Setting Data Designer Options

The Data Designer configuration options allow you to specify the inclusion or exclusion of comments in files created by the data design tools (File Designer, Working Storage Editor, and Linkage Editor). In addition, you can select the colors used to display linked items (items brought in via a COPY statement) included with the data designers. This interface also lets you determine level-number interval settings for the graphical file designers. You can also set Graphical FD, WS, and Linkage Data Designer options.

To set General Data Designer options, use the following steps:

  1. Click the General category of the Data Designer options.
  2. Comment options: Select a radio button to specify the inclusion or exclusion of comments in files created by the data design tools.
  3. Enter a default prefix to be applied to any new I/O paragraphs in the Function prefix entry field.
  4. Copy file color options: Specify the colors used to show linked data items in a data structure (included via the Link to file option of the Add Item list).

    Linked items may themselves include items via COPY statements. Items included as the result of nested COPY statements are also shown in a contrasting color. You can set the color used at each level by double-clicking in the Text Color field of the desired level and selecting a color.

You can set Graphical FD, WS, and Linkage Data Designer options with the following procedures:

  1. Click the Graphical FD, Graphical WS, or Graphical Linkage category of the Data Designer options.
  2. If desired, change the default element prefix in the Element Prefix entry field.
  3. Set the level-number intervals for the second, third, and fourth subitem levels for code generated by the File Designer. You cannot change the first level setting.
  4. Enter an interval for any levels past the fourth level.

    Your level-number sequence, along with a preview of element names using the prefix convention you have chosen, is shown in the display box.