Dictionary/3000 Reference Manual (32244-90001)

Chapter 3 35

Using the DICTDBM Commands

Using Command to Deﬁne Procedures

The Dictionary can be used to capture the data processing environment for your company

by deﬁning all the application programs, the routines, the subroutines, and the variables

used in the Dictionary. The Dictionary uses PROCEDURES to document this information.

Each program, routine, or subroutine is a procedure in the Dictionary. The variables used

by each are data elements with characteristics such as type, size, and so forth.

A program and its routines or subroutines can be described in the Dictionary by deﬁning a

hierarchical relationship between them. The RELATE command is used to establish this

hierarchical relationship.(Refer to Section IV of this manual description of this command.)

The hierarchical relationship for procedures is summarized in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3. Summary of Hierarchical Structure for a Procedure

The procedure that uses or calls other procedures is at the top of the structure and is a

PARENT procedure. The routines and/or subroutines used or called by the PARENT

procedure are CHILD procedures. A CHILD procedure can in turn be a PARENT because

it may use or call other routines or subroutines. This hierarchical structure allows data

elements to be associated with a procedure regardless of their level in the structure.

PROCEDURE

PARENT procedure

PROCEDURE ...

PROCEDURE

data

elements

data

elements

data

elements

data

elements

data

elements

CHILD

procedure

PARENT/CHILD procedures

CHILD procedure

data

elements