Information Catalog Manager Administration Guide

Updating an object type

You can make only the following changes to an existing object type:

• Change the external name
• Change the representative icon
• Add properties

You can update an object type by using the Information Catalog Manager windows or tag language.

Updating an object type by using the Information Catalog Manager windows

Start from the Information Catalog window.

1. Right-click the Object types icon.
2. Click the Open as --> Icon list.
3. Right-click the icon of the object type you want to change.
4. Click Open.

   The Update Object Type window opens.

5. To change the external name, type a new name in the Object type name field. The rules for object type names are:
   • 80 character maximum.
   • It must not contain null characters.
   • It must not be all blank characters.
6. The default Windows icon for the selected category is displayed in the Windows icon field. To identify a specific icon to represent the object type:
   • Click Find to locate a different Windows icon and display it in the window.
7. To add a property to the object type (unless the type is Comments, which cannot be extended), click Add.

   The Add Property window opens.

   1. Type a name for the property in the Property name field. The rules for property names are:
      • 80 character maximum.
      • It must not contain null characters.
      • It must not be all blank characters.
   2. Type a unique property short name in the Short name field. The rules for short names are:
      • 8 character (SBCS) maximum.
      • First character must be uppercase or lowercase English alphabetic, @ (at sign), # (number sign), or $ (dollar sign).
      • Subsequent characters must be uppercase or lowercase English alphanumeric, @ (at sign), # (number sign), $ (dollar sign), or _ (underscore).
      • It must not be an SQL reserved word.
      • It must be unique; if you type a name that already exists in this object type, the Information Catalog Manager asks you for another name.
   3. From the list, click a data type.
   4. Type a size in the Size field.
   5. Click OK to add the property.

      To close the window without adding a property, click Cancel.

   This step is not available for AS/400 information catalogs.

8. To change a property you added during the current update action, click it in the Properties list, and then click Modify or Remove.

   This step is not available for AS/400 information catalogs.

9. Click Update to save your changes in the database.

   Your changes display in the Object Types window, but not in other windows until you close and reopen them.

   To close the window without updating the object type, click Cancel.

Updating an object type using Information Catalog Manager tag language

1. Enter the following lines in your tag language file:

   :ACTION.OBJTYPE(UPDATE)
   :OBJECT.TYPE(short_name_of_object_type)
   

2. To change the external name, add the following line:

        EXTNAME(new_external_name_of_object_type)
   

3. To change the object type's icon, add the following line:

        ICOFILE(new_OS/2_icon_filename)
        ICWFILE(new_Windows_icon_filename)
   

   After each keyword, type an appropriate value within the parentheses:

   Keyword

   Value

   TYPE

   The short name of the object type you are updating.

   EXTNAME

   The new external name of the object type. The rules for external names are:

   • 80 character maximum.
   • It must not contain null characters.
   • It must not be all blank characters.

   ICOFILE

   The name of the new OS/2 icon file, including its extension. You give the drive and path information where the icon file exists as part of the IMPORT command when you import your tag language file.

   ICWFILE

   The name of the new Windows icon file, including its extension. You give the drive and path information where the icon file exists as part of the IMPORT command when you import your tag language file.

4. To add an optional property, enter the following lines in your tag language file:

   :ACTION.OBJTYPE(APPEND)
   :OBJECT.TYPE(short_name_of_object_type)
   :PROPERTY.SHRTNAME(short_name_of_new_property) DT(data_type) DL(size)
        UUISEQ(0) NULLS(y) EXTNAME(external_name_of_new_property)
   

   After each keyword, type an appropriate value within the parentheses.

   Any property you add to an object type after you create it must be an optional property. The value for UUISEQ must be 0, and the value for NULLS must be Y.

   Keyword

   Value

   TYPE

   The short name of the object type you are updating.

   SHRTNAME

   The property short name. The rules for property short names are:

   • 8 character (SBCS) maximum.
   • First character must be uppercase or lowercase English alphabetic, @ (at sign), # (number sign), or $ (dollar sign).
   • Subsequent characters must be uppercase or lowercase English alphanumeric, @ (at sign), # (number sign), $ (dollar sign), or _ (underscore).
   • It must not be an SQL reserved word.
   • It must be unique; if you type a name that already exists in this object type, the Information Catalog Manager asks you for another name.

   DT

   The data type: C, V, L, or T.

   C (CHAR)

   Up to 254 characters

   V (VARCHAR)

   Up to 4 000 characters

   L (LONG VARCHAR)

   Up to 32 700 characters

   T (TIMESTAMP)

   Exactly 26 characters, in this format (the line break is not significant)
   yyyy-mm-dd-hh.mm.
   ss.nnnnnn
   

   DL

   The size for the property.

   EXTNAME

   The external name of the property. The rules for property names are:

   • 80 character maximum.
   • It must not contain null characters.
   • It must not be all blank characters.