Creating/Defining Your Data Model › Defining Your Data Model › Structure Files

Structure Files

A structure file contains a group of fields. These fields can be incorporated into other files by the use of the Includes relation.

For example, you would give the STR type to the Audit Stamp file.

Audit Stamp    Has     Update date

             Has     Update time

             Has     User

            Has     Update program

Any file within the system that needs the field definitions of the Audit Stamp file can obtain them simply with an Includes relation.

Order        Known by                Order number

            Has             Order date

              Refers to       Customer

                Includes                Audit Stamp

Structure file types can use the Has, Refers to, and Includes relations.

CA 2E lets you virtualize fields to an STR file on a Refers to relation. The virtual field in the STR file will not be available as part of the structure when it is included in another file.

The Refers to relation is not moved to the file that includes the structure. There are no referential integrity checks performed for this Refers to relation. The file entry resolved from the Refers to relation is available in the structure.

Structure files are also used to group fields from various files for passing parameters when building functions. When using structure files, all fields of the structure are verified for required and optional checking on device designs.

For more information:

• On parameters, see the chapter "Modifying Function Parameters" in Building Applications
• On using arrays as parameters, see the chapter "Defining Arrays" in Building Access Paths