Introduction to Data Management

Managing Records With ENSCRIBE

15873 Tandem Computers Incorporated 4-7

Figure 4-2. Using the Data Definition Language (DDL)

Dictionary FUP

TAL

DDL

Listing

FORTRAN

Pascal

COBOL

TACL

Report

Compile

Output

Generator

Source

Schema

S8020-030

DDL

>DDL

2. Compiling the object definitions into internal data description format and adding

them to a DDL data dictionary. To do this, you submit these definitions to the

DDL compiler from your schema or enter them interactively through your

terminal. Your DDL dictionary is a database that contains the compiled object

definitions. The dictionary serves as a map of your business database. The

dictionary also acts as a language-independent repository for definitions of

records, files, and messages that can be used by many applications. If you are

using PATHMAKER to generate your application, you can create the dictionary

through that product rather than by using DDL independently.

3. Generating the database from the data object definitions. If you have not already

created your database files, you can request DDL to generate FUP file creation

commands that will serve that purpose. DDL formulates the FUP commands on

the basis of the record descriptions in your schema or your dictionary, and writes

these commands to an EDIT file. You can edit the commands further if you wish,

and then submit them to FUP to create your database files.