ABL Application Schema content builder

The ABL Application Schema content builder extracts data on temp-tables and ProDataSets from source files. The content builder first ensures that the catalog database contains the necessary records to specify the source file (catalog, root path, project, project relative path, and resource). Then it analyzes the code to extract the specific information.

The content builder creates parent and child records to describe the full schemas:

Entry type	Child entry types	Child entry types
TEMP-TABLE	FIELD
TEMP-TABLE	INDEX	INDEX-FIELD
DATASET	BUFFER
DATASET	DATA-RELATION	RELATION-FIELD

Any entry that has parent or child entries displays them as subnodes in the Meta Catalog Explorer view.

The content builder records the following data in the catalog:

Content type	Entry type	Entry
APPSCHEMA	TEMP-TABLE	The temp-table's name.
	FIELD	The name of a temp-table field.
	INDEX	The name of a temp-table index.
	INDEX-FIELD	The name of a field in a temp-table index.
	DATASET	The ProDataSet's name.
	BUFFER	The name of a ProDataSet buffer.
	DATA-RELATION	The name of a ProDataSet data relationship.
	RELATION-FIELD	The name of a field in a ProDataSet data relationship.

Depending on the entry type, the content builder also extracts the following attribute information for each entry:

Entry type	Attribute	Value
TEMP-TABLE	NO-UNDO	TRUE or FALSE.
	GLOBAL	TRUE if a global temp table.
	SHARED	TRUE if a shared temp table.
	LIKE	TRUE if defined with the LIKE option.
FIELD	DATA-TYPE	The data type.
	LIKE	TRUE if defined with the LIKE option.
	EXTENT	TRUE if extents exist.
	FORMAT	The format, if any.
	LABEL	The label, if any.
	INITIAL	The initial value, if any.
INDEX	PRIMARY	TRUE if a primary index.
	UNIQUE	TRUE if a unique index
	WORD-INDEX	TRUE if a word index.
INDEX-FIELD	SORT	ASCENDING or DESCENDING.
DATASET	SHARED	TRUE if a shared ProDataSet.
DATA-RELATION	REPOSITION	TRUE if applicable.

The content builder assigns IDs to each unique Entry and Attribute. It stores the location of these elements in the file, either as a line number or as characters from the file's beginning. The content builder also stores pointers to any parent or child entries.

For example, take the following temp-table definition:

DEFINE SHARED TEMP-TABLE ttOrd

FIELD OrderNum AS DECIMAL

FIELD CustName AS CHARACTER LABEL "Name"

FIELD OrderDate LIKE Order.OrderDate

INDEX OrderNum IS PRIMARY UNIQUE OrderNum

INDEX CustOrder IS UNIQUE CustName OrderNum

INDEX OrderDate OrderDate.

When the content builder analyzes this statement, it adds the following information to the database:

Content Type	Entry type	Entry	Attributes	Attribute values
APPSCHEMA	TEMP-TABLE	ttOrd	SHARED	TRUE
	FIELD	OrderNum	DATA-TYPE	DECIMAL
		CustName	DATA-TYPE	CHARACTER
		CustName	LABEL	"Name"
		OrderDate	LIKE	TRUE
	INDEX	OrderNum	PRIMARY	TRUE
		OrderNum	UNIQUE	TRUE
		CustOrder	UNIQUE	TRUE
		OrderDate
	INDEX-FIELD	CustName	SORT	ASCENDING
		OrderDate	SORT	ASCENDING
		OrderNum	SORT	ASCENDING
		OrderNum	SORT	ASCENDING

There are two OrderNum entries because two indexes use it.

As mentioned previously, the content builder also stores the data on any parent or child relationships for each entry.

When displayed in the Meta Catalog Explorer, you would see the following structure: