SYNON File Types

There are 4 types of files in Synon.
1. Capture(CPT)
2. Record(RCD)
3. Reference(REF)
4. Structure(STR)

Each type of file has its different role.

Capture files are used where you want to capture all the transactions of your sytem ie..sales table or purchase table

Reference files are used where you want information which is used mostly for reference and not mass updated daily like employee address etc...

The RCD file attribute should be given to files that define data structures for use by programs in the implemented system. Permitted relations are Refers to, Has and Includes.

Structure files usually holds the infomation like Add date, Add time, Change Date, Change time. In a system these fields are required by almost all the files to capture record add and change infromation. Now once you have this structure ready then it can be used by other file by using INCLUDES which is file-to-file relation.

Following Screenshot shows how you define a new file like MyTestFile.

On above screen press F10 to add objects. This will take you to a menu where you can choose your file type like CPT, REF, STR etc. Once you define your file type then next screens will ask you to define fields if the fields you are using is not already defined.

There are 2 kinds of relation.
1. File-to-File.
2. File-to-Field.

File to file relation is a relation in which your new file is using fields from the existing file. Like in example above MyTestFile is using Owned by relation to use key fields of "Test File" file. Following are the list of all relation which Synon offers

1. Has - Its a way to add just any field to your file.(file-to-field relation)
2. Includes - Its a way to add all fields of structure file in your file.(file-to-file relation)
3. Known by - Its a way to add primary keys.A key field has to be of type CDE. (file-to-field relation)
4. Owned by - Its a way to add all keys of a file as keys in your file.(file-to-file relation)
5. Qualified by - Qualified by is similar to known by to add key fields but unlike key fields its retrievals get nearest-match not the exact-match. (file-to-field relation)
6. Refers to - Its a way to add all keys of a file as regular field in your file.(file-to-file relation)
7. Defined as -
8. Denoted by - The 'Denoted by' relation specifies that A CA 2E file may be defined by a special unique identifier: 'a surrogate'. Its rarely used.
9. Extended by - Its a way to use all fields(Key Fields + Regular fields) of a file as it is into another file. Its used when you want to create a file A which should have all the fields of B plus some other fields. (file-to-file relation)