12.3.1 MTXT Variable Name

Mandatory.

Specify the name of the multilingual variable.

Rules

  • Must use "*MTXT" for first 5 characters.

  • Rest of the name must be from 1 to 15 characters and cannot contain imbedded blanks.

  • Must be unique within the current partition.

Warnings

  • Most *MTXT references are included at compile time. Change of an *MTXT variable will require application recompile. This is where the field/default value/cross reference capability is most useful.  Exception is use of *MTXT variables as message text. In this situation the derivation is dynamic, so no recompiles are required.

Tips & Techniques

  • Use a maximum of 3 characters for function key names as the input field on RDML commands is only 8 characters long.

  • Develop and use naming standards for *MTXT variables.

  • In packaged systems, use obscure prefixes to preserve uniqueness.

  • Use as default value for fields in the repository, rather than direct RDML reference, is preferable when intention is to use as panel or report text. Improves cross referencing capabilities.

  • Fields in the repository should have a naming standard too. It should equate to the naming standard used for the multilingual variable that is used as its default value.

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