Managing NATURAL CICS Transactions Metadata

Creating Synonyms

How to:

Create a Synonym

Reference:

Synonym Creation Parameters for NATURAL CICS Transactions
Managing Synonyms
Access File Attributes

Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each transaction or procedure that is accessible from the server. Synonyms are useful because they hide the underlying transaction or procedure 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 the input parameters and the response layout to be moved while allowing client applications to continue functioning without modification. For example, moving a transaction or procedure from a test region to production. The result of creating a synonym is a Master File and an Access File, which represent the server metadata.

CREATE SYNONYM is based on Local, Parameters, and Global data areas retrieved from the NATURAL ADABAS system file. These areas describe input and output buffers processed by NATURAL programs. If the NATURAL program does not have parameters, or if there are no NATURAL data areas that describe buffers, the CREATE SYNONYM command creates only template Master and Access Files.

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 NATURAL CICS Transactions

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.

Natural System/User file with program libraries:

Data base ID

The database ID.

File number

A number that identifies the Natural System system file.

File password

If set, the password associated with the Natural system file.

Mask for library names

Natural library with Natural programs.

Enter a string for filtering library names, inserting the wildcard character (%) at the beginning and/or end of the string.

For example, enter ABC% to display libraries whose names begin with the letters ABC; %ABC to display libraries whose names end with the letters ABC; %ABC% to display libraries whose names contain the letters ABC at the beginning, middle, or end; or % to display all libraries.

Mask for program names

The mask for returning a list of program name from which to choose. Enter a string for filtering program names, inserting the wildcard character (%) at the beginning and/or end of the string.

Program names

Choose a program from the drop-down list.

No data area available

Check this box if your data is defined in either a local data area or a parameter data area. For more information, see the Software AG documentation on data area.

Note: If you check this box, you are re-prompted for database, file and password information on the next Create Synonym pane.

Leave this box unchecked if you are not using defined data.

Natural System/User file with data area definitions:

Data base ID

The database ID.

File number

A number that identifies the Natural System user file.

File password

If set, the password associated with the Natural system file.

Mask for the library names

The mask for returning a list of libraries from which to choose the one containing local/global data areas that describe the program's parameters.

Mask for the Data Area names

xEnter the mask for returning a list of the data areas from which you will chose the data area defining the program's parameters.

Natural library

Select a library from the drop-down list.

Synonym name

The name of the synonym. You can retain the current name or change it.

Changing a synonym name enables you to manage multiple synonym versions to reflect, for example, multiple environments, or synonyms with different application logic such as different sets of Master File DEFINE attributes.

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.

Input Data Area/Output Data Area

Specifies which data areas are for input parameters and which are for output parameters. You can specify the same data area as the source of both the input and output parameters.

Example: Generating a Synonym

The following example includes a NATURAL program and local data areas, with corresponding metadata.

IWAYIVPD NATURAL program:

DEFINE DATA
LOCAL USING NATTSTI /* INPUT PARMS FOR THE PROGRAM
LOCAL USING NATTSTO /* OUTPUT RECORD STRUCTURE
LOCAL
 1 #FUNC-TYPE
  2 #FUNC-GT (A2) INIT<'GT'>
  2 #FUNC-PT (A2) INIT<'PT'>
  2 #FUNC-LC (A2) INIT<'LC'>
  2 #FUNC-LI (A2) INIT<'LI'>
 1 #REQUEST-PARMS
  2 #FUNCTION (A2) /*GT,PT,LC,LI
  2 #OFFSET (I2) /*DATA OFFSET OF INPUT/OUTPUT
  2 #LENGTH (I2) /*LENGTH OF DATA TO GET OR PUT
  2 #RESPONSE-CODE (I4)
 1 EMPLOY-VIEW VIEW OF EMPLOYEES
  2 PERSONNEL-ID
  2 FIRST-NAME
  2 NAME
  2 MAR-STAT
  2 SEX
  2 BIRTH
  2 DEPT
  2 JOB-TITLE
  2 CURR-CODE(1:5)
  2 SALARY(N9/1:5)
 1 #ERROR-PARMS
  2 #NATPROG (A8)
  2 #NATMSG (A65)
  2 #NATERR (A7)
END-DEFINE

/* USE LI FUNCTION TO THE GET LENGTH OF INPUT PARAMETERS */
MOVE #FUNC-LI TO #FUNCTION
CALL 'AASSUBC' #REQUEST-PARMS
IF #LENGTH LT 16 /*REQUIRED FOR THIS PROGRAM*/
THEN TERMINATE
END-IF

/* USE GET FUNCTION TO RETRIEVE INPUT DATA PARMS */
MOVE 8 TO #LENGTH
MOVE 0 TO #OFFSET
MOVE #FUNC-GT TO #FUNCTION
CALL 'AASSUBC' #FUNCTION PERSONNEL-ID-FROM
CALL 'AASSUBC' #FUNCTION PERSONNEL-ID-TO
MOVE 0 TO #OFFSET
MOVE 145 TO #LENGTH
MOVE #FUNC-PT TO #FUNCTION
FIND ALL EMPLOY-VIEW WITH
  PERSONNEL-ID = PERSONNEL-ID-FROM THRU PERSONNEL-ID-TO
 IF NO RECORDS FOUND
  MOVE *PROGRAM TO #NATPROG
  MOVE ' REQUESTED EMPLOYEE NUMBERS NOT IN THE DATABASE' TO #NATMSG
  MOVE 80 TO #LENGTH
  MOVE #FUNC-PT TO #FUNCTION
  CALL 'AASSUBC' #FUNCTION #NATPROG
  TERMINATE
 END-NOREC
 /* CREATE OUTPUT RECORD
 MOVE BY NAME EMPLOY-VIEW TO OUTPUT-RECORD
 /* SEND OUPPUT RECORD
 CALL 'AASSUBC' #FUNCTION OUTPUT-RECORD.PERSONNEL-ID
END-FIND

