Managing IMS Transactions Metadata

In this section:

When the server invokes a transaction or procedure, its needs to know how to build the request, what parameters to pass, and how to format an answer set from the response. For each transaction the server will execute, you must create a synonym that describes the layout of the request/response area.


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Creating Synonyms

How to:

Reference:

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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.



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Procedure: How to Create a Synonym

To create a synonym, you must have previously configured the adapter. You can create a synonym from the Applications or Adapters pages of the Web Console.

  1. From the Web Console menu bar, click Applications.

    The Applications page opens.

  2. Click the New button and select Synonym from the drop-down menu.

    The Select adapter to configure or Select connection to create synonym pane opens.

  3. Click a connection for the configured adapter.

    The first of a series of synonym creation panes opens.

  4. Enter values for the parameters required by the adapter as described in the synonym creation parameters reference.
  5. After entering the parameter values, click Create Synonym.

    The Status pane indicates that the synonym was created successfully.

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

Note:



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Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for IMS Transactions on Windows and UNIX

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

Enter a directory name to display all members in the directory path.

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 %.
Synonym name

Type the name of the synonym.

Program name

Type the name of the IMS Transactions program or APPC transaction.

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.

Select 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.

Input Segment Definition

Is the name of the COBOL FD file that contains information about input parameters.

There can be no more than one set of input COBOL Copybooks per synonym. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.

Output Segment Definition

Is the name of the COBOL FD file that contains information about output parameters.

There can be no more than one set of output Copybooks per synonym. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.



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Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for IMS Transactions on z/OS

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.

File System Selection

Choose one of the following options from the drop-down list:

  • Fully qualified PDS name to indicate a partitioned dataset on MVS.

    In the input boxes provided, type a PDS name preceded by // and a Member name containing the location of the COBOL FD source. If you wish, you can filter the member name using a wildcard character (%).

    or

  • Absolute HFS directory pathname to indicate a hierarchical file structure on USS.

    In the input boxes provided, type a Directory name to specify the HFS location that contains the COBOL FD and a File name and File extension. If you wish, you can filter the file and extension using a wildcard character (%).

  • Applications to indicate a pre-configured HFS directory.
Synonym name

Type the name of the synonym.

Program name

Type the name of the IMS Transactions program or APPC transaction.

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.

Select 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.

Input Segment Definition

Is the name of the COBOL FD file that contains information about input parameters.

There can be no more than one set of input COBOL Copybooks per synonym. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.

Output Segment Definition

Is the name of the COBOL FD file that contains information about output parameters.

There can be no more than one set of output Copybooks per synonym. You can choose the same Copybook or different Copybooks for input and output parameters.



Example: Master File for IMS TRAN Adapter
FILENAME=IMSTPART, SUFFIX=IMSTRAN , $
  SEGMENT=SEG1, SEGTYPE=S0, $
$  GROUP=PARTKEY_INPUT, USAGE=A50, ACTUAL=A50, $
    FIELDNAME=PARTKEY, USAGE=A50, ACTUAL=A50, $
  SEGMENT=SEG11, SEGTYPE=S0, PARENT=SEG1, $
$  GROUP=PARTROOT_OUTPUT, USAGE=A268, ACTUAL=A268, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A3, ACTUAL=A3, $
    FIELDNAME=RECTYPE, USAGE=A1, ACTUAL=A1, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A22, ACTUAL=A22, $
    FIELDNAME=PARTNUM, USAGE=A12, ACTUAL=A12, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A18, ACTUAL=A18, $
    FIELDNAME=DESCRIPTION, USAGE=A20, ACTUAL=A20, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A26, ACTUAL=A26, $
    FIELDNAME=PROCCODE, USAGE=A12, ACTUAL=A12, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A18, ACTUAL=A18, $
    FIELDNAME=INVCODE, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A26, ACTUAL=A26, $
    FIELDNAME=MAKEDEPT, USAGE=A12, ACTUAL=A12, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A18, ACTUAL=A18, $
    FIELDNAME=PREVNO, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A26, ACTUAL=A26, $
    FIELDNAME=MAKETIME, USAGE=A12, ACTUAL=A12, $
    FIELDNAME=FILLER, USAGE=A18, ACTUAL=A18, $
    FIELDNAME=COMMCODE, USAGE=A8, ACTUAL=A8, $

SEG1, the input segment, was generated from the following COBOL FD:

01  PARTKEY-INPUT.
           05 PARTKEY             PIC X(50).

SEG11, the output segment, was generated from the following COBOLFD:

01  PARTROOT-OUTPUT.
           05 FILLER       PIC X(3).
           05 RECTYPE      PIC X(1).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(22).
           05 PARTNUM      PIC X(12).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(18).
           05 DESCRIPTION  PIC X(20).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(26).
           05 PROCCODE     PIC X(12).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(18).
           05 INVCODE      PIC X(8).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(26).
           05 MAKEDEPT     PIC X(12).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(18).
           05 PREVNO       PIC X(8).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(26).
           05 MAKETIME     PIC X(12).
           05 FILLER       PIC X(18).
           05 COMMCODE     PIC X(8).


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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 following options.

Option

Description

Edit

Opens the Master File for viewing and editing using a graphical interface. If an Access file is used it will be also available.

Edit as Text

Enables you to view and manually edit the Master File synonym.

Note: To update the synonym, it is strongly recommended that you use the graphical interface provided by the Edit option, rather than manually editing the Master File.

Edit Access File as Text

Enables you to view and manually edit the Access File synonym.

Note: This option is available only when an Access File is created as part of the synonym.

Sample Data

Retrieves up to 20 rows from the associated data source.

Data Profiling

Data Profiling provides the data characteristics for synonym columns.

Alphanumeric columns provide the count of distinct values, total count, maximum, minimum, average length, and number of nulls.

Numeric columns provide the count of distinct values, total count, maximum, minimum, average value, and number of nulls.

Refresh Synonym (if applicable)

Regenerates the synonym. Use this option if the underlying object has been altered.

Data Management

Followed by these options, if applicable:

Recreate DBMS Table. Recreates the data source table. You are asked to confirm this selection before the table is regenerated. (Note that the table will be dropped and recreated. During the process, data may be lost.)

Delete All Data. Deletes all existing data. You are asked to confirm this selection before the data is deleted.

Insert Sample Data. Inserts specified number of sample records, populating all fields with counter values.

Impact Analysis

Generates reports on procedures, synonyms, and columns that provide information on the flows/stored procedures available on a particular server, and the synonyms and columns they use. These reports enable you to evaluate changes before they are made by showing which components will be affected. See the Server Administration for UNIX, Windows, OpenVMS, IBM i, and z/OS manual for details about Impact Analysis Reports.

Copy

Copies the synonym to clipboard.

Delete

Deletes the synonym. You are asked to confirm this selection before the synonym is deleted.

Cut

Deletes the synonym and places it in clipboard.

Properties

Displays the properties of the synonym, including physical location, last modified date, and description.



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Reference: Access File Attributes

Keyword

Description

SEGNAME

Is the name of the input segment in the Master File.

CONNECTION

Indicates the connection_name as previously specified in a SET CONNECTION_ATTRIBUTES command. Defaults to the default connection.

TRANSACTION

Is the name of transaction to be executed.



Example: Access File for Transaction/Program
SEGNAME=SEG1, CONNECTION=IMS8C, TRANSACTION=part, $

Note: Do not change the FLOAT or INTEGER parameter values.


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