RE: SQL-defined files/tables

Er, Buck,   I wasn't talking about how mechanically the data base is
created (by hand or by buying another separate tool like IrWin),   I meant
that for twenty years or more the DB Gods (from Edgar on down) have not
implemented an easy to use way of defining the length and type of Customer
Number, Invoice Number, etc just once to the DB,  like the REF function in
DDS.

If you have a Domain Set of values for (Say) Weekday Name (ie Monday,
Tuesday, Wed.....)

Then you should have a Domain Set of values(ie attributes) to build a DB
table out of.

"Let's see,  I'll take a Customer Number, a Name, a Zip Code, a Credit
Limit, etc.... and call it CUSTMAST "

You should be able to pick(with or without a tool) the permissible values
for Column Types for a table.

And No,  I don't think UDT's give you the same thing.

John Carr
(Not wanting to start another meaningless war)


John Carr wrote:

>I don't know why the DB guys won't just admit that the designers of the
>Sys/38 had a great idea back in 1978+/-    with the Reference(with very
>liberal built in type casting).

Perhaps it is because the database folk consider that designing a database
"by hand" file by file is a obsolete as punched cards.  Much more common is
the use of a database design tool (database<>file) like IrWin.  The tool
generates OS specific "create file" instructions.  The programmer/analyst
concentrates on The Big Picture and leaves the details to the tool.

Buck Calabro

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