Running ENTRY

Specifying ENTRY Files

After you start ENTRY, it prompts you for a forms file name where the data entry forms are stored. It also prompts for the name of the batch file where you want to save the data. If you do not know the names of these files, ask your application manager.

The forms file is a standard MPE file identified by its data file name. It may be fully qualified by account, group name, and lockword.

The batch file is a standard MPE file. If the named batch file does not exist, a new file is created automatically. If the file already exists, it is opened so that new data can be added to the end of the existing data in the file.

Responding To ENTRY Prompts

ENTRY prompts for the forms file name as follows:

ENTER FORMS FILE NAME AND PRESS RETURN:

Type the desired forms file name and then press Return. If a password is associated with a forms file, you are prompted for it twice. The forms file must be opened twice: first to determine the forms file type (KSAM or non-KSAM), and then to open it in the correct mode. If you want to avoid being prompted twice for the forms file password, enter it along with the forms file name in the format: formsfile/lockword.

ENTRY then prompts for the batch file name:

ENTER BATCH FILE NAME AND PRESS RETURN:

Enter the batch file name. If the batch file name you entered is an existing file to which data has already been written, you may receive the following message:

WARNING: Forms file recompiled since this batch was created. Enter "Y" to continue:

This message is issued if the forms file has been modified and recompiled since it was last used to collect data to the batch file. Enter Y to continue only if you are sure that the changes to the forms file will not invalidate data already entered in the file. Otherwise, press Return. This causes the forms file prompt to be reissued so you can enter a different forms file name and/or a new batch file name. Generally, you should use a new batch file when a forms file is recompiled.

If the batch file you named was originally used with a different forms file than the one you named, you will receive this message:

WARNING: A different forms file was used to create this batch. Enter "Y" to continue:

This message may mean that the wrong forms file was entered. If you press Return, the forms file prompt is issued again so you can enter the correct forms file name. If the forms file name was correct, but the batch file name is wrong, you must reenter the forms file name and then enter a different or new batch file name when the batch file prompt is issued. If this situation occurs, you would typically not enter Y to continue, because you would not use a batch file that does not match the forms file.

If the forms file has been designed to accept data using a native language other than NATIVE-3000 and ENTRY does not know the exact language that should be used, ENTRY displays this message:

ENTER LANGUAGE ID NUMBER AND PRESS RETURN:

If you see this message and do not know the appropriate number, contact your application manager. For more information on Native Language Support, refer to chapter 8.

Removing Deleted Records From a Batch File

When records are deleted from a batch file, they are only "tagged" for deletion. If you wish to physically remove deleted batch records, use the HP file copier, FCOPY, as follows:

Expanding the Batch File

In most cases the batch file that ENTRY builds for you has enough space, but if you want to enter a large amount of data (more than 1023 records), you must either specify a larger batch file before running ENTRY or increase the size of your existing batch file. To specify a larger batch file, first use the MPE :FILE command before running ENTRY:

:FILE filename;DISC=numrec

where filename is the name of a new batch file and numrec is the number of records you want the new batch file to have. When you run ENTRY, specify *filename as the batch file; the program will build it with the number of records you requested.

You can also use FCOPY to enlarge an existing batch file. First issue the MPE :FILE command as shown above. Then run FCOPY to build a new, larger file of the size you requested and copy the existing data into it:

:RUN FCOPY.PUB.SYS

When the FCOPY prompt (>) appears, type:

>FROM=oldname;TO=*filename;NEW

where oldname is the name of your existing batch file and filename is the name of your new, larger file. Remember to include the asterisk; otherwise, the new file will not be larger than the old one. After the prompt reappears, type EXIT and press Return.

Finally, purge the old batch file from the system and assign its name to your new batch file:

:PURGE oldname
:RENAME filename,oldname

where oldname and filename are the names of your old and new files, respectively. When you run ENTRY again, specify oldname as the batch file, and you can continue entering data as before.

Block Mode

After you have specified the ENTRY files, ENTRY operates in block mode. When you log on and request ENTRY, and when you specify the forms and batch file names, your commands are entered into the system by pressing Return at the end of each line. When ENTRY operates in block mode, your data is entered only when you press Enter. This allows you to move around on the screen, pressing Return if you wish, and to type in or correct data. ENTRY does not receive any keyed data until you press Enter.

After you have specified the forms and batch files, ENTRY begins to display the forms defined in the specified forms file. The data you enter in each form displayed on the screen is stored in separate records of the specified batch file. Subsequently, you can look at or modify the data stored in the batch file as described in the section entitled "Modifying Data."

Local Form Storage

Some terminals have a feature that allows forms to be stored locally in terminal memory. Forms stored in the terminal can be displayed on the screen directly rather than having to be retrieved from the memory area of the computer. This feature, with look ahead mode, is automatically activated when you run ENTRY. Refer to appendix G for a list of supported terminals with this feature; refer to chapter 6 for more information on local form storage.