Dictionary/3000 Reference Manual (32244-90001)

Chapter 3 41
Using the DICTDBM Commands
Using Commands to Define HP Inform/3000 Groups
Using Commands to Define HP Inform/3000 Groups
The Dictionary must be properly set up in order to produce the desired reports using HP
Inform/3000. Usually this is the responsibility of the Database Administrator (DBA). HP
Inform/3000 enables the user to define and create reports from data contained in IMAGE
databases, MPE files, and KSAM files. (For specific information on how to run HP
Inform/3000 and produce reports, see the HP Inform/3000 User's Guide.)
HP Inform/3000 makes the distinction between two methods of organizing data:
databases and HP Inform/3000 groups. In order for a user to define a report, HP
Inform/3000 presents a Data Organization Menu from which one of these two methods
must be selected. Which method is appropriate depends on whether the data elements can
all be found in one data set, or whether they have been organized into groups.
HP Inform/3000 Groups
HP Inform/3000 groups are logical groupings of data elements which have been defined in
the Dictionary. Before defining HP Inform/3000 groups, the DBA needs to gather and
organize all the information required by all the HP Inform/3000 users. For example, some
users will want to produce marketing reports, some manufacturing reports, others
personnel reports, etc. The groups can be defined according to these identified categories
of information which have logically connected data elements - "data names" as they are
called in HP Inform/3000.
By organizing data elements into groups, the DBA is taking advantage of HP
Inform/3000's ability to access elements from multiple and different types of data files.
Elements can be accessed from more than one data set. KSAM and MPE files can also be
accessed. In addition, an element can be assigned an alias name which is especially
meaningful to the HP Inform/3000 user. This name will then appear on HP Inform/3000's
Data Names Menu.
A hierarchical relationship between groups is established by using the RELATE command
(refer to Section IV of this manual for a description of this command). This relationship is
summarized in Figure 3-5. It is reflected in the hierarchy of HP Inform/3000 Group Menus
and Subgroup Menus as seen by the HP Inform/3000 user.