Build an enquiry with a Nofile

Build an enquiry driven to a NOFILE

When you can’t use standard conversion / calculation functions to get what you need in an Enquiry, you still have a programming solution. It occurs typically when you need data spread in multiple tables, because ENQUIRY tool is single-table driven. You can use links to other tables when you have foreign keys in the requested table, but no more.
Using a subroutine and a NOFILE, you have no limitations to get data among multiple tables.

The concept is:

1. Target enquiry to a virtual table e.g. “a NOFILE” and named NOFILE.xxx depending on the business context.

2. Declare a call of a subroutine in a field of this NOFILE.xxx, through its dictionary (in STANDARD.SELECTION).

3. The subroutine will select all needed data and fill a dynamic array returned , including a delimiter of your choice.

4. In the ENQUIRY, you get all needed data by extracting values between each delimiter.

Example :

1.  STANDARD SELECTION

   
    FILE.NAME......... NOFILE.DX.CLOSEOUT

 15. 1 USR.FIELD.NAME. RET.ID
 16. 1 USR.TYPE....... D
 17. 1. 1 USR.FIELD.NO 0
 20. 1 USR.DISPLAY.FMT 1000L
 24. 1 USR.SINGLE.MULT S
 25. 1 USR.LANG.FIELD. N
 15. 2 USR.FIELD.NAME. RTN.CALL
 16. 2 USR.TYPE....... R
 17. 2. 1 USR.FIELD.NO E.NOFILE.DX.CLOSEOUT
 20. 2 USR.DISPLAY.FMT 10L
 24. 2 USR.SINGLE.MULT S
 25. 2 USR.LANG.FIELD. N

2. SUBROUTINE E.NOFILE.DX.CLOSEOUT(RETURN.ARRAY)

    
(...)
    TEMP.DATA = POS.KEY : "*" : POS.DATE : "*" : POS.CONTRACT : "*" : POS.MATURITY : "*" : POS.CURR : "*"  etc...
    RETURN.ARRAY<-1> = TEMP.DATA
 (...)

3. ENQUIRY

    
    ENQUIRY........... DX.CLOSEOUT.FINAL.FUT.HIS
---------------------------------------------------
  1 PAGE.SIZE ........ 4,19
  2 FILE.NAME......... NOFILE.DX.CLOSEOUT
  3. 1 FIXED.SELECTION RTN.CALL NE NULL

 11. 1 FIELD.NAME..... RET.ID
 12. 1. 1 OPERATION... RET.ID
 14. 1 LENGTH.MASK.... 1000L
 32. 1 SINGLE.MULTI... S

 11. 2 FIELD.NAME..... POS.KEY
 12. 2. 1 OPERATION... F RET.ID
 13. 2 COLUMN......... 1
 15. 2. 1 CONVERSION.. F *,1,1
 19. 2. 1 GB FIELD.LBL Key
 32. 2 SINGLE.MULTI... S

 11. 3 FIELD.NAME..... POS.DATE
 12. 3. 1 OPERATION... F RET.ID
 13. 3 COLUMN......... 2
 15. 3. 1 CONVERSION.. F *,2,1
(...)