HP 3000 Manuals

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

MAIN MENU 

The Main Menu, shown in Figure 5-12, is the main control menu for all
REFSPEC operations.  If the reformat file is new, you will usually select
Add a reformat.  REFSPEC then issues the menus that allow you to define
the reformat file.  If the reformat file already exists, you may enter
any selection depending on what you want to do.  You can compile the
reformat file, add new reformats, select a particular menu in order to
change it, purge reformats and so forth.


          Figure 5-12.  Main Menu 

Adding a Reformat 

When you are creating a new reformat file, you will always add at least
one reformat; if you are modifying an existing reformat file, you may
want to add a reformat.  New reformats are added to the end of the
reformat file.  To add a reformat, simply enter A in the Main Menu
selection box.  In response, REFSPEC displays the Input Forms Menu, shown
in Figure 5-15.

Compiling the Reformat File 

In order for REFORMAT to use the reformat file, the file must be
compiled.  You compile a reformat file by entering an X in the Main Menu
selection box.

If the file has already been compiled, it is recompiled and the newly
compiled version replaces the previous version.  There is never more than
one compiled version of a reformat file at a time.  When you modify the
source version, the compiled version is not affected.

Adding Global Specifications 

Certain characteristics of the reformat definition are global; that is,
they apply to the entire output file.  For example, record length and the
end of record separators are global definitions.  (Refer to the Globals
Menu description below.)

REFSPEC supplies default values for all global characteristics and,
unless you want to change these defaults, you need never be concerned
with global values.  If you do want to specify nondefault global
characteristics, enter G in the Main Menu selection box, but do not
specify a reformat identifier or output field name.  The Globals
Menu, shown in Figure 5-14, is displayed so you can enter global
specifications.

Changing the Forms File Name 

Normally, you will not need to modify the forms file name once it has
been specified.  However, in case the forms file is renamed with the MPE
:RENAME command, you can go to the Forms File Menu and rename the forms
file to correspond to its new name.  To do this, enter F in the Main Menu
selection box and, when the Forms File Menu is displayed, type in the new
forms file name.

Modifying Reformat Specifications 

You can change a reformat specification at any time, either as you
initially define the specification, or after the reformat file has been
compiled.  In either case, you locate the particular specification
through the Main Menu selection box or with the function keys that
control menu sequence.

Changing an Input Forms Sequence 

Each input forms sequence consists of the form names associated with
batch records to be reformatted and written to the output file.  (Since
each batch file record is associated with a form name, the list of form
names is in effect a list of batch records.)  The first form name in any
input forms sequence is called the reformat identifier.  Each reformat
identifier is unique to the reformat file and is used to identify the
input forms sequence.

If you want to modify an input forms sequence, enter G in the Main Menu
selection box, and then specify the reformat identifier that identifies
that sequence; or locate the input forms sequence you want with PREV 
REFORMAT or NEXT REFORMAT. The Input Forms Menu is displayed with the
form names previously specified.  You can then change any of these names,
add new names, or delete existing names.  When you have made the changes,
press ENTER. You can change the reformat identifier exactly as you would
change any other form name, but the changed identifier must still be
unique to the reformat file.

Note that if you change an Input Forms Menu, you must validate the
associated Output Record and you may have to validate the Output Field
Menus.  To do this, you request the applicable Output Record and output
Field Menus and press ENTER for each.  (If these menus were affected by
your change to the Input Forms Menu, you must make the appropriate
changes before pressing ENTER.) Until these menus are validated, REFSPEC
prints a warning when they are displayed.

Changing an Output Record Definition 

Every input forms sequence has an associated output record definition.
The output record definition defines how the individual fields or
portions of fields from the batch file are to be written to the output
file.  You can change some of these field specifications directly on the
freeform Output Record Menu, and others on a particular Output Field
Menu.  The Output Field Menus can be located by entering G in the Main
Menu selection box and then specifying a reformat id and output field
name, or by using NEXT or PREV. An output record definition can be
located only through these function keys.

The basic output record descriptions are entered and changed on the
Output Record Menu.  The output fields can be rearranged, new fields or
constants added, or existing fields or constants deleted only on this
menu.  To change specific field reformatting specifications, you must go
to the Output Field Menu for that field.  (For details, refer to the
Output Record Menu and Output Field Menu descriptions below.)  After
changing a reformat, you must compile the reformat file to enter these
changes in the executable version of the file.

Deleting a Reformat 

You can purge an entire reformat with its associated output record
definition and field specifications.  Enter D in the Main Menu selection
box and then specify the reformat identifier that identifies the reformat
to be deleted.  The reformat specification is not physically removed from
the reformat file, but it can no longer be referenced by REFORMAT. After
deleting a reformat, you must compile the reformat file or the reformat
will still be in the file.

Listing a Reformat 

You can print a listing of the entire reformat file or only a single
reformat on an offline device (usually, the line printer).  To list a
single reformat, enter L in the Main Menu selection box and then specify
the reformat identifier for the reformat you want listed.  If you want to
list all reformats in the reformat file, simply enter L in the selection
box without specifying a reformat identifier.  Figure 5-13 illustrates
the listing of a reformat.

Resuming Design from Main Menu 

If you requested the Main Menu by pressing MAIN/RESUME during reformat
design, you can return to the menu you were in by pressing MAIN/RESUME 
again.  Note that this is the same key in each case, but it acts
differently in the Main Menu than it does in other menus.

You can also go to the previous menu or the next menu by pressing PREV or
NEXT respectively.  When requested from the Main Menu, the previous menu
is the one preceding the menu you were in when you requested the Main
Menu, and the next menu is that following the menu you were in.
Similarly, you can request the previous or next reformat directly by
pressing PREV REFORMAT or NEXT REFORMAT. The previous or next reformat is
relative to the reformat you were designing when MAIN/RESUME was
requested.


          Figure 5-13.  Reformat Listing 


          Figure 5-13.  Reformat Listing (continued) 

MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation