accept-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

entry-response-declaration

Performs a response when a panel, group, field, button, or icon becomes the current activation item. There is no default response for entry response processing. For more information, see the ENTRY RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

NO ENTRY RESPONSE

Specifies that no entry response is performed when a panel, group, field, button, or icon becomes the current activation item. Use NO ENTRY RESPONSE to override field defaults to customize form processing.

exit-response-declaration

Performs a response when the Form Manager exits a panel, group, field,button, or icon. Exit responses for the group and panel level are called when the Form Manager exits the last active field, button, or icon of the group or panel, and after the last active item's exit response is executed.

There is no default response for exit response processing. For more information, see the EXIT RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

NO EXIT RESPONSE

Specifies that no exit response is performed when the Form Manager exits a panel, group, field, button, or icon. Use NO EXIT RESPONSE to override field defaults to customize form processing.

function-response-declaration

Performs a response when the operator enters a function. For more information, see the FUNCTION RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

NO FUNCTION RESPONSE

Specifies that no function response is performed when the operator enters a function. Use NO FUNCTION RESPONSE to override field defaults to customize form processing.

validation-response-declaration

Performs a response when the operator has completed input into a field, icon, button, or group. There is no default response for validation response processing. For more information, see the VALIDATION RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

NO VALIDATION RESPONSE

Specifies that no validation response is performed when the operator has completed input into a field, icon button, or group. Use NO VALIDATION RESPONSE to override field defaults to customize form processing.

Example

The following IFDL syntax shows examples of each type of accept response.

    .
    .
    .
Panel P1
    Group G1
       Entry Response                               
             Message "Abandon hope all ye who enter here"
       End Response
       Field F1
           Exit Response                            
               If G1.F1 = 5 Then Position to Field F3 On P2 End If
           End Response
           Validation Response                      
               If G1.F1 >= 6 or G1.F1 <= 0 Then
               Message "Please enter a number from 1 to 5"
               Invalid
               End If
          End Response
       End Field
       Field F2
           Function Response Next Panel            
             Message "There is no next panel"
           End Response
       End Field
    End Group
End Panel

activate-response-step

Syntax Rules

ACTIVATE

Puts the items listed on the activation list. The activation items are one or more panel fields, icons, buttons, or requests to wait until the operator enters a function. The items are added after the current activation item and after any other items added during this response. Once the items are on the activation list they can receive operator input.

BUTTON button ON panel-name-1 (window layouts)

Causes button to be placed on the activation list. Panel-name-1 specifies the panel on which button occurs. The operator is allowed to enter only function key input, not data input, into button.

BUTTON button-array ON panel-name-2 (window layouts)

Causes all the buttons in the array reference to be added to the activation list. Panel-name-2 specifies the panel on which button-array occurs. The operator is allowed to enter only function key input, not data input, into the buttons specified in button-array.

CORRESPONDING RECEIVE ALL

Activates all panel fields that correspond to a record field in the current receive record. Not all such panel fields on all panels are activated—only as many as necessary so that each form data item corresponding to a record field has one of its panel fields on the activation list.

CORRESPONDING SEND PANELS

Activates wait activation items for panels that contain at least one panel field corresponding to a record field in the current send record. Not all such panels are activated—only a sufficient number so that all corresponding panel fields are displayed at least once.

If more than one panel contains the same field, the Form Manager activates the first field that it finds that is not protected or concealed.

FIELD field ON panel-name-3

Causes field to be placed on the activation list. Panel-name-3 specifies the panel on which field occurs. Field cannot have a PROTECTED attribute unless it is the PROTECTED WHEN attribute.

FIELD field-array ON panel-name-4

Causes all the panel fields in the array reference to be added to the activation list. Panel-name-4 specifies the panel on which field-array occurs.

GROUP panel-group ON panel-name-5

Causes all fields, icons, and buttons in that declaration of the panel group to be added to the activation list. The order of addition is the order of declaration within the group. Panel-name-5 specifies the panel on which panel-group occurs.

GROUP panel-group-array ON panel-name-6

Causes all fields, icons, and buttons in the array reference to be added to the activation list. Panel-name-6 specifies the panel on which panel-group-array occurs.

ICON icon ON panel-name-7 (character-cell layouts)

Causes icon to be placed on the activation list. Icon is the name of the icon;the operator cannot input data into icon, but function keys can be pressed in icon. Panel-name-7 specifies the panel on which icon occurs.

ICON icon-array ON panel-name-8 (character-cell layouts)

Causes all the icons in icon-array to be added to the activation list. Icon-array is the name of the array; the operator cannot input data into the icons specified in icon-array, but function keys can be pressed in icon-array. Panel-name-8 specifies the panel on which icon-array occurs.

PANEL panel-name-9

Activates all fields, icons, and buttons on panel-name-9 in the order in which they are declared in the panel.

WAIT [ ON panel-name-10 ] (character-cell layouts)

Enters a wait activation item on the activation list. During accept phase, when the Form Manager requests input for this activation item and panel-name-10 is specified, the Form Manager ensures that panel-name-10 is displayed and associates the wait with the panel (as far as position panel references are concerned).

ALL

Activates all fields, icons, and buttons on all panels in the layout.

TIMEOUT integer

Specifies the number of seconds allowed for operator input. For more information, see the TIMEOUT clause syntax section.

A TIMEOUT clause in an ACTIVATE response step overrides a TIMEOUT clause in a field, icon, or button declaration. A TIMEOUT clause in an external request overrides a TIMEOUT clause in an ACTIVATE response step.

General Rules

If an item is already on the activation list, an ACTIVATE response step for that activation item has no effect. If an item of the same name is declared on more than one panel, it can appear as an activation item once for each panel.

The ACTIVATE response step is ignored in PRINTER layouts.

Examples

active-highlight-clause

Syntax Rules

ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT display-attribute-entry

Specifies that display-attribute-entry is to be applied to a field, button, or icon, in addition to its current display attributes when the field, button, or icon becomes the current activation item during accept phase. For more information, see the DISPLAY ATTRIBUTE entry syntax section.

NO ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT

Specifies that no active highlight is to be applied to the field, button, or icon.

General Rules

Attributes that change the size of a field or icon in a character-cell layout are not allowed for the ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT item description entry. These attributes are SINGLE, NORMAL, DOUBLE HIGH, and DOUBLE WIDE for font size or line width.

In Motif layouts, changing font sizes does change the size of an autosized field or button.

If your field, button, or icon already has specified attributes, and the application of the ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT clause to the existing attributes would cause a conflict between attributes, the attribute specified by the display attribute entry takes precedence.

Example

Field CHECK_PAYTO
    Same Line Next Column +1
    Output Picture x(35)
    Active Highlight Reverse
    Use Help Message "Enter the person or organization to whom you"
                     " wish to pay the check."
    Minimum Length 1
         Message "You must fill in the payee."
End Field

In this example, when the field CHECK_PAYTO is entered, its current background and foreground colors are reversed.

atomic-clause

Syntax Rules

BYTE INTEGER

Interprets the form data item as a signed two's complement integer. The valid range is –128 to 127. This integer occupies one byte in a form record.

DFLOATING

Specifies a 64-bit floating point number with precision to approximately 16 decimal digits. Valid values for this number are zero and those numbers whose absolute value is within the range of 0.29E-38 to 1.7E38, approximately. This number occupies eight bytes in a form record.

The DFLOATING data type on OpenVMS Alpha systems has 53 bits of precision; on OpenVMS VAX systems, DFLOATING has 56 bits of precision.

FFLOATING

Specifies a 32-bit floating point number with precision to approximately seven decimal digits. Valid values for this number are zero and those numbers whose absolute value is within the range of 0.29E-38 to 1.70E38, approximately. This number occupies four bytes in a form record. See SHORT FLOAT.

GFLOATING

Specifies that the value in the form data item is an extended range 64-bit floating point number with precision to approximately 15 decimal digits. Valid values for this number are zero and those numbers whose absolute value is approximately within the range of 0.56E-308 to 0.9E308. This number occupies eight bytes in a form record. See LONG FLOAT.

HFLOATING

Specifies that the value in the form data item is an extended range 128-bit floating point number with precision to approximately 33 decimal digits. Valid values for this number are zero and those numbers whose absolute value is within the range of 0.84E-4932 to 0.59E4932, approximately. This number occupies 16 bytes in a form record.

LONG FLOAT

Specifies that the value in the form data item is the same as the GFLOATING data item.

