquely by an occurrence number (column Occ).

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Suppression / Null Value Option

For groups and for fields within a redefinition, this attribute must be blank. For other fields, one of the following values can be specified:

F Fixed length
N Null value suppression
R Not null
U Null counted
blank Normal suppression
Parameter SQL File Types Other File Types
Null value suppression   N
Fixed Length   F
Null allowed U U
Not null R R
Normal suppression   blank 

Profile Parameter Automatic Null Value

With the profile parameter Automatic null value you can determine an automatic Suppression/Null Value option when fields are added in Predict. See Customizing Predict with Profiles in the section Predict User Interface in the Introduction to Predict documentation.

The value depends on the file type. See table below.

Dictionary View by default uses the profile SYSTEM.

Parameter All SQL File Types except X File Type X Other File Types
Unique option = Unique
or
Descriptor type = Primary
or
Field format = serial
R R N
Others U blank N

Note:
SQL file types include files of type A with parameter Adabas SQL usage set to Y.

For DB2 fields with Unique option = unique, values R and U are possible.

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Variable Length Option - IMS

The variable length option for IMS fields is indicated in column S of the Field List tab. The following values are valid:

Y Variable length
blank Fixed length

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Null Default Option

The NULL default option for fields of SQL tables/views is indicated in the column Df of the Field List tab. Possible values:

N No default
Y With default
blank none

For Ingres fields with format OK or TK, the following additional values are possible:

S SYSTEM_MAINTAINED
T not SYSTEM_MAINTAINED
U with default SYSTEM_MAINTAINED
V with default not SYSTEM_MAINTAINED
W not default not SYSTEM_MAINTAINED

This parameter must be blank for fields within a redefinition.

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Natural Field Length

The Natural field length is shown in the dialog box which appears when you open a field (see Defining Additional Attributes of Fields). You can define it on the Base Extensions tab. The following rules apply:

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Do Not Convert Option

The "do not convert" option is allowed for A and AV format fields of the following file types:

This option is shown in the dialog box which appears when you open a field (see Defining Additional Attributes of Fields). You can define it on the Base Extensions tab.

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Related Standard File

This parameter is described in the section Rippling.

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Check against standard

This parameter is described in the section Rippling.

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Natural Attributes

The following attributes can be defined in the Natural Attributes tab:

Natural Attributes

Headers

The Natural headers are shown in the dialog box which appears when you open a field (see Defining Additional Attributes of Fields).

The Natural headers 1 - 3 are included in DDMs generated from the file containing the field.

Alphabetic characters in Natural headers are converted to upper-case if the Predict parameter Upper/lower case has been set to Y. See the section Defaults in the Predict Administration documentation.

Index on PE Group Level

This parameter is shown in the dialog box which appears when you open a field (see Defining Additional Attributes of Fields).

If this parameter is left blank (default), the maximum occurrences is generated for each element in the group.

Edit mask

The Natural edit mask. See the description of the DISPLAY statement in the Natural Statements documentation for further details.

This parameter is shown in the dialog box which appears when you open a field (see Defining Additional Attributes of Fields).

Alphabetic characters in the Natural edit mask are converted to upper-case if the Predict parameter Upper/lower case has been set to Y. See the section Defaults in the Predict Administration documentation.

Dynamic length

This parameter is shown in the dialog box which appears when you open a field (see Defining Additional Attributes of Fields).

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Hidden

Specifies that the column is not visible in the result for SQL statements unless you explicitly refer to the column by name.

If you check the box, columns are not visible.

graphics/one-el-baseextensions-hidden.png

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