Interfacing valid attribute values to Attribute Matrix

Use this procedure to interface a non-Lawson file of valid attribute value ranges and attach them to attributes in Attribute Matrix. This procedure can replace the existing value ranges or add to the existing value ranges.

You must first define the attributes for which you are interfacing values in the Matrix Attribute (MX) application. You must run Attribute, Element Load (MX100) to load all the Lawson predefined attributes, with their associated elements and object types. If you are interfacing values for user-defined attributes, then you must define the attributes using Attribute (MX00.1).

  1. Prepare the non-Lawson attribute file. The file must be in an importable format such as a comma-separated value (CSV) file and the file fields must match the order, size, and data type of the fields in the MXVALREL for UNIX and Windows or DBIFMVR for IBM i interface file.
    Note: The file layout for MXVALREL for UNIX and Windows or DBIFMVR for IBM i is available on the Web. See your Lawson representative for more information.
  2. Transfer the non-Lawson file to the machine that contains your Lawson environment.

    UNIX/Windows: You can use a standard transfer utility such as ftp or the Lawson program winptxfr. You may have to rename the file to match your machine's requirements. For example, to transfer file MX-Interface.csv on your c: drive to a Unix machine and rename it mxinterf, use this command:

    winptxfr -u mxinterf c:\\ pathname \\MX-Interface.csv

  3. Load the transferred file into the MXVALREL for UNIX and Windows or DBIFMVR for IBM i file, using this command from your Lawson environment prompt:

    importdb productline MXVALREL mxfilename

    where mxfilename is the name of the non-Lawson attribute value file transferred to your machine in step 2.

  4. View and edit the records in MXVALREL for UNIX and Windows or DBIFMVR for IBM i using Attribute Valid Value Maintenance (MX60.1). You can add, change, or delete any records.

    Specify this information:

    Run Group

    This field is required to identify the group of records being interfaced.

    Sequence

    This field uniquely identifies a record within the run group.

    Attribute

    This field identifies the attribute for which values ranges are being loaded.

    From Value, Through Value

    Depending on the options that you select in step 5 of this procedure, the value ranges that you specify in this field will replace or be added to the existing value ranges for the attribute.

  5. Run Attribute Valid Value Interface (MX160) to load valid attribute value ranges to Attribute Matrix.

    Specify this information:

    Run Group, Attribute

    You can run the interface program for one run group or one attribute. If you leave these fields blank, then the program interfaces all run groups and attributes.

    Update Option
    • It is recommended that you first run MX160 with this field set to R (Report Only) to get a report of what records will be interfaced and what records are in error before you actually update the records.

    • Select L (Load) to do a complete reload of all existing values and a load of new values.

    • Select A (Append) to append the values to existing values.

    • Select U (Update) to ignore existing values that do not overlap with values in the interfaced file; to override values that do overlap; and to add new values.

    Update Type
    • If you select the default value N (No) and some records are in error, then none of the records are interfaced. If all the records are valid, then all of the records are interfaced. The report prints both the valid and invalid records.

    • If you select Y (Yes), then all the valid records are interfaced and deleted from the interface file. Records with errors are not interfaced and can be corrected. The report lists incorrect records.

      Note: This field is not relevant if the Update Option field is set to R (Report Only).
  6. View the generated report by MX160. If it contains errors, perform these steps:
    1. update the records using MX60.1.
    2. Run MX160 again.
    3. Repeat this step until the report shows no errors.