List File Attributes

Brief Data Dictionary

When you choose Brief as the data dictionary format, a brief listing will be produced; the Brief format is more readable but less complete than the default of a Standard listing. Next, you are asked for a destination for the listing's output at the "DEVICE:" prompt. You can specify any valid printer or press the Enter/Return key to send output to your screen as illustrated below:

    Select LISTING FORMAT:  STANDARD//   BRIEF
    ALPHABETICALLY BY LABEL?  NO//  

    DEVICE:  

Here is a sample of a Brief data dictionary listing of an elementary file of patients:

BRIEF DATA DICTIONARY #16026 -- PATIENT FILE          05/31/91  PAGE 1
SITE: KDEMO V7   UCI: VAH,KXX                                                  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NAME                           16026,.01    FREE TEXT 
                                        
                                   Answer must be 3-30 characters in length. 

SEX                            16026,1    SET 
                                          'm' FOR MALE;
                                          'f' FOR FEMALE;


DATE OF BIRTH                  16026,2    DATE 
                                        TYPE A DATE BETWEEN 1/1/1860 AND 1963 

RELIGION                       16026,3    POINTER TO RELIGION FILE (#13) 

DIAGNOSIS                      16026,4  16026.04  
   Multiple 

  DIAGNOSIS                    16026.04,.01    FREE TEXT 
                                        
                                   Answer must be 3-30 characters in length. 

  AGE AT ONSET                 16026.04,1    NUMBER 
                                        
                           Type a Number between 0 and 100, 0 Decimal Digits 

  HISTORY                      16026.04,2  16026.42  WORD-PROCESSING  

PROVIDER                       16026,5    VARIABLE POINTER 
              FILE  ORDER  PREFIX    LAYGO  MESSAGE
               6      1    S            n   STAFF PROVIDER 
               16     2    O            y   OTHER PROVIDER 

SSN                            16026,6    FREE TEXT 
  Social Security Number                Enter 9 numbers without dashes.

The information in the data dictionary reports originated in the definition of the file and its fields.

NOTE: The "Creating Files and Fields" chapter explains in detail the source of the information displayed by the List File Attributes [DILIST] option.

This data dictionary listing tells you that for each patient, the following information may be available:

• A NAME that is from 3 to 30 characters long.
  
  
• A recorded SEX of either m (MALE) or f (FEMALE).
  
  
• A DATE OF BIRTH.
  
  
• A RELIGION (for a list of all valid religions, we would have to consult a RELIGION file).
  
  
• One or more diagnoses and for each DIAGNOSIS; DIAGNOSIS is a Multiple-valued field that has the following information:
  
  
  • An AGE AT ONSET
    
    
  • A HISTORY
  
  
  
• A PROVIDER (e.g., a primary care physician). For a list of valid PROVIDERs, you would consult the NEW PERSON (#200) file. If the PROVIDER's name does not appear, it can then be entered in the NEW PERSON (#200) file, since LAYGO (Learn-As-You-Go) has been allowed.
  
  
• A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN).

Reviewed/Updated: June 2026