HP 3000 Manuals

HP ALLBASE/4GL Developer Reference Manual Vol. 1

Screen Field Details Screen 

This screen allows you to define the attributes, edit code, and functions
for each input and display field on an application data screen or window.
You must use the screen painter to create the fields on the application
screen before you can use this screen to define the field details.

Screen Image 


            

Field Descriptions 

Screen   Enter the name of a screen defined on the screen header screen
and painted with the screen painter.

Sequence Number   Enter a valid field number for the screen.  If you
enter a number that is higher than the maximum number of fields on the
screen, HP ALLBASE/4GL displays an error message.  The highest valid
sequence number for a screen is the highest field number assigned for the
screen in the screen painter.

Secured   Display-only field indicating the status of the secured field
on the screen header for this screen.

Field Spec.  Name   Enter the name of a dictionary field specification,
or leave this field blank.

If you enter a dictionary field specification name, HP ALLBASE/4GL links
this screen field to the dictionary name.

If you used a dictionary field specification name to define the length of
the field in the screen painter, HP ALLBASE/4GL displays the field
specification name in this field.

If the Field Spec.  Name field contains a dictionary field specification
name, HP ALLBASE/4GL retrieves the specification from the dictionary.
Information from the dictionary is displayed in the fields Edit Code to
Blank When Zero at the bottom of this screen.  While a field
specification name is displayed in the Field Spec.  Name field, you
cannot change the contents of these fields.

You can enter a field specification name to retrieve a template for a
field.  If you delete the field specification name after HP ALLBASE/4GL
has retrieved the template, you can alter the contents of any of the
fields at the bottom of this screen.


NOTE  If you leave the Field Spec.  Name field blank, you will not be
      able to reference this screen field by name.  You will have to
      reference it by relative or absolute field number.


DATA MOVEMENT This set of fields defines the data movement fields for the
screen field.

   *   Primary.  Enter the name of the primary data movement field for
       the screen field.  For all fields, the screen processor moves data
       from this field for display on the screen.  For input fields, the
       screen processor moves input data from the screen field to this
       field.  The screen processor also displays data from this field on
       the screen when you use the SHOW *REFRESH command. 
       Entries for the primary data movement field can be any of the
       following:
              File record field reference.
              Work area field reference.
              Screen field reference.
              Scratch-pad field reference.
              Variable.

       For the second and subsequent fields on a screen, HP ALLBASE/4GL
       constructs a primary data movement field identifier using the
       dictionary field specification name for the field and the file
       name used in the primary data movement field identifier for the
       first screen field.  You can type over the data movement
       identifier constructed by HP ALLBASE/4GL. A primary data movement
       identifier is not constructed for screen fields that don't use a
       dictionary field specification name.

   *   Default.  This field is only active if you haven't defined a
       primary data movement field for the screen field.  Enter the name
       of the default data movement field.  The screen processor only
       moves data from the default movement field to the screen buffer if
       you haven't specified a primary data movement field and the screen
       buffer is blank.  Data from the screen buffer cannot be moved into
       the default data movement field.

       Entries for the default data movement field can be any of the
       following:
              Numeric or alphanumeric constant.
              File record field reference.
              Work area field reference.
              Screen field reference.
              Scratch-pad field reference.
              Variable or calculated item.

   *   Other.  Enter the names of up to three other data movement fields.
       For input screen fields, the screen processor moves data from the
       screen buffer into these fields when it finishes processing the
       field.  The screen processor cannot move data from the other data
       movement fields to the screen field buffer.

       Entries for the other data movement fields can be any of the
       following:
              File record field reference.
              Work area field reference.
              Screen field reference.
              Scratch-pad field reference.
              Variable.


NOTE  If you specify a screen field reference for a data movement field,
      the screen name qualifier is optional.  If used, the qualifier must
      be the name of the current screen.


Input/Display   Enter I if the field is an input field.  Enter D if the
field is a display-only field.

Required Field   Enter Y if the user must enter data in this field.
Enter N if data entry is optional.

