Defining a New Personal Table

Creating Personal Tables › Defining a New Personal Table

Defining a New Personal Table

You can create a new personal table by typing in all of the column names, types, and lengths yourself. As you work, you can change or delete any part of the definitions or add new columns.

Action

Displays the DISPLAY TABLE (DQT10) panel by selecting PDB from the Main Menu. When the panel appears, press <PF3> CREATE.

Panel

Following is an example of the CREATE TABLE (DQT30) panel as it appears after pressing <PF3> CREATE during display of the DISPLAY TABLE panel.

 =>
 Enter information for table columns and press appropriate PF key
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------DQT30
 DATAQUERY:  CREATE TABLE          TABLE NAME:  ________________________________
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 COLUMN NAME                      |   TYPE    | LENGTH
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
                                  |           |
 - LAST PAGE -------------------------------------------------------------------
 <PF1> HELP          <PF2> RETURN        <PF3> ADD TABLE     <PF4> NOT USED
 <PF5> INSERT COLUMN <PF6> DELETE COLUMN <PF7> BACKWARD      <PF8> FORWARD

Action

Use the Tab key to move the cursor from one field on the panel to another and type in column names, types, and lengths. You can also add or delete columns by using PF keys. Do not press <PF3> ADD TABLE before your entries are correct and complete. Otherwise, you will be unable to make further changes.

Following are valid entries on the CREATE TABLE (DQT30) panel.

COLUMN NAME

Enter a one-word name for the column beginning with an alphabetic character. You can use letters, numbers and underscores (_) as part of the name. The maximum column name length is 32 characters.

TYPE

Shows the type of data the column can contain. Data may be:

CHARACTER -- all displayable characters.
NUMERIC -- signed numeric data with zoned decimals.
DECIMAL -- packed decimal numeric data.
FLOAT -- floating-point.
SMALLINT -- small integer numbers.
INTEGER -- large integer numbers.

You can enter only the first character of each of these data types.

The most commonly used data will be character or numeric. See the CA Dataquery Reference Guide for more information on data types.

LENGTH

(Not required for FLOAT, SMALLINT, or INTEGER types.) Shows the maximum number of characters per row for a column. To define a numeric or decimal column, enter two numbers. The first number is the total length and the second number is the number of decimal places. For instance, if the total column length is to be 5 characters and two decimal places (-999.99) enter (5,2). Do not allow places for a sign or the decimal point.

For a numeric or decimal column, if you enter only one number, the number of decimal places is assumed to be zero.

PF Keys

Following is a guide to using the CREATE TABLE (DQT30) panel PF keys to edit the definitions entered. Do not press <PF3> ADD TABLE until all entries are correct and complete. Otherwise, you cannot make further changes.

Delete a column.: Place the cursor on a column name and press <PF6> DELETE COLUMN.
Add a new column.: Place the cursor on the name of the column you want the new column to follow and press <PF5> INSERT COLUMN. A blank line appears for entering a name, type, and length in the appropriate panel fields.
Change column order.: Use the INSERT COLUMN and DELETE COLUMN PF keys to retype the input to change the order of columns.

Procedure

To add the new table to your personal tables, follow these steps during display of the CREATE TABLE (DQT30) panel.

Step 1

Enter a unique table name in the field called TABLE NAME. Be careful not to duplicate the name of a table in your database.

The table name should begin with an alphabetic character. You can use letters, numbers, and underscores ( _ ) as part of the name. The maximum name length is 32 characters. After creation, CA Datacom Datadictionary assigns the table an entity-name and that name appears on directories. Where duplicate names occur, CA Datacom Datadictionary may modify a name to make it unique. Also, any table you create is stored under your permanent SQL authorization ID, maintained by your CA Dataquery Administrator. Changing the ID on your User Profile does not affect this storage. Check with your CA Dataquery Administrator for a table name if yours does not appear on a directory.

Step 2

Assure that the table definition is complete and accurate.

Step 3

Press <PF3> ADD TABLE to create the new table. (Once the table is added, you cannot change its structure.)