HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
GLOSSARY This glossary explains the meaning of some of the terms and words used with HP ALLBASE/4GL. In some cases, the terms used in HP ALLBASE/4GL may differ in meaning from the same terms used in a conventional programming environment. A Abort. A message type that informs the user that a serious error has been detected. The HP ALLBASE/4GL session terminates after the user acknowledges the message. *ABSENT. VALIDATE command argument that is used to check if the specified KSAM file record field does not exist. administ. The name of the administrator application. It is a reserved name. Administrator. The person who controls the HP ALLBASE/4GL site configuration and controls access by developers and users. administrator. The application used by the system administrator to control the system-wide site configuration. Note that this name has a lowercase "a". *ALL. OFF and ON logic command argument for referencing all user switches 1 through 8. *ALPHA. IF and IFLOOP logic command argument used for checking if a field contains only alphabetic characters. B BACKGRND. Logic command for executing a process in background mode. Only an HP ALLBASE/4GL process can be executed in this manner. The process may execute any facility except displaying a screen. A background process cannot send messages to its originating terminal or accept input from the terminal. *BLANK. IF and IFLOOP command argument used to check if a field contains only space characters. *BUFFER. FILE command argument used to clear a file record buffer. This command also unlocks a file record that has been locked to the file buffer. *BYPASS. A switch used by the report generator. When the switch is set on, it indicates that a record is not to be processed. C CALC. Logic command for performing a mathematical operation. Calculated Item. A variable that is evaluated each time it is referenced. In the simple form, the calculated item is the result obtained by evaluating a CALC logic command. In the extended form, HP ALLBASE/4GL executes a function each time the calculated item is referenced. In this case, the calculated item function assigns a value to the calculated item. CALL. Logic command that provides dynamic loading of routines written in the C programming language. CHECK. Logic command for matching data against an indexed file record or table. The CHECK command places the matching position number into the communication area field *PASS. CLEAR. Logic command for clearing all or part of the screen or scratch-pad. *CLOSE. FILE command argument used to close the nominated file. *COMMIT. Command argument used with the EXIT command in an after function on a data screen input field, a prior function on a display-only field on a data screen, or a function called from a function key on a data screen. This argument terminates the current screen in the same way as the I- COMMIT internal routine. Communication Area Field. A field addressable by HP ALLBASE/4GL and the logic of the application. Communication area fields can be either alterable or read only. Any non- numeric communication area field can be referenced using the substring conventions. Numeric communication area fields are held as numbers and cannot be referenced by substring. *COUNT(n). Alterable communication area fields used primarily in the report generator for counting the number of times a nominated report line is printed. HP ALLBASE/4GL has five line counter fields, identified as *COUNT(1) through *COUNT(5). These fields are treated as numeric. *CROSS(n). Alterable communication area fields used primarily in the report generator for across-the-page totalling of numeric fields. HP ALLBASE/4GL has five cross add fields, *CROSS(1) through *CROSS(5). These fields are treated as numeric. D Data item. The smallest accessible data element in an HP TurboIMAGE/iX database. Within HP ALLBASE/4GL, data items are defined as field specifications. Data entry. An ordered set of related data items within an HP TurboIMAGE/iX database. Within HP ALLBASE/4GL, data entries are defined as record layouts. Data set. A collection of data entries, or records, within an HP TurboIMAGE/iX database. Data screen. The normal HP ALLBASE/4GL screen on which the user can enter data, and on which the system displays information. Data screens can contain a scrolling area or a window or both. The SCREEN logic command or the D-action on a menu initiates display of a data screen. *DATE. Read-only communication area field containing the current date. This field may be referenced by substring. Date Format. Each HP ALLBASE/4GL site has one date format (specified by the System Administrator) that applies to all developers and users. The format is either the US date format MM/DD/YY, or the European date format DD/MM/YY. Regardless of the date format, HP ALLBASE/4GL stores all dates on file records in the format YYMMDD. The chosen system- wide data format controls the presentation of dates on screens and reports. DECISION. Logic command for executing a decision table. Decision table. A decision table consists of up to 8 questions, 31 different combinations of outcomes for the questions, and up to eight actions. For each of the combinations of outcomes, the decision table specifies which actions are to be performed, and the sequence in which they are performed. DEFINE. Logic command that allows you to define a macro in a logic block. The DEFINE command substitutes an expression for a one to four character string surrounded by % signs. *DELETE. FILE command argument that specifies file record deletion. developr. The name of the developer application. DISPLAY. Logic command for clearing and displaying data within the scroll area of a data screen. DM IMAGE *CLOSE. Logic command used to close HP TurboIMAGE/iX databases. DM IMAGE *LOCK. Logic command for locking an HP TurboIMAGE/iX database, or specifed