Globals are multidimensional sparse arrays which are stored in InterSystems Data Platform. Everything in InterSystems Products is stored in Globals: Classes, Tables, Documents, Code.
1 Introduction
In environments that use InterSystems IRIS, globals are the physical foundation of data storage. Although system queries and administrative tools exist for metric inspection, global growth analysis is usually reactive: the problem is generally only noticed when there is disk pressure or performance impact.
There seems to be a generous use of ClassMethods in ObjectScript code generally. I hope my own experiences aren't representative, but I bet they are. Forgive me for giving away the ending of this article, but in short: don't use them. Unless you can make a pretty convincing case that you have to, just never use them.1
What is a ClassMethod? In an ObjectScript class, you can define methods in two different ways: in a Method, you must instantiate an instance of the class to call the method, and in a ClassMethod, you can call the method without instantiating the class. Of course, in a ClassMethod, you don't have access to any properties of the object (because there's no object), but you can access globals (they are global, after all) and Parameters (which are class constants).
1-command only required for an entire IRIS instance for Data Science projects, and leveraging this to compare query methods' speed (Dynamic SQL, Pandas Query, and Globals).
Before joining InterSystems, I worked in a team of web developers as a data scientist. Most of my day-to-day work involved training and embedding ML models in Python-based backend applications through microservices, mainly built with the Django framework and using Postgres SQL for sourcing the data.
Hello! In this article, I will be discussing database degrade, a type of data integrity issue one can face when using IRIS. First, I will be going over a review of the structure of IRIS databases. I'll then discuss how database degrade can manifest and common causes of degrade issues. I'll then conclude with general tips we give our customers about how to prevent or prepare for database degrade issues.
What exactly is a database? An IRIS database is a single file that consists of a fundamental unit called the "block".
When using standard SQL or the object layer in InterSystems IRIS, metadata consistency is usually maintained through built-in validation and type enforcement. However, legacy systems that bypass these layers—directly accessing globals—can introduce subtle and serious inconsistencies.
Understanding how drivers behave in these edge cases is crucial for diagnosing legacy data issues and ensuring application reliability.
The DATATYPE_SAMPLE database is designed to help analyze error scenarios where column values do not conform to the data types or constraints defined in the metadata.
When exporting using the Export() method of the %Library.Global class, if the export format (fourth argument: OutputFormat) is set to 7, "Block format/Caché block format (%GOF)," mapped globals cannot be exported (only globals in the default global database of the namespace are exported). To export mapped globals in "Block format/Caché block format (%GOF)," specify the database directory to which you want to map them in the first parameter of %Library.Global.Export().
An example of execution is shown below.
Hello community,
I wanted to share my experience about working on Large Data projects. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to handle massive patient data, payor data and transactional logs while working in an hospital industry. I have had the chance to build huge reports which had to be written using advanced logics fetching data across multiple tables whose indexing was not helping me write efficient code.
Here is what I have learned about managing large data efficiently.
Choosing the right data access method.
As we all here in the community are aware of, IRIS provides multiple ways to access data. Choosing the right method, depends on the requirement.
Set ToDate=+H
Set FromDate=+$H-1 For Set FromDate=$O(^PatientD("Date",FromDate)) Quit:FromDate>ToDate Do
. Set PatId="" For Set PatId=$Order(^PatientD("Date",FromDate,PatID)) Quit:PatId="" Do
. . Write $Get(^PatientD("Date",FromDate,PatID)),!Starting out with ObjectScript, it is really exciting, but it can also feel a little unusual if you're used to other languages. Many beginners trip over the same hurdles, so here are a few "gotchas" you'll want to watch out for. (Also few friendly tips to avoid them)
NAMING THINGS RANDOMLY
We have all been guilty of naming something Test1 or MyClass just to move on quickly. But once your project grows, these names become a nightmare.
➡ Pick clear, consistent names from the start. Think of it as leaving breadcrumbs for your future self and your teammates.
I joined InterSystems less than a year ago. Diving into ObjectScript and IRIS was exciting, but also full of small surprises that tripped me up at the beginning. In this article I collect the most common mistakes I, and many new colleagues, make, explain why they happen, and show concrete examples and practical fixes. My goal is to help other new developers save time and avoid the same bumps in the road.
The issue: ObjectScript/IRIS ships with many system classes and packages (%Library, %SYS, %Persistent, %SQL, etc.).
While starting with Intersystems IRIS or Cache, developers often encounter three core concepts: Dynamic Objects, Globals & Relational Table. Each has its role in building scalable and maintainable solutions. In this article, we'll walk through practical code examples, highlight best practices, and show how these concepts tie together.
1. Working with Dynamic Objects:
Dynamic objects (%DynamicObject and %DynamicArray) allow developers to manipulate JSON-like structures directly in Objectscript. They are especially useful for modern applications that need to parse, transform or generate JSON.