Dictionary/3000 Reference Manual (32244-90001)

334 AppendixD
How HP INFORM Links Files to Generate Reports
Linking Files
Linking Files
All elements in a group that have been assigned a positive link value form a prioritized list
for use by HP Inform/3000's access algorithm when linking files. Elements which have
been added to a group which will not be displayed on HP Inform/3000's Data Names Menu
are included in this list if they have been assigned a positive link value. The following
steps outline how HP Inform/3000 links files. If, at any particular step, all files containing
elements needed for the report are linked, the steps which follow that one do not occur.
1. HP Inform/3000 first tries to use the element in the group with the highest priority link
value (lowest positive integer) to directly link the driving file with any other files
containing elements needed for the report.
2. HP Inform/3000 next tries to use the element in the group with the second highest
priority link value to directly link those files linked in step (1) - that is, the driving file
and any files which were successfully linked to it - with any other files containing
elements needed for the report.
3. Next, the element in the group with the next highest priority link value is used to try to
directly link those files linked in steps (1) and (2) with any other files containing
elements needed for the report; and so on, until the prioritized list of elements with a
positive link value is exhausted.
4. HP Inform/3000 next tries to use elements in the group with a link value of zero (the
default) to directly link those files linked in steps (1), (2), and (3) with any other files
containing elements needed for the report. The elements with a link value of zero are
tried in an arbitrary order.
5. If all the files have still not been linked successfully, HP Inform/3000 tries to use
elements which are not in the group to directly link any of the files linked in steps (1),
(2), (3), and (4) with any of the remaining files. As always, a direct link is successful if
the element exists in both files and if any additional requirements on the file being
linked to are met (see “Direct Links” earlier in this appendix).
6. If still no link can be made and if the files HP Inform/3000 is attempting to link are
IMAGE data sets, HP Inform/3000 will try the two allowable indirect links. If this fails
to link all the needed files, the report can not be generated and the HP Inform/3000
user will receive an error message.