Selecting Tables

Most often, an ASF session involves creating a new table or selecting an existing table for processing.

Naming a New Table

New tables are created by entering a unique name in the Table Name field of the Activity Selection screen. A table name:

Can be 1 to 32 characters long
Can include letters, numbers, spaces, and special characters
Cannot include a period (.), underscore (_), accent grave (&grave.), or backslash (\), and should not include a cent sign (&cent.)
Cannot be the same as your user ID
Cannot begin with spaces

When you enter the name of a new table, you must select DEFINE TABLE as your first activity.

Listing Tables

Existing tables are listed in the directory at the bottom of the Activity Selection screen. You can browse through the directory to display the names of all your existing tables. Press [PF8] to page the directory forward and [PF7] to page backward.

You can browse through the directory of another user if the user has given you a passkey to do so. For information on passkeys, see the chapter "Granting Access to Tables", and the chapter "Passkey Screens". To list another user's directory, enter the user's ID in the Table Owner field, leaving the Table Name field blank.

Selecting a Table

To select an existing table:

Type the table name in the Table Name field. If the table is owned by another user, type the user's ID in the Table Owner field.
Type any character next to the name of a table listed in the directory, whether you are displaying your directory or another user's directory.

When you select an existing table, you can select any activity that you have passkey authorization to perform.

Tables in Folders

When CA-ICMS is installed, the ASF directory can include folders as well as data tables. Data tables can be placed in folders through CA-ICMS. Folders are indicated by three periods (...) after a listed item. The following considerations apply to the use of folders in ASF:

When you select a folder from the directory, the folder's access path is displayed in the Table Name field and the contents of the folder are listed in the directory.
As you move down the levels of a folder, ASF adds to the access path displayed in the Table Name field. If the access path exceeds 64 characters, the Table Name field displays the minimum path needed to uniquely identify the folder or table selected.
You can redisplay the prior directory level of a folder by pressing [PA1].
You can select a table within a folder by finding the table in the directory and selecting it, or by entering an access path that identifies the table in the Table Name field.
When creating a new table through ASF, you cannot add it to a folder. You can include tables in folders only through CA-ICMS.

Leaving a Table

Once a table is selected, the directory is no longer displayed. To redisplay the directory and cancel the table selection, press [PA1].

A sample directory is illustrated below. Note that the directory includes two folders, which are indicated by three periods (...) after the folder name.

Table Directory with Folders

CA Table Name.: Table Owner: SNELL Page: 1 of 1 _ APPLICANT _ BUDGET _ EMPLOYEE _ MONTHLY REPORTS... _ PERSONNEL...