Integrated Data Dictionary Mapping Entities › Data Dictionary Entities Used by the Mapping Compilers › Table Occurrences

Table Occurrences

Table occurrences stored in the data dictionary define edit and code tables that are used by the automatic editing feature of the CA IDMS mapping facility. Edit tables contain lists of single values and/or ranges of values against which data field values in a map are verified. Code tables contain lists of values according to which data field values are encoded and record element values are decoded.

Types of Tables

Three types of edit and code tables exist in the data dictionary:

• A built-in table is created by the EDIT/CODE TABLE clause in either the RECORD ELEMENT or the COBOL substatement of the DDDL RECORD statement. A built-in table is associated with an individual record element in the dictionary.
• A linked stand-alone table is created by the DDDL ADD TABLE statement of CA-IDD. A stand-alone table is not associated with a particular record element in the dictionary. The term linked indicates that a copy of such a table is incorporated into the map load module.
• An unlinked stand-alone table is created and generated by the DDDL ADD TABLE statement of CA IDD. A stand-alone table is not associated with a particular record element in the dictionary. The term unlinked indicates that such a table is dynamically loaded as a separate load module at program runtime.

A built-in table is also called a tightly coupled table since the table is associated with an individual record element in the dictionary. A stand-alone table is also called a loosely coupled table since the table is not associated with a particular record element in the dictionary.

Considerations

A table can be modified or deleted at any time by an authorized user once the table is established in the data dictionary. The following considerations apply to the modification or deletion of a table occurrence:

• When a built-in table is modified, any map load modules that use the record element in which the table is defined must be recompiled. This step is necessary because an element and its tables are incorporated into map load modules that specify the element. It is not necessary to recompile dialogs or programs that use the recompiled maps.
• When a linked stand-alone table is modified, any maps that use the table must be recompiled. This step is necessary because a linked stand-alone table is incorporated into map load modules that specify the table. It is not necessary to recompile dialogs or programs that use the recompiled maps.
• When an unlinked stand-alone table is modified, it is not necessary to recompile maps that access the table.

Notes:

• For more information about edit and code tables, see the appendix "Generating Edit and Code Tables."
• For more information about the DDDL RECORD or ADD TABLE statements, see the CA IDMS IDD DDDL Reference Guide.