Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Creating Field Definitions: Basic


  • Create a new field definition. 
  • Note: Char is the default field type for a new field.
  • Specify field type for a new field definition.
  1. Character (Char)
  2. Long Character (Long)
  3. Number (Nbr)
  4. Signed Number (Sign)
  5. Date (Date)
  6. Time (Time)
  7. DateTime (DtTm)
  8. Image (Img)
  9. ImageReference (Iref)
  10. Attachment (Att)
  • Specify attributes for a new field definition.
  • Label ID
  • Long Name
  • Short Name
  • Def (default)
  • Not Used: Not Used is read-only in field definition properties. You can change its value using PeopleCode function SetDBFieldNotUsed, causing the field to be:
    • Skipped as part of the unique index.
    • Exposed to PeopleCode for read and write operations.
    • Ignored in Query.
    • Ignored in nVision.
    • Unavailable to users in search pages or list boxes if it is a search key or list box item.
  • Chart Field: Read-only in the field definition properties dialog box. It is used for character fields and by financial applications to specify a usage pattern. You can change the value using PeopleCode.
  • Specify character field attributes.
  • Field Length: Max Length 254
  • Format Type : Uppercase, Mixedcase, Numbers Only, SSN, SIN, Raw Binary, Name, Postal Code North America, Postal Code International, Phone Num North America, Phone Number International, and Custom
  • Specify long character field attributes.
  • Maximum Length: If you don’t specify a maximum length, or specify 0 (zero), you can enter an unlimited number of characters, depending on the capacity of your database system.
  • Raw Binary: Raw binary is intended for binary data and byte strings. For example, raw binary can store graphics, sound, documents, and arrays of binary data.
  • Specify number field attributes.
  • Integer Positions
  • Decimal Positions
  • Signed
  • Specify date field attributes.
  • Length is 10 (MM/DD/YYYY)
  • Default to 2000 if year less than or equal to (Default is 50)
  • Specify time field attributes. 
  • Length is 15 (HH:MI:SS:999999)
  • Time Formatting: You can use %CLIENTDATE as the default constant for the Time field. %CLIENTDATE adjusts the date as appropriate to the time zone of the browser.
  • Specify DateTime field attributes.
  • Length is 26(YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MI-SS.999999)
  • Time Formatting: %CLIENTDATE can be used as default.
  • Specify image field attributes.
  • Maximum Length: Depends on database platform
  • Image Format: PeopleSoft supports BMP, DIB, GIF, CUT, EPS, JPG, PCX, PCT, RLE, and TGA image types. At runtime, the user can upload BMP, DIB, GIF, and JPG images to the database.
  • Specify ImageReference field attributes
  • Use the ImageReference field to store static images that can be changed at runtime with PeopleCode. By associating image definitions with an ImageReference field on a page, you can display images dynamically.
  • Specify Attachment field attributes
  • Attachment maps to a BLOB database type to hold the contents of a file attachment.
    However, PeopleSoft recommends using the existing field, FILE_DATA, if a BLOB column is needed. For attachments, use the subrecord ATTACH_DETAIL, which contains FILE_DATA.

Using the Translate Table

As a general rule, store field values in the Translate table if the field meets the following criteria:
  1. Field type is Character.
  2. Field length is 1 to 4 characters.
  3. Field values consist of a relatively small, static set of values that are not maintained by the user.
  4. No other fields relate to this field.
  • Populate Field Value, Effective Date, Inactive, Long Name and Short Name to add values to the Translate table.
  • To save the Translate table, you must be authorized to modify field definitions. There is a special Translates Only security access level for fields that allows translate values to be updated, but not other field attributes.
  • When you select the Yes/No Table Edit, the system automatically points to the PSYESNO field in the Translate table
  • Translate Table Attributes are: FIELDNAME, LANGUAGE_CD, FIELDVALUE, EFFDT, VERSION, EFF_STATUS, XLATLONGNAME, XLATSHORTNAME, LASTUPDDTTM and LASTUPDOPRID

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