ON ERROR
 MOVE *PROGRAM TO #NATPROG
 DECIDE FOR FIRST CONDITION
  WHEN *ERROR-NR = 1106
   MOVE ' EMPLOYEE NUMBER IS TOO LARGE. 8 BYTES IS '
   TO #NATMSG
   MOVE 'THE MAX' TO #NATERR
  WHEN *ERROR-NR = 3061
   MOVE ' INVALID EMPLOYEE NUMBER RANGE SPECIFIED '
   TO #NATMSG
   MOVE ' ' TO #NATERR
  WHEN NONE
   MOVE ' HAS DETECTED THE FOLLOWING ERROR NUMBER: '
   TO #NATMSG
   MOVE *ERROR-NR TO #NATERR
 END-DECIDE
 MOVE 80 TO #LENGTH
 CALL 'AASSUBC' #FUNCTION #NATPROG
 TERMINATE
END-ERROR
END

NATURAL local data areas:

Local IWAYTSTI Library SYSTEM DBID 3 FNR 9
I T L Name                  F Leng Index/Init/EM/Name/Comment
    1 INPUT-PARMS
    2 PERSONNEL-ID-FROM     A 8
    2 PERSONNEL-ID-TO       A 8
 
Local IWAYTSTO Library SYSTEM DBID 3 FNR 9
I T L Name                  F Leng Index/Init/EM/Name/Comment
    1 OUTPUT-RECORD
    2 PERSONNEL-ID          A 8
    2 FIRST-NAME            A 20
    2 NAME                  A 20
    2 MAR-STAT              A 1
    2 SEX                   A 1
    2 BIRTH                 D
    2 DEPT                  A 6
    2 JOB-TITLE             A 25
    2 CUR-CODE              A 3    (1:5)
    2 SALARY                N 9    (1:5)

Generated Master File: IWAYIVPD

FILENAME=IWAYIVPD, SUFFIX=NATCICS , CODEPAGE=37, $
 SEGMENT=SEG1, SEGTYPE=S0, $
  GROUP=INPUT_PARMS, ALIAS=E1, USAGE=A16, ACTUAL=A16, $
   FIELDNAME=PERSONNEL_ID_FROM, ALIAS=E2, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
   FIELDNAME=PERSONNEL_ID_TO, ALIAS=E3, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
 SEGMENT=SEG11, SEGTYPE=S0, PARENT=SEG1, $
  GROUP=OUTPUT_RECORD, ALIAS=E1, USAGE=A149, ACTUAL=A145, $
   FIELDNAME=PERSONNEL_ID, ALIAS=E2, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
   FIELDNAME=FIRST_NAME, ALIAS=E3, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
   FIELDNAME=NAME, ALIAS=E4, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
   FIELDNAME=MAR_STAT, ALIAS=E5, USAGE=A1, ACTUAL=A1, $
   FIELDNAME=SEX, ALIAS=E6, USAGE=A1, ACTUAL=A1, $
   FIELDNAME=BIRTH, ALIAS=E7, USAGE=P7, ACTUAL=P4, $
   FIELDNAME=DEPT, ALIAS=E8, USAGE=A6, ACTUAL=A6, $
   FIELDNAME=JOB_TITLE, ALIAS=E9, USAGE=A25, ACTUAL=A25, $
   FIELDNAME=CUR_CODE_POSN, ALIAS=E10, USAGE=A15, ACTUAL=A15, $
   FIELDNAME=SALARY_POSN, ALIAS=E11, USAGE=A45, ACTUAL=A45, $
   DEFINE BIRTH_DAT/YYMD=BIRTH - 694324; $
SEGMENT=SEG2,SEGTYPE=S0,PARENT=SEG11,OCCURS=5,POSITION=CUR_CODE_POSN, $
  FIELDNAME=CUR_CODE, ALIAS=E12, USAGE=A3, ACTUAL=A3, $
SEGMENT=SEG3,SEGTYPE=S0,PARENT=SEG11,OCCURS=5,POSITION=SALARY_POSN, $
  FIELDNAME=SALARY, ALIAS=E13, USAGE=P10, ACTUAL=Z9, $

Generated Access File: IWAYIVPD

SEGNAME=SEG1, CONNECTION=CON3, TRANSACTION=SYSTEM:IWAYIVPD, FLOAT=IBM,
 INTEGER=BigEndian, $

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: Access File Attributes

Attribute	Description
SEGNAME	The name of the Master File segment that describes the stored procedure's input parameters. If the stored procedure does not have input parameters, the synonym generation process creates a dummy segment.
CONNECTION	The connection_name as previously specified in a SET CONNECTION_ATTRIBUTES command. The default connection is used if this parameter omitted.
TRANACTION	The names of the NATURAL library and the program to be executed.

Attribute

Description

SEGNAME

The name of the Master File segment that describes the stored procedure's input parameters.

If the stored procedure does not have input parameters, the synonym generation process creates a dummy segment.

CONNECTION

The connection_name as previously specified in a SET CONNECTION_ATTRIBUTES command. The default connection is used if this parameter omitted.

TRANACTION

The names of the NATURAL library and the program to be executed.

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