There are four valid types of input record. The GLI input (file) must supply records in the following order:
Header records
Ispec
Data
Finish records
Each record may contain up to 4150 characters. The first six characters of each record identify the record type.
If a header record or an ispec record is accepted, the message OK is returned. Refer to GLI Output for more information.
If there is an error in the header record or an ispec record, the message FATAL is returned and the program terminates. All data preceding the error will have been successfully loaded.
Note: When GLI input reaches ten or more validation errors, no additional input is recorded in the database. Moving spaces to Glb.Error does not prevent this from occurring.
Header Record
The header record defines the origin, destination, and source of the data, as well as various attributes detailing the handling of messages and errors.
A header record is mandatory and must be the first record supplied to the GLI program after execution.
The first six characters of the header record must be the word HEADER. The remaining positions contain header attributes and their operands. Header attributes can be included in any order separated by spaces. All header attributes except LOG; are mandatory. The header record may not be continued over multiple lines.
Valid header attributes and their abbreviations are detailed in the following table:
| Header Attribute | Abbr. | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DESTINATION; | DES; | Specifies the name of the database to be updated. |
| ORIGIN; | ORI; | Specifies an alphanumeric string of up to eight characters for identification. |
| SOURCE; | SR; | Gives a description of the source of the input, for your documentation purposes. |
| REQD.ACK; | RQA; | Specifies whether you want an acknowledgment for each transaction to be passed back to the source of the input through standard output. Valid operands are YES (Y) and NO (N). If YES is entered, acknowledgment messages are returned to the input source. Messages can have the following values: OK, NOT OK, and FATAL. A fatal error causes GLI to terminate immediately. REQD.ACK;Y is required if ERROR.MSG;Y is specified. |
| ERROR.MSG; | ERM; | Specifies whether error messages are to be passed back to the source of the input (through standard output). Valid operands are YES (Y) and NO (N). REQD.ACK;Y is required if ERROR.MSG;Y is set. If error messages are being returned to the input source, the end of each transaction is indicated by a single status message with a value of OK, NOT OK, or FATAL. If a transaction incurs errors, all of the errors are returned to the source of the input. When all errors have been returned, the message NOT OK is returned. All error messages returned after an OK or NOT OK message and before the next NOT OK or FATAL message relate to a single transaction. A FATAL message is returned if GLI encounters a severe error, and GLI terminates immediately. |
| LOG; | Optional attribute which specifies whether GLI produces a printed log of errors to standard error. Valid operands are YES (Y) and the default NO (N). |
Example of a header record:
HEADER DES;XXXSYS SR;PROG ORI;ZZZSYS ERM;Y RQA;Y LOG;Y
Ispec Record
The ispec record specifies the ispec to be updated, and defines the format of the data in any later data records. Attributes are validated against the corresponding ispec in the application.
The data may be in one of two forms:
Unformatted
When the data is unformatted, attributes to be loaded by GLI are defined in the ispec record. Definitions must be included in the same order as the values in any later data records for that ispec. This order is not necessarily the same order as in the attribute. Attributes not included in the record are set to blanks or zeros in the application.
Attributes in copy classes should be included only once.
Formatted
When the data is already formatted for input to the application, the conversion performed by GLI may be bypassed. The required format must be that contained in the Field Description file (in the application directory), except that values for the built-in attributes TranNo and Input_Date must not be provided.
Defining an Ispec Record for Formatted Data
The first five characters of the ispec record must be the word ISPEC, and the sixth character must be a space.
EVENT; or COMPONENT; (COMP;) must identify the ispec. The ispec can not be usage output.
Include FORMATTED; (or BYPASS; or BY;) to bypass the conversion process. Nothing further is required in the ispec record.
Defining Ispec Records for Unformatted Data
The first five characters of each ispec record (including lines continued over more than one line) must be the word ISPEC, and the sixth character must be a space.
EVENT; or COMPONENT; (COMP;) must identify the ispec. The ispec can not be specified as usage output.
Several ispec records may be needed to define the data format for an ispec. Attributes must be defined in the correct sequence, using particular property names followed by their values.
Properties of ispec records are shown below:
| Properties | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| DATA; | DA; |
| LENGTH; | LE; |
| EDIT; | ED; |
| DECIMAL; | DE; |
| SETUP.DATA; | SD; |
The following conditions apply to these properties:
At least one DATA; or SETUP.DATA; properties is required for an ispec.
Each specified characteristic must be present in the ispec in the application. All attributes, except persistent attributes, are valid.
Built-in attributes can also be included, in particular:
ActMth is required for all ispecs.
Maint is required for ispecs with one or more key fields defined.
Last-Line is required for copy classes.
