Browse on Data Dictionary Tables

Report Writer > Browses > Browse on Data Dictionary Tables

Browse on Data Dictionary Tables

You use this program to create and maintain your Report Writer data dictionary table definitions. The standard SYSPRO Tables, including SQL only tables, are imported through the Data Dictionary Import program, which is a prerequisite to using the Report Writer.

You use the Data Dictionary Table Listing program to print the details of data dictionary tables.

Toolbar and menu

Field	Description
Edit
Copy	Select this to make a copy of the table currently highlighted in the listview. See Copy.
Options
Only Show User Tables	Select this to display only user defined tables in the listview. Standard SYSPRO tables are not displayed.
Preferences
Hide Add Table Dialog	Select this if you do not want to display the standard message when you select the Add option to add a new table.
Functions
Column Maintenance	Select this to use the Browse on Data Dictionary Columns program to maintain the columns in the currently highlighted table.

Copy

This screen is displayed when you select the Copy option.

Field	Description
Copy from table	Indicate the table you want to copy to another table.
New table	This indicates the name of the new table that will be created. You can assign a new table name, or accept the default. The default is made up of the existing table name, with the text "Copy" added to the end of it. For example, copy from table `AdmEvent` displays a default new table name of `AdmEventCopy`.
New description	This indicates the description for the new table. You can assign a new description for the table, or accept the default. The default is made up of the existing table description, with the text "Copy" added to the end of it. For example, copy from table `AdmEvent` has a description of Event Management Log, so the default displays a table description of Event Management Log Copy.
Copy options
All columns	Select this to copy all the columns and the Table Definition to the new table.
Table definition only	Select this to copy only the Table Definition and not the columns. The definition contains the table name, description, type, record length, key length, disk file name and table level access.
Start Copying Table	Select this to create the new table as per your selections.
Cancel	Select this to return to the listview without copying a table.

Data Dictionary Table Maintenance

This screen is displayed when you select the Add or Change option.

Field Description

Table

Indicate the name of the table to create or change.

Once this name has been created it cannot be changed.

The standard SYSPRO table base names are preceded by an abbreviation of the SYSPRO module. For example, for the General Ledger Master Table, GenMaster is the table name and G/L Master is the table description.

Description

Enter the description for the table you entered in the previous field. This description can be changed at a later stage.

Standard SYSPRO table

This is only displayed for SYSPRO standard tables.

The table type cannot be changed for standard SYSPRO tables as they are determined by the company setup.

User defined table

Indicate the type of table to create.

These fields can only be accessed for user defined (created) tables and not for standard SYSPRO tables.

SQL database

A SQL table name can be defined against each logical Report Writer table.

Select this if the report writer table you are creating resides in a SQL database.

C-ISAM indexed

Select this to create a C-ISAM indexed file.

Indexed Files are utilized in exactly the same way as any SYSPRO standard tables, including sorting, updating and linking.

The maximum C-ISAM record length is 3000 characters with a maximum C-ISAM key length of 100 characters.

The default is 250 for the record length and 40 for the key length.

ASCII sequential

Select this to create an ASCII Sequential Table Type.

An ASCII Sequential file is the most common format used for transferring user defined text files from one system to another.

This file cannot contain multiple record types and can be sorted.

SQL/C-ISAM determined by company

This indicates a SQL/C-ISAM Table Type.

The standard SYSPRO tables are determined by the company setup, therefore this type is unavailable when adding a user defined table.

Record length

This is the number of characters required for the lines within the table.

You must enter the record length for all the C-ISAM and ASCII table types, in order to determine the size of the table.

The maximum C-ISAM record length is 3000 characters and the maximum ASCII record length is 9999 characters.

Key length

This is the number of characters occupied by the key column within the table.

You must enter the key length for all the C-ISAM table types, in order to determine the number of characters that make up each key. The maximum C-ISAM key length is 100 characters.

Define Primary Key

When adding user-defined tables, this function enables you to define the key parts (i.e. Columns) comprising the primary key that is created.

You can define up to 10 key parts to make up the primary key.


	If you want to update fields in a user-defined table using the Report Writer, then a unique primary key must be defined. If the key is not unique then the report will run, but no fields are updated. You do not have to define primary keys and key parts for standard SYSPRO tables, as these are already defined.

Disk file name

This is the physical disk file name for all the C-ISAM and ASCII table types.

If no path is specified, then the file is assumed to reside in the SYSPRO base directory.

SQL table name

Define a physical SQL Server table name or view against each logical Report Writer table.

You can only access this field if you selected SQL database at the User defined table option above.

This can be used to provide multiple links to the same physical table.

Table level access

Indicate the level of table access permitted.

The lowest permission held against the table/column is used. You can only select None or Read Only for sequential files.

The default should normally be set to Read only.

None Select this to prevent the table from being accessed by the Report Writer.

Read only Select this to enable reporting on the table, but prevent columns from being updated by the Report Writer.

Read/Write Select this to enable reporting on the table as well as to allow columns to be updated by the Report Writer. You are strongly advised to only assign Read/Write permission to tables that you know require updating.

Password

This enables you to assign a password for adding a table to a report (see Password System).

This password is requested when an operator attempts to add the table to a report.

Save Select this to save the information you entered.

Close Select this to return to the listview without saving the information you entered.

Listview columns

Column	Description
Table	This indicates the name of the table. The standard SYSPRO table base names are preceded by an abbreviation of the SYSPRO module.
Description	This indicates the description of the table and is used for identification purposes.
User	A 'Yes' in this column indicates that the table is a user defined table.
Access	This indicates the level of table access permitted. None indicates that the table cannot be accessed by the Report Writer. Read only indicates that the table can be read for reporting, but columns cannot be updated by the Report Writer. Read/Write indicates that the table can be read for reporting and columns can be updated by the Report Writer.
Table type	This indicates the table type as defined against the table.
Record length	This indicates the number of characters required for each line within the table.
Key length	This indicates the number of characters occupied by the key column within the table.
Disk file name	This indicates the physical disk file name for all the C-ISAM and ASCII table types.
SQL table name	This indicates the physical SQL server table name for the table.

Add a report writer data dictionary table

From the listview pane of the Browse on Data Dictionary Tables program, select Add from the Edit menu.

Optionally select the Add icon from the toolbar.
When you add a table, a screen displays additional information about adding tables.

You can prevent this screen from being displayed in one of the following ways:
- Select the 'Do not show this information again' option from the dialog screen.
- Select the Hide Add Table Dialog option from the Preferences menu of the listview.
Enter the table name and other information for the table you want to create.
Optionally define a password for the table using the Password function.
Select the Save function to save the table information you entered.

Select Close to return to the listview.


	If you are using SYSPRO in a SQL Server environment, you must also add the table to your SQL database. Refer to Report Writer Introduction for additional information.

Copy a report writer data dictionary table

From the Browse on Data Dictionary Tables program, highlight the table you want to copy.
Select the Copy option from the Edit menu.

Alternatively select the Copy icon from the toolbar.
Enter the details for the new table you are creating.
Select the Start Copying Table function to copy the selected table to the new table you defined.

Maintain columns for a report writer table

From the Browse on Data Dictionary Tables program, highlight the table for which you want to maintain the columns.
Select the Column Maintenance option from the Functions menu.
The Browse on Data Dictionary Columns program is loaded, enabling you to maintain the required columns for the selected table.

Display only user defined tables

From the listview pane of the Browse on Data Dictionary Tables program, select the Options menu.
Select the option: Only Show User Tables.

The list view now displays only user defined tables.

This option is only valid for the current run of the program. If you exit the program and then return to it, all tables are displayed in the listview.