Redefining, Regenerating, and Deleting Tables › Regenerating Tables

Regenerating Tables

Effecting Changes

After you modify the table definition, you must regenerate the table before the changes will take effect. To regenerate the table, select the Generate function on the Table Definition screen. Regenerating a table involves some or all of:

• Updating the record and element definitions in the data dictionary
• Modifying the schema
• Regenerating the subschema
• Regenerating the map and dialog
• Restructuring the data in the database

Regeneration Can be Expensive

Because regeneration potentially involves extensive processing on ASF's part, use some constraint in the frequency with which you redefine and regenerate data tables.

Any action causing a data conversion during table regeneration causes the data to be restructured. This can take a considerable amount of time, particularly for tables with a large number of rows. Since restructuring the data involves copying the entire table, the amount of space required should also be considered when regenerating tables with large amounts of data.

Regenerate with No Restructure

You can choose to regenerate the table definition without restructuring the table data. To obtain this definition-only regeneration, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the Process Standard Area Data field on the Extended Table Definition screen is set to NO. This causes ASF to modify only the table definition, when the Generate function is invoked. Note that you must have administrative authority to access this field.
2. Select the Generate function from the Table Definition screen. ASF will now regenerate the table definition and return a status of GENERATED.
3. Prepare the area for new data as follows:
   • If there is only one table in the area, use the formatting utility (FORMAT) to reinitialize the area. FORMAT is documented in CA IDMS Utilities Guide.
   • If there is more than one table in the area, run MAINTAIN ASF to erase the table data.

Reloading Data

Now, you can optionally reload the table data. The steps you follow to reload the table depend on the facilities you choose to use:

• To reload data by using MAINTAIN ASF:
  1. Run MAINTAIN ASF to reload the data, as documented in the chapter "MAINTAIN ASF".
  2. Invoke the ASFOOAKD dialog to update the table definition with the new location of the table data. You must supply the appropriate table definition number when you invoke this dialog.
• To reload data by using ASF screens, CA Culprit, CA OLQ or supported PC software:
  1. Invoke the ASFOOAKD dialog to update the table definition with the new location of the data table.
  2. Reload the table with the appropriate facility.