Maximum Alpha Field Size

Increase maximum alpha field size to 4GB

Overview

Allow large alpha fields to be defined in the APPX DD (up to 4GB)

Note: Even thought the theoretical maximum size of an alpha field is 4GB, we have imposed edit checks to limit the maximum size of an alpha field to 1MB (1048576) in characters.

Note: Large alpha field implementation in the initial release is only implemented for Permanent disk files stored in Oracle.

This change effects...

• Permanent (Oracle) disk files
• Memory Files
• Working Storage files
• Work fields

Exceptions...

• Consecutive disk files (no initial support for large alpha fields)
• Temporary disk files (no initial support for large alpha fields)
• One-Record disk files (no initial support for large alpha fields)
• Non-Oracle Permanent Disk Files (no initial support for large alpha fields)

Note: Large Field support on Data entry is limited to the Java Client at this time. The Character mode and Win32 client do not support large fields.

Test Plan:

DD Edit Checks: (untested)

Test Requirements:

Note: Test these with key and non-key fields

Does the Data Dictionary Editor enforce a 1M field size limit for...

• Permanent disk files?
• Memory Files?
• Working Storage files?
• Work fields?

Does the Data Dictionary Editor enforce the original 32K limit for...

• Consecutive disk files?
• Temporary disk files?
• One-Record disk files?

Test Results and Notes:

Untested

Storage and Processing Capabilities: (untested)

Test Requirements:

Note: Test there with key and non-key fields

Note: Perform the following tests for the following...

• Permanent disk files
• Memory Files
• Working Storage files
• Work fields

Note: The following FMS interfaces will not initially support large fields...

• Appx-IO
• DB2
• ODBC
• SQL Server
• C-ISAM
• Vision

Does Restructure handle the large field correctly?

Does the Oracle interface support large fields correctly?

Do you get a reasonable error message when attempting a non-supported FMS type?

Using a Subroutine process, can you store and retrieve 1M character in an alpha field?

Using an Input process can you store and retrieve 1M character in an alpha field using the Java Client?

Using an Output process can you store and retrieve 1M characters in an alpha field for the following as Text and PDF...
(I'm not sure this is a doable test, is there a way to print 1M character in an Appx report from a single field?)

Using a Query process can you correctly Sort and Select on 1M alpha fields?

Using Child Constraints can you correctly access parent/child data with 1M alpha fields?

Does TECHDOC print the field sizes correctly up to the max of 1M?

Test Results and Notes:

untested

ILF Statements: (untested)

Test Requirements:

Do the following ILF Statements handle 1M alpha fields correctly?

• APPEND
• BEG AT / END AT
• IF / AND / OR - All relational operators
• IF DIFF
• PASS / RECEIVE
• SET
• STORE / RESTORE

Test Results and Notes:

untested

-- PeteBrower - 2011-03-03