Global File Structure

File's Entry in the Dictionary of Files

All VA FileMan files, regardless of the global used for data storage, have an entry in the Dictionary of Files - the ^DIC global descendent from the file's DD number.

The zero subscript contains the file name and file number.

The global location (GL) node descendent from subscript zero is set to the root of the global used to store data for this file. So, the EMPLOYEE file example may have the following:

    ^DIC(3,0)      = "EMPLOYEE^3"
    ^DIC(3,0,"GL") = "^EMP("

The ^DIC global also contains the file's security protection codes, if any, descendent from the zero subscript in the following nodes:

    ^DIC(filenumber,0,"AUDIT")      --  Audit Access
    ^DIC(filenumber,0,"DD") --  Data Dictionary Access
    ^DIC(filenumber,0,"DEL")        --  Delete Access
    ^DIC(filenumber,0,"LAYGO")      --  LAYGO Access 
    ^DIC(filenumber,0,"RD") --  Read Access 
    ^DIC(filenumber,0,"WR") --  Write Access

The rest of the ^DIC global descriptors for a file are:

    ^DIC(filenumber,"%",    --  At lower subscript levels, contains the 
	        application groups.
    ^DIC(filenumber,"%A")   --  Creator's DUZ^file creation date. 
	        DIFROM does not send this node.
    ^DIC(filenumber,"%D",   --  At lower subscript levels, contains the 
	        text of the file's DESCRIPTION.

Reviewed/Updated: March 10, 2007