Glb.Spaces can be included between attributes to enable spaces to be included in the input file. The LENGTH; for Glb.Spaces determines the number of spaces between the items.
Attributes with the REQUIRED; properties in the application must be included; otherwise the GLI transactions are rejected.
Each specified attribute must have an associated LENGTH;. This length can be less than or equal to that specified in the relevant ispec.
The number of decimal places may be less than or equal to the actual decimals for the attribute in the application. All decimal points are implied.
Separator characters must not be entered through GLI.
EDIT; is optional. It must match that defined in the application. The default type is alphanumeric.
Edit types are listed in the following table:
| Edit | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Alphanumeric item |
| N | Unsigned numeric |
| S | Signed numeric item (negative DR) |
| C | Signed numeric item (negative CR) |
| + | Signed numeric item (shows + and -) |
| - | Signed numeric item (negative -) |
| D | Date item |
Setup.Data
SETUP.DATA; can be used in the ispec record. This command defines an attribute that is to have the same literal value applied for all later GLI data records for that ispec. The following conditions apply to SETUP.DATA;:
Transient attributes require a LENGTH;. The length must equal the number of characters within the parentheses, and must be less than or equal to the length specified in the application.
Leading and trailing spaces are not permitted in the value of the transient attribute.
Do not include EDIT; with transient attributes.
No space is reserved for transient attributes in GLI data records for that ispec.
Examples of formatted data in an ispec record:
ISPEC EVENT; SALE FORMATTED;
Examples of unformatted data in an ispec record:
ISPEC EVENT; SALE DA; CLIENT LE; 10 EDIT; A ISPEC DATA; PRODUCT LENGTH; 5 ED; N DA; GLB.SPACES LE; 2 ISPEC DA; ANUMBER ED; LE; 4 DE; 2 SD; ACTMTH (9904) LE; 4
In this example, the built-in attribute ActMth receives the value 9904 for all data records. Notice that all lines of the ispec record begin with ISPEC.
Data Records
Data records are passed by GLI to the application. The first five characters of the record must contain the name of an ispec previously defined in a GLI ispec record. The sixth character must be a space. The data for the ispec then follows, in the format defined by the ispec record.
A GLI data record can be included at any time after the ispec record with which it is associated. A particular ispec can occur in more than one ispec record and can have different definitions (for example, different LENGTH; and EDIT; values). Data records for an ispec use the last ispec record declared for that ispec.
Unformatted Data
For a copy class, supply data for each copy in a separate record.
Do not include a decimal character for numeric values.
Signed numeric values are assumed to have the sign specified by EDIT;. To indicate that the value has the opposite sign, replace the digit in the first numeric position, according to the following table:
| Digit | Replace with |
|---|---|
| 0 | } |
| 1 | J |
| 2 | K |
| 3 | L |
| 4 | M |
| 5 | N |
| 6 | O |
| 7 | P |
| 8 | Q |
| 9 | R |
Examples
To load a negative value of 56500 into an attribute of length 5 with EDIT; +, load
N6500
To load an attribute of length 8, load
}0056500
To load a positive value of 7634127 into an attribute of length 7 with EDIT; -, load
P634127
There are different considerations for unformatted data and formatted data.
Formatted Data
For a copy class, data for all copies must be supplied in one record.
Signed numeric values require a sign (+, -, DR, or CR) following the value.
Numeric values with decimals must not include a decimal character. Add a leading zero if the attribute in the application has DECIMAL.KEYED.
Numeric values must not include separator characters. Add a leading zero to allow for each separator character if the attribute in the application has SEPARATOR.
Examples of records for unformatted data:
ISPEC EVENT; SALE DA; CLIENT LE; 12 EDIT; A ISPEC DATA; PRODUCT LENGTH; 5 ED; N DA; GLB.SPACES LE; 2 ISPEC DA; ANUMBER ED; N LE; 4 DE; 2 SD; ACTMTH (9904) LE; 4 SALE MR NO BODY 12345 0100 SALE MS SOME BODY12345 }100 FINISH
Examples of records for formatted data:
ISPEC EVENT; SALE FORMAT; SALE 9904MR NO BODY 1234500100 SALE 9904MS SOME BODY1234500100-
For both types of format, the results are the same. For the first data record, the attribute CLIENT takes the value MR NO BODY, PRODUCT 12345, ANUMBER 1.00, and ACTMTH 9904. For the second data record, CLIENT takes the value MS SOME BODY, PRODUCT 12345, ANUMBER - 1.00, and ACTMTH 9904.
Finish Record
The finish record indicates the end of input to the GLI program.
The first six characters of the record must be FINISH, and the remainder must be blank. No acknowledgment is returned.