The DC data-dict field - my brain hurts...

[m_brereton]

Hi folks,

I have what may well be a newbie question, but which is confusing me. Can
anyone enlighten me about the following scenario?

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...

I'd always assumed that the address search did something fancy in ER code
within the application so that you could enter, say, ABC and get back all of
the records which *start* with ABC (in the compressed description) - ie it
doesn't do an exact match for just ABC. However, yesterday I actually had a
look at the application P0101SL, and there's no fancy stuff within the app.
Not much at all, in fact. It seems that what's doing the clever stuff is the
DC (compressed description) field itself.

To try to narrow things down, I tried just looking at F0101 in UTB and
entering a string in the DC column. It does the same there, too - so if in
UTB I enter ABC in the DC field of F0101, it doesn't - as I kinda expected
- just pull back records which match ABC exactly - it returns everything
which *starts* with ABC. Now this is actually quite useful, but what's
confusing me is that I can't figure out how it's doing it.

I thought maybe that there was some sort of formatting, or a "smart field"
set up against the DC data-dictionary itself, but as far as I can see there
isn't. I've looked at the table definition, to see if there was anything
obvious there. There wasn't. I've had a quick look on the Knowledge Garden,
and not found anything which said "don't be so silly Mark, it's done like
this, how could you have missed it?" - and I've asked a couple of colleagues
here, who've also gone "huh?".

So, now I'll ask the assembled throng of experts on the list - what really
obvious thing am I missing?

Cheers,
Mark

JDE Xe SP22_C1, Oracle 8.1.7.4, Unix (Solaris 8)

 

[BBritain]

Excuse me, Pardon me, Make way.... uh, hi Mark,

Just had to make my way through the throngs of ...what's the term.... heh, heh...

Mark,

I happen to have some relatively first hand knowledge on this subject. I also researched why this worked so I could recreate it for some requirements of my own.

In my experiments I ended up creating a table with DC in it as a test. I created an APPL and BSVW on the table. Without any special logic, I was able to recreate the *xx* filter functionality. To confirm my suspicions, I contacted Peoplesoft(JDE). They confirmed that deep down in the engine, they have hardcoded the *xx* functionality for the DC variable. They could not indicate any other DD items that have the same functionality, nor could I find any on my own. (I tested other compressed descriptions for other subsytems).

So now, what do I do to simulate this functionality? Well, I have come up with two possible solutions - one more involved than the other.

The first is to make a tag table or custom table with DC as one of the fields, and be sure to populate it with the data you wish to filter. This is certainly more involved than what I have described here.

The second works in APPLs. For this you create a DD field above that looks like a filter field (yeah, and you need to add the logic for the asterisk). In the grid you also add a data dictionary column which is a copy of the field that you are wanting to filter (*xx*). Put the DD field right next to the BSVW field in the grid and hide the BSVW field. On the logic in the FC DDfield Control is Exited - Inline, take what is in the FC field and add the asterisks and populate the QC BSVWfield. This allows the user to enter the search criteria easily without having to remember how to get the all inclusive search. If you leave the column unhidden while testing you'll see that (I believe) %xx is really what ends up in the QC - this is strictly from memory.

Ben again,

 

[Zoltan_Gyimesi]

Hi Mark,

I am not sure, that your issue is quite enough clear for me.

As far as I know, PSOE (OW) handles the Compressed Description a special way.

Somewhere, before the record is updated to the database the appl calls a BSFN to fill DC with the compressed ALPH (it could be on various place, e.g. ALPH Exited xxx, OK Clicked OR in the trigger of F0101).

On the forms with grid, where the find brings the required results, the ALPH field is NOT a filter field and not a BSVW field - it is just an ALPH based control.

DC is a BSVW field and a filter field, BUT it is HIDDEN.
Somewhre, before the "Find" happens, the appl calls a BSFN to fill DC with the compressed ALPH (it could be on various place, e.g. ALPH Exited or Find Clicked).

Please, check the appl again.

I do not know, that does it help you or not.

Good luck,

Zoltán

 

[JEMILLER]

Hi Mark,

I hope all is well. Your question got my brain going and I had to investigate. I checked it out from the CNC perspective and the underlying SQL query that is generated from a F0101/DC search in UTB is:

SELECT * FROM CRPDTA.F0101 WHERE ( ABDC LIKE 'yoursearchvalue%' ) ORDER BY ABAN8 ASC

Now to figure out what is instructing the OneWorld database middleware to append the % character to the WHERE clause and change it to a LIKE instead of = match ...

To make a long story short I checked out the other fields that are in the "S" glossary group. They did not exhibit the same behaviour. I next check the handful of fields that have "Compressed" in their names. They also did not exhibit the behaviour.

I did what I should have done from the beginning and searched the Customer Connection for "DC Compressed" and came up with one hit. Someone else noticed this nice behaviour and asked if the ALN, XDC and other compressed the description fields could do the same thing. The response from JDE/PSoft was:

"<A> DC is the only field where the selet statement will do LIKE. It's hard coded at the kernel level & it's not possible to do LIKE searches on any other field. Added to sar 5268330 "

Take a look at Solution ID 200810527 on the Customer Connection to see the full details.

Hope this helps. Do I win a prize ... a plate of Ibstock parsnips perhaps?

Regards,

 

[BBritain]

Hey, Hey, Hey!

If there are any prizes to be given out, let's remember that I answered first and even though I wasn't as specific as you, I did give them options to simulate the functionality. Gee Whiz! You five star people think you 'got it' over us lesser starred people! So I think I should get the prize and maybe you should get a consolation prize......uuh what is Ipstock parsnip?

For anyone reading this and still confused.....this was written with the sole intent of being humorous (not that it ever works for me). At no time was this done with any kind of sincerity or ill will towards those five star B&$!&.....ANYWAY. This was meant in jest (Except I really would like to know what Ipstock parsnips is/are?).

Ben again - now looking over his shoulder.

 

[m_brereton]

parsnips is/are?).


Justin was, for some time, a regular (victim) at our company's canteen,
where the speciality seems to be platefuls of overcooked mashed root
vegetables (just don't tell 'em I said so ;-))

Cheers,
Mark




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[JEMILLER]

Hey Ben,

You should get the prize and I will glady give you my parsnips! The email list seems to be a little out of sync with the web postings so I missed your post before I started looking at the DC field myself. I never noticed my stars until you pointed it out ... is the rating system a recent addition to the list? I really better start using the web interface more.

BTW a parsnip is a root vegetable that has an "interesting" taste. They are worth about 5 bites in a meal but certainly not half a plateful as I used to get fed at Mark's factory canteen in a place called Ibstock. Being raised the old fashioned way I clear my plate and suffered the twice weekly ritual of eating a heap of parsnips.

 

[m_brereton]

Well, that's curious - my reply to Ben about parsnips turned up on the list
almost instantly, whereas the 3 replies I made several hours previously (to
Ben, Zoltan and Justin thanking them for their replies to the
data-dictionary question) seem to have gone "missing in action". In case
those messages never appear on the list, I'd just like to say again "thanks"
to each of you for your time, and for curing my headache - it's very much
appreciated!

Thanks again,
Mark