Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Development:
Progress Dynamics Advanced Development

> ## Attribute value table

> The `ryc_attribute_value` table contains these fields:

> - `constant_value` — This `LOGICAL` field is set to `YES` if the value cannot be modified at any lower level of object definition. Its value is therefore `YES` if the attribute value is for an object type and the `constant_level` field of the corresponding attribute is `class`. Its value is also `YES` if the attribute value is for a master object and the `constant_level` field of the corresponding attribute is `master`. This field simply allows the `constant_level` to be verified in the `attribute_value` without having to refer back to the attribute record.

> - `attribute_label` — This `CHARACTER` field is the name of the attribute as defined in the `ryc_attribute` record. Note that this is the join field used to relate this table to the `ryc_attribute` table when necessary.

> The `data_type` field in the `ryc_attribute` table identifies the native data type of the attribute. Depending on that value, the actual attribute value is stored in one and only one of the following six fields; the others are unused. This allows the framework to avoid very frequent conversions back and forth to and from `CHARACTER` types.

> It also avoids globalization issues that can be caused when locale-sensitive values, such as decimals (containing either a comma or decimal point) or dates (with different ways to order the month and day), are converted to `CHARACTER` strings. The types are as follows:

> - `character_value` — Attribute values of type `CHARACTER` are stored in this field.

> - `integer_value` — Attribute values of type `INTEGER` are stored in this field.

> - `date_value` — Attribute values of type `DATE` are stored in this field.

> - `decimal_value` — Attribute values of type `DECIMAL` are stored in this field.

> - `logical_value` — Attribute values of type `LOGICAL` are stored in this field.

> - `raw_value` — Attribute values of type `RAW` are stored in this field.

> The `ryc_attribute_value` table also contains object IDs that point to the object type of the object with this attribute value, as well as the Product Module of the object. There are also pointers that identify whether this is a class, master, or instance attribute value. These are discussed next.

Copyright © 2005 Progress Software Corporation www.progress.com Voice: (781) 280-4000 Fax: (781) 280-4095