Using This Manual

This manual is intended for the following users:

Forms Designer: Designs the forms to be displayed, determines the order in which forms are displayed, and specifies any editing or special processing to be performed on data entered or displayed through the forms.
Applications Programmer: Designs and codes the application that uses data entered or displayed through the FORMSPEC forms.
Application User: Enters data on the forms defined with FORMSPEC for processing by an application or by ENTRY.

The following sections explain which chapters in the manual are applicable to each type of user.

Forms Designer

The forms designer who uses FORMSPEC to design forms should read chapters 3 and 4. These chapters describe basic and advanced forms design with FORMSPEC. The forms file can be managed in a job stream for many tasks, such as compiling and listing the file or renumbering fields within a form.

The forms designer with the responsibility for reformatting the data entered through the forms should read chapter 5, which describes how to specify reformatting with REFSPEC.

If designing forms in a native language other than the default (NATIVE-3000), the forms designer should refer to chapter 8 for information on Native Language Support.

The forms designer can skip chapters 2, 6, and 7, unless he or she is also the applications programmer.

Applications Programmer

The applications programmer should read chapter 6, which describes the VPLUS intrinsics callable from any of the supported programming languages listed in appendix A. If using one of the special interface programming languages, the applications programmer should refer to the reference manual for the particular language.

Since FORMSPEC provides editing and processing capabilities, the applications programmer should study FORMSPEC to determine how to divide the processing responsibilities between FORMSPEC and the application. Interactive FORMSPEC is described in chapters 3 and 4; batch mode FORMSPEC is described in chapter 7.

The applications programmer may also read chapter 5, which describes the specifications for reformatting data entered through an application like ENTRY. Reformatting may provide a way to adapt entered data to an existing application.

VPLUS Native Language Support enables an application programmer to create interactive applications that reflect native language numeric and date conventions for more than a dozen supported languages. For information on using VPLUS with Native Language Support, the applications programmer should refer to chapter 8.

If the application being designed consists of data collection for later batch processing, the applications programmer should determine whether ENTRY fulfills the user's application needs. Chapter 2 describes ENTRY from the user's perspective. If the user's needs require application modifications, the applications programmer should review appendix A, "Sample Programs." This appendix lists the source code for ENTRY (in SPL) along with similar examples in various languages.

Application User

The application user is the person who actually enters data into the forms designed with FORMSPEC.

If the applications programmer has chosen to use ENTRY, read chapter 2 as an instruction guide for users or for their trainer. The chapter describes how to enter data to be processed by ENTRY.

If ENTRY has been modified, the applications programmer should modify chapter 2 to reflect the changes.

For other applications, the programmer should provide a similar guide that explains how to:

Log on and off the HP 3000.
Use the terminal keys, especially the function keys.
Enter and modify data.

Using This Manual

Technical documentation

» Table of Contents

» Index

Forms Designer

Applications Programmer

Application User