Catalog User Field Validation
The Product Management system supports the use of the default database field names, system wide customized fields names, or item specific (labelset based) field display names for the Catalog User1-User10 fields as described in the previous section.
There are also several different validation methods that can be implemented for each of the Catalog User1-User10 fields. These validation options can be used along with the user field display name options to streamline and control the capture and storage of required product information.
The available validation options discussed below should be implemented and used based on the way you are using the Catalog User Display options. Some of these validation options are also fairly advanced, so defining your goals clearly and implementing the options based on those goals is critical to successfully using the options.
User Field Validation Options
No Validation In this case, the user field labels default using the logic described in the Catalog User Field Display section. The user fields themselves are not validated at all meaning any freeform data (up to ascii 8) is acccepted for each field. This option would typically be used when there are not any custom user field display names, and or the usage of the user fields is not item specific (custom display name and no validation is a valid option when the user field is used the same for all items).
Gencode Validation In this case, a Gencode table can be set up for each of the user fields (one or selected, or all user fields), and the Standard Gencode Validation options can be used for each field. This setup would typically be used only when the user field information is not specific by item (it would not generally be used with the item specific display options), since the gencode validation for the user field would control the valid contents for the field for all items in the system. Note: The gencode option can be enabled on a field by field basis as required, whether custom user field display labels are being used or not.
Longcode Validation The Longcode Validation option is designed to be used along with the Item specific field label option. The basic idea is that the system validates the information in each user field based on the labelset being used for the item and the specific Longcode validation records that have been set up for the Labelset and user field combination. For Example: If you have 2 Labelsets in use, MONITORS and DRIVES, and you have set up custom user field labels for these labelsets, you can also set up validation records that are specific to the labelset and user field in each item. If the first user field for Drives is labelled as Type, you may define the valid drive types in a validation table in the Longcode file and this validation info (the valid types) restricts the information that can be entered into the user 1 field for an item assigned to the DRIVES labelset A different Longcode table can be setup for the User1 field for the MONITORS Labelset, and this validation will be used for items assigned to that Labelset. The Longcode Validation can be set up for all user fields or field labels in each Labelset, or only for selected user fields in each labelset. The Longcode validation logic is to accept entries from the Longcode table that has been set up for each user field/labelset combination, or to accept a blank value. The blank option allows you to implement the labelset information gathering without requiing you to completely reclassify all of your inventory items at the same time you define the tables. The Longcode validation tables can also be set up on the fly if necessary, so you can start backloading user field information into existing Catalog records (see control records section below).
Important Note: The Gencode Table options and the Longcode Validation options are mutually exclusive. If the advanced longcode validation is turned on (see below section on control record information), the Catalog User fields will not use any Gencode validation tables that have been set up for the fields.. If the advanced longcode validation is turned off, the normal gencode validation logic is used for the user fields (based on each field and how the Gencode table for each field is set up or if one is set up at all).
Control records used for Catalog User Field Validation
System Control File (248 parameters or FVPAR records).
There are two system parameters records that are used to control validation in the user fields.
F248:CATLBLST: Determines if the advanced Longcode Validation options are enabled (switch is set to Y) or not (switch is blank or missing) for the Catalog User1User10 fields.
F248:CATLBLVE: Determines if normal (non-sysop) operators are allowed to create Loncode Validation records for the Catalog User fields. If the switch is set to Y, the operator may add entries to the Longcode Validation tables for each user field. If the switch is set to N or is missing, the operator may not change the validation information for the field, only view and select from it. This switch can be set globally, by branch, group, or by user as required.
Longcode Validation Records
This section describes the Catalog User field Longcode Validation records. These validation records can be set up from within the Catalog Manager program by selecting the appropriate catalog item and Labelset and by using the prompt and the insert options to add entries for each userfield/labelset combination (this assumes the 248 parameter listed in the last section is set to allow you to add entries to the tables).
The below table shows a sample table for the user1 field - used for items in the DRIVES Labelset (where User1 field is defined and labelled as Type).
Loncode Validation Record Format
|
CODESET |
Code1 (Field) |
Code2 (Labelset) |
Code 3 (Value) |
Description |
|
CATLBLST |
U1 |
DRIVES |
CD-ROM |
CD-ROM Drive |
|
CATLBLST |
U1 |
DRIVES |
DVD-ROM |
DVD-ROM |
|
CATLBLST |
U1 |
DRIVES |
DVD+RW |
DVD+RW |
|
CATLBLST |
U1 |
DRIVES |
IDE |
IDE Drive |
|
CATLBLST |
U1 |
DRIVES |
SCSI |
SCSI Drive |
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