data sets or records within an HP TurboIMAGE/iX database. DM IMAGE *MODE. Logic command to specify the access mode used to access parts of one or more HP TurboIMAGE/iX databases. The command does not actually open any data sets. DM IMAGE *UNLOCK. Logic command for releasing all locks held on one or more HP TurboIMAGE/iX databases. E Edit code. A code assigned to a field specification, a screen field, or a report field that defines the type of data stored or displayed in the field. Refer to chapter 3 of this manual for an explanation of the HP ALLBASE/4GL edit codes. *ENDFIELD. A switch used by the screen processing logic. A function called from a function key can set this switch on. If *ENDFIELD is on, normal input processing for the current field is terminated, and processing continues at the next field on the screen when the function exits. *ENDLINE. A switch used by the report generator. When this switch is on, it indicates that no more components of the current line group are to be printed, or no more records are to be read from the current link file. ENTER. Logic command specifying the step number of the next command step to be executed in the current logic block. The ENTER command is equivalent to an unconditional GOTO command. *ENTERED. A switch used by the screen processing logic. This switch is off if the user has not entered data into a screen field, and is set on after the user enters data. Error. A message type that informs the user of an error condition that must be corrected. EXIT. Logic command that terminates the current logic block. EXTERNAL. Logic command that passes control to an external program written in a language other than HP ALLBASE/4GL. F FIELD. Logic command for altering the behavior or attributes of a field on the current screen. *FIELDNO. An alterable communication area field that contains the current screen field number. It is treated as a numeric. Field Specification. A dictionary entry that defines the characteristics of a field. A field specification defines the editing and data validation characteristics of a field. FILE. Logic command for specifying reading from, writing to, or deleting from a file. *FILENAME. Communication area field that contains the external name for the current or most recently accessed KSAM file or serial file. This field is also used for dynamic naming of serial files. You can specify the external name for a file as *FILENAME, and then move the appropriate name into *FILENAME to specify the file to be accessed at run time. *FIND. FILE command argument used for locating a record on an KSAM data file. The FILE *FIND command positions the file pointer at the first record with a key value equal to or greater than the value in the key field of the record buffer, or the value specified by the *KEY= argument. *FIRST. FILE command argument used for specifying that the first record on a serial or KSAM file is to be read. *FUNCTION. Alterable communication area field that contains the name of the function being executed (or blank if not currently executing a function). Function. HP ALLBASE/4GL logic entity. A function is similar to a subroutine in a conventional language system. It consists of between 1 and 99 lines of logic commands. G Generate. Validate and transform HP ALLBASE/4GL source parameters to executable format. H Hash. The character #. This character is used in the MATH and MATHLOOP commands to specify that a number is to be treated as an absolute number. HP ALLBASE/SQL. A relational database management system which operates on both the HP-UX and MPE XL operating systems. HP TurboIMAGE/iX. A network database management system that operates on the MPE XL operating system. I IF. Logic command for performing conditional tests. IFLOOP. Logic command for repeated conditional testing. *INDEX=. Command argument for the CHECK, FILE, and VALIDATE commands. This argument specifies the index to be used to access the file for the particular file access. Using *INDEX= with these commands does not change the current value in *INDEXNO. *INDEXNO. Alterable communication area field that contains the number of the file index to be used for subsequent accesses of an application data file. This field is treated as numeric. *INSERT. FILE command argument used for specifying that the current contents of the file buffer are written to the file. *IOSTATUS. Alterable communication area field that contains the return status code from the data manager after accessing an application data file. This field contains the value zero if no error is encountered. If a file error does occur, the HP ALLBASE/4GL data manager writes a file error code to this field. Refer to Appendix C, Data Manager Error Messages for a summary of the file error codes. This field is treated as numeric. J *JOINER=. LINK and LINKLOOP command argument for specifying insertion of a character or string of characters between each field to be concatenated. Justification. Alignment of data on a boundary or margin. HP ALLBASE/4GL provides automatic justification of data within the left and right boundaries (minimum and maximum length) of the field. The data may be justified on the first character position (left justified) or the last character position (right justification). Data may also be centered within the field, or no justification need be performed. K *KEY=. CHECK, FILE, and VALIDATE command argument specifying the key value used to access KSAM files. KEYS. Logic command to display a set of function keys on the screen. L *LAST. FILE command argument specifying that the last record in an indexed file is to be read. LENGTH. Logic command for calculating the length of the contents of a field. LINK. Logic command for concatenating nominated fields. LINKLOOP. Logic command used for concatenating a number of consecutive fields. Literal. A string of characters surrounded by quotes. Logic block. The commands that make