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SYNON FAQ S
SYNON FAQ S
7. What is an entity?
An entity is an object which has its own properties called attributes that distinguishes it from
another entity
8. What is a DOMAIN?
The set of possible values an attribute can take is the 'domain' of the attribute.
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12. Name 3 important design concepts of SYNON/2E?
1. Implementation independence
2. Data driven design
3. Object - based design
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FILE TO FIELD
Defined as
Known by - key
Owned by - Key
Qualified by - key
Refers to - ATTR
Includes - ATTR
Extended by - ATTR
Has - ATTR
1. Defined as: Declaration that the file exist and created implicitly by SYNON
2. Refers to: Specifies a file refers to another file (Foreign key)
3. Includes: A file is to include all the fields that have been declared in the structure file
4. Extended by:
Declares a file to be an extension of a file relation. It gives an association
between one to one or one to none. Will work only if it is OWNED BY in the second file
5. Has:
6. Known by: Specifies that the field is a key field. There can be more than one known by
relation
7. Owned by: Defines a parent and child relationship, Eg., Order header and order details (parent
key will be copied to the child)
8. Qualified by:
This is a key relation used to qualify a file identifier by one or more variable
factors. This is used to find out a close match (Eg., rate, discount, data, etc.). If no redirection
is specified it is similar to KNOWN BY
Use of FOR TEXT: It is used to further clarify a relationship. Owned by and Refers to can only
have the FOR TEXT. To prevent duplicate fields SYNON uses the FOR TEXT if present or the
Surrogate number
Virtual fields are logically present in one file and physically present in another file. This is valid only
for OWNED BY and REFERS TO relation types
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Qualified by
- doesn't require exact key match, it will return either a previous or next value.
30. What are the sharing options available for Owned By relation and Explain?
*NONE and *ALL
*NONE is specified for the "Sharing" parameter, then a separate entry will be added to the file for
the field.
*ALL is specified for the "Sharing" parameter, then no additional entry is created: the existing entry
is shared. This is the default action.
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31. What is access path? How many types & explain each.
Access path is path through which you can retrieve records. There are 6 types of access path is
supported by SYNON. By default Synon creates 3 access path namely Physical, Update and
Retrieve access paths.
1. PHY: Physical file: Arrival sequence access path defining the based-on file. For a given
AllFusion 2E file there may only be one access path of type PHY - the path will automatically be
created by AllFusion 2E.
2. UPD: Update: Access path used for update. Path is keyed on AllFusion 2E fields that identify
the file. For a given AllFusion 2E file there may be several different access paths of type
UPD, each containing a different combination of fields. A default update path containing all
fields will automatically be created by AllFusion 2E.
3. RTV: Retrieval: Access path used to retrieve records from file. The key order cannot be
changed. For a given AllFusion 2E file there may be many access path of type RTV - a default
path, keyed on the identifying fields for the file, will automatically be created by AllFusion 2E.
Each RTV access path has an associated 'UPD' access path.
4. RSQ: Resequence: Access path used to retrieve records from file using an alternative key
order. For a given AllFusion 2E file there may be many access paths of type 'RSQ'.
5. 'QRY' : Query: Access path used to retrieve records from file using an alternative key
order which may include virtual fields. For a given AllFusion 2E file there may be many
access paths of type 'QRY'.
6. SPN: Span: Access path used to span several different files using an alternative key order.
For a given AllFusion 2E file there may be many access paths of type 'SPN'.
Sl.No.
Attributes
Key Fields
1.
PHY
2.
UPD
Relation
3.
RTV
Relation
4.
RSQ
User
5.
QRY
User
6.
SPN
User
Virtual Fields
Virtual Keys
32. What are the access paths will allow changing the key order?
RSQ, QRY and SPN access path will allow changing the key order.
33. Using which access path you can define a virtual field as a key?
Using QRY access path we can add virtual field as key.
34. While generating QRY access path how many members being created.
For mapping it creates Physical file (PF), Logical file and it creates a QRY in CL program.
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36. What are the Access Path auxiliaries for query Access path?
Access Path auxiliaries are the three different OS/400 objects used to implement a query access
path. They are logical file, physical file and control language.
37. Will synon (file) object allow more than 13,000 records?
39. How do you handle the access path maintenance in different situations
The various access path maintenance methods are:
1. IMMED updates the changes immediately,
2. DELAYED Changes are logged and the access path updates when the file is opened. No
rebuilding is done,
3. REBUILD Access path is rebuilt when the file is opened again
41. How do you delete a access path which is referred by some other access path?
We cannot delete an access path which is referred by some other function/access path. If you want
to delete, you have to remove the (REF) relations then delete.
42. What are the default functions crated for REF and CPT file?
REF File: Create object, Change object, Delete object, Edit file and Select record
CPT File: Create object, Change object and Delete object
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Function fields
d. Message functions
User functions
Update object
d. Retrieve object
Edit record
Display file
j.
