Meta Data Dictionary

Meta Data Dictionary APIs

Four APIs build and refresh the META DATA DICTIONARY (#.9) file. The first (re)builds it from scratch; the remaining three perform partial updates against different change-tracking signals.

• ^DDD: Initial Creation
  
  
• FILELIST^DDD: File List Partial Update
  
  
• PARTIAL1^DDD: Partial Update using ^DIC(DDD,"%MSC")
  
  
• PARTIAL2^DDD: Partial Update using ^DD(FILE,FIELD,"DT")

^DDD: Initial Creation

The ^DDD API can be run directly from the M prompt (D ^DDD) or by using the Update the META Data Dictionary [DDU UPDATE META DD] option on the Data Dictionary Utilities [DI DDU] menu. This API removes all current entries and fully reproduces the Meta Data Dictionary.

FILELIST^DDD: File List Partial Update

The FILELIST^DDD API can be run directly from the M prompt. It requires an array passed by reference whose subscripts are the file numbers to be updated. For example, to refresh the META DATA DICTIONARY (#.9) for the PATIENT and NEW PERSON files only:

S ARRAY(2)=""    ;PATIENT FILE
S ARRAY(200)=""  ;NEW PERSON FILE
D FILELIST^DDD(.ARRAY)

PARTIAL1^DDD: Partial Update using ^DIC(DDD,"%MSC")

The PARTIAL1^DDD API makes use of the ^DIC(DDD,"%MSC") data dictionary variable, which holds the date that the file's DD was last updated. PARTIAL1^DDD refreshes the Meta Data Dictionary for every file whose ^DIC(DDD,"%MSC") value is greater than the date and time stamp that the Meta Data Dictionary itself was last updated.

NOTE: The ^DIC(DDD,"%MSC") variable is not updated for field-description-only changes; use PARTIAL2^DDD if you need finer-grained change detection at the field level.

PARTIAL2^DDD: Partial Update using ^DD(FILE,FIELD,"DT")

The PARTIAL2^DDD API makes use of the ^DD(FILE,FIELD,"DT") variable, which holds the date that an individual field was last updated. PARTIAL2^DDD refreshes the Meta Data Dictionary for every file containing a field whose ^DD(FILE,FIELD,"DT") value is equal to or greater than the date and time stamp that the Meta Data Dictionary itself was last updated.

Reviewed/Updated: June 2026