Copying Functions › Function Templates › Creating a Template Function

Creating a Template Function

This process applies both to the primary template function and to any functions the primary function references that also to serve as template functions.

1. There are two ways to create a template function:
   • Go to the Edit Functions panel for the *Template file and create a new function.
   • Go to the Edit Functions panel for a model file and copy an existing function to the *Template file. This is best if you already have customized functions that can serve as templates.
2. Adjust or create the function as you would any other function:
   1. Name the function. When naming a template function you can place *Template in the name where you want the target file name to appear; for example, Work with *Template data translates to Work with Customer data for the Customer file.
   2. If the function requires an access path, specify an appropriate one based on the *Template file.
   3. Add standardized actions to the action diagram.
   4. Specify parameters for internally-referenced template functions using the following two fields defined for the *Template file:

• *Template key defn—If this field is a parameter on a referenced function, it is replaced by the target file’s key fields.
• *Template record defn—If this field is a parameter on a referenced function, it is replaced by the target file’s non-key fields.

Note: In both cases all fields are used.

1. Save the template function.