Maintain Contents - Terminology

 

The Maintain Contents option enables you to define 'contents lists'. These define the contents of data to be exported and imported in terms of:

§   The point in the Global software that the export is to be initiated from or the data is to be imported into.

 

§   The data items to be exported or imported, their sequence and their format.

 

The Maintain Contents option uses the terminology defined below.

Startpoint

Startpoints are processes in Global 3000 which can export or import data. Each startpoint relates to either data import or export. At each startpoint the stream of information which can be exported or imported is fixed in terms of sequence and structure.

Contents list

A contents list identifies a startpoint and the part or parts of the potential stream of information that are to be exported or imported. You need at least one contents list for each startpoint at which you want to import or export data.

Records

A record is a group of data items. The record structure defines the items, their format and sequence.

 

The Global items of data which can be exported (or imported) are fixed for each startpoint and are defined through Global records.

Note

Global records are fixed and cannot be changed.

Rows

You control the data you want to export or import through records you define yourself which are called 'rows' to distinguish them from the Global records.

 

If you are exporting the data to a spreadsheet, generally each row you define corresponds to a row (line) in the spreadsheet. If you are exporting the data to a word processing mail merge letter, a row generally corresponds to a set of merge fields defined for a single main document.

 

However you can split one of the rows you define into more than one row (line) in the spread sheet by using the 'New Row' option in the Type of Constant Menu. You can also 'join' two rows together so that they form one row (line) in a spread sheet through the 'End of Row' option in the Type of Constant Menu.

Fields

A field is an item of data; for example a name, an account code, a price, etc. The definition of a field in a record defines its size and format; for example whether it is a numeric or text field, how many characters or digits it is, and so on.

Note

The fields in Global records are fixed and cannot be changed.

Columns

After defining a row for import or export, you define the fields that it is to contain. We have called these 'columns' to distinguish them from the fixed fields in the Global records.

 

If you are exporting the data to a spreadsheet, each column you define corresponds to a column in the spreadsheet. If you are exporting the data to a word processing mail merge letter, each column you define corresponds to a single merge field defined for the letter in the main document.