VSI recommends that you use LONG FLOAT instead of GFLOATING for future portability.

LONGWORD INTEGER

Interprets the form data item as a signed two's complement integer. The valid range is –2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. This integer occupies four bytes in a form record.

QUADWORD INTEGER

Specifies a form data item as a signed two's complement integer. The valid range is –9,223,372,036,854,775,808 to 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. This integer occupies eight bytes in a form record.

SFLOATING

Specifies that the value in the form data item is a floating point number that conforms to the ANSI/IEEE754-1985 format for Basic Single.

Data specified as SFLOATING on OpenVMS VAX systems is converted to FFLOATING.

This number occupies four bytes in a form record. See SHORT FLOAT.

SHORT FLOAT

Specifies that the value in the form data item is the same as an FFLOATING data item. VSI recommends that you use SHORT FLOAT instead of FFLOATING for future portability.

TFLOATING

Specifies that the value in the form data item is a floating point number that conforms to the ANSI/IEEE754-1985 format for Basic Double.

This number occupies eight bytes in a form record. See LONG FLOAT.

Data specified as TFLOATING on OpenVMS VAX systems is converted to GFLOATING.

UNSIGNED BYTE

Declares an integer in the range of 0 to 255. This integer occupies one byte in a form record.

UNSIGNED LONGWORD

Declares an integer within the range of 0 to 4,294,967,295. This integer occupies four bytes in a form record.

UNSIGNED WORD

Declares an integer within the range of 0 to 65,535. This integer occupies two bytes in a form record.

WORD INTEGER

Interprets the form data item as a signed two's complement integer. The valid range is –32,768 to 32,767. This integer occupies two bytes in a form record.

XFLOATING

Specifies that the value in the form data item is an extended range 128-bit floating point number with precision to approximately 33 decimal digits. Valid values for this number are zero and those numbers whose absolute value is within the range of 0.84E-4932 to 0.59E4932, approximately.

This number occupies 16 bytes in a form record.

Data specified as XFLOATING on OpenVMS VAX systems is converted to HFLOATING.

General Rules

If you declare a form data item with a VALUE clause for these data types and the value is outside the item's range, the IFDL Translator displays an error, and no form is created.

Example

Form Data
    ACCOUNT_NUMBER      unsigned longword
    AMOUNT              unsigned longword
    CHECKING_BALANCE    unsigned longword  
    CHECK_MEMO          character (35)
    CHECK_NUMBER        unsigned word      
    .
    .
    .
End Data

attribute-declaration

Syntax Rules

attribute-name

The name you choose for the set of elementary attributes specified. Whenever you specify attribute-name, all the attributes in the list are applied. Attribute-name must be unique in a layout.

for-clause

Specifies a terminal or list of terminals for which the attributes are valid within a layout. This clause must specify only terminal names declared in the DEVICE declaration within the current layout. If for-clausedoes not appear, the corresponding attributes apply to all terminals declared for the layout.

There can be only one IS clause without a FOR clause in the ATTRIBUTE declaration, and it must be the last IS clause in the declaration.

terminal-name

is-clause

Specifies elementary attributes or implementor names as the set of display attributes.

elementary-attribute

An attribute that can appear in a DISPLAY ATTRIBUTE declaration. Elementary attributes are display characteristics like color and reverse. For more information on elementary attribute clauses,see the Elementary Attribute declaration syntax.

implementor-attribute

A DECforms implementor-defined attribute that can appear in a DISPLAY ATTRIBUTE declaration. For more information on implementor attributes, see the IMPLEMENTOR ATTRIBUTE declaration syntax.

Examples

builtin-function

Syntax Rules

BOUNDARY CURSOR DOWN (character-cell layouts)

Specifies a special function response that identifies a contextual situation rather than the entry of a specific key.

If the cursor is in an icon, a wait,or is at the lowermost boundary of a field when the operator presses a key bound to the CURSOR DOWN built-in function, the Form Manager invokes the BOUNDARY CURSOR DOWN function response rather than move the cursor.

You can specify the BOUNDARY CURSOR DOWN function response to do something special; for example, move the cursor to the next field. This function response allows you to specify special processing for keys that are usually intrafield editing keys.

The default BOUNDARY CURSOR DOWN function repose is to display an error message.

BOUNDARY CURSOR LEFT (character-cell layouts)

Specifies a special function response that identifies a contextual situation rather than the entry of a specific key.

If the cursor is in an icon, a wait, or is at the left boundary of a field when the operator enters a key bound to the CURSOR LEFT built-in function, the Form Manager invokes the BOUNDARY CURSOR LEFT function response rather than move the cursor.

You can specify the BOUNDARY CURSOR LEFT function response to do something special; for example, move the cursor to a previous field. This function response allows you to specify special processing for keys that are usually intrafield editing keys.

The default BOUNDARY CURSOR LEFT function response is to give an error message.

BOUNDARY CURSOR RIGHT (character-cell layouts)

Specifies a special function response that identifies a contextual situation rather than the entry of a specific key.

If the cursor is in an icon, a wait,or is at the right boundary of a field when the operator enters a key bound to the CURSOR RIGHT built-in function, the Form Manager invokes the BOUNDARY CURSOR RIGHT function response rather than move the cursor.

You can specify the BOUNDARY CURSOR RIGHT function response to do something special; for example, move the cursor to the next field. This function response allows you to specify special processing for keys that are usually intrafield editing keys.

The default BOUNDARY CURSOR RIGHT function response is to display an error message.

BOUNDARY CURSOR UP (character-cell layouts)

Specifies a special function response that identifies a contextual situation rather than the entry of a specific key.

If the cursor is in an icon, a wait, or is at the topmost boundary of a field when the operator enters a key bound to the CURSOR UP built-in function, the Form Manager invokes the BOUNDARY CURSOR UP function response rather than move the cursor.

You can specify the BOUNDARY CURSOR UP function response to do something special; for example, move the cursor to a previous field. This function response allows you to specify special processing for keys that are usually intrafield editing keys.

The default BOUNDARY CURSOR UP function response is to give an error message.

BOUNDARY DELETE LEFT (character-cell layouts)

Specifies a special function response that identifies a contextual situation rather that the entry of a specific key.

If the cursor is in an icon, a wait, or is at the left boundary of a field when the operator enters a key bound to the DELETE CHARACTER built-in function, the Form Manager invokes the BOUNDARY DELETE LEFT function response rather than move the cursor.

You can specify the BOUNDARY DELETE LEFT function response to do something special; for example, move the cursor to the previous field. This function response allows you to specify special processing for keys that are usually intrafield editing keys.

The default BOUNDARY DELETE LEFT function response is to do nothing.

BUILTIN FUNCTION (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that the Form Manager executes the BUILTIN FUNCTION function response when the key or key sequence pressed is bound to a built-in function, but no function response is declared at this level.

CURSOR DOWN

Predefined function response that moves the cursor one character down.

CURSOR LEFT

Predefined function response that moves the cursor one character to the left.

CURSOR RIGHT

Predefined function response that moves the cursor one character to the right.

CURSOR UP

Predefined function response that moves the cursor one character up.

DELETE CHARACTER (character-cell layouts)

Predefined function response that deletes the character immediately to the left of the cursor.

This function response is ignored by the Form Manager unless it is specified in a character-cell layout.

DOWN ITEM

Predefined function response that moves the cursor down to the item below the current item. You can use DOWN ITEM to move through the currently active panel.

DOWN OCCURRENCE

Predefined function response that moves the cursor to the next occurrence of the current activation item. DOWN OCCURRENCE has meaning only when the active field is part of a vertically occurring group.

DOWN OCCURRENCE specifies an occurrence of an item with a subscript at least one more than the current subscript. If the item so specified is not currently displayed (in the case of a scrolled group), the Form Manager scrolls the group to display the item.

ERASE FIELD (character-cell layouts)

Predefined function response that erases the entire field in which the cursor currently appears.

EXIT GROUP NEXT

Predefined function response that moves the cursor to the next itemon the activation list that either does not belong to a group, or belongs to a group that does not contain the currently active item. To determine the item specified in EXIT GROUP NEXT, the Form Manager looks forward through the activation list.

EXIT GROUP PREVIOUS

Predefined function response that moves the cursor to the first item on the activation list that either does not belong to a group or belongs to a group that does not contain the currently active field. To determine the item specified in EXIT GROUP PREVIOUS,the Form Manager looks back through the activation list.

