LIST Generation

NOMAD QLIST develops the LIST syntax necessary to produce reports by prompting you for an object and accepting an action that you specify for that object. In a few steps, you can build and execute your report request.

At any time you can return to any action-bar pick to change your request. When your LIST request is complete, you can choose from several options under the RUN action-bar pick. For example, you can browse the report at your terminal, test it with a few records, direct it to a printer or write it to a file.

Building SQL SELECTS

NOMAD QLIST lets you quickly build SQL SELECT requests using the action-bar menu picks. Using SAA-CUA-style functionality, users familiar with building QLIST LIST requests can intuitively build SQL SELECT requests; users new to QLIST are prompted through the building process. Users can expand their information without having to be familiar with SQL syntax.

CREATE requests are easily implemented using the action-bar menu picks

As with building LIST and SQL SELECT requests, QLIST lets you pick and choose, in any order, your requirements for building temporary or permanent databases or flat files. A simple CREATE request can be built in a few steps.

As with building a LIST request, your SQL SELECT and CREATE requests can be highly refined with sorting, summarization and formatting criteria.

Browse Capabilities

QLIST includes an integrated browsing facility that provides, in addition to standard function-key scrolling, the ability to:

Edit Capabilities

The QLIST Editor enables you to modify requests built with the LIST, SQL and CREATE selections. It provides an integrated environment in which to build and execute a request and browse the results when used in combination with other QLIST facilities.

This editor handles basic edit functions such as insert, delete, split, join, copy, get and save. It is designed to work with small NOMAD datasets containing LIST, SQL SELECTs and CREATE syntax, rather than to act as a large general purpose editor. Edited requests can be saved for future use.

Help Facilities

NOMAD QLIST provides Help facilities at multiple levels.

With contextual help, you receive help on the action or object where the cursor is currently positioned. For example, if the cursor is positioned on a master, QLIST displays Schema and metadata information, including number of records, access method, indexes, number of items in the master and master length. If the cursor is positioned on an action bar, then QLIST displays the purpose of the action, the user response and any usage tips.

Indexed help provides basic and extended help on general topics such as how the Help facility works, function-key usage and other topics.

Data-oriented help displays information about the data. For example, if the cursor is placed on a master or item name, information about the data is displayed. If the cursor is positioned on a non-data-oriented pick, information is displayed about that function.

Catalog Facilities

QLIST enables you to store generated LIST, SQL SELECT or CREATE requests and database information in either a catalog or NOMAD procedure. The advantages of catalog storage are a reduction in the number of requests that need to be stored, greater flexibility for maintenance and the ability to query requests as data entities.

For example, as QLIST builds a NOMAD LIST request, information is automatically stored in the catalog. The databases used and reports built by the LIST generator are captured by the catalog. This information can be used for building new requests, modifying existing requests and re-running previously cataloged requests.

Facilities are included with the catalog to manage stored requests. A 30-character description of each cataloged database and report is maintained to identify and document stored information. This information helps in managing your library.
When a request to edit or run a LIST, SQL SELECT or CREATE request in the catalog is made, QLIST provides a list of the available reports and their descriptions with the master and its source database. This means you quickly locate the request you want to use. To help speed access to cataloged requests, QLIST automatically stores the last report accessed in the catalog as the name LASTRPT.