The DEFINE COLLECTION command creates a collection. A collection allows you to view and manipulate a group of related elements that make up a particular system or subsystem. Because a collection is a controlled element, you use the DEFINE COLLECTION command to create the initial version of a collection. Use the RESERVE and REPLACE commands to create new versions. Before you issue the DEFINE COLLECTION command, you must create and set a context. The SHOW CONTEXT command indicates whether you have completed these steps. Because all elements in a collection hierarchy are children of the top collection, you can issue commands that affect the entire hierarchy with the /DESCENDANTS or /CLOSURE qualifiers. Because most elements in a collection hierarchy are also children of smaller subcollections beneath the top collection, you can also issue commands that affect only one subcollection and its children. To create a collection hierarchy, issue the DEFINE COLLECTION command immediately after the SET CONTEXT command. SET CONTEXT implicitly sets the collection you define as the top collection in the hierarchy, provided that you did not set a top collection within the DEFINE CONTEXT command. To extend the hierarchy beneath the top collection, you issue the following commands: 1. DEFINE COLLECTION to create the collections that participate in the hierarchy. This command attaches all collections in the first level beneath the top collection. 2. DETACH FROM COMPOSITE to detach those collections destined for lower levels in the hierarchy from the first level beneath the top collection. 3. RESERVE and ATTACH TO COMPOSITE to reserve collections in each successive level and attach their immediate children. 4. REPLACE to store in a partition the elements you have created.