FOCUS CHANGE (window layouts)

Specifies a function response when the input focus changes to another field or button due to an external event, like a mouse movement. FOCUS CHANGE is supported only for window layouts; it is ignored at run time for all other layouts.

INSERT LINE (character-cell layouts)

Predefined function response that inserts a new-line character into a text field and moves the cursor down to the new line created. There must be space left in the data item to insert a new line. If there is not enough space,the predefined function response displays a “Field full” message.

For fields other than text fields, the predefined function response for INSERT LINE displays a message to the operator stating that a new line cannot be inserted.

INSERT OVERSTRIKE (character-cell layouts)

Predefined function response that toggles between insert and overstrike mode.

Insert mode in a left-justified field causes typed characters to be inserted into the field; the remaining characters in the field are shifted to the right.

Insert mode in a right-justified field causes typed characters to be inserted; characters to the left are shifted further to the left.

Overstrike mode causes typed characters to overprint the character at the cursor position.

For character-cell text fields,the initial mode of INSERT OVERSTRIKE is overstrike. For picture fields, the initial mode of INSERT OVERSTRIKE depends on the input picture. For more information on input pictures, see the INPUT PICTURE Clause syntax section.

LEFT ITEM

Predefined function response that moves the cursor to the item closest to the current item on the left.

LEFT OCCURRENCE

Designates another occurrence of the current activation item on the activation list. The predefined function response moves the cursor to the previously active occurrence in the group of the current activation item. LEFT OCCURRENCE has meaning only when the active item is part of a horizontally occurring group.

LEFT OCCURRENCE specifies an occurrence of the item with a subscript at least one less than the current subscript. If the item so specified is not currently displayed (in the case of a scrolled group), the Form Manager scrolls the group to display the item.

NEXT HELP

Predefined function response displays the help message associated with the current activation item,if present. If this message has already been displayed, NEXT HELP uses the ENTER HELP response step to activate a help panel.

NEXT ITEM

Predefined function response moves the cursor to the next itemon the activation list.

NEXT PANEL

Predefined function response instructs the Form Manager to search forward through the activation list and move the cursor to the next item on the activation list on a panel different from the panel of the currently active item.

PREVIOUS ITEM

Predefined function response moves the cursor to the previous item on the activation list.

PREVIOUS PANEL

Predefined function response instructs the Form Manager to search backward through the activation list and move the cursor to the first item on the activation list on a panel different from the panel of the currently active item.

REFRESH DISPLAY (character-cell layouts)

Predefined function response erases the screen and repaints it.

RIGHT ITEM

Predefined function response moves the cursor to the item closest to the cursor in a right direction.

RIGHT OCCURRENCE

Designates another occurrence of the current activation item on the activation list. The predefined function response moves the cursor to the next active occurrence in the group of the current activation item. RIGHT OCCURRENCE has meaning only when the active item is part of a horizontally occurring group.

RIGHT OCCURRENCE specifies an occurrence of the item with a subscript at least one more than the current subscript. If the item so specified is not currently displayed (in the case of a scrolled group), the Form Manager scrolls the group to display the item.

TERMINATE HELP

Predefined function response executes the EXIT HELP response step, if help is active.

TRANSMIT

Predefined function response performs the RETURN response step if help processing is inactive, or the EXIT HELP response step if help is active.

TRIGGER OBJECT (window layouts)

Specifies that the Form Manager execute the TRIGGER OBJECT function response when a button is pushed (triggered).

UNDEFINED FUNCTION (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that the Form Manager execute the UNDEFINED FUNCTION function response when no other function response is declared explicitly at this level for the key or key sequence pressed. The key or key sequence may either be bound to a function in the FUNCTION declaration and have no function response,or not be bound to any function.

UP ITEM

Predefined function response moves the cursor vertically upward to the item closest to the cursor.

UP OCCURRENCE

Predefined function response moves the cursor vertically upward to the item closest to the cursor. UP OCCURRENCE has meaning only when the active field is part of a vertically occurring group.

UP OCCURRENCE specifies an occurrence of an item with a subscript at least one less than the current subscript. If the item so specified is not currently displayed (in the case of a scrolled group), the Form Manager scrolls the group to display the field.

USER FUNCTION (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that the Form Manager executes the USER FUNCTION function response when the key or key sequence pressed is bound to a user-defined function, but no function response is declared at this level.

VALUE CHANGED (window layouts)

Specifies that the Form Manager execute the VALUE CHANGED function response when the slider bar in a slider field in a window layout is moved. This function response is executed when the slider field value changes even if the slider field value is reset to its current value.

General Rules

There is no default function response for a user-defined function.

These rules apply to all function key bindings, including explicitly defined built-in function bindings and default built-in key bindings. For information on default built-in key bindings, see Appendix F, Built-In Functions.

Example

Function INSERT LINE
Is %CARRIAGE_RETURN
End Function

This example specifies that the INSERT LINE built-in function occurs when the carriage return key is pressed. This definition for the carriage return key takes precedence over a predefined default for carriage return (NEXT ITEM).

call-response-step

Syntax Rules

CALL string-1

Issues a subroutine call with the parameters specified. String-1 is forced to uppercase in the object file.

Once a passing mechanism is specified, all subsequent arguments are passed using the specified mechanism until a different mechanism is specified. The Form Manager calls the escape routine using string-1 as the identification (the subroutine name) of the escape routine.

USING

Specifies parameters passed to the escape routine.

BY REFERENCE

Directs the Form Manager to pass the argument's address to the escape routine. The escape routine can change the argument's value.

BY DESCRIPTOR

Directs the Form Manager to pass the address of an OpenVMS descriptor containing the length, data type, and address of the data to the escape routine for each subsequent argument.

The escape routine should not modify the data type, class, length,or pointer fields in the descriptor itself—only the data pointed to by the descriptor's pointer field can be modified. Modifying the descriptor may produce unpredictable results.

BY VALUE

Directs the Form Manager to pass the argument's 32-bit value to the escape routine in a temporary location. If the escape routine changes the value of the argument, the form data item is not changed, and no data collection is performed.

You can pass only byte, word, longword, ffloating, and short float data items by value.

BY DEFAULT

Directs the Form Manager to pass subsequent arguments by the default passing mechanism, depending on the data item type. See Table 1.3, “Passing Mechanisms by Data Type” for default passing mechanisms.

string-2

Specifies a character string to pass to the escape routine as a parameter. The default passing mechanism for string-2 is by descriptor.

data-1

By default, the Form Manager passes character, integer, decimal, and float data types by descriptor.

record-name

Specifies a record to pass to the escape routine as a parameter.

Before making the call, the contents of the record are collected as described in the data collection phase of the Form Manager in its actions to satisfy a RECEIVE request.

After making the call, the contents of the record are distributed as described in the data distribution phase of the Form Manager in its actions to satisfy a RECEIVE request. By default, the Form Manager passes record-name by reference.

GIVING data-2

Allows the procedural escape to return a status value to the form. The parameter data-2 is restricted to the longword integer data type.

General Rules

The escape routine can make requests of the Form Manager before returning to the Form Manager to complete the procedural escape. The contents of the SESSION built-in form data item and the PARENTREQUESTID built-in form data item should be passed as two of the arguments when such requests are on the same session.

If the escape routine makes a request of the Form Manager that uses a different session, PARENTREQUESTID should be passed as one of the arguments.

If the escape routine makes a request of the Form Manager, the Form Manager satisfies the request and returns control to the escape routine as for any other request. However, if the escape routine makes a request of the Form Manager that uses a different session, the Form Manager rejects any attempt by an escape routine to disable the session or the form that generated the call on the escape routine.

After the Form Manager receives control back from the escape routine, it resumes interpreting the response.

When the CALL response step is used with the GIVING clause, the value returned to the GIVING clause is moved to form data before the arguments are copied back to form data. Moving the value to form data may cause unexpected results when you specify the same form data item in the USING and GIVING clauses. For more information, see the Examples section.

Examples

color-clause

Syntax Rules

COLOR

Specifies the color that you are choosing. COLOR and COLOUR are equivalent.

number-1, number-2, number-3

Specifies a color in the RGB color system. Each number is a floating point number that represents an intensity of the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. Number-1 represents the red intensity; number-2 the green intensity; number-3 the blue intensity. Each value must be in the range of 0 to 1, inclusive.

UNCHANGED

Specifies that the color is not modified from any previous color that is set for the entity being specified: viewport, panel field,button, icon, or literal. Within window layouts, COLOR UNCHANGED specifies that no color is assigned to the entity being specified,allowing the resource file for the window environment to provide a default.

