Rational Programming Patterns

Field definition

You must give the characteristics of the Data Element call

To display the contents of this section, you must click Add Data Element call or select a Data Element call line in the table. If you add a Data Element call, you are requested to select an existing Data Element, or define a new Data Element.

The fields with variable contents correspond to Data Elements that are described and processed in the program associated with the Screen. A field description includes the following elements:
  • a type (input field, protected field, and so forth),
  • a position in the Screen,
  • an option defining the associated label type,
  • a set of attributes,
  • the number of horizontal repetitions,
  • the number of vertical repetitions,
  • associated processing options.

You can also define special Data Elements: PF keys, passwords, and error messages

Field Type
Select the type of the variable field in the Screen:
  • Defined Data Element:
    The default is the defined conversational format. If none has been defined:
    • A displayed and protected Data Element has an output format.
    • An unprotected Data Element has an extended internal format, possibly including one or two additional positions for a sign and a decimal point.
    Note: You cannot call a 'Unicode'-type Data Element in the Description of a Screen.
  • PF key: function key
    A PF key is a programmable function key which can be used to program one of the following actions:
    • branch to another Screen. The Screen to which the Dialog branches and the PF key number are indicated in the Additional controls for the selected field section,
    • initialize the Screen operation code (OPER variable). The initialization character of the OPER variable and the PF key number are indicated in the Additional controls for the selected field section.
    The PF key can be positioned anywhere on the Screen. In the generated program, it is processed in the following functions:
    • F0520 in order to initialize the operation code of the Screen,
    • F20 in order to ensure branching to a subsequent Screen. In this case, PF keys are processed according to their display order in the Screen.
    The value of this function key depends on the generation variant. It is generally numeric and corresponds to the number of keys available on the keyboard.
    • CICS: The following values can also be used:
      • A1: PA1 key
      • A2: PA2 key
      • EN: ENTER key
      • 00: CLEAR key
    • TANDEM: Only PF key values ranging from 01 to 32, corresponding to keys F1 to SF16, are taken into account.
    • DEC/VAX: Values 01, 02, 03, 06 to 11 and 14 to 20 can be used for the PF keys.
    • MICROFOCUS: Values ranging from 01 to 24 can be used for the PF keys.
    • HP3000: Values ranging from 1 to 8 can be used for the PF keys.
  • *PASSWD: Password (IMS)

    On IMS, you can set a password on a specific Screen (generation of the PASSWORD Macro at the MID level).

    This Data Element must be described and its length cannot exceed eight characters.
    Notes on logical paging:
    • In order to distinguish the various LPAGE of the MOD, you must define, for the COND parameter used in the LPAGE Macro, a Data Element which is to receive the last four characters of the called Screen. This Element must be called in the Screen. Its type is automatically set to P: Protected field.
    • Logical paging operator: This Data Element must have been previously defined with a maximum length of five characters.
    • For the management of the Logical Paging, the LPAGE option must be selected in the Dialog Complement tab.
  • ERMSG: Error message (English) or LIERR: Error message (French)

    It is used to reserve the location of the error messages. It can be vertically repeated.

    Its default length is 72 characters and it can be modified if ERMSG is defined in with a different format.

    The selected type must be P: Protected field.

Type
Select one of the following natures for the Data Element to be displayed on the screen:
  • F: Protected and received field

    The Data Element is displayed and protected on the screen but received by the program.

    If the Data Element does not have a conversational format, it is displayed with its output format.

  • P: Protected field

    The Data Element is displayed and protected on the screen but not received by the program.

    If the Data Element does not have a conversational format, it is displayed with its output format.

  • V: Variable field

    The Data Element is displayed and not protected on the screen. It can be edited and is received by the program.

    If the Data Element does not have a conversational format, its extended internal format is used instead (including the sign and decimal point if relevant).

Data Element
You select here the Data Element you want to call.

If no Data Element is displayed or if you want to modify the Data Element displayed, click Change.... A wizard displays the available instances. Select an instance or create an instance and click OK.

Position

Position type
In this field, you select one of the following positioning values for the Screen element:
  • Relative positioning
    The specified line and column numbers correspond to a move from the Data Element located just before in the list. The positioning of the preceding Data Element is calculated according to the nature of this field.
    • Data Element call (for an elementary or repeated Data Element, whatever its presentation): The starting point of the positioning is calculated from the top right corner of the contents (and not the label) of the preceding Data Element.
    • Screen calls: The positioning is calculated from the lower right corner of the called Screen in the calling Screen.
  • A: Absolute positioning: In this case, the line and column numbers correspond to the absolute address of the element on the Screen.
Notes on position: The position defined by the position type, the line, and column numbers, is the position of the first character of the:
  • Contents if the presentation type is: Data Element only, or Data Element with a column label
  • Label otherwise
Line
Enter two numeric characters here. You specify the line number which determines the position of the element.
  • In a relative positioning, it is the number of lines between two elements. If the presentation type corresponds to a column heading, the number of lines in the column heading is automatically added, upon generation, to the indicated number.
  • In an absolute positioning, it is the line number on the Screen.

Line overflow is automatically controlled.

If both the line and column numbers equal zero, the element is automatically moved to the next tabulation point available.

