Dictionary Overview
To understand what a Dictionary is, think of each database file as having two parts: a Dictionary part and a Data part.
The Dictionary part contains Attribute Descriptors, which we call the dictionary items. Dictionary items describe the types of data available when using that file, as well as the specific location (field) the data resides in within that file.
The Data part holds data that users have entered into the system. Each piece of data, or data value, corresponds to a specific dictionary item.
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Clients File |
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|---|---|---|
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Dictionary Item |
Data |
Data |
|
CLIENT.NAME |
John Jones |
Mary B. Smith |
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ADDRESS.#1 |
2200 Pauline Dr. |
102 Peach St. |
|
ADDRESS.#2 |
Suite 3A |
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|
CITY |
Hartford |
Newton |
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STATE |
CT |
MA |
By printing the Dictionary associated with a file, you can obtain a list of all dictionary items available when using that file. For instructions, see Printing a Synonym Dictionary.
Print one Dictionary at a time. Do not print ALL. Printing all dictionaries will tie up your printer and workstation for a very long time! In addition, the system includes many Dictionary files that you do not use with Report Builder.
By specifying a dictionary item in an access statement, you instruct Report Builder to retrieve the corresponding data and use it in a report.
File Dictionary or Synonym Dictionary?
File Dictionaries
File Dictionaries (also called Attribute Dictionaries) are created by the system and used in progrSagitta. In a File Dictionary, dictionary items are designated by numeric keys. You should never alter a File Dictionary.
Synonym Dictionaries
For Report Builder purposes, you should always work with Synonym Dictionaries.
Synonym Dictionaries are copies of the File Dictionaries. However, in a Synonym Dictionary, many dictionary items are designated by alpha keys rather than numeric keys, making them easier to use in access statements.
Can you change a dictionary item in a Synonym Dictionary? - You should never change or delete an existing dictionary item. Changing an existing dictionary item could affect others at your agency who also use that dictionary item.
You can, however, copy the existing dictionary item, give the copy a new name, then make changes to the copy.
If your agency uses Excel Integration with Report Builder, you must remove spaces from the Heading information shown in dictionary items in order to produce the correct column headings in Excel. This is one case in which it is acceptable to alter existing dictionary items.
You create and maintain dictionary items using the Dictionary Maintenance Page.
Synonym Dictionary format
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Dictionary Column Name |
Description |
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|---|---|---|---|
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RB.0 |
This column contains the name or "key" assigned to the dictionary item. By including this information in an access statement, you instruct Report Builder to select on, sort by, or output the corresponding data. |
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Type |
This column indicates the type of dictionary item. S = Synonym Dictionary item A = Attribute (File) Dictionary item |
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Attr |
This column shows the number of the attribute being described or, when using a T-Correlative, the number of the key to the file being translated to. |
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Heading |
This column shows the column heading that will print on a report if you use this dictionary item in an access statement. If no heading is specified, the column heading on the report defaults to the name of the dictionary item. Sub-Heading - You can reduce the width of a report column by using both a heading and a sub-heading. For example, if the Heading is 1st and the sub-heading is Prod, the column heading on the report will be:
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Conversion |
Conversion codes alter the appearance of the data upon output. They are used with dates and numeric fields (such as dollar amounts). |
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Correlatives |
In some instances, the data associated with a dictionary item may reside in another file. A correlative allows you to retrieve data from:
Additionally, a correlative will allow you to take information from a file and modify the output. Correlatives will help you determine where the data is coming from. Example: The Policies Dictionary includes dictionary items for the producer attached to the policy and the producer attached to the client. To determine which file the dictionary item is looking to, look at the Correlatives column. If there is no correlative, that dictionary item corresponds to the producer on the Policy Detail page. However, if there is a correlative translating back to the Clients file ,that dictionary item corresponds to the producer shown on the Client Details page. In some instances, a correlative may point to data in the same file. Continuing with the above example, if there is a correlative pointing to the Policies file with an X1,X2,X3 etc. as part of the correlative, that dictionary item is specifically looking at the first, second, or third "bucket" (producer 1, producer 2, producer 3 respectively) of a multi-valued field.
A dictionary item can have multiple correlatives. The system interprets the correlatives in the order in which they are listed. |
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| Display as Text in Report Builder XML Output | Selecting Yes will allow any of the numeric fields to retain leading zeros when used in a Report Builder statement that is exported using XML. | ||
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Just |
(Justification) This column indicates the justification of the output data.
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Len |
(Length) This column indicates the maximum number of characters reserved for displaying the data across a report column.
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MV |
This column indicates whether or not this dictionary item is multi-valued (MV). Multi-valued items are items that can have more than one data value. For example, any field in a grid can have more than one data value, as can database fields such as Producer, Servicer, Category Code, etc. When you select on or output data from a multi-valued field, Report Builder looks at/displays all values unless you specifically request one of the values. There are different rules for using single-valued and multi-valued items in access statements. See Multi-valued Items - Overview for more information. |
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