Selecting Objects for Processing

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# Selecting Objects for Processing

Most Predict functions process either documentation objects or external objects. Individual objects or several objects can be processed in one run. Predict provides a variety of options to select objects for processing:

This document covers the following topics:

- Selecting Individual Objects

- Selecting Several Objects

- Type-dependent Selection Criteria

- Restrictions

- Using Selection Windows

## Selecting Individual Objects

Individual objects are selected by entering an ID in the respective input field (for example File ID, User ID, ...). For fields, the ID of the file to which the field belongs also has to be specified (because fields in different files can have the same ID).

If a function can only be applied to individual objects, entering a name in asterisk notation (for example ABRA*) will cause Predict to display an active help window containing the names matching that asterisk notation (for example ABRAHAM or ABRACADABRA). See also Using Active Help - Selection Windows. This option only applies to fields marked with an asterisk (*).

Another option is to select objects from selection lists. Enter / (slash), S or X in the column Cmd of the selection list.

Note
Whenever an individual object has been selected by specifying a unique object ID, additional selection criteria are ignored.

## Selecting Several Objects

With functions that can be applied to several objects, asterisk notation can be used to select several objects for processing. For example ABRA* will cause Predict to apply a function to all objects starting with ABRA (for example ABRAHAM or ABRACADABRA). If just an asterisk or blank is entered, all objects for which the function is applicable are processed.

A selection of several objects can be restricted by specifying additional selection criteria. The following types of additional selection criteria are described below:

- type-dependent additional selection criteria

- type-independent additional selection criteria (keywords, owners, extracts, date and strings).

## Type-dependent Selection Criteria

The following parameters can be used in different type-specific functions. Many of the parameters refer to the hierarchical structure of a metadata model.

Parameter | Applicable to
--- | ---
object of type | Object types where subtype is possible. Only objects with the given subtype are included in the selection. For example: a file of type A (Adabas file).
default passive association | Object types for which a default passive association is defined. Only objects associated as child objects to the given parent object (via the default passive association) are included in the report. For example: only files linked to a database via the default passive association Contained in DA are selected.
Database number | Database
External name | File
File number | File
Synonyms | Field
Language | Program
Implementation pointer - Library - Member - Fnr - DBnr | Program
Implementation pointer - Library - Fnr - DBnr | System
Using file | File relation
User name | User
Verif. of status | Verification
Format | Verification

The selection criteria above are described in detail in the retrieval sections of the Predefined Object Types in Predict documentation.

## Restrictions

Restrictions can be specified for all functions where objects can be selected for processing. Only objects which meet the criteria specified are evaluated.

Restrictions can either be specified temporarily by entering code T in the field Restrictions or they can be taken from a profile. See Specifying Restrictions. Temporary restrictions are lost when a session is terminated.

The following topics are covered:

- Overview of Restrictions

- Specifying Restrictions

- Specifying Restriction Values Temporarily

- Restriction Parameters

- Saving Restrictions for Later Use

- Using the Restriction Values of another User

- Personal Default Restriction Values

- How the Use of Restrictions is Indicated

- Deactivating Restrictions

### Overview of Restrictions

- Keywords
  Up to five Keywords can be specified, either uniquely qualified or with asterisk notation. See Relating Objects Logically in the section "Predict Functionality" in the "Introduction to Predict documentation" and section Keyword in the Predefined Object Types in Predict documentation.

- Owner
  You can restrict the selection to objects that are assigned to a particular owner. See Relating Objects Logically in the section "Predict Functionality" in the "Introduction to Predict documentation" and section User/Owner in the "Predefined Object Types in Predict documentation".

- Extract
  You can restrict the retrieval operation to objects that are contained in a specified Extract. See the section Extract in the Predefined Object Types in Predict documentation.

- String
  You can restrict the retrieval operation to objects whose Abstract, Extended Description, Rules or ID contains the specified string.

- Date
  Retrieval operations can also be restricted by the parameter AND from date: only objects that were added or modified after a given date are evaluated.

### Specifying Restrictions

Enter an asterisk in the field Restrictions to display the screen below, or enter one of the codes U, A, D, T or E to specify restrictions directly.

