Definition Name References

Definition name references are special expressions that reference the name of a PeopleTools definition, such as a record, page, component, business interlink, and so on. Syntactically, a definition name reference consists of a reserved word indicating the type of definition, followed by a period, then the name of the PeopleTools definition. For example, the definition name reference RECORD.BUS_EXPENSE_PER refers to the definition name BUS_EXPENSE_PER.

Generally, definition name references are passed as parameters to functions. If you attempt to pass a string literal instead of a definition name reference to such a function, you receive a syntax error.

You also use definition name references outside function parameter lists, for example, in comparisons:

If (%Page = PAGE.SOMEPAGE) Then 
   /* do stuff specific to SOMEPAGE */ 
End-If;

In these cases, the definition name reference evaluates to a string literal. Using the definition name reference instead of a string literal enables PeopleTools to maintain the code if the definition name changes.

If you use the definition name reference, and the name of the definition changes, the change automatically ripples through the code, so you do not have to change it or maintain it.

In the PeopleCode Editor, if you place your cursor over any definition name reference and right-click, you can select View Definition to open the definition.

In addition, for most definitions, if you specify a definition that was not created in PeopleSoft Application Designer, you receive an error message when you try to save your program.

Legal and Illegal Definition Names

Legal definition names, as far as definition name references are concerned, consist of alphanumeric letters determined by your current language setting in Microsoft Windows, and the characters #, @, $, and _.

In some cases, however, the definition supports the use of other characters. You can, for example, have a menu item named A&M stored in the menu definition even though & is an illegal character in the definition name reference. The illegal character results in an error when you validate the syntax or attempt to save the PeopleCode.

You can avoid this problem in two ways:

  • Rename the definition so that it uses only legal characters.

  • Enclose the name of the definition in quotation marks in the reference, for example: ITEMNAME."A&M"

The second solution is a commonly used workaround in cases where the definition name contains illegal characters. If you use this notation, the definition name reference is not treated as a string literal: PeopleTools maintains the reference the same way as it does other definition name references.

Note:

If your definition name begins with a number, you must enclose the name in quotation marks when you use it in a definition name reference. For example, CompIntfc."1_DISCPLIN_ACTN".