Managing C-ISAM Metadata

Creating Synonyms

How to:

Create a Synonym

Reference:

Synonym Creation Parameters for AccuCobol C-ISAM, Informix C-ISAM, Micro Focus C-ISAM, and FairCom c-tree ISAM

Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each C-ISAM file or view that is accessible from the server. Synonyms are useful because they hide the underlying data source's location and identity from client applications. They also provide support for extended metadata features of the server, such as virtual fields and additional security mechanisms.

Using synonyms allows an object to be moved or renamed while allowing client applications to continue functioning without modification. The only modification required is a redefinition of the synonym on the server. The result of creating a synonym is a Master File that represents the server's metadata.

Procedure: How to Create a Synonym

From the Web Console sidebar, click Applications or Connect to Data.

The Applications page opens.
If you started from the Applications page, right-click an application folder, point to New, and click Synonym on the context menu.

The Connect to Data page opens.
On the Configured list, click the down arrow next to a connection for the configured adapter, or right-click a connection.
Depending on the type of adapter you chose, one of the following options appears on the context menu.
- Show DBMS objects. This opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
- Create metadata objects. This opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
- Show files. This opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
- Show local files. This opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
Enter values for the parameters required by the adapter as described in the chapter for your adapter.
After entering the parameter values, click the highlighted button on the ribbon.

The button may be labeled Next, Create Synonym, Create Base Synonyms, Create Cluster Synonym, or Update Base Synonyms.

The synonym creation process for most adapters has been consolidated so that you can enter all necessary parameters on one page. However, for some adapters such as LDAP, you must click Next buttons until you get to a page that has a Create Synonym button.

The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory.

Note: When creating a synonym, if you choose the Validate check box (where available), the server adjusts special characters and checks for reserved words. For more information, see Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words.

Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for AccuCobol C-ISAM, Informix C-ISAM, Micro Focus C-ISAM, and FairCom c-tree ISAM

The following list describes the parameters for which you will need to supply values, and related tasks you will need to complete in order to create a synonym for the adapter. These options may appear on multiple panes. To advance from pane to pane, click the buttons provided, ending with the Create Synonym button, which generates the synonym based on your entries.

Collection of COBOL definitions

Directory path

Specify the path to the directory containing multiple COBOL files.

File name

File extension

If you wish to limit retrieval, you can enter a file name and/or file extension:

In the File name box, enter a full name or a partial name with a wildcard symbol %. A full name returns just that entry. A name with a wildcard symbol may return many entries.
In the File extension box, enter an extension with or without the wildcard symbol %.

Location of data files

Directory path

Enter the path to the directory containing multiple data files.

File name

File extension

If you wish to limit retrieval, you can enter a file name and/or file extension:

In the File name box, enter a full name or a partial name with a wildcard symbol %. A full name returns just that entry. A name with a wildcard symbol may return many entries.
In the File extension box, enter an extension with or without the wildcard symbol %.
Note: Filtering data files based on file extensions is not supported in the Adapter for Informix C-ISAM.

Synonym field names processing options

Validate

Select the Validate check box if you wish to convert all special characters to underscores and perform a name check to prevent the use of reserved names. (This is accomplished by adding numbers to the names.) This parameter ensures that names adhere to specifications. See Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words for more information.

When the Validate option is unchecked, only the following characters are converted to underscores: '-'; ' '; ' \'; '/'; ','; '$'. No checking is performed for names.

Make unique

Select the Make unique check box if you wish to set the scope for field and group names to the entire synonym. This ensures that no duplicate names are used, even in different segments of the synonym. When this option is unchecked, the scope is the segment.

Customize options

Optionally, select Customize COBOL FD conversion options to customize how the COBOL FD is translated. If you do not select the check box, default translation settings are applied.

For more information, see Customization Options for COBOL File Descriptions.

Application

Select an application directory. The default value is baseapp.

Prefix/Suffix

If you have tables with identical table names, assign a prefix or a suffix to distinguish them. For example, if you have identically named human resources and payroll tables, assign the prefix HR to distinguish the synonyms for the human resources tables. Note that the resulting synonym name cannot exceed 64 characters.

If all tables and views have unique names, leave the prefix and suffix fields blank.

Overwrite Existing Synonyms

To specify that this synonym should overwrite any earlier synonym with the same fully qualified name, select the Overwrite existing synonyms check box.

Note: The connected user must have operating system write privileges in order to recreate a synonym.

Default Synonym Name

This column displays the name that will be assigned to each synonym. To assign a different name, replace the displayed value.

Select tables

Select tables for which you wish to create synonyms:

To select all tables in the list, select the Select All check box.
To select specific tables, select the corresponding check boxes.

Choose Data file name

After choosing tables, choose the corresponding data file name from the drop-down list:

For AccuCobol C-ISAM, Micro Focus CISAM and Faircom c-tree ISAM, choose the file name without an extension.
For Informix C-ISAM, choose the file name with the extension.idx.

Reference: Managing Synonyms

Once you have created a synonym, you can right-click the synonym name in the Adapter navigation pane of either the Web Console or the Data Management Console to access the available options.

For a list of options, see Synonym Management Options.

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