Introduction

What is VA FileMan?

VA FileMan creates and maintains a database management system that includes features such as:

• A report writer
  
  
• A data dictionary manager
  
  
• Scrolling and screen-oriented data entry
  
  
• Text editors
  
  
• Programming utilities
  
  
• Tools for sending data to other systems
  
  
• File archiving

VA FileMan can be used as a standalone database, as a set of interactive or "silent" routines, or as a set of application utilities; in all modes, it is used to define, enter, and retrieve information from a set of computer-stored files, each of which is described by a data dictionary.

VA FileMan is a public domain software package that is developed and maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is widely used by VA medical centers and in clinical, administrative, and business settings in this country and abroad.

The VA FileMan Development Team encourages you to send to them questions and comments about the completeness and accuracy of this manual and suggestions for its improvement.

Menus and Options

VA FileMan Main Menu

The VA FileMan [DIUSER] main menu contains the following submenus and options:

SELECT VA FILEMAN <TEST ACCOUNT> OPTION: ??

   ENTER OR EDIT FILE ENTRIES                                  [DIEDIT]
   PRINT FILE ENTRIES                                          [DIPRINT]
   SEARCH FILE ENTRIES                                         [DISEARCH]
   MODIFY FILE ATTRIBUTES                                      [DIMODIFY]
   INQUIRE TO FILE ENTRIES                                     [DIINQUIRE]
   UTILITY FUNCTIONS ...                                       [DIUTILITY]
   DATA DICTIONARY UTILITIES ...                               [DI DDU]
   TRANSFER ENTRIES                                            [DITRANSFER]
   OTHER OPTIONS ...                                           [DIOTHER]

Utility Functions Menu

The Utility Functions [DIUTILITY] submenu contains the following options:

SELECT UTILITY FUNCTIONS <TEST ACCOUNT> OPTION: ??

   VERIFY FIELDS                                               [DIVERIFY]
   CROSS-REFERENCE A FIELD                                     [DIXREF]
   IDENTIFIER                                                  [DIIDENT]
   RE-INDEX FILE                                               [DIRDEX]
   INPUT TRANSFORM (SYNTAX)                                    [DIITRAN]
   EDIT FILE                                                   [DIEDFILE]
   OUTPUT TRANSFORM                                            [DIOTRAN]
   TEMPLATE EDIT                                               [DITEMP]
   UNEDITABLE DATA                                             [DIUNEDIT]
   MANDATORY/REQUIRED FIELD CHECK                              [DIFIELD CHECK]
   KEY DEFINITION                                              [DIKEY]

Data Dictionary Utilities Functions Menu

The Data Dictionary Utilities [DI DDU] submenu contains the following options:

SELECT DATA DICTIONARY UTILITIES <TEST ACCOUNT> OPTION: ??

   LIST FILE ATTRIBUTES                                        [DILIST]
   MAP POINTER RELATIONS                                       [DI DDMAP]
   CHECK/FIX DD STRUCTURE                                      [DI DDUCHK]
   FIND POINTERS INTO A FILE                  [DDU FIND POINTERS INTO A FILE]
   22.2UPDATE THE META DATA DICTIONARY               [DDU UPDATE META DD]

Other Options Menu

The Other Options [DIOTHER] submenu contains the following options:

SELECT OTHER OPTIONS <TEST ACCOUNT> OPTION: ??

   FILEGRAMS ...                                               [DIFG]
       **> LOCKED WITH XUFILEGRAM
   AUDIT MENU ...                                              [DIAUDIT]
       **> LOCKED WITH XUAUDITING
   SCREENMAN ...                                          [DDS SCREEN MENU]
       **> LOCKED WITH XUSCREENMAN
   STATISTICS                                                  [DISTATISTICS]
   VA FILEMAN MANAGEMENT ...                              [DI MGMT MENU]
       **> LOCKED WITH XUMGR
   DATA EXPORT TO FOREIGN FORMAT ...                  [DDXP EXPORT MENU]
   EXTRACT DATA TO FILEMAN FILE ...                   [DIAX EXTRACT MENU]
       **> LOCKED WITH DIEXTRACT
   IMPORT DATA                                                 [DDMP IMPORT]
   BROWSER                                                     [DDBROWSER]
   22.2DATA ACCESS CONTROL ...                                  [DIACCESS]
   22.2DATA MAPPING ...                                  [DDE ENTITY MAPPING]

Reviewed/Updated: June 2026