Step 1: Define an Element

Defining Work Records Using IDD › Instructions › Step 1: Define an Element

Step 1: Define an Element

Each element that you add to the data dictionary describes a unit of data that can be used in an application.

In order to define an element, you must invoke and sign on to the IDD menu facility. For example, when using IDMS-DC, you invoke the IDD menu facility as shown:

ENTER NEXT TASK CODE:
iddmt
                                                                [Enter]

For more information on invoking and signing on to the IDD menu facility, see Step 1: Invoke the IDD Menu Facility.

You use the Element Entity screen to define elements in the data dictionary. You display the Element Entity screen as shown:

-> elem
                                                                [Enter]

Element Entity Screen

      IDD REL 15.0                *** ELEMENT ENTITY ***                   ELEM
 ->
                                  DICT=DEMO

 X DISPLAY      ELEMENT NAME....:
 _ MODIFY
 _ ADD          VERSION NUMBER..: 1       _ HIGHEST    _ NEXT HIGHEST
 _ DELETE                                 _ LOWEST     _ NEXT LOWEST

 DESCRIPTION:

 PICTURE....:                                      NO SYNC: X   SYNC: _

 USAGE......: X DISPLAY                   _ CONDITION NAME (LEVEL 88)
              _ COMP/COMP-4 (BINARY)      _ COMP-3 (PACKED DECIMAL)
              _ COMP-1 (SHORT FLOATING)   _ COMP-2 (LONG FLOATING)
              _ BIT                       _ POINTER

 _ ELMX  =  ELEMENT EXTENSION <PF9>          _ SUBE  =  SUBORD ELEMENTS   <PF11>
 _ REGN  =  USER REGISTRATION <PF2>          _ PUBL  =  PUBLIC ACCESS     <PF3>
 _ CLAT  =  CLASS/ATTRIBUTES  <PF4>          _ RKEY  =  RELATIONAL KEYS   <PF5>
 _ COMM  =  COMMENTS          <PF6>          _ COML  =  COMMENT KEY LIST  <PF7>
 _ HIST  =  HISTORY           <PF8>          _ COPY  =  SAME AS/COPY FROM
 _ XREF  =  CROSS REFERENCE   <PF10>         _ HELP  =  HELP              <PF1>

Screen Prompts

When you use the Element Entity screen to define an element, you typically enter specifications for the following Element Entity screen prompts:

ELEMENT NAME—You must supply an element name. The name you specify must be unique.
DISPLAY—You deselect the DISPLAY action when you intend to add a new element.
To do this, type a blank over the X displayed to the left of the action.
ADD—You must select the ADD action to specify that you are defining a new element.
DESCRIPTION—You optionally specify a brief description of the element.
PICTURE—You must specify the storage layout (that is, picture) for the element after the PICTURE prompt. A picture specifies:
- The type of data that can be stored for the element:
  - For alphanumeric data, enter an X.
  - For alphabetic data, enter an A.
  - For numeric data, enter a 9.
- The number of characters that can be stored for the element.
  By default, an element can store single-character values.
  
  You optionally enable an element to store larger values by specifying, in parentheses, the maximum number of characters to be stored by the element. For example, a picture of X(6) enables an element to store values that contain up to six alphanumeric characters.
  
  For example, the element that you define in this chapter will be used to store the single-character value Y or N.
USAGE—You optionally specify the storage format for data after the USAGE prompt.
For element XXX-WK-FIRST-TIME, you will retain the default usage, DISPLAY, since DISPLAY usage is appropriate for the flag values (Y and N) stored for the element.

For more information on DISPLAY and other USAGE specifications, see the CA IDMS IDD Quick Reference Guide.

Defining an Element

To define XXX-WK-FIRST-TIME as an element that stores single-character alphanumeric values, you use the Element Entity screen to:

Type the name of the element. You can use your initials instead of XXX
Deselect the DISPLAY action and select the ADD action.
Type an optional description for the element.
Specify a picture of X. This enables the element to store single-character alphanumeric flag values.

      IDD REL 15.0                *** ELEMENT ENTITY ***                   ELEM
 ->
                                  DICT=DEMO

    DISPLAY      ELEMENT NAME....: xxx-wk-first-time
 _ MODIFY
 x ADD          VERSION NUMBER..: 1       _ HIGHEST    _ NEXT HIGHEST
 _ DELETE                                 _ LOWEST     _ NEXT LOWEST

 DESCRIPTION: passes flag value for dialog xxxdupd

 PICTURE....: x                                       NO SYNC: X   SYNC: _

 USAGE......: X DISPLAY                   _ CONDITION NAME (LEVEL 88)
              _ COMP/COMP-4 (BINARY)      _ COMP-3 (PACKED DECIMAL)
              _ COMP-1 (SHORT FLOATING)   _ COMP-2 (LONG FLOATING)
              _ BIT                       _ POINTER

 _ ELMX  =  ELEMENT EXTENSION <PF9>          _ SUBE  =  SUBORD ELEMENTS   <PF11>
 _ REGN  =  USER REGISTRATION <PF2>          _ PUBL  =  PUBLIC ACCESS     <PF3>
 _ CLAT  =  CLASS/ATTRIBUTES  <PF4>          _ RKEY  =  RELATIONAL KEYS   <PF5>
 _ COMM  =  COMMENTS          <PF6>          _ COML  =  COMMENT KEY LIST  <PF7>
 _ HIST  =  HISTORY           <PF8>          _ COPY  =  SAME AS/COPY FROM
 _ XREF  =  CROSS REFERENCE   <PF10>         _ HELP  =  HELP              <PF1>

After you press [Enter], the Element Entity screen displays a message to indicate whether the element definition has been added to the data dictionary:

If you successfully defined a new element, IDD displays a message like:
```
ELEMENT 'XXX-WK-FIRST-TIME' VERSION 1 ADDED
```
If the element cannot be added to the data dictionary, IDD displays a different message.
Read the message to determine the problem. You can type over any errors and press [Enter] again.

After you successfully add element XXX-WK-FIRST-TIME to the data dictionary, you can define work record XXX-WK-RECORD.