Edit file
k.
Select record
l.
Display transaction
m. Edit transaction
n. Print file
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47. What is device design?
Device design is a panel or report design associated with a function
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50. What is Function field?
A function field is a field whose value is not physically stored in database. But is derived from other
fields or files. Using this we can,
a. SUM
b. Maximum
c.
Minimum
d. Count
e. Derived
f.
User
Send completion message (when a job is completed this message will appear)
d. Send status message (it gives information about the long running programs status to the
message queue)
e. Retrieve message (it retrieve a message from message file to the function, using this you can
concat even 2 database fields)
f.
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54. Print File function?
Print file function allows you to print all the records from a file. We can specify 13 levels of totalling.
Maximum of 13 print objects [PRTOBJ] can be used within a print file. Control breaks are defaulted
based on the number of keys specified.
57. What is the maximum number of Level heading formats and Level total formats that can be defined in a
print file?
1. A maximum of 13 levels of heading & totalling can be defined in a print file.
2. Normally the number of level headings is equal to the number of fields of the key sequence
of the access path on which the PRTFIL is based on.
59. What is CUR and NXT contexts used in PRTFIL and PRTOBJ functions?
NXT: The NXT context defines a context relative to the CUR context of AllFusion 2E report
functions: the NXT context contains the fields which are in the report format one level break
higher. (See section on the CUR context for an explanation of report formats.) It can therefore be
used to specify that the result of An AllFusion 2E field function (SUM, MIN, MAX, etc) is to be
placed onto an appropriate report total format.
The NXT context may be used only for result fields.
CUR: The CUR context contains all the fields which are in a given report format of An AllFusion 2E
report function.
60. How many report heading formats can be defined per print file? Of those, how many can be dropped?
Only one report heading format is defined in a print file. The report heading format cannot be
dropped.
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61. Can a print object function be embedded within another print object function? (True/False)
True
62. What is the maximum number of PRTOBJ functions that can be added to one PRTFIL function?
13.
63. Print file function must be constructed based on RTV, RSQ, and QRY access path only.
64. Which Access Path is needed for PRTFIL and PRTOBJ functions?
QRY access path.
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70. How to use execute user source and to use parameters in this function?
Execute user source specifies user written high level language source code is to be included within
source code generated by a calling function.
If the external source is RPG, then it should be in QRPGSRC. If it is a COBOL program, it should
be in QCBLSRC. The parameters should be 6 characters long. The first character to be #,
followed by I [Input] / O [Output] / B [Both] that last four characters being user defined. Indicators
should not be conflicting.
72. Can you pass a parameter with type = (VRY) while calling EXCUSRSRC & why?
We cannot pass a parameter with VRY type when we call an EXCUSRSRC. Because USRSRC is
a internal function, while compiling the PGM, it may give length mis-match error will come.
Description
Example
CMP
Greater than 5
All others
RNG
020
All others
VAL
LST
Value
List of value conditions
A
Held, Paid, Unpaid
Field Type
STS
STS
74. If you dont pass parameter while calling internal function what will happen?
There are 2 possibilities,
a. All records in the access path are read if the USER: Process Data Record contains user logic
b. Only 1st record is read if the USER: Process Data Record does not contains user logic
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76. How many roles?
a) Position is equal to setll in RPG.
b) Restrict is equal to CHAIN & READE opcode in RPG.
c) Vary the length will be vary when you call user written program
d) Map it map the attribute and lengths of the target field
79. ELM context will be used in *Arrays. Mainly it is used in CVTVAR built in function.
81. When will you use database context DB1 and DB2?
When you use SPN access path, which has 2 logical paths, we can implement these 2 contexts.
We can implement in EDTTRN & DSPTRN only.
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84. What are function options close down program & reclaim resources?
Close down program: Specifies whether the last record indicator is to be set on when the program
finished execution. If, 'Y' is specified, all files are closed and the program is shutdown. If blank, all
files remain open and a subsequent call will be faster and perform a full program execution. In
either case, all internal variables are initialised to blanks and zero on each call.
Reclaim resources: The OS/400 command RCLRSC is to be invoked when the program completes
execution. The command closed down any other program, files that have been called and/or
opened by the program thereby reallocating their storage. Reclaim resources is valid only on
external function. This does not support COBOL programs
85. What is job description?
A job is a unit of work on the AS/400. Jobs run in a subsystem using system resources viz.
memory, disk, etc. A job can be either interactive or batch. For interactive jobs JOD in User profile
is used and for batch jobs JOBD along with SBMJOB is submitted with an object type of job
description is *JOBD. Job description is a set of characteristics that define how the system handles
a job. It contains: Job queue (only for batch), job priority, printer to be used, OUTQ & its priority,
time slice & run priority. If none of the above is specified the system used the default job
description
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