Folks, I am having a little trouble getting this off the ground and I'm not really sure why (it seems straightforward enough). Can someone sanity check me on this?

I want to DEFINE a column to my MFD with a hard coded value (nevermind why, I swear it makes sense). Per the 'Describing Data...' manual, it should be written as the following (field HELLOWORLD):

FILENAME=PS_JOB_TEST, SUFFIX=SQLORA  , $
  SEGMENT=PS_JOB_TEST, SEGTYPE=S0, $
    DEFINE HELLOWORLD/A12 = 'HELLO WORLD!'; $
    FIELDNAME=EMPLID, ALIAS=EMPLID, USAGE=A11, ACTUAL=A11, $
    FIELDNAME=EMPL_RCD, ALIAS=EMPL_RCD, USAGE=I11, ACTUAL=I4, $

When I run this, I get no error but I don't see my field (HELLOWORLD).

What am I doing wrong?
-ABT

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ABT,

Try ending the DEFINE correctly ;,$ not ;$

By preference, defines should be placed at the end of segment to which they apply.
Try
FIELDNAME=EMPLID, ALIAS=EMPLID, USAGE=A11, ACTUAL=A11, $
FIELDNAME=EMPL_RCD, ALIAS=EMPL_RCD, USAGE=I11, ACTUAL=I4, $
DEFINE HELLOWORLD/A12 = 'HELLO WORLD!';, $

OR
Your define has no reference point.
FIELDNAME=EMPLID, ALIAS=EMPLID, USAGE=A11, ACTUAL=A11, $
FIELDNAME=EMPL_RCD, ALIAS=EMPL_RCD, USAGE=I11, ACTUAL=I4, $
DEFINE HELLOWORLD/A12 WITH EMPID = 'HELLO WORLD!'; ,$

Thanks JG, but no go on your suggestions. Same effect. No error. I get results, just missing the field I DEFINEd.

FILENAME=PS_JOB_TEST, SUFFIX=SQLORA  , $
  SEGMENT=PS_JOB_TEST, SEGTYPE=S0, $
    FIELDNAME=EMPLID, ALIAS=EMPLID, USAGE=A11, ACTUAL=A11, $
    FIELDNAME=EMPL_RCD, ALIAS=EMPL_RCD, USAGE=I11, ACTUAL=I4, $
        .
        .
        .
    FIELDNAME=JOB_DATA_SRC_CD, ALIAS=JOB_DATA_SRC_CD, USAGE=A3, ACTUAL=A3, $
    FIELDNAME=ESTABID, ALIAS=ESTABID, USAGE=A12, ACTUAL=A12, $
DEFINE HELLOWORLD/A12 WITH EMPLID='HELLO WORLD!';, $

- ABT

ABT,

Can you knock up a quick repro on the car file or any other \IBISAMP DB.

That would allow most of the forum to play with it, becuase we obviously can't see your system.

I put the same DEFINE in the CAR master and it worked fine. Don't forget that you cannot display a DEFINEd field with a PRINT *. You must specifically reference the DEFINEd field in your TABLE request in order for it to display on the report.

Dan, good call.

I was in fact PRINT * -ing it and didn't see my field (nor do I see it in a ?FF PS_JOB_TEST). I do see it when explicitly referencing it. Case closed, but still not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Thanks all!

- ABT

I imagine you could create a Business View, referencing the Define as a Field. Then it should be treated as such and included in PRINT *.