BLACK

Symbolic name for 0, 0, 0 in RGB notation.

BLUE

Symbolic name for 0, 0, 1 in RGB notation.

GREEN

Symbolic name for 0, 1, 0 in RGB notation.

CYAN

Symbolic name for 0, 1, 1 in RGB notation.

RED

Symbolic name for 1, 0, 0 in RGB notation.

MAGENTA

Symbolic name for 1, 0, 1 in RGB notation.

YELLOW

Symbolic name for 1, 1, 0 in RGB notation.

WHITE

Symbolic name for 1, 1, 1 in RGB notation.

string

Allows you to specify a windows-named color within a window layout. The list of named colors is specified by a DECwindows server startup file and may vary from system to system.

If a named color cannot be used at run time, the Form Manager defaults to COLOR UNCHANGED.

General Rules

The IFDL Translator does not validate color; the Form Manager determines whether the display devices declared in the layout can display the specified color at run time.

DECforms supports two types of color on character-cell devices: ReGIS color and ANSI color.

$ SET TERMINAL/REGIS

ANSI color is supported on terminal emulators for color workstations only and on the VT525 terminal. You can specify ANSI color at the panel object level (fields, buttons, literals, icons, and groups) by using the DISPLAY BACKGROUNDCOLOR and DISPLAY FOREGROUND COLOR clauses.

$ SET TERMINAL/REGIS/BLOCK

Do this before calling your application.

You can specify color in any layout. If a device supports color and the color attribute is present, color is displayed. In all other cases, the presence of the color attribute is ignored.

Defaults

Character-Cell Layouts

If not specified, color defaults to COLOR UNCHANGED.

Window Layouts

If not specified, color defaults to COLOR UNCHANGED.

Examples

concealed-clause

Syntax Rules

CONCEALED [ WHEN conditional-expression ]

Specifies the condition under which afield or icon is concealed. If conditional-expression is true, the panel field or icon is concealed; if it is false, the panel field or icon is displayed.

NOT CONCEALED

Specifies that the field or icon is displayed to the operator.

General Rules

When the CONCEALED clause is applied to a field in a window layout, the contents of that field are no longer visible. If this concealed field gets input focus and the operator enters characters into that field, these characters are added to the end of the concealed value.

In a similar fashion, if the operator presses the Delete key to delete characters from a concealed field, characters are deleted one at a time from the end of the concealed value.

Moving the arrow keys does not change the insert cursor or the delete cursor position when a field is concealed. The only editing key allowed is the Delete key. All other editing keys have no effect.

If any form data item in conditional-expression changes, the effect of the WHEN clause is immediately recalculated.

The CONCEALED clause does not remove any borders or shadows on window layout fields. Those must be removed with the HIGHLIGHT clause.

CONCEALED without WHEN specifies that the panel field or icon is not displayed to the operator. The CONCEALED clause is ignored for buttons and slider fields in window layouts. The shadow of concealed fields in window layouts is visible unless the NOSHADOW attribute is used.

For more information on conditional expressions, see the CONDITIONAL EXPRESSION syntax section.

Examples

conditional-expression

Syntax Rules

conditional-term-1

Specifies the first operand in the expression.

AND

Specifies the logical AND operator. The result of an AND is true when conditional-term-1 and conditional-term-2 are both true; otherwise, the result is false.

OR

Specifies the logical OR operator—logical inclusive OR. The result of an OR is true when either conditional-term-1 or conditional-term-2 is true, or both are true; otherwise, the result is false.

XOR

Specifies the logical XOR operator—logical exclusive OR. The result of an XOR is true when conditional-term-1 is true and conditional-term-2 is false, or when conditional-term-1 is false and conditional-term-2 is true;otherwise the result is false.

conditional-term-2

Specifies the second operand in the expression.

NOT

Specifies the NOT logical operator. The result of a NOT is true when the operand (elementary condition, relation,or conditional expression) it is applied to is false. The result of a NOT is false when the operand (elementary condition, relation, or conditional expression) it is applied to is true.

elementary-condition

The VSI DECforms Programmer's Reference Manual lists the meanings of the DECforms elementary conditions. Elementary conditions can be used only in IF response steps.

relation

Specifies a comparison of two operands.

conditional-expression

Specifies an expression made up of relations and elementary conditions, yielding a logical value of true or false.

numeric-expression-1

Specifies a numeric expression as the first operand in a relation. For more information, see the NUMERIC EXPRESSION syntax section.

string-expression-1

Specifies a string expression as the first operand in a relation. For more information, see the STRING EXPRESSION syntax section.

relational-op

Only the results of relational operators can be used as operands with the AND, OR, and XOR logical operators.

numeric-expression-2

Specifies a numeric expression as the second operand in a relation. For more information, see the NUMERIC EXPRESSION syntax section.

string-expression-2

Specifies a string expression as the second operand in a relation. For more information, see the STRING EXPRESSION syntax section.

General Rules

Elementary conditions and relational operators produce logical values. Only logical values can be operands of AND, OR, XOR, and NOT.

Only numeric and string values can be operands of the relational operators.

Example

control-text-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

CONTROL TEXT RESPONSE

Performed when the application sends control text to the form. Only one control text response for a given control text literal can appear in each layout. You can use control text to send information to the form and perform an action without transmitting a form record.

The default control text response is to do nothing.

string

The DECforms Form Manager does case-insensitive matching of control text strings at run time.

response-step

Specifies the response steps performed during the control text response. For more information,see the RESPONSE STEP clause syntax section.

Example

Control Text Response 'WIN'
    Display WINNER_PANEL
    If CURRENT_SCORE > PREV_SCORE
        Signal %bell
    End If
End Response

In the preceding example, when the Form Manager receives the control text ’WIN’, WINNER_PANEL is displayed. If the value of CURRENT_SCORE is greater than the value of PREV_SCORE, a bell is rung to indicate that this score is the big winner.

copy-statement

Syntax Rules: Format 1

Use Format 1 to copy any IFDL source text into an IFDL source file. You can specify this format in an IFDL source file anywhere IFDL source text can occur. However, the text that you want to copy cannot contain a COPY statement.

file_name

A file specification for a sequential text file with a default file extension of .IFDL. You need not contain file_name within quotation marks; however, if you are specifying a file name that matches an IFDL reserved word, or if you use brackets ([ ]) in your file specification, placing it within single or double quotation marks assures correct translation.

If a directory location is not specified in your file name, the IFDL Translator searches for your file using the search path specified in the /INCLUDE qualifier of the forms translate command, or in your working directory. For more information on these options, see the DCL forms translate command line syntax.

text_name

The name of a module in library_name. Text_name can be enclosed in single (’)or double (") quotes.

library_name

An OpenVMS Librarian text library. The default extension for library_name is .TLB. This file specification must be contained within a pair of single (’ ’) or double (" ")quotation marks.

Syntax Rules: Format 2

record_name

A node in Oracle CDD/Repository whose protocol is CDD$RECORD. Record_name must conform to the rules for user-defined Oracle CDD/Repository names and can represent a partial or complete Oracle CDD/Repository name. If you specify a partial Oracle CDD/Repository name, this name must be unique with respect to other Oracle CDD/Repository names.

If record_name is a logical name, the resultant path name must conform to all rules for Oracle CDD/Repository path names.

If there is a structure declaration immediately inside the record declaration, you must give the structure and the record the same name. The IFDL Translator ignores the CDDL structure immediately within the RECORD declaration.

To designate any other characters to be used in displaying records, you must use the DECIMAL POINT IS COMMA or the CURRENCY SIGN editing clauses in either the source form or in the Oracle CDD/Repository record definition.

If you are specifying a Oracle CDD/Repository record name that matches an IFDL reserved word, or if you are specifying an anchor and need to use brackets ([ ]) in your record name, you must place the record name within quotation marks (" ").

FIELD IS field_name

This clause is optional; if you use field_name, it must be the qualified name of an elementary field structure in the Oracle CDD/Repository record description. If you specify a qualified Oracle CDD/Repository field name in the FIELDIS clause of the COPY statement, you can copy appearance-related information from a Oracle CDD/Repository field that has a different name than the panel field in the IFDL file.

FROM DICTIONARY

This clause specifies that the record description is from the Oracle CDD/Repository.

In form data and form records, you can use the FIELD IS clause with COPY FROM DICTIONARY to select a particular field from the Oracle CDD/Repository record definition by specifying the qualified name of the field. If you specify a Oracle CDD/Repository structure, you get that structure and its contents.

