Using Standard Record Selection

Use the Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen to specify the criteria for selecting the records to include in a report or mass load.

To specify selection criteria, you need to build one or more conditional statements. You can use this screen up to five times to create multiple conditional statements. The conditional statement on one select screen connects to the conditional statement on the next select screen by an implied AND operator. Each additional statement applies to the records selected by the previous select statement.

Enter each condition on a separate line. Connect each line to the next with the AND or OR conjunction.

AND – The condition on the previous line and the condition on the given line must both be true to select a record.
OR – Either the condition on the previous line or the condition on the given line must be true to select the record.

The system populates the conjunction column for the first condition with three asterisks. This corresponds to WITH in TCL.

To enter selection data using the Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen:

Log into the character-based system. This feature is not available in a Solar Eclipse interface.
With a report or mass load design displayed on the Report Writer/Mass Load Design screen, use the Select Build hot key to display the Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen.

The File Name field identifies the file from which to select records for the report or mass load.

To run a report or mass load for a limited number of records, enter that number in the Sample field.

This is useful for testing the design on a sample number of records before processing the entire file. You can also use this field to generate reports such as Top 100 Products or Top 10 Customers.

In the Reselect (Y/N) field, indicate whether the system should re-select the records each time the report or mass load runs.
In the body of the screen, enter a conditional statement that selects a subset of records from the files the files you identified on the report or mass load design screen. Use a combination of conjunctions, dictionary item names, operators, and comparison values to create the conditional statement.

You can only have one conditional statement per Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen.
One statement can contain multiple conditions, as long as you:
Enter each condition on a separate line.
Start the first condition with ***.
Connect each additional condition to the previous line with the AND or OR conjunction.
We recommend that you not use ANDs and ORs in the same condition.
Do not use parentheses in the statement to change the order in which the statement is evaluated.

Note: To delete a selection statement, use the Delete Sel hot key. The system prompts you to confirm the deletion.

Use the Edit Prompts hot key, as needed, to change the default column heading or prompt defined for the associated dictionary item.
Use the Addl Slct hot key to enter up to four additional conditional statements.

From the displayed list, do one of the following:

Select New to display a blank Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen, where you can enter a new conditional statement.
Select the number of another select screen.

The conditional statement on one select screen connects to the conditional statement on the next select screen by an implied AND operator. Each additional statement applies to the records selected by the previous select statement.

Note: To delete the displayed select statement, use the Delete Sel hot key.

Use the Sort hot key to enter sort criteria for the report or mass load data.

On the Sort Sequence screen enter the dictionary items by which to sort the records. For each dictionary item, indicate whether to sort the records in ascending or descending sequence.

Use the Selection Data hot key to enter default selection data values, as needed.

In some cases, the system requires additional data from you for a dictionary item listed on the Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen to select the correct record.

Use the Begin Sel hot key to select and sort the records.

If the program requires selection data, the Selection Prompts screen displays. The screen lists the prompts for any required selection data for which defaults do not exist. Enter the requested information for each prompt and press Enter.

The Count field in the upper right corner of the screen displays the number of records selected by each select statement.

Note: The system saves selections in select lists named REP~ Report ID n, where n is the selection number. You can display these lists using TCL. New selection lists overwrite previous selection lists.

Press Esc to return to the Report Writer/Mass Load Design screen, where you can run the report or begin the mass load.