up a process or function. Each logic block contains from 1 to 99 lines of logic commands. M *MAP. CLEAR command argument that specifies that the screen or scratch-pad field position is to be mapped (within the specified screen or the scratch pad). MATH. Logic command for performing an arithmetic operation. MATHLOOP. Logic command for performing repeated arithmetic operations. Mess. A message type that is displayed for information only and does not require a response from the user. MESSAGE. Logic command for displaying a message on the screen. MODE. Logic command used for specifying the names of the files that are being used in the current process. This command can only be used in a process. Files can be defined as being updated or locked to the current process. Files that are not defined as being updated are available for reference only. The MODE command remains in effect until the next process is executed. *MODIFY. FILE command argument specifying that the contents of the file buffer are to be used to update or change an existing record on a fixed length record serial file or KSAM file. This record must be the last one read for that file. *MOREREC. A switch used in conjunction with variable length record serial files. If HP ALLBASE/4GL reads sufficient characters to fill the file record buffer without encountering a newline character when reading from a serial file with variable length records, the data manager sets the switch *MOREREC on. If HP ALLBASE/4GL encounters a newline character before the buffer is filled, or the number of characters read exactly matches the length of the buffer, *MOREREC is set off. MOVE. Logic command for copying contents of one field (or literal) to another field. The MOVE command can also copy the contents of one buffer to another. MOVELOOP. Logic command for repeated copying of one set of fields to another. N *Name Recall. A context-sensitive recall facility that allows developers to scroll through the names of items that have been defined for a field type, when that field is the active field on the screen. *NEWTIE. An alterable communication area field that may be set to contain the next screen field number to be selected. Moving a value into *NEWTIE performs the same function as the logic command TIE. This field is numeric. *NEXT. FILE command argument specifying that the next record on the file is to be read. NOTE. Logic command that allows the insertion of a comment in a logic block. HP ALLBASE/4GL ignores NOTE command steps when it executes the logic block. *NULL. IF and IFLOOP command argument for testing the status of the null indicator variable associated with fields on record buffers for HP ALLBASE/SQL tables and select lists. Also used as a command argument for the MOVE command to set the indicator variables to the null status. *NUMERIC. IF and IFLOOP command argument used for checking if a field contains only numeric characters. (That is, 0 through 9, +, -.) O *OFF. IF and IFLOOP command argument used for testing if a switch is currently off. OFF. Logic command that sets a switch to its off state. *ON. IF and IFLOOP command argument used for testing if a switch is currently on. ON. Logic command that sets a switch to its on state. P *P. CLEAR command argument indicating that the field or fields to be cleared are scratch-pad fields. By itself, the *P argument indicates that all scratch-pad fields are to be cleared. Pad character. A specified character used to fill a field. Typically a space or 0. *PAGELINE. Alterable communication area field containing the number of the current print line on the current page of a report. This field is treated as numeric. *PAGENO. Alterable communication area field containing the current page number of a report. This field is treated as numeric. *PASS. Alterable communication area field used to pass arguments and results. For example, the CHECK command places the matching position for data in a file or table into *PASS. This field may be referenced by substring. *PRESENT. VALIDATE command argument used to check if the specified KSAM data file record field exists. *PREVFLD. Communication area field containing the number of the last screen field to be successfully committed. *PREVIOUS. FILE command argument specifying that the previous record on a fixed length record serial file or KSAM file is to be read. PRINT. Logic command to print a defined report line group from within a function that has been called during the generation of a report. The PRINT command is only available during report generation, and is ignored at any other time. PROCEED. Logic command to execute a process logic block. Process. An HP ALLBASE/4GL process is similar to a program in a conventional language system. Each process logic block contains from 1 to 30 lines of logic commands. *PROCESS. Alterable communication area field name containing the name of the current process. Q Query. A message type that requires the user to enter a response. R Range. A validation range specifying the lower and upper limits for the contents of a field. *RANGE=. Report generator record selection option that specifies the name of an HP ALLBASE/4GL range to be used for testing the contents of a specified field when selecting records for reporting. *READ. FILE command argument specifying that the record with the given key is to be read. *RECNO. Communication area field that contains the number of the record just read or written for a fixed length record serial data file. The value in *RECNO is undefined after HP ALLBASE/4GL accesses any other data file type. *REFRESH. SHOW command argument specifying that the contents of the nominated fields are to be obtained from the main or default data movement field. *REFRESH is also a command argument for the EXTERNAL command. If *REFRESH is specified, HP ALLBASE/4GL restores the terminal configurations and refreshes the screen on return from an external