In panel fields, you can use the COPY FROM DICTIONARY clause to extract appearance-related information from Oracle CDD/Repository. If you specify the FIELD IS clause, you can get the appearance-related information from the field you name.

If you do not specify the FIELD IS clause, the qualified name of the field in the Oracle CDD/Repository that you specify in the COPY statement must match the qualified name of the panel field in the IFDL file that contains the COPY statement.

The DECforms IFDL and Oracle CDD/Repository use different data types. When the IFDL Translator copies an Oracle CDD/Repository record description, some data types are converted directly to IFDL data types, some data types are ignored, and some data types cause the IFDL Translator to display a compilation error. Table B.1, “DECforms Data Types and Corresponding Oracle CDD/Repository and VAX Data Types” in Appendix B, DECforms Data Types lists Oracle CDD/Repository data types and the conversion result for each.

You can use the TRANSFER clause to avoid naming conflicts between Oracle CDD/Repository record descriptions and IFDL reserved words. For more information, see the description of record-field in the TRANSFER clause.

The IFDL Translator ignores these attributes except in panel fields. If the panel field specifies PROTECTED, NO HELPMESSAGE, or USE HELP MESSAGE before the COPY FROM DICTIONARY clause, the HELP_TEXT attribute is ignored. OCCURS DEPENDING ON takes the highest value specified and allocates that much space.

The CURRENCY IS, DECIMAL_POINT, INPUT_VALUE REQUIRED,and JUSTIFIED RIGHT attributes are used only in panel fields. If a conflicting field description entry is specified in the IFDL file before the COPYFROM DICTIONARY clause, these attributes are ignored.

DECforms supports the pieces tracking capability of the Oracle CDD/Repository dictionary. Pieces tracking gives you the ability to check whether anything your application depends on has changed since the application was last built, or what will need to be rebuilt if any one item within the Oracle CDD/Repository is changed.

Oracle CDD/Repository pieces tracking involves attaching a node to the dictionary that identifies the DECforms form. The form itself is not stored in the dictionary. During the compilation of the form, the IFDL Translator sets a pointer from the form's dictionary node to each record or field node in the dictionary that it references (a "uses"pointer). The IFDL Translator also sets a pointer to the form's node in the referenced item's dictionary node (a "used by" pointer) and flags the pointer to indicate that the form has changed.

Pieces tracking allows you to obtain a list of all other dictionary elements used by a particular dictionary element, and all dictionary elements that use the current element. Once you have obtained this list, you can obtain a list of all elements that have changed since the current element was built, or which elements have to be rebuilt if the current element is changed.

If you specify /SHOW=COPY when translating from an IFDL source file into a form file, the IFDL Translator describes the information it is getting from Oracle CDD/Repository in the listing file.

%null_terminated

Specifies that fixed strings defined by this COPY statement are interpreted as null-terminated strings. %Null_terminated has no effect on other data types, including varying text.

BYTES

Specifies that the length of the string as recorded in Oracle CDD/Repository is specified in bytes. If the length of the string is 25, the field can hold up to 24 characters and occupies 25 bytes in a form record. If an initial value is specified, that value is shortened if necessary to avoid overflowing the string.

CHARACTERS

Specifies that the length of the string as recorded in Oracle CDD/Repository is specified in characters. If the length of the string is 25, the field can hold up to 25 characters and occupies 26 bytes in a form record.

General Rules

The translation of an IFDL source file containing a COPY statement is equivalent to processing all COPY statements first, and then processing the resultant source form.

The COPY statement neither changes the text file, nor checks the syntax of the copied text. When all COPY statements have been processed, the IFDL Translator checks the correctness of the source file. In the resulting source file, the copied source text replaces the entire COPY statement, beginning with the word COPY and ending with the words END COPY, inclusive.

You can specify the name immediately following the COPY keyword with or without quotation marks for all forms of COPY. Using quotation marks allows you to specify an alternate Oracle CDD/Repository root in the COPY statement.

Examples

datetime-data-clause

Syntax Rules

ADT

Specifies a standard 64-bit OpenVMS formatted date/time field. This form data item is expressed as an absolute time: a specific date and time of day. The value is a binary number in 100-nanosecond units offset from the system base date and time, which is 00:00 hours, November 17, 1858 (the Smithsonian base date and time for the astronomical calendar). This value is always positive.

DATE

Specifies a standard 64-bit OpenVMS formatted date/time field. Only the date (high-order) bits are used. The time (low-order) bits are ignored.

TIME

Specifies a standard 64-bit OpenVMS formatted date/time field. Only the low-order (time) bits are used. The high-order (date) bits are ignored.

CURRENT

The CURRENT clause replaces a default value. If a SEND record field is mapped to this form data item, the Form Manager does not transfer the data into this data item.

All panel fields mapped to a form data item with data type ADT CURRENT,DATE CURRENT, or TIME CURRENT must be assigned either the NO DATA INPUT or the PROTECTED attribute. If these attributes are not explicitly applied, the field defaults to NO DATA INPUT.

DATETIME

The time is assumed to be local time. Precision is relative to the length of the string: if the string is 14 digits long it has a precision of 1 second; if the string is eight digits long it has a precision of 1 day.

integer

Specifies an integer that specifies the length of the DATETIME form data item.

Example

This example from the DECforms sample application shows a number of form data items with different data types.

Form Data
    ACCOUNT_NUMBER      unsigned longword
    AMOUNT              unsigned longword
    CHECKING_BALANCE    unsigned longword
    CHECK_MEMO          character (35)
    CHECK_NUMBER        unsigned word
    CITY                character (20)
    CURRENT_DATE        adt current   
    DATE_ESTABLISHED    adt           
    .
    .
    .
End Data

Form DATE_ADT_TIME
    Form Data
        TEST_DATE     date
        Value "1954 10 02"
        TEST_ADT1     adt
        TEST_ADT2     adt         Current
        TEST_TIME     integer(4)  Value 930
    End Data

    Form Record R1
        TEST_DATE     date
        TEST_ADT1     character(27)
        TEST_ADT2     character(27)
        TEST_TIME     integer(4)
    End Record

    Layout L1
        Device
            Terminal
            Type %VT100
        End Device
        Size 24 Lines By 80 Columns

        Enable Response
            Activate Panel P1
        End Response

        Panel P1
            Field TEST_DATE
                Line 1
                Column 1
                Output Picture For Date UMLMMMMMMMMQ' 'DDQ', 'YYYY
            End Field
            Field TEST_ADT1
                /* Uses the default input/output picture */
            End Field
            Field TEST_ADT2
                /* Uses the default input/output picture */
            End Field

            Field TEST_TIME
                Input Picture For Date GG:II
            End Field
       End Panel
    End Layout

TEST_ADT2 contains the current date and time (time at enable). On input, the user must type the comma and spaces in the TEST_DATE picture because of the remove blanks(specified by the picture character Q). The user does not type the insertion literals in the TEST_ADT1, TEST_ADT2, and TEST_TIME fields.

During a send request for record R1, the Form Manager converts the character strings for TEST_ADT1 and TEST_ADT2 from international date/time format to the 64-bit OpenVMS ADT value inform data.

During a receive request for record R1, the Form Manager converts the values for TEST_ADT1 and TEST_ADT2 to international date and time format. It takes 10 characters to represent dates, 16 characters to represent times, and 27 characters to represent an absolute date and time in international date/time format.

For more information on international date and time format, see the FORM DATA declaration syntax section.

datetime-field-clause

Syntax Rules

ADT

Specifies that the field is a standard 64-bit OpenVMS binary date/time field. This value is expressed as an absolute time (a specific date and time of day). The value is a binary number in 100-nanosecond units offset from the system base date and time, which is 00:00 hours, November 17, 1858 (the Smithsonian base date and time for the astronomical calendar). This value is always positive.

TIME

Specifies a standard 64-bit OpenVMS binary date/time field. Only the low-order (time) bits are used. The high-order (date) bits are ignored.

DATE

Specifies a standard 64-bit OpenVMS binary date/time field. Only the high-order (date) bits are used. The low-order (time) bits are ignored.

DATETIME

The time is assumed to be local time. Precision is relative to the length of the string: if the string is 14 digits long it has a precision of 1 second; if the string is 8 digits long it has a precision of 1 day.

integer

Specifies the length of the DATETIME form data item.

