Defining Columns

Naming Columns

Make the entity-occurrence names unique within each table. Do not give a column the same name as a key in the same table. CA Dataquery selects the first entity-occurrence it finds with the requested name and ignores any other entity-occurrence with that name.

Do not use CA Dataquery reserved words as entity-occurrence names. If it is necessary to do so, you can define aliases to use in accessing the data through CA Dataquery. See the CA Dataquery User Guide or CA Dataquery Reference Guide for a list of reserved words.

Equivalent columns or keys in different tables should be named the same to avoid confusion and to facilitate relating tables together.

Repeating Columns and Redefines

CA Datacom Datadictionary allows you to define simple or compound columns as repeating columns with the total number of repetitions to be expressed in the column's definition. This is important for defining an arrayed column with up to two levels of subscripts. Avoid the use of redefines and arrays if the columns are to be used with CA Dataquery.

Securing Columns

The PROFILE-CODE attribute in a column (FIELD entity-occurrence) definition in CA Datacom Datadictionary provides column security for CA Dataquery usage. The CA Dataquery Security Administrator and the CA Dataquery Administrator determine what columns to secure. Then the CA Datacom Datadictionary Administrator updates the CA Datacom Datadictionary FIELD entity-occurrence attribute with the profile-code. This can be done through CA Datacom Datadictionary online using the Attribute Update panel or through CA Datacom Datadictionary batch using the 4014 COLUMN transaction. See the CA Datacom Datadictionary User Guide, CA Datacom Datadictionary Online Reference Guide, or the CA Datacom Datadictionary Batch Reference Guide for details.

A CA Dataquery user may be authorized to one or more profile-codes. This authorization gives the user access to columns that have been classified and secured by profile-codes. See Defining or Modifying the User Profile and How to Limit Access to Columns for more information about profile-codes.

Defining Column Headings

When defining the COLUMN entity-occurrences, you can define headings. CA Dataquery uses these headings as column titles in reports. The HEADING-1 attribute allows you to enter the first line of a heading that can be used in a columnar report. The HEADING-2 attribute allows you to enter the second line of a heading that can be used in a columnar report.

These headings will only be used if the System Option Table DQOPTLST parameter DDHDG= is coded with one of the YES entries. See Tailoring the CA Dataquery System Option Table for more information.

In CA Datacom Datadictionary online, use the Attribute Update panel to define headings. See the CA Datacom Datadictionary Online Reference Guide for details.

In CA Datacom Datadictionary batch, use the 4013 COLUMN transaction to add headings that CA Dataquery uses as column titles in reports and panels. See the CA Datacom Datadictionary Batch Reference Guide for details.

Defining Numeric Display Patterns

You can use CA Datacom Datadictionary to designate whether a column is left or right justified, the decimal position in numeric columns, and the addition of edit-patterns. CA Dataquery uses these options when printing reports. For use with CA Dataquery, you should follow CA Dataquery standards when defining these edit patterns.

The EDIT-PATTERN attribute allows you to enter an edit pattern for the column.

The edit-pattern will only be used if the System Option Table DQOPTLST parameter DDPIC= is coded YES. See Tailoring the CA Dataquery System Option Table for more information.

In CA Datacom Datadictionary online, use the Attribute Update panel to define the edit pattern. See the CA Datacom Datadictionary Online Reference Guide for details.

In CA Datacom Datadictionary batch, use the 4014 COLUMN transaction to add or change the edit pattern of the column. See the CA Dataquery Reference Guide for valid edit pattern formats. See the CA Datacom Datadictionary Batch Reference Guide for details.