DESCRIBE

The DESCRIBE command produces a report that shows the definition of one or more workspace objects.

Syntax

DESCRIBE [names]

Arguments

names: The names of one or more workspace objects, separated by spaces or commas. DESCRIBE includes the definition of each specified object in its report. When you omit this argument, DESCRIBE shows the definition of all objects in the current status of NAME.

Notes

Output of DESCRIBE

The object definition that you see in the output from a DESCRIBE command might include a description (LD), a value name format (VNF) for a time dimension, an expression associated with a FORMULA, permission specified with PERMIT commands, trigger programs associated with the object (TRIGGER command), or the contents of a calculation specification (for example, the contents of a program or model).

Limiting the Objects Described

Normally, the status of NAME is ALL, so DESCRIBE with no argument produces a report that includes the definitions of all objects in your current workspace. However, you can use the LIMIT command in combination with DESCRIBE to report the definitions of a particular group of objects in your workspace. First use LIMIT to limit the status of the NAME dimension to the names of the objects whose definitions you want to see. Then execute a DESCRIBE command with no arguments to produce a report of the definitions. See Example 11-11, "Describing All Relations".

Paginated Output

You can produce paginated output with the DESCRIBE command by setting PAGING to YES before using DESCRIBE.

DESCRIBE and PERMIT

You can use DESCRIBE to show the definition of an object even when you do not have permission to access the object or to change its permission. However, when a PERMIT command denies you the right to change the permission of an object, DESCRIBE does not include the permission associated with the definition of the object.

Describing Worksheets

For a worksheet definition, the DESCRIBE report does not include the default dimensions, WKSCOL and WKSROW. However, it does include user-defined dimensions when they have been used to define a worksheet. See Example 11-12, "Describing a Worksheet".

Describing Object Properties

The object definitions in the output from the DESCRIBE command do not include the properties associated with objects. To include properties, you must use the FULLDSC command. See the entries for FULLDSC and PROPERTY.

Creating Objects with DESCRIBE Output

You can use the output from the DESCRIBE command to create objects in other workspaces, because each line of the output is a valid statement. For example, you can execute an OUTFILE command to send subsequent output to a file, and then execute a DESCRIBE command. You can then access another workspace and use the INFILE command to read the DESCRIBE output. The same object will be created in that workspace.

Describing Composites and Conjoints

When you define a composite or conjoint that uses an index type other than the default, the DESCRIBE command displays the index type. When you use the default index type (HASH for conjoints, BTREE for composites), that information is not displayed.

Describing Width of Dimensioned BOOLEAN Variables

Dimensioned BOOLEAN variables that are in older 1 or 2 byte formats are listed as WIDTH 1 and WIDTH 2. The width of BOOLEAN variables created in the new single-bit format is not listed.

Examples

Example 11-10 Describing Variables

This example produces a report of the definitions of the two variables, sales and price. The statement

DESCRIBE sales price

produces the following output.

DEFINE SALES VARIABLE DECIMAL <MONTH PRODUCT DISTRICT>
LD Sales Revenue
DEFINE PRICE VARIABLE DECIMAL <MONTH PRODUCT>
LD Wholesale Unit Selling Price

Example 11-11 Describing All Relations

Suppose you want to look at the definitions of all the relations in your workspace. First limit the NAME dimension, using the OBJ function. After limiting NAME, use DESCRIBE with no arguments to produce a report of the definitions. The statements

LIMIT NAME TO OBJ(TYPE) EQ 'RELATION'
describe

produce the following output.

DEFINE REGION.DISTRICT RELATION REGION <DISTRICT>
LD REGION for each DISTRICT 
DEFINE DIVISION.PRODUCT RELATION DIVISION <PRODUCT>
LD DIVISION for each PRODUCT 
DEFINE MLV.MARKET RELATION MARKETLEVEL <MARKET>
DEFINE MARKET.MARKET RELATION MARKET <MARKET> 
LD Self-relation for the Market Dimension

Since the values returned by OBJ(TYPE) are always in uppercase, you have to use 'RELATION' rather than 'relation' in your LIMIT command to obtain a match.

Example 11-12 Describing a Worksheet

The dimensions of a worksheet appear in the description only when they are user-defined dimensions. The default dimensions WKSCOL and WKSROW are not included in the description. The statements

DEFINE work1 WORKSHEET
DEFINE columns DIMENSION INTEGER
DEFINE rows DIMENSION INTEGER
DEFINE work2 WORKSHEET <columns rows>
DESCRIBE work1 work2

produce the following output.

DEFINE WORK1 WORKSHEET
DEFINE WORK2 WORKSHEET <COLUMNS ROWS>