TM

The standards define the tm structure in terms of ANSI C syntax. To write portable programs you must use this structure only in ways that are defined by the standards. The standards do not specify the length of the tm structure in bytes. You must not assume that the tm structure as implemented by your C compiler has the same length or offsets as the DECforms implementation of the tm structure.

A C compiler from a different vendor, or a new version of your present C compiler, may change the length or offsets while remaining compliant to the ANSI standard. If you depend on the C compiler's tm structure matching the DECforms tm data type, your program may fail when run with the new compiler.

   struct time_record {
    Forms_Tm    current_forms_tm;
    };
#define TIME_SIZE sizeof (struct time_record)

    struct time_record time_rec;
    struct tm *current_tm;

    Forms_Record_Data    record_data;

    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_sec = current_tm->tm_sec;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_min = current_tm->tm_min;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_hour = current_tm->tm_hour;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_mday = current_tm->tm_mday;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_mon = current_tm->tm_mon;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_year = current_tm->tm_year;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_wday = current_tm->tm_wday;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_yday = current_tm->tm_yday;
    time_rec.current_forms_tm.tm_isdst = current_tm->tm_isdst;

The Forms_Tm structure is defined in the DECforms include files, and contains the fields listed previously. By writing your application as shown, you can move it between standard-conforming implementations of ANSI C because the application is not sensitive to the length or offsets of fields in the tm structure.

For a complete example of how to use the TM data type in a portable program, see the source code for the TM demonstration program in FORMS$EXAMPLES.

Example

Form Record R1
    TEST_DATE   date
    TEST_ADT1   character(27)
    TEST_ADT2   character(27)
    TEST_TIME   integer(4)
End Record

In form record R1, TEST_DATE is specified as a standard OpenVMS date field.

deactivate-response-step

Syntax Rules

DEACTIVATE

Removes the specified item or items from the activation list. If an activation item is not already on the activation list,a DEACTIVATE response step for that activation item has no effect.

The DEACTIVATE response step is ignored in PRINTER layouts.

BUTTON button ON panel-name-1 (window layouts)

Removes button from the activation list. Panel-name-1 specifies the panel on which button occurs. The operator is allowed to enter only function key input, not data input, into button.

BUTTON button-array ON panel-name-2 (window layouts)

Removes all the buttons in the array reference from the activation list. Panel-name-2 specifies the panel on which button-array occurs. The operator is allowed to enter only function key input, not data input, into the buttons specified in button-array.

FIELD field ON panel-name-3

Removes field from the activation list. Panel-name-3 specifies the panel on which field occurs.

FIELD field-array ON panel-name-4

Removes all the panel fields in the array reference from the activation list. Panel-name-4 specifies the panel on which field-array occurs.

GROUP panel-group ON panel-name-5

Removes all fields, icons, and buttons in that declaration of the panel group from the activation list. Panel-name-5 specifies the panel on which panel-group occurs.

GROUP panel-group-array ON panel-name-6

Removes all fields, icons, and buttons in the array reference from the activation list. Panel-name-6 specifies the panel on which panel-group-array occurs.

ICON icon ON panel-name-7 (character-cell layouts)

Removes icon from the activation list. Icon is the name of the icon; the operator cannot enter data into icon, but the operator can press function keys in icon. Panel-name-7 specifies the panel on which icon occurs.

ICON icon-array ON panel-name-8 (character-cell layouts)

Removes all the icons in the icon array reference from the activation list. Icon-array is the name of the array;the operator cannot enter data into the icons specified in icon-array, but the operator can press function keys in icon-array. Panel-name-8 specifies the panel on which icon-array occurs.

PANEL panel-name-9

Removes all fields, icons, and buttons on panel-name-9 from the activation list.

WAIT [ ON panel-name-10 ] (character-cell layouts)

Deactivates the wait on panel-name-10. If panel-name-10 is not specified, any waits that were activated without specifying a panel are deactivated.

ALL

Removes all activation items from the activation list.

General Rules

When an item is deactivated, you cannot position the cursor to it, you cannot perform field input, and the item is not validated before control returns to the application program.

Examples

device-declaration

Syntax Rules

TERMINAL [terminal-name-1]

Specifies a terminal type to be used in a layout.

Terminal-name-1is the terminal name used in the FOR clause of the FUNCTION and ATTRIBUTE declarations. Each terminal-name-1must be unique within a layout.

If you specify more than one terminal, the Form Manager chooses the device that is closest incapability to the device on which the form is being enabled. Terminal types from different classes (VT, window, and PRINTER) cannot be specified in the same layout.

TYPE %VT100

Specifies a VT100 terminal with AVO (advanced video option). Terminals with AVO can display blinking and bold characters, as well as some extended character sets.

TYPE %VT100_HEBREW

Specifies a VT100-series terminal with AVO capable of displaying Hebrew characters.

TYPE %VT100_NO_AVO

Specifies a VT100-series terminal without AVO.

TYPE %VT200 [ device-color-clause ]

Specifies either a monochrome VT200-series or a color VT200-series terminal.

TYPE %VT200_HEBREW [ device-color-clause ]

Specifies a monochrome or a color VT200-series terminal capable of displaying Hebrew characters.

TYPE %VT300 [ device-color-clause ]

Specifies either a monochrome VT300-series or a color VT300-series terminal.

TYPE %VT300_HEBREW [ device-color-clause ]

Specifies either a monochrome VT300-series or a color VT300-series terminal capable of displaying Hebrew characters.

TYPE %VT400

Specifies a monochrome VT400-series terminal. If you specify a color VT400-series terminal with device-color-clause, the IFDL Translator does not signal an error, even though the VT400-series terminal does not support color.

The VT420 terminal supports screen sizes of 80 or 132 characters in width, by 24, 25, 36, 48, or 72 lines. Both widths are supported at the 24, 25, 36, and 48 line displays. Although DECforms supports the 72-line page provided by the VT420 hardware, it does not support software-controlled panning of this page length.

Because DECforms uses the rectangular area operations of the VT420 terminal, scrolling restrictions for other VT-series terminals do not apply to the VT420 terminal. Constructing a scrolled region less than the full width of the screen does not degrade performance significantly.

TYPE %VT400_HEBREW

Specifies a VT400-series terminal capable of displaying Hebrew characters.

TYPE %VT500

Specifies a VT500-series terminal. VT500-series terminals are all monochrome, with the exception of the VT525, which supports ANSI color. VT500-series terminals support the same screen sizes as the VT420 terminal.

TYPE %VT500_HEBREW

Specifies a VT500-series terminal capable of displaying Hebrew characters.

TYPE %BLOCKMODE

Specifies a standard block-mode terminal. All 3270 terminals are block-mode terminals and are included in this terminal type.

To use DECforms with 3270 terminals,you must purchase the DEC SNA 3270 Application Services software. For more information on using DECforms with 3270 terminals, see the DECforms Use with 3270 Terminals manual.

TYPE %3270_BASIC

Specifies an implementor name that specifies an IBM ® 3270-class terminal type. Because the 3270 terminals are block-mode terminals, their ability to support all forms features is limited and they require their own layouts.

For more information, see the description of TYPE %BLOCKMODE.

PIXEL [terminal-name-2]

Specifies a terminal type to be used in a window or PRINTER layout.

Terminal-name-2 is the terminal name used in the FOR clause of the FUNCTION and ATTRIBUTE declarations. Each terminal-name-2must be unique within a layout.

If you specify more than one terminal, the Form Manager chooses the device that is closest incapability to the device on which the form is being enabled. You cannot specify different class terminal types in the same layout.

TYPE %MOTIF

Specifies a Motif device: a window device capable of displaying pixels.

[PLANES integer-1]

Specifies the number of color planes of the Motif device. The Form Manager selects a layout at enable time by comparing the value in integer-1 with the number of planes of the display device.

device-color-clause

Specifies the color capability of the terminal. COLOR and COLOUR are synonyms. If this clause is not specified, NOCOLOR is the default.

TYPE %PRINTER

Specifies a PRINTER class output device.

General Rules

If you specify more than one terminal type, the layout can use only those capabilities that are present on all specified terminals,with the exception of color and those capabilities modified by FOR clauses in ATTRIBUTE and FUNCTION declarations. If you specify TERMINAL TYPE %VT100 only, the layout can use all the features applicable to character-cell terminals in DECforms. Normally you specify %VT100 for all character-cell terminals; at run time the Form Manager provides the appropriate layout characteristics.

Example

The following example shows a typical DEVICE declaration.

