Modifying a Variable of a Transaction

It is used to display or modify all the characteristics of this variable.

Displayed data

Format

Format of the line on which the variable is located.

Line
Column

Location of the first character of the variable.

Data entry

Name

Name of the variable.

This name must be a valid variable name (as defined by IBM).

If the variable was placed from the album, this field is directly generated from the database.

If this field is not filled-in, the system retains the short name when the dialog box is validated.

This field is protected when the variable is a system variable (time, date, program name, etc.).

Description

Description clearly identifying the variable.

Length: 50 characters maximum.

If the variable was placed from the album, this field is directly generated from the database.

This field is protected when the variable is a system variable (time, date, program name, etc.).

Short name

Short name of the variable.

This name must be a valid short name (as defined by IBM).

Length: 10 characters maximum.

If the variable was placed from the album, this field is directly generated from the database.

This field is protected when the variable is a system variable (time, date, program name, etc.).

Mandatory entry.

Length

Length of the variable.

If the variable was placed from the album, this field is directly generated from the database.

A numeric variable can have 63 digits maximum.

An alphanumeric variable can have a maximum length which will fit it entirely in the transaction (79 or 131 characters, according to the type of screen).

This field is protected when the variable is a system variable (time, date, program name, etc.).

Mandatory entry.

Decimals

For alphanumeric variables this field is empty and protected.

For numeric variables this field can contain a digit from "0" to "63".

This field is protected when the variable is a system variable (time, date, program name, etc.).

Edit word

This field is used to specify the display format of the variable in the form of a "word".

This field can only be accessed for numeric variables.

An edit word cannot be entered if an edit code was selected.

Click here for more details on edit words.

Reference property

This field specifies the conceptual property which the variable refers to.

This name must be a valid reference property name (as defined by IBM).

It must exist in the database of the environment.

If a reference property is specified, by default the variable takes all the characteristics of the reference conceptual property.

Lists

Edit code

This field is used to specify a code corresponding to a display format of the variable. These codes are available in the list box.

If the edit code is "Y" (date), the length of the field must range between 3 to 7 characters.

The variable must entirely fit the screen, while taking into account the edit code or the edit word.

An edit code cannot be selected if an edit word was specified.

Click here for more details on edit codes.

Date format

Format of the date:

Possible values:

By default: *ISO.

The field is only visible if the Type is "Date".

Logical origin

Entity name

Description

Name and description of the origin logical entity.

Property name

Description

Name and description of the origin logical property.

Buttons

Define logical origin

Modify logical origin

This button opens a dialog box which is used to modify the logical origin of a variable.

Cut logical origin

This button cuts the link existing between the current variable and the Logical Data Model (LDM), after confirmation. The variable then becomes a user-defined variable.

If this button is activated, then the Logical origin and Management rules buttons are deactivated.

Management rules

This button opens a dialog box which is used to display or modify the use of the management rules assigned to the current variable.

Field-level help

This button opens a dialog box which is used to display, create or modify the characteristics of field-level help.

This button is only active if field-level help was authorized at the program level.

Values

This button opens a dialog box which is used to display or modify the values of a variable.

Styles

This button opens a dialog box which is used to display or modify the styles of a variable.

Graphical attributes

This button opens a dialog box which is used to display or modify the graphical attributes of a variable, for PC generation.

Other parameters

This button opens a dialog box which is used to display, create or modify the other parameters.

Enter/Modify (validation)

The Enter button (in display mode) closes the dialog box.

The Modify button (in modification mode) validates the modifications made in the dialog box, as well as the ones made in the following dialog boxes:

• • Modify values (of a variable),

  • Modify the styles (of a variable),

  • Modify the field graphical attributes,

after a verification of their validity.

The various fields of the dialog box are verified. If all are valid, the variable definition is updated in the database before the dialog box is closed; otherwise, an error message is displayed.

Cancel

In display mode, this button closes the dialog box.

In modification mode, this button closes the dialog box without validating the modifications made in the dialog box, nor the ones made in the following dialog boxes:

• • Modify values (of a variable),

  • Modify the styles (of a variable),

  • Modify the field graphical attributes,

Keyboard shortcut: Esc.

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