Managing Query/400 Metadata

Creating Synonyms

How to:

Create a Synonym From the Web Query Environment
Create a Synonym

Reference:

Synonym Creation Parameters for Query/400
Managing Synonyms

Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each Query/400 request that is accessible from the server. Synonyms are useful because they hide the underlying data source 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 and an Access File, which represent the server metadata.

Procedure: How to Create a Synonym From the Web Query Environment

Expand the Domains folder, then expand a domain.
Expand the Reports folder, right-click a subfolder and choose Metadata from the menu.
In the left-hand Adapter navigation pane, right-click Query/400 and choose Create Synonym from the menu. The first of a series of synonym creation pages opens.
Enter values for the parameters required for the adapter.

For information about these parameters, see Synonym Creation Parameters for Query/400.
Click Create Synonym.

The synonym is stored in the baseapp directory. You can use any of the available reporting tools to create a report using the generated synonym.

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 Query/400

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.

Library Name

Supply the name of the library in which the query definitions reside. (Wildcards are not permitted.)

Note: When you create a synonym for Query/400 on the IBM i platform, standard IBM i naming conventions apply to the target data source. Therefore, the Adapter for Query/400 supports the use of double-quotation marks around any library name and/or file name that contains lower case or NLS characters.

Click Submit to continue.

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.

Do not save library information

Select this check box if you do not wish to save the library of the stored query in the metadata.

This selection ensures that the specific execution is based on the current library path of the connected user at run time.

Note that the library referred to here is not the library specification of the files used within the query, but rather where the query itself is located.

Select objects for synonym creation

To select all names in the list, select the check box to the left of the Default Synonym Name column heading. (If the library contains a large number of query definitions, this check box will not appear, however, synonyms will be created for all definitions automatically.)

To select specific names, click the corresponding check boxes.

Not all listed objects are data-related. Be sure to select those that are appropriate for creating synonyms.

Note: Mixed case names or names with NLS character will appear in double quotation marks. However, the double quotation marks will be replaced by underscore characters in the Default Synonym Name column (see below).

Default Synonym Name

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

Note: If you see a synonym name surrounded by underscore characters (as described in the previous note), you can remove the underscores if you wish.

Example: Creating a Synonym for Query/400

To generate the following synonym from the Create Synonym panes:

Specify a library in the Library Name field, then click Submit.
On the second Create Synonym pane, choose a query from the Synonym list and click Create Synonym.
The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory (the default is baseapp).

A status window displays the message: Created Successfully
From the message window, click Applications on the menu bar.
Open the baseapp application folder in the navigation pane and click the synonym.

Choose Edit as Text from the menu to view the generated Master File, then choose Edit Access File as Text to view the corresponding Access File.

Sample Generated Master File:

FILENAME=CUSTSUM, SUFFIX=QRYI    , $
  SEGMENT=TMPFILE, SEGTYPE=S0, $
    FIELDNAME=YEAR, ALIAS=YEAR, USAGE=I9, ACTUAL=I4,
     TITLE='YEAR', $
    FIELDNAME=MONTH, ALIAS=MONTH, USAGE=I9, ACTUAL=I4,
      TITLE='MONTH', $
    FIELDNAME=DAY, ALIAS=DAY, USAGE=I9, ACTUAL=I4,
      TITLE='DAY', $
    FIELDNAME=CUSTOMER, ALIAS=CUSTOMER, USAGE=A25, ACTUAL=A25,
      TITLE='CUSTOMER', $
    FIELDNAME=QUANTITY, ALIAS=QUANTITY, USAGE=P15.2C, ACTUAL=P8,
      TITLE='QUANTITY', $
    FIELDNAME=REVENUE, ALIAS=REVENUE_WO_TAX, USAGE=P15.2C, ACTUAL=P8,
      TITLE='REVENUE_WO_TAX', $
    FIELDNAME=CUSTSUM, ALIAS=FILE1, USAGE=A32, ACTUAL=A32,
      ACCESS_PROPERTY=(NEED_VALUE), XDEFAULT='ACCT/CUSTOMER', $

Sample Generated Access File:

SEGNAME=TMPFILE, QIQRY=ACCT/CUSTSUM, $

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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