MAGEC RAD Glossary

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

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Glossary of Terms

Quick Jump: A   B   C   D   E   F   H   I   K   L   M   P   R   S   T   U   V   W

A

Activity Log

A record of online activity by operator, terminal, and function that includes I/O, transaction, and error statistics maintained by MAGEC automatically.

Audit Stamp

A 36-byte Element used to record update statistics for a record.

Authorization Level

A one-digit (0 through 9) code designating a level of access authorization in the MAGEC security system. Operators have an individual authorization level in each of up to fifty Logical Applications, 0 = lowest (none), 9 = highest.

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B

Business Rule

A routine that is triggered (invoked) whenever a program updates or adds data for a specified Element. Primary purpose is to control integrity of data, including cross-field and cross-file validations.

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C

CICS

A TP monitor that is a product of IBM.

Copybook

A stored source-code definition of data, either a file Element or a Mask. Stored on the MAGEC library for use in the generated MMP's.

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D

Data Class

A logical view of a file. A collection of data items that are grouped into Elements that are grouped into a record that resides on a file.

Data Independence

A property of application programs that renders them insensitive to changes in the physical structure of their data; i.e. record lengths, access methods. This property is imparted upon MAGEC applications via the dictionary-driven I/O modules.

Data Item

The MAGEC (and Cobol) designation for a "field" of a record (Element). Data Items must be defined as belonging to an Element defined on the ELT file.

Datacom DB

A database management system that is a product of Applied Data Research.

DBA

Database administrator. A person who is responsible for managing the database resources for an organization. This person is usually a technically oriented individual who deals directly with the actual database control parameters and utilities as opposed to the more administrative person called the data administrator.

DBMS

Database Management System. A software or hardware product that is used to manage file data and simplify accesses.

DB/2

IBM's relational database that utilizes SQL.

DCL

Standard MAGEC designation for Data Class. The DCL file.

DD Name

The "data definition" name used to define a file to the operating system in the TP monitor's start-up JCL. The name specified in the OS "DD" statement or in the DOS "DLBL" statement.

Displacement

The starting position (in the record) at which an Element or key begins, relative to 0000.

DIT

Standard MAGEC designation for Data Items. The DIT file.

Domain

A global definition that applies to data items in, potentially, many tables (files). A central definition from which individual data items can inherit specifications.

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E

Element

a portion (or all) of a record. Defined by a Displacement into the record and a Length. The smallest unit a program can retrieve via calling MAGECIO

ELT

Standard MAGEC designation for Element. The ELT file.

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F

Foreign Key

A Data Item within one Data Class that is used as a key to access another, i.e: customer-number in an invoice Element used to access customer file.

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H

HELP Key

A keyboard key, for online applications, that invokes a display of documentation pertinent to what the user is doing. MAGEC includes function-level, field-level, and error-level HELP automatically for online applications.

Host Variables

Data definitions that are included into a program for the purpose of reading into or writing from when using an SQL database management system.

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I

-IFEXIST

A control command that is used in conjunction with Symbolic Screen Field References to render them "conditional". Often used in Business Rules.

-IFUNIQUE

A control command that is used in conjunction with -MAGECINC and renders it "conditional".

IFUNIQUE

A control statement in MAGEC that is used in conjunction with the -MAGECINC control statement, rendering it "conditional".

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K

KSDS

Keyed Sequenced Data Set. A type of VSAM file that is logically ordered via use of an index (key).

KYF

Standard MAGEC designation for key definition. The KYF file.

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L

LOAD

A special MAGEC Function Code that commands MAGEC to reload its main-memory "tables" from the Dictionary files in order to reflect any changes that might have been made. Used most often by database administrators and security officers.

Logical Join

A technique for logically associating the records of one file or Data Class to the records of another without using "physical" pointers.

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M

-MAGECINC

A control command that may be embedded in source code to cause the MMPCREAT or MBPCREAT process to "include" or "expand" another member at that point in the program.

MAGECINC

A control statement in MAGEC that causes a copybook to be included (expanded) at the point in a program where the -MAGECINC statement is encountered.

MAGECIO

A module that is part of the MAGEC nucleus. Its primary function is to handle the file and database I/O requests of the MMP's and to handle error conditions in a standard manner. It also makes up a part of the MAGEC Security System since it accomplishes the Audit Stamping.

Master Key

The unique key value that identifies a specific record. The key by which MAGEC MMP's access the record for all maintenance Functions.

MBP

MAGEC Batch Program. A batch program generated by MAGEC from dictionary specifications.

MBPCREAT

The batch jobstream used to generate MBP's.

MMP

MAGEC Message Processor. An online program generated by MAGEC from dictionary specifications.

MMPCREAT

The batch jobstream used to generate MMP's.

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P

Primary Key

See Master Key.

Pseudodelete

To simulate the deletion of a record by setting a "delete flag" on and then just updating the record. MAGECIO does this for Data Classes that have an Audit Stamp and for which Real Delete is set to N in the DCL file definition. MAGECIO also simulates a NOT-FOUND if a pseudodeleted record is read.

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R

Referential Integrity

The property of a database of ensuring that all subordinate entities (i.e. invoices) have a valid controlling entity (i.e. customer) and that those relationships are not violated during ongoing database update, deletion, and addition processes.

Request Area

A fixed format area of memory into which the MMP's can move the commands and other parameters to communicate to MAGECIO (or MAGECCP) what operation is requested.

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S

SCOMPL

The portion of any MAGEC screen in which miscellaneous messages may be displayed, it is the rightmost half of the top line.

Secondary Key

A key for a record that is other than the Master (Primary) key and that needs not uniquely identify the record since it is used only in browse Functions in MAGEC MMP's. Alternate Index.

SERRMSG

The last three lines of any MAGEC screen. The area in which Error messages are usually displayed.

SFUNCT

The portion of the top line of any MAGEC screen in which the Function Code is entered/displayed.

SKEY

The portion of the top line of any MAGEC screen in which the key value is entered/displayed for the Function being done.

SQL

Structured Query Language. A database access language for relational databases.

Subordinate Key

See Secondary Key.

Supra

Cincom's relational database system.

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T

TCP/IP

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A protocol used to communicate between networks of computers.

TeraData

A database "back end machine" that is a relational SQL database system.

TP monitor

Any of the software products that is designed to support online processing against 3270-type devices and from Cobol applications programs in a multi-tasking environment. CICS, WESTI, or Datacom DC, etc.

TWA

Task Work Area. Main memory used by an MMP as work space and for passing data to other modules and for reading data into and writing from. Also used for saving data from task to task in a "pseudo-conversational" processing mode since it is saved and restored by the MAGEC Control Program as a service to the MMP's.

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U

Undelete

To restore a pseudodeleted record to "undeleted" status by setting the Delete Flag in the Audit Stamp from X'FF' to blank.

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V

VSAM

IBM's Virtual Sequential Access Method, including all its variations.

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W

WESTI

A TP monitor that is a product of Westinghouse. No longer supported by MAGEC as of release 3.0

Workstation

A standalone computer, usually a PC, PS/2, or 9370 type machine, that is a functional replica of the main production system and that serves as a testing and development environment for analysts, designers, and programmers. Provides absolute separation of testing and production. MAGEC supports all of the workstation machines listed above.

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