DataMigrator/Reporting Server > Using the Adapter for Millennium > Managing Millennium Metadata

Managing Millennium Metadata

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When the server accesses a data source, it needs to know how to interpret the data stored there. For each data source the server will access, you create a synonym that describes the structure of the data source and the server mapping of the Millennium data types.

Creating Synonyms

How to:

Reference:

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Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each Millennium 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

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

    The Applications page opens.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.
  4. Enter values for the parameters required by the adapter as described in the chapter for your adapter.
  5. 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 Millennium

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.

COBOL FD Selection Options

File System

Select one of the following from the drop-down list:

  • Fully qualified PDS name to enter a fully qualified MVS Library in the entry box.
  • Absolute HFS directory pathname to enter the HFS location that contains the COBOL FD.
PDS name or Directory name

Depending on your selection for File System, enter the fully qualified PDS name or absolute directory path that contains the COBOL FD.

Member Name or File Name

Depending on your selection for File System, enter the member name or file that contains the COBOL FD.

You can enter a string for filtering these names, inserting the wildcard character (%) as needed at the beginning and/or end of the string. For example, enter ABC% to select names which begin with the letters ABC; %ABC to select names which end with the letters ABC; %ABC% to select names which contain the letters ABC at the beginning, middle, or end.

File Extension

If you selected Absolute HFS directory pathname as the file system, enter the extension of the file that contains the COBOL FD.

Select Files and Synonym Names

For each file that you want to map using a COBOL FD, check the box next to the appropriate file name. Select the check box in the table heading to select all files. You can edit the default synonym names. Enter a cluster name to associate it with a particular metadata description. The cluster name is embedded in the Master File. If you do not enter the cluster name during the synonym creation process, you will have to add it dynamically at run time.

Additional 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

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.

Example: Creating a Synonym for a Millennium Data Source

Use the following steps to create a synonym for the DBVSAM01data source:

  1. From the Data Adapters page, click Millennium and select Create Synonym from the pop-up menu. (You can also start from the Metadata page by clicking a Millennium connection.)
  2. Enter the following information about the COBOL FD for the file system you use:
    • If you select Fully qualified PDS name, enter the name of the PDS that contains the COBOL FD and the member name of the COBOL FD.
    • If you select Absolute HFS directory pathname enter the path to the COBOL FD and its file name and extension.
  3. Select the COBOL FD to use (in this example DBVSAM01). You can accept the default synonym name, which is the same as the COBOL FD file name, or edit the Default Synonym Name column.
  4. Enter the cluster name in the Dataset Location column. For example:
    user1.dbvsam01.cluster
  5. Click Create Synonym.

    You should get a message indicating that the synonym was created successfully.

  6. To view the Master File created, go to the Metadata page, open the application under which you created the synonym, click the synonym name, and select Edit as Text from the context menu. This example resulted in the following Master File:
    FILENAME=DBVSAM01, SUFFIX=CPMILL  , $
DATASET=user1.dbvsam01.cluster, $
  SEGMENT=SEG1, SEGTYPE=S0, $
$  GROUP=COUNTRY, ALIAS=E1, USAGE=A24, ACTUAL=A24, $
    FIELDNAME=COUNTRY_CODE, ALIAS=E2, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=COUNTRY_NAME, ALIAS=E3, USAGE=A16, ACTUAL=A16, $

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.

Reference: Customization Options for COBOL File Descriptions

You can customize how a COBOL FD is translated by selecting Customize options in the Synonym creation pane. The following options are added to the right pane:

Parameter

Definition

xOn Error

Choose:

  • Continue to continue generating the Master File when an error occurs. Continue is the default value.
  • Abort to stop generating the Master File when an error occurs.
  • Comment to produce a commented Master File when an error occurs.

xHyphens as

Choose:

  • No to remove all hyphens in the COBOL name from the Master File field names.
  • Yes to replace all hyphens in the COBOL name with the underscore character. Yes is the default value.

xRedefines

You may treat COBOL REDEFINE fields in one of three ways. Choose:

  • Segments to describe REDEFINE fields as segments in the Master File. Segments is the default value.
  • Comments to describe REDEFINE fields as comments in the Master File.
  • None to exclude REDEFINE fields altogether.

xOccurs as

Choose Segments to describe OCCURS structures as segments. Otherwise, choose Field. Segments is the default value.

xAlignment

Choose:

  • Yes to insert slack bytes into a record to ensure alignment of numeric fields.
  • No to generate Master Files without alignment of slack bytes. No is the default value.

xNumber of Hyphens to skip

FD Translator removes characters from the left, up to and including the Nth hyphen (depending on the value of N chosen in the menu).

  • 0 retains the entire COBOL name. 0 is the default value.
  • All removes all prefixes.

xOrder fields

Choose:

  • Yes to generate Order fields in a Master File.
  • No to generate a Master File without Order fields. No is the default value.

xLevel 88 as

Choose:

  • Comment to include COBOL Level 88 fields as comments in the Master Files.
  • Skip to exclude level 88 fields. Skip is the default value.

xZoned Numeric Fields

Sets how zoned numeric values will be stored.

Numeric Field Edit Options

xZeroes

Choose:

  • Suppress to suppress printing of the digit zero for a field whose value is zero.
  • Display to display leading zeroes, for example, 00124.
  • None for no formatting.

xNegative value

Choose:

  • Bracket to bracket negative values, for example, (1234).
  • Credit to credit negative values, for example, 1234 CR.
  • None for no formatting.

xDollar Sign

Choose:

  • Floating to display a floating dollar sign and commas, for example, $1,123.
  • Fixed to display a fixed dollar sign and commas, for example, $ 1,123.
  • None for no formatting.

xSeparate Thousands

Choose:

  • Comma to include commas where appropriate.
  • None for no formatting.

For additional information about customization options, see Translating COBOL File Descriptions.

Example: Sample COBOL FD 

  01 COUNTRY-REC.
     02 G1.
        03  COUNTRY_COD1   PIC X(5).
        03  FILLER         PIC X(3).
      02  COUNTRY_NAM1   PIC X(15).
      02  FILLER         PIC X(1).

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