File Manager - Main window¶
File Manager - the main window
When a file is selected, detailed information about the file is displayed on the main screen. The main screen cannot be edited. To alter a data dictionary, use the Data dictionary->Edit option.
Information about the selected file¶
File |
The file name, with suffixes removed. This name is originally assigned to the data dictionary, which is saved with a .d suffix added. The same name is used when files are created from the data dictionary. The main keyed file index has a .k suffix. The data file has no suffix. If secondary indexes exist, a directory with a .x suffix is created in which to store them. The checkboxes in the top right of the screen indicate which of the components were actually found in the directory from which the file was selected. |
Fields |
The total number of fields in the file. This is a total of the key fields and data fields in the main file index. |
Key fields |
The total number of key fields in the main index. |
Key length |
The total length in bytes of all the key fields in the main index. The length must fall within the range 4 -195. |
Record length |
The total length in bytes of all the fields in the main index. This includes both key and data fields. |
Records |
The number of records currently existing in the file. |
Indexes defined |
The number of secondary indexes defined in the data dictionary. Unless files have not yet been created for this data dictionary (see Keyed file->New) this value will normally be the same as Indexes created. If it is less, this implies that an index (or indexes) was removed from the data dictionary without the physical index file itself being deleted from the secondary index directory. If it is greater, this implies that an index (or indexes) has been added to the data dictionary but not yet built. Use the Keyed file->Rebuild option to build a new index. |
Indexes created |
The number of secondary indexes found in the directory filename.x. Normally the same value as Indexes defined, unless files have not yet been created for this data dictionary. See Indexes defined for possible reasons why the values might differ. |
Data dictionary (.d)
Keyed file (.k)
Data file
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These boxes indicate which of the components were actually found in the directory from which the file was selected. If nothing was found but a data dictionary, no files have yet been created for it (unless they are stored elsewhere). Use Keyed file->New) to create new files for the data dictionary. If files have been created, a keyed file and a data file will normally both be found. If there is no data file, then the file was created using the Index file only option. The existence of a data file with no accompanying keyed file would be a very unusual circumstance. The Keyed file->Rebuild option can be used to create a new index from the data file. If everything but the data dictionary is present, the data dictionary is probably stored in another directory. |
Directory |
The current directory. When the program loads the default directory is automatically selected as the current directory. The Browse button on the right of the Directory box can be used to browse for a new current directory. Use the Directory->Change to default directory option to change to the default directory at any other time. |
Field table¶
The Fields table displays summary information about each field defined in the data dictionary.
Checked if the field is a key field. |
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The field’s identifying name. |
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The field’s default heading when displayed on screen or printed. |
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The field’s type and size, concatenated. The leading character indicates the data type (e.g. a=alphanumeric, i=integer). The remainder of the type and size definition indicates the field length in bytes. If the field is subscripted, the number of dimensions is indicated after the size, enclosed in square brackets. |
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Any special formatting characters that have been assigned to the field. |
To view more extensive information about these fields, use the Data dictionary->Edit option to call ddeditor.
The main field table section of the data dictionary editor guide contains detailed information on these field properties.
Secondary index table¶
The Secondary indexes table displays summary information about the secondary indexes that have been defined and/or created for the displayed keyed file.
Name |
The index’s identifying name. |
Flds |
The number of fields defined for the secondary index. |
DD |
An asterisk in this column indicates that the index is defined in the data dictionary. If there is an asterisk in this column but not in the KF column, there is no physical index file present. This may be for one of two reasons. Firstly, keyed files may not yet have been created for this dictionary. Empty secondary index files will be created as soon as the Keyed file->New option is executed. If keyed files do exist, the most likely explanation is that this index has been added after new files were created. If no records exist in the file (see the Records textbox), it is safe to call Keyed file->New and create new files again. Otherwise, Use the Keyed file->Rebuild option to build the index. |
KF |
An asterisk in this column indicates that the index physically exists in the secondary index directory. If there is an asterisk in this column but not in the DD column, the index is not defined in the data dictionary. The data dictionary must have been edited to remove it since the keyed file was created. |
Right click on an index to bring up the Details menu option, which provides more information about the index:
Include records… |
If this is unchecked, then records which have completely null values in the secondary index key (i.e. alphanumeric fields are blank, and numeric fields contain zero) are excluded from the secondary index. |
Open or close… |
If this is checked, Sculptor opens and closes the secondary index whenever it opens and closes the main index. |
Open only when needed… |
If this is checked, the secondary index is opened only when it is used and closed immediately afterwards. Either this box or the previous box is always checked, since they are the only two possible open/close statuses. |
Usage |
Descriptive comment on the purpose of the index. |
Name |
The field name. This is the identifying name of the field (see Name in the Fields table). |
Defaults to the field’s type and size in the main index, but may be altered, e.g. shortened to save space in the index. |
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Defaults to the field’s format in the main index, but may be altered. |
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Element |
This is only set if the corresponding main index field is an array field. It specifies which element of the array is to be used in the secondary index. |
The Secondary indexes section of the data dictionary editor guide contains detailed information on secondary index field properties. See also the main Secondary indexes section.