m-Power DX Dataset Template
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Template Notes
Runtime Walkthrough
Template In-Action
Application Properties
The Dataset Template is the building block to create a data set for the m-Power Data Explorer. The Data set is created by the m-Power developer. Once created, the developer can then assign this data set to users based on a Role-based system. This template, unlike most other m-Power templates, cannot be run directly by a user. It can only be invoked via the Data Explorer.
Template Notes
Application Settings
Program Name: This will be the application’s name, by default m-Power uses the letter I (Inquiry) followed by a five digits number. Also by default, for every new application m-Power will look at the largest number in use and increase it by 10, you can manually change this number.
Note: the number must be unique in the Data Dictionary.
Select Only Matching Records: When joining to other tables, you have the option to create a Left Outer Join or and Inner Join. Selecting Yes (inner join) will include only matching records from the joined table. A simple example of this could be a Sales History table that links to a Product Master table. Now imagine some products have been discontinued and subsequently removed from the Product Master table. With an outer join, the discontinued products will still be reported. However, with an inner join, records without matching records in the product master will be omitted from the result set.
Template: You can select a template by scrolling left or right through the available templates. The templates define the general layout and functionality of the resulting application. This section will list all the available retrieval templates; you will see a small screenshot of what that template looks like at runtime. Learn more about templates.
Data Selection
Here you will see/modify the table you have selected for your application. Here you can create or modify joins to other tables as well.
Sequencing
For each field you select as a sequence key, your end-user will have the opportunity to select the field as a Dimension within the Data Explorer. Dimensions allow the user to control sorting and subtotaling. Learn more.
Field Settings
Here you will find the settings for all the fields in the application. The options are:
Note: Deleting a field will remove the field from the application only, the table will be unchanged.
Field Name: This is the same name the field has in the table.
Table: The name of the table where that field exists.
Field Description: This is the text that will appear in the column header for that field, you can modify this field to suit your needs. This field will populate with the field description from the table by default, but it can be customized at the application level.
Display: A radio button allows developers to display or hide the field from the output page. There may be situations where a field is needed for calculation purposes, but the field does not need to be displayed at runtime.
Length: Here you can modify the length of the field. m-Power will only allow developers to shorten the length of the field, shortening a fields length will truncate its data. For example, if a field is 10 alpha and it is changed to 5 alpha, now only the first 5 characters will be displayed. The same principle applies to a numeric field, if a numeric field is 8 digits long; changing it to 4 digits long will only display the first 4 digits, and leave out the rest of digits.
Decimals: For numeric fields, you can modify the amount of decimal digits. A numeric field will have the option of changing its decimal length, alpha fields does not have a decimal option, developers can use this as an indicator to check if a field is a numeric or character type.
Numeric Format Code: For numeric fields, you can modify the way the numbers will display, this includes displaying decimals or not, how to display negative numbers, etc. Multiple formats are built in for developers to use, shall you need a different format code, m-Power allows developers to create their own User Defined Format codes; these codes will add logic for common types of fields such as: Currency, Time, or Dates. Accessing the User Defined Format Codes from the Admin section will also allow developers to modify current codes. Learn more.
Note: Do not confuse the User Defined Format Code with the User Defined Functions (UDF). The latter is a feature that allows developers to create or incorporate programming functions into m-Power. Learn more about UDF's.
User def: This feature has being deprecated
Record Selections
Record Selections can be created over fields from both primary as well as secondary tables. These are the options:
Field: A drop down allows you to select the field you want to filter on.
Relation: A drop down allows you to select a relationship for the filter.
Value: This is the value to compare against. The options are:
Constant Value: A constant value allows you to hard-code any given value into a selection. This value cannot be modified by the end-user at run–time.
Application Field Value: Developers have the option of comparing a value from one field to a value from another field within the same record.
And/Or: When creating multiple record selections, you have the option to set them as "and" or "or" Example: selection A "and" selection B will display only records that match both selections. Selection A "or" selection B will display records that match one or both selections. Learn more.
Calculations
Calculations are a very powerful feature of m-Power; with calculations, developers can create logical fields that will apply to the current application only. This can be used to include SQL code in a field, such as cast a numeric field as character, create date conversions, inserting the current date and time, and much more. Learn more.
External Objects
This feature allows developers to connect m-Power application with their current business logic, or to extend m-Power capabilities by allowing developers to write their own Java, RPG, or SQL programs, and integrating these programs into the applications. m-Power utilizes "locations" to connect the external objects, these locations vary depending on what the external object does and when it should be executed. The following locations are supported in this template: Learn more.
*STRADVSCH This location has been deprecated.
*ADVRECSEC This location has been deprecated. Learn more about Row Level security.
*READRECRD This location will call the external object after each record is processed.
*SELECTFLT This location has been deprecated. Learn more about creating dropdown lists using m-Painter.
Application Properties
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