Designing Mass Load Layouts

Use the mass load view of the Report Writer/Mass Load Design screen to design the mass load update layout. In the header portion of the screen, assign an ID to the design and designate the file to update.

In the body of the screen, you need to identify the fields to display on the Mass Load Update screen. Some are the fields to update and some are display-only fields that describe each selected record. Sequential numbers identify the display columns on the screen. As you list the dictionary items or formulas from top to bottom on the design screen, the fields display on the Mass Load Update screen from left to right.

For each column of the display you must identify a dictionary item or formula, specify the width of the column, indicate whether the data in the column is display-only or to be updated, and, if the data is to be updated, how it is to be updated.

When the design is complete, you can continue with entering column data, entering selection data, and then running the mass load.

To design the screen layout for a mass load:

Log into the character-based system. This feature is not available in a Solar Eclipse interface.
From the Files menu, select Mass Load/Update to display the mass load view of the Report Writer/Mass Load Design screen.
In the Design ID field, enter a unique name that identifies the mass load. The name can be up to 17 characters.

The system prompts you to confirm that this is a new name and then changes any spaces in the name to periods. The system populates the Created and By fields with the current date and your user ID.

In the File Name field, press F10 and select the name of the file to update.
In the Title field, enter a name or short description of the mass load.
In the Dict ID/Formula field, identify the information to display or update in the corresponding mass load column. Enter one of the following:

A dictionary item. Press F10 to display a list of dictionary items defined for the file. You can also enter a dictionary ID followed by a value and sub-value. For example, enter DESC,2,3 for the third sub-value of the second value of the DESC dictionary item.

Note: You can update D-type dictionary items that allow updates or I-types that have an update routine defined. The update subroutine points to the file attribute to update. You cannot update the key in attribute 0.

A formula that manipulates data from other columns. For example, 4+5 adds the values in columns 4 and 5.

In the Width field, enter the character width of the display column.

For a dictionary item, the system populates this field with the width specified for the dictionary item in Dictionary Maintenance. The information is view-only.

In the Typ field, indicate the type of data displayed in the designated column of the Mass Load Update screen. Press F10 and select one of the following:

Option	Data in this mass load column...
D (Display)	displays in view-only mode. The system displays an asterisk (*) following a D when the field is a dictionary item that does not allow updates. Note: If a dictionary item is view-only, during the loading process the Typ field changes to D and the following message displays: The Dict Item: {field name} is not an updatable Mass Load field.
U (Update)	displays in edit mode. If the Default/Set Value field on this screen is blank, you can enter the data for each record on the Mass Load Update screen. If the Default/Set Value field on this screen contains a value, you can enter this same value for each record on the Mass Load Update screen (one at a time) as you progress through the records using the Enter key.
S (Set)	displays in edit mode and updates according to the data entered in the corresponding Default/Set Value column. Note: Do not use this Typ code until you are sure that you are updating the correct field with the correct data.

When the Typ code for a column of data is S or U, the data in the Default/Set Value field determines what the system places in that field.

Value	Function
""	A set of quotes with nothing between them replaces the current value in the designated field with a null value.
" "	A space enclosed in quotes replaces the current value in the designated field with a space.
"text"	Text enclosed in quotes replaces the current value in the designated field with this text.
Dict ID	A dictionary ID replaces the current value in the designated field with the value stored in that dictionary ID.
3+2	A number or numerical expression replaces a value in a designated numerical field with the value of that number or expression.
:	A colon links together two values. For example, Dict ID:"TEXT"
\|	A separator adds the new data and word wraps the data to the length specified for that field in the mass load.
%AM%, %VM%, %SVM%	Specifies new line characters or record delimiters in your data.
blank	If the Typ code is U and you leave this field blank, you can update this field for each record on the Mass Load Update screen. If the Typ code is S, do not leave this field blank.

Use the hot keys as needed.

Hot Key	Description
Sel Build	Displays the Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen, where you can select the records to include in a report or mass load.
Adv Selection	Displays the Advanced Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen, where you can select and sort the records to include in a report or mass load.
Ecl Dct	Displays the Eclipse Dictionary Maintenance screen, where you can view and edit dictionary items.
Col Data	Displays the Column Data screen, where you can enter additional data required to determine the value of a dictionary item in a report or mass load field. Note: An asterisk (*) next to a column number indicates that the selected dictionary item requires column data.
Copy	Displays copy prompts, which you can use to copy a design to a new ID.
Del	Deletes the currently displayed mass load design. The system prompts you to confirm the deletion.
Hdg	Displays the prompt associated with the selected dictionary item an input screen the width of the report column. If the prompt is longer than the column width, the text wraps. The prompt can use up to 3 lines. Note: If you use this hot key in the Format column, an Output Formats screen containing 5 lines displays, in which you can add multi-valued formats.
Analyzer	Reserved for future use in analyzing report data.
Run Rpt	Displays the Report Driver screen, from which you can run a report.
Dict Sum	Displays the Dictionary Maintenance Summary screen, where you can view all the dictionary items defined for a file.
Label	Displays the Report Writer Label Specification screen, where you can set the parameters for printing labels.
Opt	Displays the Report Writer Options screen, where you can set final printing or downloading options before creating a report.
Notes	Displays the Notes screen, where you can enter an internal note about this mass load. You can enter up to 999 lines of free-form text.
View	Displays the View Choices screen, where you can change the view of the Report Writer/Mass Load screen.
Begin Load	Displays the Mass Load Driver screen, from which you can run a mass load.
Set Val	Displays the Default/Set Values screen, which gives you more space in which to enter the text to mass load into the designated field.
Log	Displays the Maintenance Log Viewing screen, where you can view the log of changes made to this design.
Files	Displays other files that the current file directly links to.
Path	For dictionary items that are linked to via one or more files, displays the path from one file to the next.

Press Esc to save the mass load design.