Layout CHECKING_LAYOUT
    Device                  
        Terminal DECVT      
            Type %VT100     
    End Device              
    .
    .
    .
End Layout

disable-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

response-step

Specifies the response steps performed during the disable response. For more information, see the RESPONSE STEP clause syntax section.

REQUEST validation-response-declaration

Establishes the validation response as the response to be interpreted after the operator has signaled completion of input during accept phase. For more information, see the VALIDATION RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

REQUEST exit-response-declaration

Establishes a response to be executed after the completion of accept phase. For more information, see the EXIT RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

General Rules

If the session being disabled is the only session active on the display device, the Form Manager leaves the display device in the state it is in after completion of the disable response. You can choose to display some panels, clear the display, or leave the display as it is by specifying the DISABLERESPONSE declaration.

If other sessions are active on the display device at the time the form is disabled, the Form Manager removes all panels from the current session so that the remaining sessions' panels can be seen, after the form has been disabled.

Only one disable response can appear in a layout. The default is to do nothing.

Example

Disable Response
    Include FAREWELL
    Request Exit Response
        Remove All
    End Request
End Response

Internal Response FAREWELL
    Message 'Thanks for banking with MegaMoney Bank'
    Activate Wait
End Response

This disable response displays “Thanks for banking with MegaMoney Bank” in the message panel, waits for the operator to acknowledge the message by pressing a function key, and then clears the display.

display-attribute-entry

Syntax Rules

attribute-name

Specifies named group of display characteristics. For further information, see the ATTRIBUTE declaration syntax.

elementary-attribute

Specifies an attribute that can apply to literals, fields, buttons, and icons. For more information, see the ELEMENTARY ATTRIBUTE syntax section.

implementor-attribute

An attribute that sets the keypad mode. For more information, see the IMPLEMENTOR ATTRIBUTE syntax section.

General Rules

When declared in a field, literal, button, or icon, the display attribute entry specifies one or more display attributes that apply to the item. If keypad mode is set for a particular item, the Form Manager sets that mode while the item is the current activation item.

When declared in a panel, the display attribute entry specifies the display attributes that are inherited by the fields, literals, icons, and buttons of the panel. You can redefine these inherited attributes by subsequent field default declarations and literal default declarations within the panel.

If keypad mode is specified for a particular panel, the Form Manager sets that mode while the current active item is on that panel.

If the device does not support an attribute, the Form Manager either ignores the attribute or substitutes a supported attribute.

Example

    Attribute ATTR_1  
    Is
      Bold
      Blinking        
End Attribute
   .
   .
   .
Field F1
    Display ATTR_1
   .
   .
   .
End Field 

display-clause

Syntax Rules

display-attribute-entry

Specifies the visual characteristics that apply to fields, icons, buttons, and literals within the scope of the clause.

General Rules

A DISPLAY clause does not replace the attributes of a higher level display clause, but is merged with them. Conflicts are resolved in favor of the lowest level display clause; for example, displays specified at the field level override those defined at the panel level.

If no DISPLAY clause is specified at any level,the attributes are the DECforms defaults, as specified in the ELEMENTARY ATTRIBUTE syntax section.

Examples

display-response-step

Syntax Rules

DISPLAY [ IMMEDIATE ]

IMMEDIATE applies to PRINTER layouts only. IMMEDIATE specifies that output is directed to a file and that the file is closed after the display operation is performed. If IMMEDIATE is not specified, the Form Manager does not close the file, and output of subsequent DISPLAY response steps is appended to the current device.

panel-name

The panel to be displayed.

ON viewport-name

The viewport where panel-name is displayed.

For character-cell layouts, when ON viewport-name is present in the DISPLAY response step, the viewport specified must be at least as large as the viewport for which the panel was originally created. Window and PRINTER layouts do not have this restriction.

If ON viewport-name is not specified, the panel is displayed in its default viewport.

General Rules

If a panel has already been displayed but becomes obscured or covered up, the DISPLAY response step pops the occluded panel to the top so that it is no longer hidden.

Example

Send Response HAPPY_BDAY
             Display BDAY_PANEL
             Message "Happy Birthday!"
End Response

This example specifies that the BDAY_PANEL is displayed and a MESSAGE response step is performed when the application sends the HAPPY_BDAY record to the form. The MESSAGE response step issues the message “Happy Birthday!” to the message panel.

display-viewport-clause

Syntax Rules

BACKGROUND color-clause-1

Specifies color-clause-1 as the viewport background color. The viewport background is the area of the viewport that does not contain any objects such as fields, icons, buttons, and literals. If FOREGROUND is also specified, the foreground color should be a different color from the background. For more information on color specification, see the COLOR clause syntax section.

BACKGROUND COLOR UNCHANGED is the default.

FOREGROUND color-clause-2

Specifies color-clause-2 as the color of the viewport foreground color. The viewport foreground is the text on lines present in fields, icons, and literals. If BACKGROUND is also specified, the background color should be a different color from the foreground. For more information on color specification, see the COLOR clause syntax section.

FOREGROUND COLOR UNCHANGED is the default.

BOLD FOREGROUND color-clause-3 (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that an object is displayed in color-clause-3. To display an object in the color specified as BOLD FOREGROUND, you must specify the BOLD attribute for that object.

If you specify BOLD FOREGROUND, whenever the BOLD attribute is applied to a literal or panel field,that literal or panel field is displayed in the color-clause-3, instead of bolding.

REVERSE FOREGROUND color-clause-4 (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that an object is displayed in color-clause-4.To display an object in the color specified as REVERSE FOREGROUND, you must specify the REVERSE attribute for that object.

$ SET TERMINAL/REGIS

%TERMINAL_WIDTH_80 (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that the terminal width of this viewport is 80 columns.

%TERMINAL_WIDTH_132 (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that the terminal width of this viewport is 132 columns. If the number of columns specified in the SIZE clause of the LAYOUT declaration has been declared as greater than 80 columns, %TERMINAL_WIDTH_132 is assumed, even if it has not been explicitly specified.

%TERMINAL_WIDTH_UNCHANGED (character-cell layouts)

Specifies that this viewport does not affect terminal width, unless the panel is greater than 80 columns.

Specifies whether the viewport is filled. Pattern-clause is the pattern that fills the viewport's background. For more information, see the PATTERN clause syntax section.

NOFILL is the default.

Specifies the title in the viewport window's title box as either a static string, string-1, or a dynamic data item, data-1. If the value of data-1 changes, the title is dynamically changed to reflect the new data.

The default viewport title is the name of the panel displayed in the viewport.

[NO]DECORATIONS (window layouts)

Specifies whether the viewport window has decorations. Decorations include a full window border, border resize handles,maximize and minimize buttons, a window menu button, and a title bar. Decorations apply only to window layouts.

DECORATIONS is the default. NODECORATIONS must be specified as one word.

Specifies the label for the viewport icon, either a static string, string-2, or a form data item, data-2. If the data-2 value changes while the window is shrunk to an icon, the label is dynamically changed to reflect the new data.

The default viewport ICONLABEL for a minimized (iconized) viewport is the name of the panel displayed in the viewport.

General Rules

Attributes specified by the DISPLAY VIEWPORT clause do not affect the inheritance of attributes for fields, icons, buttons, or literals on panels displayed in the viewport except for background and foreground colors.

On character-cell devices,when a panel is removed from the display, the Form Manager determines the width of the largest panel remaining on the display and resizes the viewport if necessary. If there are no panels displayed that need 132 columns, and if %TERMINAL_WIDTH_80 is specified on at least one of the remaining panels,the Form Manager resizes the display to 80 columns. When multiple viewports are displayed, the terminal width is that of the viewport of the most recently displayed or active panel.

When designing a layout for monochrome character-cell terminals, it is recommended that form designers do not specify black or white backgrounds, but allow operators to keep their own preference.

Because the OpenVMS operating system does not keep track of the current background color of the terminal and the Form Manager cannot determine the current background color of character-cell terminals, DECforms cannot return the background color to its original state after it is changed to a color specified in the form.

For the VT200- and VT300-series terminals, the operator can lock the background color of the terminal. This feature means that the operator can disable all background color changes, so that program control of background color is ignored, no matter what the form specifies. In this case, the original color of the terminal is available after the operator finishes data input, but intermediate color changes specified in the form are denied.

VT400 terminals are monochrome terminals; specifying a background color other than black or white does not affect display.

If the layout in which the DISPLAY VIEWPORT clause is declared contains no color-capable devices, you can specify only BLACK or WHITE in the COLOR clause of the BACKGROUND and FOREGROUND colors.