program. *REPORT. Alterable communication area field containing the name of the report being executed (or blank if not currently executing a report). REPORT. Logic command to execute a report *RESET=. DISPLAY command argument that clears all lines from the nominated line to the end of the scroll area before any further display within the scroll area. *ROUTINE. Alterable communication area field which contains the name of the current external routine (or blank if not currently in a called routine). *ROWCOUNT. Communication area field containing a number indicating the number of rows that HP ALLBASE/SQL processes as the result of a command that changes an SQL table. S *S. CLEAR command argument indicating that the field or fields to be cleared are screen fields. When used by itself, *S indicates that all fields on the screen are to be cleared. Schema Scratch Pad. The HP ALLBASE/4GL scratch pad contains up to 99 scratch-pad fields. The scratch-pad fields are available for temporary storage of data. The scratch pad is dynamic and each scratch-pad field takes on the attributes of the data moved into it. *SCREEN. Alterable communication area field containing the name of the current screen (or blank if no screen). SCREEN. Logic command to display a screen. SCROLL. Logic command that displays data in the scroll area of a screen. SELECT. Logic command that executes one of a series of commands from a selection list. The system executes the command identified by the value contained in the communication area field *PASS. Select list. A select list is a "virtual" SQL table. The columns of a select list are taken directly from an existing table or view, or computed using an expression or aggregate function. HP ALLBASE/4GL automatically builds a record layout for each select list. SERIES. Logic command that executes the specified command step number, or range of command steps in the current logic block. After the nominated commands have been executed, the command immediately following the SERIES command is then executed. SHOW. Logic command that displays the current contents of a specified screen field or fields. When used with the *REFRESH option, the SHOW command refreshes the screen buffer from the main or default data movement fields. *SHOWING. A switch used by the screen processing logic. When the SHOW command is displaying the contents of a field, *SHOWING is set to on. SQL Logic Block. Used for passing SQL commands from HP ALLBASE/4GL to HP ALLBASE/SQL. An SQL logic block can contain up to eight SQL commands. These commands are passed to HP SQL when the SQL logic block is invoked by an SQL command in an HP ALLBASE/4GL logic block. Subscript. An integer or integers used to refer to a specific occurrence of a file record field when the field is specified as occurring more than once. HP ALLBASE/4GL subscripts are enclosed in parentheses. Substring. A portion of the contents of a field. A substring is referenced by giving its starting character position in the field, a comma, and the length (in characters) of the substring, all enclosed in square brackets. For example, [3,2] is a substring of length 2, starting at character position number 3. *SUITE. Read-only communication area field containing the name of the application being run. If the current application is a version derived from a base application, *SUITE contains the name of the base application. T *TABLE=. CHECK command argument that identifies the table against which checking is to be performed. TIE. Logic command for specifying the next screen field to be selected. Used where the next screen field to be accessed is not necessarily the next field in sequence on the screen. *TIME. Read-only communication area field containing the current time. This field may be referenced by substring. TOP. Logic command for specifying that step number 1 of the logic block is the next step to be executed. *TOTALS(n). A set of 16 alterable communication area field used primarily in the report generator for totalling the values of numeric fields. The fields are identified as *TOTALS(1) to *TOTALS(16). These fields are treated as numeric. Training mode. Operating mode used to prevent the updating of application data files from a specific user. While in training mode, all requests to update data files are ignored. The system administrator can set training mode on permanently for any user. TRANSACT. Logic command that defines blocks of logically related file transaction commands. U UPDATE. Logic command that updates all KSAM and serial files whose buffer contents have been modified. This command has the same effect as issuing a FILE *WRITE command for each relevant file. *USER. Read-only communication area field containing the name of the current user. V VALIDATE. Logic command used to check if the contents of a specified field are missing (*ABSENT) or present (*PRESENT) on the relevant KSAM file record. Version. An application that has been modified from a base application for a particular end user or group of end users. *VERSION. A read-only communication area field that contains the name of the current version being run. VISIT. Logic command for executing a function logic block. W Warn. A message type that beeps the terminal bell to alert the user, but does not require a response. WINDOW. Logic command to display a window on the current screen. Window. Screen that is overlaid on the current screen starting at the line number defined for the current screen. Window screens operate exactly as normal data screens. However, they may not contain windows or scroll areas. Window screens cannot be displayed independently of a normal data screen. *WRITE. FILE command argument used for specifying that the contents of the file buffer are to be written to a serial file or KSAM file. X (no entry) Y (no entry) Z ZIP. Logic command that performs no operation and allows the next command to be executed.