1.1 What is the LANSA Repository?

The LANSA Repository is a central storage facility for reusable field and file definitions.

• Field definitions consist of all field related information, such as names, descriptions, help text, validation rules and trigger actions. Any field, whether used in a file or not, may be described in the Repository.

• File definitions include the field related information as well as file level validation rules and trigger actions, access routes and automatic derivation/calculation of special fields.

These field and file definitions are available to all LANSA applications whether these are executed on the IBM i or Windows. Other PC applications may also use these definitions via LANSA's middleware, LANSA Open.

Repository descriptions, column headings and validations should be used for any file or field on a screen or in a report, rather than specifying this information in the specific program which displays the screen or produces the report.

By using the Repository to store field and file definitions centrally, they are easier to maintain and are used in a consistent way. For example, three different LANSA functions or client applications, even if built by three different developers, will be consistent because they use the same definitions for the same pieces of data.