HP 3000 Manuals

HP Data Entry and Forms Management System (VPLUS/V)

USING FORMSPEC TO CREATE AN ARB 

Once you have created a form and saved it in a forms file, you can create
an associated application-ready buffer (ARB) for that form.  There are
two steps to the process; first, you must set up a data type conversion
(DTC) record, then you can generate the ARB. The DTC record need only be
set up once for the entire forms file.

You may want to transform data between the screen and application for
several reasons.  First, the data the application will store may differ
from what appears on the screen:  menu-selection and next-screen fields,
for example, would normally be excluded from the ARB. Conversely, you may
want to store data from a source other than the screen, such as key
fields for an IMAGE dataset, along with the screen data.  This can be
done by using "filler" fields, fields that exist on the ARB but not on
the corresponding form (see RES below).

Second, the order in which the application stores data may differ from
the order in which it is entered on the screen.  An arrangement of fields
that makes logical sense to the user may not be suitable for a database,
for example.  Fields can be rearranged on the screen without affecting
their order on the ARB, and vice versa.

Third, data type and length may differ from screen to ARB, and the
designer uses the ARB screens, in conjunction with the Data Type
Conversions Menu, to specify conversions (see discussion under "ARB Data
Types").

Figure 3-25a shows the sequence of menus used to create, modify and
delete an ARB and the fields on it.


          Figure 3-25a.  Menu Sequence for ARB Feature 

Setting Up the Data Type Conversion Record 

The data type conversion record allows the forms designer to define the
default values for screen and ARB data types.  You must define these
values, even if you only press ENTER to accept FORMSPEC's preset
defaults, shown in Figure 3-25c.  You will probably want to replace some,
if not all, of these defaults with your own.

Set up the data type conversion record by following these steps:

   1.  Make sure you are at the FORMSPEC Main Menu and select G for "Go
       to Globals Menu".  when you press ENTER, the Globals Menu is
       displayed.


          Figure 3-25b.  Globals Menu 

   2.  Enter Y for "Define Data Conversions" in the last box.  The Data
       Type Conversions menu is displayed.  This screen allows you to
       specify default conversions to and from every available screen and
       application data type.

       The n in the numeric types stands for a number of decimal places.
       When specifying a conversion to one of these types, you must
       replace n with a digit or a.  When you set the number of decimals
       to a, you are instructing FORMSPEC to determine the decimals
       algorithmically on the basis of the source type.  Note that you
       can only select the a option on this menu, and not on the field
       menus.  For recommendations on data type conversions, see "Data
       Types" earlier in this section.


          Figure 3-25c.  Data Type Conversions Menu 

   3.  When you have set your defaults, press ENTER and then press
       MAIN/RESUME at the SAVE FIELD Menu to return to the Main Menu.

Generating the ARB 

Follow these steps to generate an ARB for a form.

   1.  At the Main Menu, enter B for "Go to ARB Menu" in the Main Menu
       Selection box.

   2.  In the "Go to ARB Menu" field, enter the name of the form for
       which you wish to generate an ARB and press ENTER. The ARB Menu is
       displayed.


          Figure 3-25d.  ARB Menu 

The form name is displayed in the first field.  This is a display-only
field:  you cannot select a new form from this menu.  If you want to
create an ARB for a different form, you must go back to the Main Menu.

The next field shows the number of fields in the ARB: in this case there
are none, since there is no ARB yet.

Types of Field.  An ARB may contain two kinds of field.  They are live
fields and filler fields.

 *  Live fields exist on both the screen and the ARB.

 *  Filler fields exist on the ARB only; for example, alignment and
    accumulator fields.

The designer can select one of four options on the ARB Menu.

MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation