CA Culprit in the CA IDMS/DB Environment › KEY and KEYFILE Parameters › Purpose

Purpose

KEY and KEYFILE parameters are optional parameters that identify unique key values CA Culprit uses to access the first record (that is, the entry record) on the PATH parameter. CA Culprit accesses only those record occurrences that contain the specified key values rather than each record as it is encountered in the database.

The following types of key values can be specified on KEY and KEYFILE parameters:

• Database keys
• Index keys
• CALC keys
• Logical record keys
• Table keys

KEY and KEYFILE Differences

KEY and KEYFILE parameters differ in how key values are specified. The KEY parameter specifies actual key values; the KEYFILE parameter identifies characteristics of a sequential file that contains key values.

Both parameters can be specified in the same CA Culprit run and perform the following functions:

• Select database entry record occurrences with specified key values. CA Culprit accesses the database record occurrences directly by the key value.
• Establish key values that can be used to select logical records or rows of a table.

  KEY-VALUE, the keyword that can be referenced in the WHERE clause on the PATH or INPUT parameter, automatically assumes the value established by the KEY or KEYFILE parameter. CA Culprit compares the key value to the criteria specified in the WHERE clause. If the key value meets the criteria, CA Culprit processes the logical record occurrence or table row. When no more logical record occurrences or rows meet the criteria, CA Culprit reads the next key value.

KEY and KEYFILE parameters are discussed separately in this chapter.