January Tip

The screens that we enter information on in Colleague can sometimes give the field name where a piece of information is stored.   For example, go to the NAE screen.  Look at any record, and place the cursor on the last name field.  Now click the help button (  ).

You will see the 'Help information for the field LAST.NAME'. 

LAST.NAME is the dictionary field name. 

Remember, before writing a query, you must first identify the file you want to write the query from.  This LAST.NAME field name can be used in Query Builder once the file is known. 

How do you find the file name?   There is a command that can be entered in the 'Before' ECL component box.

N19.DCR.FILE.LOCATE is typed in the Before component box (remember to remove all data from all other components before launching a command - even the default verb).  You will be promted to enter your field name - so go ahead and enter the LAST.NAME field.

                  Enter field name  LAST.NAME

The result is the following report, based on the field entered, giving the file it belongs to.

RT.FIELDS             LAST.NAME                                                
Description           Last name of person                                      
File Name (Logical)   PERSON                                                   
                                                                               
1 record listed 

You are now ready to write a report from the PERSON file!

Note:  This search method will work about 80% of the time!  Sometimes you will note that instead of a field name the term ‘...VAR...’ appears instead.  This is Colleague telling you that this field name is not viewable.  Any field with VAR in the name somewhere - is a variable based upon some other entry or process.