Help name   Optional.  Enter the name of the help screen defined for this
screen field.  If you have entered a field specification name in the
Field Spec.  Name field, the entry in this field defaults to the help
screen name defined for the field specification.  You can type over this
default if you wish.

Clear on COMMIT   Enter Y to specify that the field is cleared when the
user commits the data for the field.  Enter N to specify that the field
is not cleared.  The entry in this field operates in conjunction with the
entry in the Clear Fields on COMMIT field on the screen header screen.
The field will always be cleared on commit unless the entry in this field
is N, and the entry in the screen header screen specified that the field
type is not cleared.

Include in SHOW   Enter Y or N. If you enter Y, HP ALLBASE/4GL displays
the contents of the screen field buffer on the screen when a SHOW command
controls the field.  If you enter N, HP ALLBASE/4GL does not refresh the
screen display for this field when a SHOW command is executed.

Automatic Flow to Next   Automatic flow-to-next operation is not
available under the MPE/iX operating system.  An N will always appear in
this field, requiring the user to initiate a commit action to terminate
data entry for the field.

A commit action is any action that moves the cursor away from the field,
such as pressing the Return or Tab key.  When HP ALLBASE/4GL receives the
commit action, it processes the data entry for the field.  If no errors
are detected, HP ALLBASE/4GL then moves to the next field in the sequence
for the screen.

Function   Enter the name of the function to be linked to this field.

The function can execute any logic commands.  However, if this function
initiates a process, HP ALLBASE/4GL terminates the current screen
immediately, and does not return to this screen at the end of the
process.

If the function displays another screen, HP ALLBASE/4GL discards the
contents of the current screen buffers.  The contents of the main,
default and other data movement fields remain unchanged unless the second
screen or one of its functions changes them.

Prior/After/Both   The entry in this field specifies when HP ALLBASE/4GL
executes the screen field function.

   *   Enter P to execute the function before data is displayed on the
       screen.  (That is, a prior function.)

   *   Enter A to execute the function after data entry in the field.
       (This function is only executed on an input field.)

   *   Enter B to execute the function both before and after data entry
       in the field.

By testing the status of the switch *ENTERED in the function, you can
test when the function is being executed.  *ENTERED is off before the
user enters data in the field, and on after data entry.

For display-only fields, HP ALLBASE/4GL only executes the function if you
enter P or B in this field.

Perform On SHOW   Enter Y in this field if you want to execute the field
function when the field contents are being displayed by a SHOW command;
otherwise enter  N.

By testing the status of the switch *SHOWING, you can test when the
function is being executed.  The switch *SHOWING is on when the contents
of the field are being displayed by a SHOW command.

After Function if Blank   Enter Y to execute the after function for the
field even if the field is blank.  Enter N to suppress execution of the
after function if the field is blank.

Edit Fields   The remaining fields on this screen define the type of data
accepted for this field.  If you have entered a dictionary field
specification name in the Field Spec.  Name field on this screen, these
fields are display-only fields and cannot be altered.

If the Field Spec.  Name field is blank, you can alter the entries in
these fields.  The meaning of the fields and the acceptable entries in
them are the same as those for the field specifications screen in the
dictionary menu.  (Refer to chapter 5.)

Function Keys 

f1       Screen Header  Cancels the current screen and displays the
        screen header screen.

f2       Screen Painter  Cancels the current screen and runs the screen
        painter program.

f3       Function Keys  Cancels the current screen and displays the
        function keys screen.

f4       Generate Screen  Generates the screen.

Additional Information 

If you specify a field as not required and the minimum length is greater
than one character, the user must either leave the field blank or enter
at least the minimum number of characters.

You must generate a data screen or window screen before it can be used at
run-time.  Generation is necessary even if the screen doesn't contain any
active input or display fields.

If you have entered the name of a defined dictionary field specification
in the Field Spec.  Name field, HP ALLBASE/4GL retrieves the field
descriptions from the dictionary whenever you generate the screen.

MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation