The table below describes the attributes for the File Dictionary.
| # | Attribute | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | item-ID | Symbolic name used to refer to this attribute. This name is used to reference the defined attribute. This name is not necessarily what displays on the reports (see substitute-header below). Each attribute-defining item in a file must have a unique attribute name. | |
| 1 | dictionary-code | Defines the type of dictionary item. For a file dictionary file-defining item, this must be an a, although s for synonym is sometimes used to distinguish between primary and alternate attribute-defining items. | |
| 2 | attribute-count | The attribute-number within the item being defined (for example, attribute #nn). There are some default attribute numbers available for special use: | |
| 0 - References the Item-ID. | |||
| 9998 - Returns the current item counter (nnth item processed). | |||
| 9999 - Returns the current item size. | |||
| 3 | substitute-header | The descriptive name used by the Update Processor and AQL report headings. If left null, the item-ID is used as the column heading. To create multiline headings, separate each line with a value mark (]). If no heading is desired, enter a backslash (\) as the substitute header. | |
| 4 | structure | The controlling and dependent
structure code. The attribute value begins with either a c, d, or it is empty. c is followed
by the attribute numbers of the associated dependent attribute and d is followed by the controlling attribute number. This
establishes internal relationships within a file. Each MultiValue
for the controlling attribute is linked to and controls the corresponding
values for a dependent attribute. The code c specifies
the controller and d specifies the controlled. The
usage format is: c; attrib#; attrib#;... d; attrib# |
|
| 5-6 | Reserved | ||
| 7 | output-conversion | The processing codes that modify the data after it is sorted or selected prior to output. These codes are executed only if there is a non-null value in the attribute. | |
| 8 | correlative | The processing codes that modify the data before it is sorted or selected. The correlative is performed first, then the data is sorted or selected. The output-conversion is performed, and then the data is output. These codes are executed regardless of whether there is a value in the attribute when the item is filed (written), regardless of whether the item is updated using FlashBASIC or Update Processor. | |
| 9 | attribute-type | Data output formatting codes can be one of the following: | |
| l | Left align/attribute 10 limits/no break—Data is left aligned,
presented in a column width specified by attribute 10. If the data
width exceeds the column width, wrap the data in successive rows. ......................... now is the time ......................... now is the time for all g ood men to come to me |
||
| lx | Left align/expand column/word break—Data is left aligned.
Disregard the attribute 10 column width and make a new column width
based on the available space remaining in the display (specified by
the term width), dividing it evenly between the other x output displays. If the data width exceeds the column
width, wrap the data in successive rows, initiating the wrap at the
space character. ......................... now is the time ......................... now is the time for all good men to come to me |
||
| n | Right align/ignore attribute 10/no break—(Numeric specification–obsolete)
Data is right aligned. Ignore the attribute 10 column width and overwrite
the adjacent columns, if necessary. Data is truncated only when it
hits the term width limit. Data does not wrap in successive rows. ...................
now is the time
......................
now is the time for all good men to come to me
|
||
| r | Right align/ignore attribute 10/no break—Data is right aligned.
Ignore the attribute 10 column width and overwrite the adjacent columns
if necessary. Data is truncated only when it hits the term width limit.
Data does not wrap in successive rows. ...................
now is the time
......................
now is the time for all good men to come to me
|
||
| rx | Right align/expand and ignore column/no break—Data is right
aligned. Disregard the attribute 10 column width and make a new column
width based on the available space remaining in the display (specified
by the term width), dividing it evenly between the other x output
displays. Ignore the new column width anyway, and overwrite the adjacent
columns if necessary. Data is truncated only when it hits the term
width limit. Data does not wrap in successive rows. ...................
now is the time
......................
now is the time for all good men to come to me
|
||
| t | Left align/attribute 10/word break—(Text specification) Data
is left aligned, presented in a column width specified by attribute
10. If the data width exceeds the column width, wrap the data in successive
rows, initiating the wrap at the space character. ......................... now is the time ......................... now is the time for all good men to come to me |
||
| tx | Left align/expand column/word break—(Same as lx) Data is left aligned. Disregard the attribute 10 column width and
make a new column width based on the available space remaining in
the display (specified by the term width), dividing
it evenly between the other x output displays. If
the data width exceeds the column width, wrap the data in successive
rows, initiating the wrap at the space character. ......................... now is the time ......................... now is the time for all good men to come to me |
||
| u | Left align/ignore attribute 10/no break—Data is left aligned.
Ignore the attribute 10 column width and overwrite the adjacent columns
if necessary. Data is truncated only when it hits the term width limit.
Data does not wrap in successive rows. If the text is wider than the
display column width, cascade data into the adjacent column to the
right. ......................... now is the time ......................... now is the time for all good men to come to me |
||
| ux | Left align/expand and ignore column/no break—Data is left
aligned. Disregard the attribute 10 column width and make a new column
width based on the available space remaining in the display (specified
by the term width), dividing it evenly between the
other x output displays. Ignore the new column width
anyway, and overwrite the adjacent columns if necessary. Data is truncated
only when it hits the term width limit. Data does not wrap in successive
rows. ......................... now is the time ......................... now is the time for all good men to come to me |
||
| w | Output processor is attribute or noncolumnar. Process this attribute through the Output processor before displaying. Any valid Output processor dot (.) command can follow this code. Dot commands following the w are prefixed to the attribute. The attribute itself may contain embedded Output processor dot commands. A second value here can contain dot commands to be performed after the attribute is output. The Output processor .char command is used to output unprintable characters and D3 segment, value, MultiValue, and subvalue marks. For example, w.c.bf centers text and makes it boldface (].xbf turns off the boldface after it outputs the attribute). This code only works for noncolumnar formats. It reverts to code l for columnar reports. |
||
| ww | Output processor all attributes to end of item or noncolumnar. Process all attributes from the current attribute through the end of the item through Output processor before displaying. Any valid Output processor dot command may follow this code. Dot commands following the w are prefixed to the attribute. The following attributes themselves may contain embedded Output processor dot commands. A second value here may contain dot commands to be performed after the attributes are output. As an example, w.c.bf centers text and makes it boldface. w.c.bf].xbf.skip2 centers the first line of text, turns on boldface, prints the text. At the end of the text, turns off boldface and prints two blank lines. This code only works for noncolumnar formats. It reverts to code l for columnar reports. If the justification code is unrecognizable, it defaults to the l code. |
||
| 10 | column-width | Defines the number of characters that are to be displayed on one line. If the number of characters in the substitute heading (attribute-defining item attribute 3) exceeds the column width, the column width is expanded to the heading size. If the number of characters in the heading is less than the column width, the heading is padded with periods to fill the column width. If the attribute data is wider than this, then it displays according to the justification directions (attribute 9). | |
| 11-13 | (Reserved) | ||
| 14 | input-conversion | Processing codes applied at data entry time. Processing codes can be used to validate data entry, as well as transform data before storing it. This attribute is only used with Update Processor. | |
| 15 | macro | The information in this attribute is used to pass an attribute name list to Update Processor when zooming to another item. The values named in this attribute are separated by spaces—not punctuation. These secondary file attribute names are used in a zoom when input-conversion of the same attribute-defining item has a translate to a secondary file. If the specified attribute name does not exist in the dictionary, it is ignored. | |
| 16 | Reserved | ||
| 17 | description | Contains a description of this attribute use. When using Update Processor, typing ? and pressing ENTER displays this field as online help. It is usually the application programmer who enters information into this attribute. | |
| 18-29 | (Reserved) | ||