Dictionaries |
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Every data file normally has an associated dictionary which describes the structure of the data records in the file. The dictionary is normally only used by the query processor and a few other commands. Application developers may find it useful to construct data structure definitions from the dictionary for use in programs using the GENERATE command.
It is possible to create a file that has no dictionary or for multiple files to share a common dictionary.
A dictionary contains the following types of record, identified by the leading characters of field 1.
The names given to A, D, I and S-type dictionary records are the names used in queries to reference the field. Every field to be used in query processor sentences must have a corresponding dictionary record. There may be multiple dictionary references to a single field thus allowing synonyms for query processor commands, perhaps with different default display characteristics.
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