PROMPTED QUERY LINE - Query Management Facility

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Tables: | Tables |

> ... | |

| Type one or more table names. |

*** END *** | 1 to 6 of 15 | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | |---| | F1=Help F4=List F7=Backward | | F8=Forward F12=Cancel | |_______________________________________|

OK, this is an empty PROMPTED QUERY panel.

Figure 5–29, Prompted Query Panel

The prompted panels are displayed on the right-hand side of the screen. As you build each part of the query in the dialog panels, the query itself is displayed in the echo area, on the left-hand side of the screen.

To return to an empty Prompted Query panel at any time:

• Type RESET QUERY at the “Command” prompt. • Press ENTER.

5.3.3 List the Available Tables

You can view a list of all the tables you are authorized to use (Figure 5–31) by pressing the LIST key from the Tables dialog panel.

When you use the LIST key, you can specify search information for your list on the Tables dialog panel. This makes the list smaller and easier to use. In addition, if you add search information to filter your list, the smaller list runs faster than a listing of all tables. There are several ways you can limit your list.

Assume you are looking for a table containing a name beginning with “LO”. To obtain this limited list, type LO (or lo) and the percent sign (%) as shown in Figure 5–30. The percent sign is a selection symbol that stands for any number of characters; it is useful when you only know part of a name and do not know the exact letters in the desired name.

PROMPTED QUERY LINE 1

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Tables: | Tables |

> ... | |

| Type one or more table names. |

*** END *** | 1 to 6 of 15 | | ( lo%____________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | |---| | F1=Help F4=List F7=Backward | | F8=Forward F12=Cancel | |_______________________________________|

Figure 5–30, Search Criteria Entered on the Prompted Query Panel

• Type lo%, the search criteria, in the entry area of the Tables dialog panel. • Press the LIST key.

Figure 5–31, Table List Panel

5.3.4 Getting Information About the Tables

You sometimes need more information about tables before making your selection. To view a short comment line for each of the tables on the list, use the COMMENTS key. This causes the

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| Table List |

| |

| Name Owner Comments |

| F12=Cancel |

+---+

Figure 5–32, Table List Panel with Comments

If any of the comment lines end with a continuation symbol (>), it means the comment is longer than can be displayed with the Comments function. To see the rest of the comment and other information for a specific table:

• Press the TAB key to advance the cursor to the desired table for the specific description. • Press the DESCRIBE key.

A Description panel for the LOAN table displays (Figure 5–33).

Table List +---+ | Table Description | | | | Name . . . . : LOAN | | Owner . . . : | | Label . . . : | | Subtype . . : Table | | Comments . . : | +---+ | F1=Help F12=Cancel | +---+

Figure 5–33, Description Panel for LOAN Table

The Description panel provides the following information for a specified table:

Name The name of the table

Owner The userid of the owner of the table (if applicable)

Label The label (if assigned) by which the table is known in a report

Subtype The subtype of the table: Table, View, or Alias (DB2 only)

If you are working on a table you own (one that you created), this Table Description Panel supplies only the name of the table and not the owner.

5.3.5 Selecting the Tables

To leave the Description panel and return to the Table List panel:

• Press the CANCEL key.

Notice that the table names in the list of tables are not numbered. The Table List is a multiple selection list. To select the tables for your query, type a character in front of the desired tables. You can select up to 15 tables for your query. For example, to select the LOAN table:

• Type an X to the left of desired LOAN. • Press ENTER.

The Tables Dialog panel displays (Figure 5–34) with LOAN selected.

PROMPTED QUERY MODIFIED LINE 1

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Tables: | Tables |

> ... | |

| Type one or more table names. |

*** END *** | 1 to 6 of 15 | | (LOAN_ __________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | | ( _______________________________ ) | |---| | F1=Help F4=List F7=Backward | | F8=Forward F12=Cancel | |______________________________________|

Figure 5–34, Tables Dialog List with the Selected Table

• Press ENTER again.

*** END *** | 3. Row Conditions... |

| 4. Sort... |

| 5. Duplicate Rows... | +---+ | F1=Help F12=Cancel | +---+

OK, ENTER performed. Please proceed.

Figure 5–35, Selected Table in Echo Area with Specify Dialog List

5.3.6 Select Columns

Once you have selected a table, you can select the columns from that table that you want displayed in your report:

Because Prompted Query has already chosen option 2, COLUMNS, you do not have to specify an item number in the Specify dialog panel.

• Press ENTER.

If the table chosen is the previous example of LOAN, when you press ENTER the Columns

Dialog panel displays (Figure 5–36).

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| Columns |

| |

| Select one or more columns. You can also | | select either an expression or function. |

| F8=Forward F12=Cancel |

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In document Query Management Facility (Page 43-47)