Delete Attribute Utility
The Delete Attribute Utility allows you to delete an Attribute data row for each timekey identified in a Generic worktable.
To use the utility, you must first create the criteria to select the Attributes that you want to delete. The Attribute table must be the key table. For the run of the criteria, the Delete Attribute utility should be chosen (rather than the name of a report format.)
Utility Classification
This utility is used to perform a mass delete of existing data and therefore it is classified as an advanced User Utility.
Caution! By its nature, this utility DELETES existing data. This utility is simple to use, but its ramifications must be fully understood. Make sure you have selected the correct Attributes that you want to delete. We recommend that you create and save the export worktable and check it to verify that you have selected ONLY the desired rows, and then run the utility using that saved export worktable to perform the actual deletion. You may want to create a special Report Group to store the criteria that you create to launch this utility, and restrict access to that Report Group, to avoid the unintentional use of the criteria.
Accessing the Utility
The use of this utility is very closely tied to the function of the Millennium Reporter. The utility cannot be accessed via in the Tools World item in the Millennium Explorer as some other utilities may be. It is only accessible via the Millennium Reporter. When a report form is accessed, the Output List box may show either the format names in a designated library, or a list of utilities that may be used with the export worktable that is generated by the run of the criteria. This output list is the means of accessing the Delete Attribute Utility.
Report Criteria
Perhaps the most important aspect of using the Delete Attribute utility is the definition of the criteria used to create the export worktable. For complete information, you may find it helpful to review the important concepts of criteria organization and the key table in reporting, and the layout of a generic export worktable. A description of the impact of these functions in the utility is given below.
Key Table
The report criteria must use Attributes as the key table.
Report Options
Use the Accept Multiples option.
The Spouse Name option should be set to Do not combine. This will ensure that each spouse's data will be considered independently for the action of the utility.
In the Options, Report form, you should set the Address radio button to None, to optimize the run time of the criteria. Set the Remove Spouses option to NO.
Output List
To the right of the Report Name text box in the report form, you will see an Output List. This list box may display the names of report formats or it may display the names of standard utilities. To switch from one to the other, you must use the Options, Report buttons to access that form. Then you can use the Output List radio buttons on that form to specify that you want to see the names of the utilities. When you return to the report form, you should choose the Delete Attribute item from the list.
Run Options
To optimize the run time of the criteria, you should set the Format Names option to NO.
It is not necessary to the action of the utility to save the Export worktable, though you may choose to do so for verification purposes following the run of the utility.
Using the Delete Attribute Utility
The following instructions assume that you are familiar with the use of the Millennium Reporter. For more information about any procedure described in the following steps, use the hyperlinks to read more on that subject.
- Access the Millennium Reporter and access a Report Form via the item New Criteria, and then the item Custom, or via one of the report library templates.
- In the Report Form, click Options, Report, and then the Output ListUtilities radio button. Also shown on that page, click the Address option, None. Click OK. You will be returned to the Report Form, and the Formats/Utilities list should now show the utility names.
- In the Report Form, from the Formats/Utilities list, choose the item, Delete Attribute Utility.
- Create a name for your report and type it into the Report Name text box. The report name can be up to 50 characters in length. Avoid using punctuation, except for the underscore character, in the report name.
- Set up the Report Options as indicated above.
- Define a set of criteria that will select the desired Attribute data rows to be deleted. You must use Attributes as the key table, and any set of criteria statements you want to define those attributes.
- When all criteria are defined and the options set as desired, click the File item in the function menu bar, then Save, and then Run the report.
- You will be given a Run Options form. Select the Queue you want to use for the run of the report and all other run options you want. You should choose No for Format Names question to improve performance. When all options are set as desired, click OK.
- You should be given a message that the report has been successfully added to the Queue.
Delete Attribute Log File
Results of each Delete Attribute Utility run are written to a log file named DeleteAttrOut.log. The log will note the utility start date and time, the number of records selected by your criteria, and the number of attribute rows that are deleted. SQL or programming errors generated by the utility run will also be noted. If the utility successfully runs to completion, the finish date and time will print.
The user monitors this log file by using Windows Explorer to navigate to its location in the Queue directory on the Queue machine. This log will continue to show information about all Delete Attribute Utility runs until it is cleared or deleted. Clear the log by using Windows Explorer to navigate to its location on the Queue machine, open the log, and then delete its contents. Or, use Windows Explorer to navigate to its location on the Queue machine and then delete the file; when the Delete Attribute Utility is next run, a new DeleteAttrOut.log will be created.