QED MD - Common Features

Mapping Definition Language (MDL) is used extensively in QED to define items. These definitions might be for a whole unit such as a function or for an item in a unit such as a report field within a report. The definition might be used to give the formula for the item or it might be used to qualify the item with some conditional clause.

There is no restriction on the amount of MDL which can be used in a definition; you might require a few lines or many lines. So that you can write an extensive definition for an item, you open an MDL window. The window is opened for a selected item on the unit in which you are currently working.

Care is necessary to check that the window has been displayed for the intended item. In some situations, such as the report definition, it is easy for a novice user to wrongly position the cursor. The item which has been selected is usually indicated by its name appearing near the top of the window.

When you are viewing a number of items in a unit, for example, attributes of an entity, some of them might have extra MDL definition and others only the formula which is visible on the main window. In order to make you aware of an extended definition which is currently not on view chevrons (>>) are displayed near the right margin of the screen, beside the item with the extended definition. This is referred to as the Overflow Indicator. In most places two chevrons (>>) appear, but in some places only one chevron (>) is used, depending on the space available on the screen. Where an extended definition exists, the portion which is visible in the main window is protected.

The Ruler action displays a guide which you can use to when writing lines of MDL instructions in an MDL window, to improve readability. The ruler line is inserted at the position of the cursor and remains there until you Update, Exit or Cancel. You can insert more than one ruler if required; each ruler is protected and cannot be changed or deleted. Rulers can only be inserted in MDL windows.

The action which displays an MDL window is the Expand action. Opening an MDL window is sometimes referred to as popping a window; windows are sometimes called panels.

NOTE Closing an MDL window using Cancel saves any changes you have made; you must use Exit if you don't want to save your changes.

NOTE The menu path shown is the default for the system. Your company may have customised menu options, so the path shown may not be accurate. Please contact your system administrator for details.

QED MD - Common Features - MDL Windows