        13:09:47             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
        Plan   7                 - (FI) File Maintenance -                 Profile HNO
                                                       +All-----Restrictions---------+
         Function                              Functio ! _ A   Active profile        !
                                                       ! _ D   Profile Default       !
         A  Add a file                         L  Link ! _ T   Temporary profile     !
         C  Copy file                          S  Sele ! _ E   Empty restrictions    !
         M  Modify file                        B  Push ! _ ' ' Confirm current       !
         N  Rename/Renumber file               F  Forc !       profile and execute   !
         P  Purge file                         J  Phys !       function              !
         D  Display file                       K  Modi !                             !
                                                       !                             !
                                                       !                             !
        Function .......                               !                             !
        File ID ........                               !                             !
        Copy ID ........                               !                             !
        Contained in DA.                               !                             !
        External name ..                               !                             !
        Restrictions ..* * Profile HNO ,used           !                             !
                                                       !                             !
        Command ===>                                   !                             !
                                                       !Command ==> _______          !
                                                       +-----------------------------+

Restriction values can be stored in profiles. To use restrictions of a profile, the profile does not necessarily have to be active as the current session profile. The following options are possible:

Code | Profile | Result
--- | --- | ---
U | Your profile | Use restrictions in the profile of the current user
A | Active profile | Use the restrictions of the profile that is currently active. The active profile is indicated in the upper right corner the screen (in the field Profile).
D | Profile default | Use the restrictions of the Predict default profile.
T | Temporary profile | Use temporary restrictions. The Restrictions window is then displayed containing the values of the currently active profile. The values can be overwritten for use in the current session.
E | Empty restrictions | Deactivate restrictions.

### Specifying Restriction Values Temporarily

Enter T in the field Restrictions to display the following screens:

        13:00:16             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
        Plan   7                 - (FI) File +Top------------Restrictions--------------
                                             ! With keyword(s)                        !
         Function                            !                                        !
                                             !                                        !
         A  Add a file                       !                                        !
         C  Copy file                        !                                        !
         M  Modify file                      !                                        !
         N  Rename/Renumber file             ! combined by (AND/OR) OR                !
         P  Purge file                       ! AND with owner                         !
         D  Display file                     !                                        !
                                             ! BUT NOT with keyword                   !
                                             !                                        !
        Function .......                     ! AND included in extract                !
        File ID ........                     !                                        !
        Copy ID ........                     ! AND containing the string              !
        External name ..                     !                                        !
        Contained in DA.                     ! Scan options:                          !
        Restrictions ..* T Profile HNO ,used !   Abstract Y (Y,N) Rules ..... N (Y,N) !
                                             !   Descr.   N (Y,N) Object ID . Y (Y,N) !
        Command ===>                         !   Absolute Y (Y,N) Ignore case Y (Y,N) !
                                             !Command ==> +___                        !
                                             +More-------------------------------------

        13:00:16             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
        Plan   7                 - (FI) File +More-----------Restrictions-------------+
                                             ! AND from date (YYYY-MM-DD HH:II)       !
         Function                            ! 2002-01-01 00:00                       !
                                             !                                        !
         A  Add a file                       !                                        !
         C  Copy file                        !                                        !
         D  Display file                     !                                        !
         M  Modify file                      !                                        !
         N  Rename/Renumber file             !                                        !

The individual parameters are described below.

### Restriction Parameters

For a list of valid parameters refer to Restrictions in the section Retrieval in the Predict Reference documentation.

### Saving Restrictions for Later Use

Restrictions that have been specified for temporary use can be stored in your own profile (no matter which profile is currently active) with the command SAVE, STOW or CAT in the Command==> field of the Restrictions window. Text strings specified with the AND containing the string parameter will not be stored.

A SAVE, STOW or CAT command issued by a user that is not defined in Predict with an object of type User is rejected.

### Using the Restriction Values of another User

To use the restriction profile of another User, activate the profile of that User with the command PROFILE user-ID.

### Personal Default Restriction Values

Personal default values for restrictions are defined with the function Modify user defaults > Restrictions. See the section Customizing Predict with Profiles for more information.

### How the Use of Restrictions is Indicated

Once activated, restrictions apply to all subsequent retrieval operations until they are explicitly deactivated. The word empty behind the field Restrictions indicates that no restrictions are active.

### Deactivating Restrictions

Restrictions can be deactivated with code E (Empty restrictions) in the field Restrictions.

Note
If the result of a selection operation is smaller than expected, it is possible that restrictions that were set previously are still active.

## Using Selection Windows

In many situations when one of several possible objects in the dictionary is to be selected, a selection mechanism can be used. The list gives an overview:

- Objects of specific types can be selected from the dictionary by executing a retrieval operation with the output mode Select.

- Objects of a specific type can be selected for maintenance by executing the function Select object from a list in any Maintenance menu.

- Objects of a certain type can be selected to assign them as child objects by executing the SEL command in the list editor.

- Fields used in the definition of a derived field (sub/super/field/descriptor) can be selected.

  See Selection Mechanism in the section Field in the Predefined Object Types in Predict documentation.

- A physical file definition of a logical file can be selected when using the Modify Adabas attributes function (code J)

- A Vista element can be selected when using the Modify Vista elements function (code K).

- Sections of text can be copied from different sources into all attributes of Predict objects that have the form of text. See Copying Text from Other Sources.

See the section Using Active Help for a description of how to use selection windows.

### On this page

- Selecting Individual Objects
- Selecting Several Objects
- Type-dependent Selection Criteria
- Restrictions
- Using Selection Windows