How do I find out where data is stored

[Chris Kelleher]

Hello -
I'm working with MFGPRO 8.5e

I'm writing an interface for an EDI screen in MFGPRO.

It's the EDI ID MAINTENANCE (ewsfidmt.p) 35.2 on the system I'm working
with.

I'm having trouble finding what table the data on the screen is being store
in. Specifically the field labled Shippin Label Site ID on the screen.
When using the CTRL-F to find out what its name is. It's telling me
"barcode_supplier_id". I cant' find it on a table anywhere. I'm guessing
(I could be wrong) that this is an "alias" field name set up in the
program, really a substring of a feild on a table.

So, if I'm correct, is there a way to find out where this data is actually
being stored?

If I'm not correct, how do I findot where this data is coming from/being
stored at?

I don't have access to the source. :-( And no I am NOT asking anyone to
send the the source code for this program.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

kev
kcammet@radley.com

 

[Chris Kelleher]

Kevin -

I don't have an answer to your specific question, but here is some
background and a general approach. Progress allows data to be stored
beyond the normal data format for a character field. For instance a
field with a format of "x(20)" - character of length 20 - can actually
hold an unlimited amount of character data. QAD sometimes take
advantage of this feature, to stuff new data fields into existing
fields, rather than create new ones. The new data is usually stored
well beyond the data the field was originally meant to hold. This is
usually done on a temporary basis, between major releases, I believe.
The challenge is finding this data to include it in custom reports,
etc. Try entering an unusual, easy to see literal in the screen which
is used to maintain the data, such as the 35.1 EDI Trading Partners
Maintenance Screen. Then, use the data dictionary to dump the file
where you suspect the data is stored, such as the customer master,
etc. Then, pull the dumped file into the Progress editor and use the
find command to get to your unusual literal (e.g. "XXXXXXX"0, or use
UNIX grep to find the literal, and figure out what field the data is
stored in. This usually works for me. - Joe