Macro Attribute

The macro attribute identifies the default attribute-defining items used for input and output processing of the item.

Output from AQL commands use the output-macro attribute-defining item to identify the default attribute-defining items to be used for output display. If the output-macro is null, then the macro attribute-defining item is used.

In an attribute-defining item, with a remote index to another file, the attribute-defining items listed in the macro attribute are automatically passed to the Update Processor when zooming to the remote file. If no list of attribute-defining items exists in the macro attribute, the default macro in the target remote file is automatically used. In order to zoom (CTRL+G) to another file, the input attribute-defining item must be defined with either an index or a translate to the remote file.

Example(s)

The following example of an attribute-defining item shows the default attributes to be used by the Update Processor when zooming to another file.

ud filename vendor

dictionary-code a

modulo 1

structure

retrieval-lock

update-lock

output-conversion

correlative

attribute-type l

input-conversion ivendor;a1

macro vendor.name vendor.address vendor.zip (i

output-macro

output-conversion

description

If CTRL+G is pressed when in data entry mode on the vendor attribute of the specified file name, the Update Processor zooms to the vendor file and displays the attributes vendor.name, vendor.address, and vendor.zip.

The i option displays the item-ID of the file along with the specified attributes.

If no attribute-defining items are defined, when CTRL+G is pressed, the Update Processor uses the attributes defined on the macro attribute in the file-defining item of the vendor file.

From TCL the item-ID displays in the update screen:

u entity name address zip (i

From the output-macro on file-defining item the item-ID does not display on output reports.

output-macro definition = name address zip (i

list entity

This produces a listing of name address zip with no item-IDs.