Format

                 { FIELD              }
      CONSTRAIN  { RECORD             } [qualifier] ... element-name ,...
                 { GENERIC  type-name }
                 {                    }

                 [ DESCRIPTION IS /*text*/ ]  [ AUDIT IS /*text*/ ]

1  –  Parameters

1.1  –  type-name

    Specifies the type of the generic element you are constraining.

1.2  –  element-name

    Specifies the element you are constraining. You can substitute an
    asterisk (*) wildcard character for this parameter.

1.3  –  text

    Documents the element within the DESCRIPTION clause. Adds
    information to the history list entry within the AUDIT clause.
    Valid delimiters are /* */ or double quotation marks (" ").

    You can use Japanese to document comments in the DESCRIPTION or
    AUDIT clause for a field. To do this, use the SET CHARACTER_SET
    command, and set the character_set of the session to DEC_KANJI.

2  –  Qualifiers

2.1    /CLOSURE

    Format options:

       /CLOSURE=TO_BOTTOM
       /NOCLOSURE (default)

    Specifies whether CDO constrains additional elements. Using
    the /CLOSURE=TO_BOTTOM qualifier constrains all children of an
    element that are uncontrolled.

2.2    /LOG

    Format options:

       /LOG
       /NOLOG (default)

    Specifies whether CDO displays text identifying each element as
    the element is constrained.

3  –  Description

    The CONSTRAIN command moves an uncontrolled element to a base
    partition, the first level of approval. An uncontrolled element
    can be one of the following:

    o  A field, record, or generic element that you created with
       Oracle CDD/Repository Version 4.0 or later

    o  A field, record, or generic element that you created with
       Oracle CDD/Repository, outside a context

    Since fields, records, and generic elements are versioned
    elements, the CONSTRAIN command constrains the highest visible
    version unless you specify another version number.

    Before you issue the CONSTRAIN command, you must create a
    partition and a context for the uncontrolled element and issue
    the SET CONTEXT command to this context.

    The element you are constraining must be a versioned element.
    When you constrain one version of an element, CDO constrains all
    versions of the element.

    An error occurs if you attempt to constrain an element that is
    reserved. The SHOW RESERVATIONS command indicates whether this
    condition exists.

    An error occurs if you attempt to constrain an element that is
    a parent of an uncontrolled element. Constrain the parent and
    children simultaneously by issuing the CONSTRAIN command with the
    /CLOSURE=TO_BOTTOM qualifier.

    After you constrain an element, you issue the ATTACH TO COMPOSITE
    command to explicitly attach the element to a collection, field,
    record, file, or generic element.

                                   NOTE

       The CONSTRAIN command is irreversible. A controlled element
       cannot be changed to an uncontrolled element. All subsequent
       versions of the element are controlled.

    To create subsequent versions, issue the RESERVE command rather
    than the DEFINE command.

4  –  Examples

  CDO>  DEFINE CONTEXT SUBSCRIPTIONS BASE_PARTITION FOURTH_QUARTER.
  CDO>  SET CONTEXT SUBSCRIPTIONS
  CDO>  DEFINE COLLECTION MAIL_LABEL.
  CDO>  CONSTRAIN FIELD *

      In this example, the CONSTRAIN command controls all fields
      in the current default directory. See the ATTACH_TO_COMPOSITE
      command for commands to attach the constrained fields to this
      collection.