Layout Definition Utility - Understanding Item Definition Information

 The table below lists all the information that the Layout Definition Utility handles for each item. Item Extension Information is indicated by an asterisk  "*"
 A number of the labels for the information columns are truncated in the display. Note that the utility displays the full label and contents of the cell in focus in a row above the column headings.
 Select Extended Display on the View menu to display the extension information.

à Extension Setting
àView Menu


Field Meaning


Lv Displays the repetition levels of 0-7.  Note that the repetition levels are different from the COBOL data description level numbers.  Refer to Defining repeating items for a full description of repetition levels.
Directly edits the sheet. Level: From 0 To 7
à Defining repeating items
Repeat
(OCCURS)
Displays the number of repetitions.  Lines with repetition counts only have the repetition level and repetition count.  Refer to Defining repeating items for a full description.
Directly edits the sheet. OCCURS: From 2 To 32767

Item-name An arbitrary name is assigned if no entry is made.
Attribute Displays the Attribute of the item.  Attributes are divided into character and numeric types.  You cannot convert between character and numeric attributes. à Attribute Description
Sign (For numeric items)

S is displayed when the sign format of an external decimal item is shown.
Directly edits the sheet With a Sign: S
A specified value is different in case of an external decimal, depending on the attribute. Please refer to External Decimal Sign Type for details.
à External Decimal Sign Type
Position For data file format.

Displays the offset of the item within the record.  The position numbers start at 1.
Length Displays the length of the item in bytes.  This is always an even number for National characters.

Not needed for CSV format files.
Total Digits For numeric attribute items in data file format.

Displays the total number of digits for numeric items.  The total digits figure is the sum of the number of digits in the integer part and the number of digits in the decimal part.
Decimal For numeric attribute items in data file format.

Displays the number of digits after the decimal point.
Quotes(*) Specifies that Input CSV-formatted items are separated by quotation marks.
Specifies that Output CSV-formatted items are to be created using quotation marks as separators.


Y is displayed for items that have quotes.  By default, character type items are enclosed in quotes, and numeric type items are not in quotes.
Directly edits the sheet Enclose in quotation marks: Y

Input Check(*) Performs an input check.

Y is displayed for input data that will be checked for a match with the item attributes.  This does not affect the output file - it only affects the messages that are written to the error file.
Directly edits the sheet Perform input check: Y

No Conversion(*) Output data without converting it.

Y is displayed next to items to be output as-is, with no conversion.
Directly edits the sheet Output data without converting: Y

Fixed Output(*) Output fixed length data.

Y is displayed for items to be output according to the length  specified.    The length is treated as 0 when no output area length is specified.


The item is the output side variable-length (When the output is CSV format, include).  When the output has a numeric character string attribute (V), the number of whole digits and number of fraction part digits specifications are applied.

If this specification is applied to all items, the output file becomes the length of a fixed record.
Directly edits the sheet Output fixed length data: Y
Item length: Specifies the length in bytes of each output data item.

Zero Suppress(*) Valid for numeric character strings with fixed output.

Enable suppression of zeros.

In the numeric character string attribute (V) of the fixed output specification, neither leading zeros nor the fraction part subordinate to position 0 are suppressed.  When Y is displayed, zeros are suppressed and blanks are output.
Directly edits the sheet Enable suppression of zeros: Y

Null(*) No conversion error generated when input data is null.

When the data file format has an alphanumeric character item attribute and the input data is all null code (0x00), the null code usually causes a conversion error and excludes the character.  When I is specified, no conversion error is generated, and the initial value of the output side item attribute is output.
Directly edits the sheet No error if null data: I

Tag(*) (for XML format)

Nothing is displayed in the Tag column when the item name is output as a start/end tag.   A is displayed when it is to be output as an attribute.  E is displayed when the item name is to be output as an EMPTY tag.  N is displayed when the item name is not allowed to be output as a tag/attribute.
Directly edits the sheet Start/End Tag: (blank)
Attribute: A
EMPTY Tag: E
None: N