Using Caché Objects - InterSystems Documentation

Populate generates values for the SSN property by calling the MakeSSN method of the
MyApp.Utils class:
Set ..SSN = ##class(MyApp.Utils).MakeSSN()
Populate generates values for the Number that are random integers.
The POPSPEC Parameter
Note:
There is also a POPSPEC parameter defined at the class level that controls data
population for an entire class. This is an older mechanism (included for compatibility)
that is replaced by the property-specific POPSPEC parameter.
19.2.1 Populating Embedded Objects
The Populate method creates data for an embedded object by calling its PopulateSerial
method (which is generated by the %Populate class). This is done by default as long as the
embedded object inherits from the %Populate class and is equivalent to:
Property Home As Address(POPSPEC="##class(Address).PopulateSerial()");
19.2.2 Populating Lists
To populate a list, the syntax for setting the value of POPSPEC is:
Property PropName As TypeName (POPSPEC="MethodName:MaxNo") [Collection= list];
where PropName is a list of type TypeName; MethodName is the populating method for the
property; and MaxNospecifies the maximum number of elements in the list. If maxnum is not
specified, it defaults to 10.
The value ofMethodName depends on the type of list:
• Lists of data types typically use the %PopulateUtils method corresponding to their data
type.
• Lists of persistent objects should use an empty value for MethodName to take advantage
of the default automatic reference population (as occurs for simple, non-collection reference
properties).
• Lists of embedded objects must use the PopulateSerial method.
In the following example, there are lists of several types of data. Colors is a list of strings,
Kids is a list of references to persistent objects, and Addresses is a list of embedded objects:
Using Caché Objects 165