Syntax used for search criteria
The Metadata Analyzer can search based on a wide variety of criteria. Refer to the table below for the syntax to enter into the Search Criteria bar, Filter field, etc. for the type of search you want to perform.
To search based on this: | Use this syntax: |
An entity's name | name= |
An entity's type | type= |
A property of an entity (such as length) | <property><operator><value> For example:
For <property>, use the wording shown in the Search view's Property drop-down list or the Property view's Property column. Valid operators are: < (less than) <= (less than or equal to) = (equal to) <> (not equal to) > (greater than) >= (greater than or equal to) |
A related entity's name | relatedentity.name= |
A related entity's type | relatedentity.type= |
A property of a related entity (such as length) | relatedentity.<property><operator><value> For example:
For <property> use the wording shown in the Search view's Property drop-down list or the Property view's Property column. Valid operators are:
|
relationship= Valid values are:
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Direction of a relationship | direction=to direction=from For example, to find the programs that have a "related to" relationship, enter: Type=program,relationship.direction=to |
Date-related properties | The date format to use varies by the locale of the machine. To determine the date format to use, follow the format shown in the Properties view. If you use the wrong format, the Metadata Analyzer will not find the entities you are searching for. In the English (United States) locale, the following are examples of valid formats when searching by date: |
learn status = Valid values are:
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You can search on just one criterion or any combination of criteria. These are all valid types of searches:
Type=Program
Language=COBOL
Name=CUST*,Type=Program
Name=CUST*,Type=Program,Language=COBOL
Name=CUST*,Language=COBOL
Also, a search can contain multiple <property>
Also, a search can contain multiple <property><operator><value> statements, separated by commas. These statements work together, as in the following example where the search would find entities with a length between 5 and 10:
Conversely, a search can have statements that are unrelated to each other as in this example:
Commas vs. semicolons
Commas and semicolons mean different things within the search criteria syntax.
- A comma between portions of the syntax means that you want to search for entities that match all of the search criteria.
Therefore, this search
Name=CUST*,Type=DataItem,Length>5,Length<10;
would mean to search for data items that have a name of CUST* and have a length between 5 and 10.
- A semicolon separates one search from another. It means that you want to search for entities that match any one of the parameter/value pairs.
Therefore, this search
would search for entities that have a name of CUST* or a name of ACCT*.
To set up multiple searches
You can enter multiple searches on the Search Criteria bar, just be sure to end each search with a semicolon since this signals the end of a single search's criteria. The following would search for all programs beginning with ACCT* that are either COBOL or Assembler:
Use the tables below to help set up your search:
To locate entities by partial name . . . | An asterisk can be used anywhere in name |
Beginning with a certain character | NUM* |
Ending with certain characters | *NUM |
Containing certain characters | *NUM* or N*M* |
Excluding certain characters | <> *NUM* |
To locate entities by relationship . . . | Set the search criteria to . . . |
To determine whether includes are actually used in a program | Type=Data Item,Include=name of include,Relationship=Action |
To determine where a specific data item is explicitly referenced in a program | Name=Data Item name,Type=Data Item,Relationship=Action |
To locate data items . . . | Set the search criteria to type=data item, plus |
By character | Picture = X* |
By numeric | Picture = *9* |
Used (directly referenced) in a program by another data item | Name = dataitemname,Type=Data Item,Related Entity.Type=Data Item |
All data items defined in a specific program | Owner = programname |
Used in an include (copybook) | Owner = *includename or |
By layout offset | Offset = offset |
That are literals | Literal = Yes |
That are not literals | Level > 0 |
That are packed data | Logical length = logical length of data item |
That are tables | Occurs = number of occurs |
To locate DDs . . . | Set the search criteria to type=DD, plus: |
By job and step | Owner = Jobname.stepname |
By job | Owner = Jobname.* |
By step | Owner = *.Stepname |
To locate steps . . . | Set the search criteria to type=step, plus: |
By job | Owner = Jobname |
To locate programs . . . | Set the search criteria to type=program, plus: |
By language | Language = language |
By dialect | Dialect = language version |
By source library | Source Library = dataset name |
To locate transactions . . . | Set the search criteria to type=transaction, plus: |
By region | Owner = region ID |
By group | CICS Group = group name |
To locate queues . . . | Set the search criteria to type=queue, plus: |
By type | Queue Type = type |
To locate datasets . . . | Set the search criteria to type=dataset, plus: |
That are temporary | Temporary = Yes |
That are "DUMMY" | Name = DUMMY |