4.15.12 Design a Screen Format

Once a screen format has been selected for design purposes an "image" of what the screen format currently looks like is presented.

The content and format of the "image" will of course vary widely according to the fields that are used on the format, so for purposes of explanation a specific example is used.

The example screen is the result of a DISPLAY command that was coded into the RDML program as:

DISPLAY FIELDS(#CUSNUM #CUSNAM #ADDRL1 #ADDRL2 #ADDRL3 #POSTCD)

The "image" of the screen that results from the DISPLAY command might look like this when presented by the screen design facility:

ADDCUST01            Add New Customer Details to System                                                                                         Customer  . . . . . CCCCCC                                              Name  . . . . . . . CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC                           Address Line 1  . . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA                           Address Line 2  . . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA                           Address Line 3  . . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA                           Post code . . . . . PPPP                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Fnn=Help  Fnn=Exit  Fnn=Cancel  Fnn=Messages                            Act :

Note the following points about this example:

• Lines 1 -> 23 of the "image" are just that. They are an "image" of what the screen format will look like when it is actually being used in the function.

• On line 24 is the only input capable field on the entire screen. It is called the "action" field and is used to "re-design" or "paint" the screen "image" that is displayed on lines 1 to 23.

Using the "action" field is very simple. You enter one of the "action codes" below to indicate what you wish to do and then follow the instructions that are displayed on line 24.

When you are comfortable with using "action" codes you can then begin to work more quickly using the associated function key to reduce the number of actions that you must take to make the painter modify the screen layout.

The list of valid "action" codes and function keys for screen design is as follows:

Action Code Function Key Action That This Initiates <blank> F5 Cancel any pending actions or errors. EX F3 / F12 Exit from the screen design facility. GR   Place a grid over or remove a grid from the image. M F16 Move field(s) or text string(s). TI F6 Insert a text string. TD F22 Delete a text string. TC F21 Change a text string. FI F6 Insert a field. FD F22 Delete a field. ID F17 Change the method used to identify a field. Pxxx N/A Change shape/size/location of Pop-Up Window. Refer to following sections for details.