Column
Enter three numeric characters here. You specify the column number which determines the position of the element.
  • In a relative positioning, if the line number is zero, the column number corresponds to the number of spaces between two elements on the same line. If the line number is greater than zero, the column number corresponds to an absolute positioning.
  • In an absolute positioning, the column number is the address of the element on the line. A zero value corresponds by default to column 2 upon generation (column 1 being reserved for the attribute). If the value is 1, the attribute is on the preceding line.

Any line length overflow and field overlapping are automatically detected. However, the presence of a space in front of each field is not verified.

If both the line and column numbers equal zero, the element is automatically moved to the next tabulation point available.

Horizontal repetitions
This numeric field indicates the number of occurrences of a Data Element on a line.

The Data Element label is repeated only if it is a column heading.

Each occurrence of the Data Element is separated by a space.

This repetition is only possible for an elementary Data Element.

The number of horizontal repetitions of the first Data Element in the repetitive category helps determine the number of lines for each occurrence.

Vertical repetitions
For an elementary Data Element, the number of vertical occurrences can be combined with the number of horizontal repetitions. The Data Element label is also repeated vertically, except if it is a column heading.

All the Data Elements and labels of the repetitive category, which can contain several lines, are repeated vertically. Column headings are displayed only once.

Data Element attributes

Select the presentation attributes for the content of the Data Element displayed on the Screen.

Intensity
Select its intensity attribute among the following values:
  • Default value: defaults to the Dialog Definition
  • N: Normal: default value at the Dialog level
  • B: Bright: it is highlighted.
  • D: Dark: it is hidden.
Presentation
Select its presentation attribute among the following values:
  • Default value: defaults to the Dialog Definition
  • N: Normal: default value at the Dialog level
  • B: Blinking
  • R: Reversed video
  • U: Underlined
Color
Select its color attribute among the following values:
  • Default value: defaults to the Dialog Definition
  • W: Normal: default value at the Dialog level
  • B: Blue
  • R: Red
  • P: Pink
  • Y: Yellow
  • G: Green
  • T: Turquoise

Label attributes

Select the presentation attributes for the label of the Data Element displayed on the Screen.

Intensity
Select its intensity attribute among the following values:
  • Default value: defaults to the Dialog Definition
  • N: Normal: default value at the Dialog level
  • B: Bright: it is highlighted.
  • D: Dark: it is hidden.
Presentation
Select its presentation attribute among the following values:
  • Default value: defaults to the Dialog Definition
  • N: Normal: default value at the Dialog level
  • B: Blinking
  • R: Reversed video
  • U: Underlined
Color
Select its color attribute among the following values:
  • Default value: defaults to the Dialog Definition
  • W: Normal: default value at the Dialog level
  • B: Blue
  • R: Red
  • P: Pink
  • Y: Yellow
  • G: Green
  • T: Turquoise

Presentation

Presentation
Select the label associated with each Data Element on the Screen.
There are four possible labels:
  • The long label (36 positions), entered on the Data Element Definition tab
  • The short label (18 positions), entered on the Data Element -D Lines tab
  • The relational label (18 positions), entered on the Data Element -D Lines tab
  • The column heading label, entered on the Data Element -D Lines tab

The values of the field correspond to the association between the Data Element and the presentation characteristics for these labels (left-aligned...).

Table 1. Values for the display of the Data Element label
Value Comment
Default value Defaults to the value specified in the Dialog.
F: Data Element only The Data Element is displayed without any label.
L: Data Element with long label, left-aligned The Data Element is preceded by the Data Element label, left-aligned, on 36 positions.
M: Data Element with long label, right-aligned The Data Element is preceded by the Data Element label, right-aligned, on 36 positions.
N: Data Element with long label, left-aligned, trimmed right The Data Element is preceded by the Data Element label, left-aligned with the deletion of blanks on the right.
R: Data Element with long relational label, left-aligned The Data Element is preceded by the relational label, left-aligned on 18 positions.
S: Data Element with short label, left-aligned The Data Element is preceded by the short label, left-aligned, on 18 positions.
T: Data Element with short label, right-aligned The Data Element is preceded by the short label, right-aligned, on 18 positions.
U: Data Element with short label, left-aligned, trimmed right The Data Element is preceded by the short label, left-aligned, with the deletion of blanks at the end of the string.
1: Data Element topped by a single line column label The Data Element is topped by the column label on one line.
2: Data Element topped by a 2–line column label The Data Element is topped by the column label on two lines.
3: Data Element topped by a 3–line column label The Data Element is topped by the column label on three lines.
Note: The ':' character is generated for the Data Elements preceded by a long, short, or relational label. For the Data Elements topped by a column label, the greatest length of the Data Element label and content is taken into account for the relative positioning in the Screen.
Cursor
The check box has a twofold purpose. If you check it, you
  • Specify the Data Element on which the cursor is to be moved by default when the Screen is initially called.

    In an IMS configuration, if no cursor is specified, the cursor is moved to the first Data Element of the Screen. However, if the LOGICAL PAGING (LPAGE) option is selected in the Dialog Complement, the cursor is moved to the top of the Screen.

  • Override the default option (automatic skip of the cursor in case of protected field).
Simulation value
This field is optional. It is used to give a value to the Data Element upon a Screen simulation.

You cannot indicate a simulation value if a repetition is specified.

Initial value
You enter here an initial value for the Data Element content. When the Screen is called for the first time, this value is displayed for the Data Element.

You cannot indicate an initial value if a repeated character is specified.


Terms of use | Feedback

This information center is powered by Eclipse technology. (http://www.eclipse.org)