Joined Records

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This is the unique key value for the joined record. It is not a data field. Hence, not included in the list of field names. A joined record has the same structure as any other record. This includes having a unique key value. For a joined record, the unique key value is the key value of each of the component records separated by the tab character (represented in the samples by “<tab>”). It is an ordered set with the parent table first, followed by each child table, in the order specified in the join definition for the search. If a record for a table does not exist, there is no key value, but the “<tab>” separators are still included. This can be seen in the Record 7 and Record 8 sample values.

It is the special parent record key that is included with all child records. Like the key, it is not a data field in the record and does not have a field name. A joined record is returned as a child record if it contains any child records. The parent record key value is the parent record key value of the child record. Note that all child records in a joined record will always have the same parent record key value.

If a joined record does not contain any child records, it is returned as a standard record. This standard record does not contain a parent record key value. Note that Record 8 does not have a parent record key value. This contains a single orphan record from a child table, but the record is a standard record without a parent record key. So the returned joined record is a standard record without a parent record key. If the orphan record was a child record with a parent key, the returned joined record would be a child record and contain a parent record key value also.

Data fields from the Persons table

This is a special data field that contains the key value of the Addresses record. The key value of each child record is included as a data field in the returned record with a field name that consists of the table name (or table alias) followed by a period. It has no field name parameter. The individual record key values can be retrieved using these special fields if required. Although this appears in the returned joined record as a data field, it cannot be used as a field in a search query.

This is the special parent record key field discussed in the section The special parent key field name. It contains the parent record key value from the child record. As mentioned earlier, this field is accessible as a data field in a query. But as it is considered a text-only field and not a searchable text field, it can only be used in predicate expressions.

Data fields from the Addresses child table

This is the special data field containing the key value of the Phones record. Note that Record 7 has no value for this field.

For a child table, if no record is included in the joined record, this field is empty. As mentioned earlier, all fields are always included in the returned record, even if no record is included for that table. You can find the difference between a field that is empty because the record had no data for that particular field and a field that is empty because no record for that table was included by checking the associated key field value. If it is empty, no record was included (a record must have a non-empty key). If it is populated, the record is included, but had no data for that field.

This is the special parent record key field for the “Phones” table. Note that for Record 8 this field has no value.

Depending on the join type, standard records can be returned in a search as orphan records. Standard records have no parent record key value and always appear as orphan records.