| Contents: | Main | Chapter | See Also: | Getting Started Manual | Advanced User Manual | |||
The "Global File Structure" chapter points out that data specifications for subfields of a multiple are kept in a subsidiary data dictionary. Such a sub-dictionary is stored in the global ^DD(sub-dictionary_number), where sub-dictionary_number is a number with a fractional portion. For example, the specifications for the RESPONSES multiple of File 100, the ORDER file, are stored in ^DD(100.045). Normally, when a new multiple-valued field is created, VA FileMan automatically assigns the fractional sub-dictionary number. The programmer, however, is allowed to choose the desired number.
When creating a new Multiple Field, (Modify File Attributes option), if you are a programmer, you are asked in a "pop-up" window for the global subscript at which to store the data element being defined. Under this question is the SUB-DICTIONARY question. The RESPONSES multiple in File #100 would have been defined like this:
Reviewed/Updated: March 8, 2007