To define a field where the field is linked to a new element

  1. On the File Definition form, move the cursor to the blank line below the last defined field in the Field Name column. (If you do not want the field added at the end of the list, highlight the field just below where you want a new field inserted and press Insert (F8).)
  2. Type a field name and press Tab.
  3. Type an element name and press Tab.
    Note: If the type and size appear automatically when you enter the element name, you have chosen the name of an existing element. If you change the type or size, you will be changing all the fields in the product line belonging to that element. Delete the field and choose another name.
  4. In the Select an Element Type for Element subform, select an element type.
    Element type Description
    Alpha Left-justified field that can include most characters on the standard keyboard. It displays alphabetic characters in uppercase only.
    AlphaRight Alpha field that is right-justified rather than left-justified.
    AlphaLower Alpha field that can display lowercase alphabetic characters.
    Numeric Right-justified, positive whole number field. Size limit is 18 digits.
    Signed

    Number field that can be positive or negative, whole or fraction. Size limit is 18 digits, which can include 7 decimals.

    A signed field cannot be the first field in a file.
    Percent Percentage field. Size limit is 18 digits, which can include 7 decimals.
    Currency Currency field. Size limit is 18 digits, which can include 7 decimals.
    yyyymmdd Date field. The system stores the date in the order of century, year, month, day. A user's locale determines how the user types data in this field and how the system displays it.
    yyyymm Date field. The system stores and displays the date in the order of year, month.
    mmdd Date field. The system stores and displays the date in the order of month, day.
    yymmdd

    Date field. The system stores the date in the order of year, month, day. A user's locale determines how the user types data in this field and how the system displays it.

    Note: This format is allowed for backward compatibility, only. Fields are not allowed to use this date type unless they are already set to it.
    Time Six-digit time field. The system displays the time in the following format: 11:22:33 (hours, minutes, seconds).
    Telephone Telephone number field. Size limit is ten characters. The system displays the number in the following format: (111) 222-3333 (area code, exchange, number).

    If you select an element type that requires a size definition (Alpha, AlphaRight, AlphaLower, Numeric, Signed, Percent, Currency), the Element Definition subform appears. The system gives all other element types a specific size.

  5. In the Size field, type the field size.

    Signed, Percent, and Currency fields can have a decimal. The Size field displays the size of these types in the format x.y, where x is the size of the entire field and y is the number of digits following the decimal. For example, a field with the size 11.2 has 9 digits before the decimal and 2 digits after the decimal.

  6. Press Enter when the element definition is complete.
  7. If the field is an array (it occurs more than once), type the number of times the field occurs in the Occurs column.