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TYPES - tabkeys

Short Reference

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Syntax


... [ WITH key ] 

   [ WITH secondary_key1 ] [ WITH secondary_key2 ] ... 

    [ {WITH|WITHOUT} FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS ] ...

Extras

1. ... WITH FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS

2. ... WITHOUT FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS

Effect

Defines the table key of a table type. The following can be defined:

The order in which the components of a table key are defined is significant for the table type. The WITH|WITHOUT FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS additions determine the genericness with respect to the secondary table key.

An internal table that has no table key or an incomplete table key is generic with respect to the table key. A table type of this nature can be used only for typing formal parameters or field symbols. For DATA, a standard table type with a generic primary table key can be specified after TYPE. In this case, a bound table type with a standard key is created.

Primary Key

The genericness of a table type with respect to the primary key is determined as follows:

  • If no WITH key declaration is made, a table type is generic with respect to the primary key.
  • If a declaration about the uniqueness of the key is not made in key, a table type is partially generic with respect to the key.
  • If a key declaration with a uniqueness declaration is made in key, a table type is not generic with respect to the primary key.

The non-generic table categories can be split up as follows:

  • If no primary key is declared for standard tables, this primary key is generic with respect to the key fields and defined implicitly as non-unique.
  • If no primary key is declared for sorted tables, this primary key is generic with respect to the key fields and uniqueness.
  • If no primary key is declared for hashed tables, this primary key is generic with respect to the key fields and uniqueness; note, however, that fixed hash tables can have only one unique key.

Secondary Key

The genericness of a table type with respect to the secondary key depends (by default) on the genericness of the primary key; you can override it with the WITH|WITHOUT FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS additions.

  • If the primary key is completely or partially generic, then the table type is by default generic with respect to the secondary key. The standard behavior can be expressed using the WITH FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS addition. However, if the WITHOUT FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS addition is declared, the table type is generic with respect to the primary key but not with respect to the secondary key.
  • If the primary key is not generic, then the table type is not generic with respect to the secondary key either (by default). The standard behavior can be expressed using the WITHOUT FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS addition. If, however, WITH FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS is declared, the table type is generic with respect to the secondary key but not with respect to the primary key.


Note

A generic table type cannot be used as a component of a structured type.

Addition 1

... WITH FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS

Effect

This addition defines the table type explicitly as being generic with respect to the secondary key. This means it includes table types that can have further secondary keys and not just the optional secondary keys declared using WITH secondary_key ....

If you have already defined 15 secondary keys, you cannot declare the WITH FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS addition.

Addition 2

... WITHOUT FURTHER SECONDARY KEYS

Effect

This addition defines the table type explicitly as being non-generic with respect to the secondary key. This means it includes only those table types that have those secondary keys declared using WITH secondary_key ....

Continue

TYPES - key

TYPES - secondary_key