11.7 SAA/CUA User Defined Panels

To understand the way using an SAA/CUA partition affects the layout and attributes of a user defined panel created by an RDML DISPLAY, REQUEST or POP_UP command, consider the following example:

MNTCUST14      Maintain customer details       03/03/89 12:00:00                                                                           Enter customer number or select customer from list.                                                                                             Customer No . . . ________                                                                                                                           Customer                                            Zip            Sel   Number    Customer name                            Code            .    999999    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  999999           .    999999    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  999999           .    999999    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  999999           .    999999    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  999999           .    999999    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  999999           .    999999    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  999999                                                                                    F1=Help  F3=Exit  F12=Cancel  F14=Messages                                                                                                      MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

For this example the following SAA/CUA characteristics are worth noting:

• The panel identifier is derived from the RDML function name and the sequence number of the RDML program statement that caused it to be displayed. It uses the attributes defined for panel element category PBPI.

• The panel title is the description of the LANSA function. It is automatically centred, and may be optionally automatically converted to uppercase. It uses the attributes defined for panel element category PBPT.

• The time and date may be optionally displayed. If displayed, they use the attributes defined for panel element category PBCN.

• The instruction line (line 3) has been defined by the TEXT parameter on the associated RDML DISPLAY, REQUEST or POP_UP command. It uses the attributes defined for panel element category PBNT.

• The repository dictionary label "Customer No . . ." used to identify the customer number field uses the attributes defined for panel element category PBFP.

• The actual input field customer number uses any SAA/CUA panel element category input attribute defined for it at the LANSA Repository level (or any specific overrides as may have been applied within this RDML program).
  
  Since customer number is a "key" field it would be expected to have panel element category input attribute PBEE defined at the dictionary level.
  
  If no SAA/CUA panel element category has been defined for the field at the dictionary or program level, panel element category PBEN would be automatically applied as an input attribute.

• All column headings use attributes as defined by panel element category PBCM.

• The selection column field would use attribute as defined by the repository or the program. If none were defined, panel element category PBEN would automatically apply.

• The customer number field (in the browse list) would use SAA/CUA attributes as defined in the dictionary or program. If none were defined, panel element category PBCN would automatically apply.
  
  The same rule applies to all other fields in the browse list.

• Messages may appear on line 22 or on line 24. The position is defined at the partition level and applies to all panels defined within the partition.

• Function keys may appear on lines 23/24 (with messages on line 22) or on lines 22/23 (with messages on line 24). The positions are defined at the partition level and apply to all panels defined within the partition.
  
  They are displayed using the attributes defined for panel element category FKCH.
  
  There are 2 full lines of function key area available. No key will ever "wrap" onto the second line. It will appear fully in either the first or second line.
  
  If too many keys are enabled to appear in the 2 lines provided, those that will not fit will not appear at all. No "roll" facility for the function key area is currently supported by LANSA.

• The Help function key is shown as F1=Help. Note that the actual HELP key on the workstation may also be used to invoke the HELP facilities.

• The Exit function key is by default a "high" exit, which causes a full exit from the entire application. If full SAA/CUA standards are used it will appear as F3=Exit.
  
  If the specific DISPLAY, REQUEST or POP_UP commands in the RDML program indicates via the EXIT_KEY parameter that a "low" exit is required (ie: exit from this facility only), it would also be shown as F3=Exit.

• The Cancel function key is actually the function key controlled by the the MENU_KEY key parameter in RDML DISPLAY, REQUEST or POP_UP commands.
  
  If full SAA/CUA standards are complied with it would appear as F12=Cancel. This is interpreted as meaning "cancel the current function and re-display the last menu that was used."

• When using a bi-directional language, within a multilingual partition, many details are "reversed" as if they were reflected in a mirror.
  
  For instance labels and descriptions appear to the right of the field and column headings are aligned to the right on all fields (instead of just numeric fields).

• When using a DBCS language, within a multilingual partition, all textual details can be made to appear as ideographic characters.