Group definition

To display the content of this section, you must select a group call in the list of called elements. A group is a set of elementary Data Elements. In the Group definition section, you indicate the name and label of the group, and other options such as occurs, sort, and redefines (optional). Click More if you want to indicate subschemas for the group. You can also define or modify the -G lines of the group from this section.

A group is a set of elementary Data Elements. You can add up to 99 elementary Data Elements to a group, on nine different levels maximum. A group can include other groups. All elementary elements are then counted to define the group. A group can also include one or more Segments. Each Segment called in a group is considered as an elementary Data Element. The group Data Element can be defined at the repository level. If so, its length is automatically recalculated (sum of the lengths of the elementary Data Elements) regardless of its repository format. If the group is used as a key (sort key or access key), then the combined formats of the elementary Data Elements must still be compatible with the format you have indicated for the group. When you create a group, it does not contain any elementary Data Element, it is empty. You must add the Data Elements to the group then.

Name
Enter the code of the group. It is free, but cannot exceed 6 characters. You can change the group code or label at any moment, after the group is created.
Label
Enter a label of the group. It is free but cannot exceed 36 characters. You can change the group label at any moment after the group is created.
Occurs
This field represents the OCCURS clause of an elementary Data Element, a group, or a filler. The restrictions of the COBOL OCCURS clause apply.
Sort key
This field identifies all the Data Elements that can be used as control break sort keys, or as access keys to a file, a database or a Pactables Table.
Note: It is advised to dedicate a Segment to only one type of use. Each Data Element that can belong to a sort key must be referenced by a unique alphabetic or numeric character. It is advised to reference the indicators by a series (1, 2, 3 for example). The actual sort sequence is selected at the Program level (on the -CD Lines tab).
You must not forget that the format of key group Data Elements must have been entered in the repository or at the Segment level.
Table 1. Possible values of the sort key for Pactables
Value Comments
U References the access key for a Table. This value must be indicated on the group Data Element if it is a group key.
S Indicates that the Data Element belongs to at least one subsystem.
Table 2. Possible values of the sort key for DL/1 databases
Values Comments
U References a unique key for a DL/1 database.
M References a multiple key for a DL/1 database.
1 - 9 Secondary index All other values designate a search field.
Table 3. Possible values of the sort key for AS400 and relational databases
Values Comments
0 - 9 AS400 physical file key. relational databases
V Variable length column
Blank Fixed-length column
W For DB2® SQL, SQL/DS and ORACLE, generation of a variable length column (VARCHAR).
L For DB2 SQL, SQL/DS and ORACLE, generation of a LONG VARCHAR.
Note: Sort keys are not authorized on Data Elements redefining other Data Elements.
Redefines
Redefinition is possible within a Segment or Logical View. It generates the COBOL REDEFINES clause. The Data Element that contains this option redefines the Data Element of the same COBOL level that precedes it in the -CE lines. If a Data Element that redefines another Data Element is contained in a group, it is considered to be an elementary Data Element. It must be taken into account in the calculation of the number of Data Elements that are contained in a group (except for DL/1 database Segments).
Note: When Data Elements are redefined, their respective lengths are not taken into account. It is your responsibility. The redefined Data Element length is used for the address calculation. Redefined Data Elements are ignored when generating for the Database Description function. If the Redefines box is checked, no initial value can be entered.
To redefine a Data Element, select the Redefines option. A Set of Redefines line is created in the -CE lines. It contains the redefined Data Element and the preceding Data Element of the same level in the tree structure. You must then define the Occurs option in the Set of Redefines section.

More

Click More to open a wizard where you indicate controls on the group call or specify the subschema that the group belongs to.
Note: To open this wizard, you can also click the button that appears when you click the columns Values/Subfunction, and Update target in the table of the tab.

-G Lines

Click -G Lines to define -GC lines for the element that is called in the Segment.


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