Files > KEY

name

KEY

number

.31

location

^DD("KEY",

description

This file stores information about keys on a file or subfile. A key is a set of one or more fields that uniquely identifies a record in a file. If more than one set of fields can uniquely identify a record, one of those sets should be designated the primary key; all others should be designated secondary keys. The primary key is the principal means of identifying records in the file. To allow FileMan to enforce key uniqueness, the database designer must define a regular index that consists of all the fields that make up the key. This index is called the uniqueness index. All key fields must have values. They cannot be null.

Fields

#	Name	Location	Type	Details	Index	Description
.01	file(+)	0;1	NUMERIC		B	Answer should be the number of the file or subfile identified by this key. A file may have more than one key, but only one primary key.
.02	name(+)	0;2	FREE TEXT			Answer must be the name of this key. The name of a file's primary key should be A, with subsequent keys for the same file named B, C, and so on.
1	priority(+)	0;3	SET OF CODES	P:PRIMARY S:SECONDARY		Answer 'PRIMARY' if this is the primary key of the file, the key that will usually be used for identifying entries. Otherwise, answer 'SECONDARY'.
2	field	2;0	MULTIPLE	.312
3	uniqueness index	0;4	POINTER	.11		Answer with the index that FileMan should use to ensure that new key values are unique. It must be a new-style index that resides in the Index file, and must cross-reference the key fields in proper sequence.