All color defaults are UNCHANGED. If you specify a color clause in the PRINT response step, the BACKGROUND COLOR default is white and cannot be changed.

Example

Form COLOR_TEST
    Layout ATT_REQUEST_LAYOUT
        Device
            Terminal
                Type %VT200
                Color                          
        End Device
        Units Characters
        Size 24 Lines By 80 Columns

        Viewport V1
            Lines 2 Through 2
            Columns 1 Through 80
            Display Viewport
                Background Color Black         
        End Viewport

        Viewport V_BLACK
            Lines 4 Through 4
            Columns 1 Through 20
            Display Viewport
                Foreground Color Black         
        End Viewport

        Viewport V_WHITE
            Lines 7 Through 7
            Columns 1 Through 20
            Display Viewport
                Bold Foreground Color White    
        End Viewport

        Viewport V_BLUE
            Lines 10 Through 10
            Columns 1 Through 20
            Display Viewport
                Reverse Foreground Color Blue  
        End Viewport

        Enable Response
            Activate All
        End Response

        Panel P1
            Viewport V1
            Display Viewport
                Background Color White
                         Foreground Color Black
            Icon Icon1
                Literal Text
                        Value "Panel P1 in V1"      
                End Literal
            End Icon
        End Panel

        Panel P2
            Viewport V_BLACK
            Icon Icon2
                Literal Text
                        Value "Panel P2 in V_BLACK" 
                End Literal
            End Icon
        End Panel

        Panel P3
            Viewport V_WHITE
            Icon Icon3
                Literal Text
                        Value "Panel P3 in V_WHITE" 
                        DISPLAY BOLD
                End Literal
            End Icon
        End Panel

        Panel P4
            Viewport V_BLUE
            Icon Icon4
                Literal Text
                        Value "Panel P4 in V_BLUE"  
                        DISPLAY REVERSE
                End Literal
            End Icon
        End Panel

    End Layout
End Form

editing-clause

Syntax Rules

SCALE integer

Specifies that the value of the form data item to be edited is multiplied by 10 raised to the integerpower before any other editing takes place. Integer must be in the range of –128 to 127 inclusive.

SIGN

Specifies the sign for the numeric field value. See Table 1.4, “Sign Control Symbol Values”.

SIGN PLUS

Specifies plus and minus as sign symbols. Plus signs explicitly appear. See Table 1.4, “Sign Control Symbol Values”.

SIGN MINUS

Specifies plus and minus as sign symbols. Plus signs are displayed as blanks. See Table 1.4, “Sign Control Symbol Values”.

SIGN PARENTHESES

Specifies that matched parentheses are displayed for negative values and blanks are displayed for positive values.

SIGN POSITIVE string-1

Specifies a string, string-1,as a positive sign symbol. String-1 is a character string of any length. String-1 cannot contain digits, spaces, or the decimal point character applicable to the field. String-1 must not equal string-2 or string-6.

SIGN NEGATIVE string-2

Specifies a string, string-2,as a negative sign symbol. String-2 cannot contain digits, spaces, or the decimal point character applicable to the field. String-2 must not equal string-1 or string-6.

SIGN ZERO string-3

Specifies a string, string-3,as a zero sign symbol. String-3 cannot contain digits, spaces, or the decimal point character applicable to the field. String-3 must not equal string-6. Zeros are still output in addition to being specified as a sign symbol.

REPLACE LEADING string-4

Specifies the character to be used as a replacement character and placed to the left of the decimal character for leading zeros in numeric displays and for leading spaces in alphanumeric displays. String-4 must be exactly one character long and in single or double quotation marks. String-4 cannot contain the decimal point character applicable to the field.

If REPLACE LEADING is specified with a field that defines a Format 4 (date) picture string, string-4must be either a space or 0. If an inappropriate default is inherited, it is ignored and 0 is used instead.

REPLACE TRAILING string-5

Specifies the character to be used as a replacement character and placed to the right of the decimal character for trailing zeros in numeric displays and for trailing spaces in alphanumeric displays. String-5 must be exactly one character long and in single or double quotation marks. String-5 cannot contain the decimal point character applicable to the field.

DECIMAL POINT IS PERIOD

Specifies that a period is used to designate the decimal point. A period can appear only once in an input or output picture for the picture field. A period can appear only once in any input to the picture field. If you choose a period to specify the decimal point, you can use a comma as an ordinary nonnumeric insertion literal within a picture string for the field.

DECIMAL POINT IS COMMA

Specifies that a comma is used to designate the decimal point. A comma can appear only once in an input picture or output picture string for the picture field. A comma can appear only once in any input to the field. If you choose a comma to specify the decimal point, you can use a period as an ordinary nonnumeric insertion literal within a picture string for the field.

CURRENCY SIGN IS string-6

Specifies a string, string-6, as the currency sign. String-6 cannot contain the decimal point character applicable to the field.

General Rules

If the INPUT PICTURE clause for the field contains an S picture character, string-4, string-5, and string-6 cannot contain a sign.

Defaults

SCALE 0

SIGN MINUS

REPLACE LEADING Space character

REPLACE TRAILING Space character

DECIMAL POINT PERIOD

CURRENCY SIGN $

Examples

elementary-attribute

Syntax Rules

area-attribute

Specifies a set of attributes that affect the area covered by an object.

BACKGROUND color-clause-1

Specifies color-clause-1 as the color against which objects are seen on the display device. For ReGIS terminals, the Form Manager ignores this clause. ReGIS terminals are the VT125, the VT240, and the VT340. ReGIS color is supported on only VT241 and VT340 terminals.

BACKGROUND COLOR UNCHANGED is the default. For more information, see the COLOR clause syntax section.

BORDER WIDTH IS number (window layouts)

Specifies the width of the border drawn around an object. Number specifies a positive or zero value. If a value of zero is specified for number, no border is drawn for the object. BORDER WIDTH IS number is supported only for window layouts; all other layout types ignore this clause.

In Motif layouts, number is expressed in layout units and represents the width of the border. For example, if you express number as .225 and your units are inches, the border generated will be .225 inches wide. The default value for number is zero in Motif layouts.

NOFILL

Specifies that an object is not filled with any pattern.

FILL pattern-clause (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies pattern-clause as the pattern that fills a graphic literal object. Only closed polyline literals and rectangles within a PRINTER layout or window layout can have a FILL pattern. For more information, see the PATTERN clause syntax section.

NOFILL is the default.

FOREGROUND color-clause-2

Specifies color-clause-2 as the foreground color for an object. The foreground of an object is that perceived as the closest to the user. All objects do not have foregrounds (panels, for example). The Form Manager ignores this clause for ReGIS terminals.

FOREGROUND COLOR UNCHANGED is the default. For more information, see the COLOR clause syntax section.

Specifies that the current background and foreground colors are reversed. REVERSE and NEGATIVE are synonyms.

NOREVERSE is the default.

Specifies that the background and foreground colors are not reversed. NOREVERSE and NONEGATIVE are synonyms.

NOREVERSE is the default.

Specifies whether or not an object has a shadow.

SHADOW is the default.

line-attribute

Specifies the line attributes for a graphic literal object. For PRINTER layouts, all line attributes are applicable, but LINEWIDTH must be specified as a numeric value. LINE WIDTH SINGLE, NORMAL, DOUBLE HIGH, and DOUBLE WIDE,do not apply to PRINTER layouts.

Window layouts support the same line attributes as PRINTER layouts with two exceptions: LINE MARKER does not apply, and CAP END does not apply. (CAP START is applicable and determines how the end of the line is drawn.)

For character-cell layouts, the only line attributes that apply are LINE WIDTH SINGLE, NORMAL, DOUBLE HIGH, and DOUBLE WIDE.

LINE STYLE (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies how the outline of a graphic literal object is drawn. LINE STYLE SOLID is the default.

LINE STYLE SOLID (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies that the outline of an object is drawn as a solid line.

LINE STYLE DASHED (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies that the outline of an object is drawn as a dashed line.

LINE STYLE DOTTED (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies that the outline of an object is drawn as a dotted line.

LINE STYLE DASHEDDOTTED (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies that the outline of an object is drawn as a dashed and dotted line.

LINE WIDTH

Specifies the width of the outline of a graphic literal object in layout units.

LINE WIDTH IS number (PRINTER and window layouts)

Specifies the width of the outline of a graphic literal object. Number specifies a positive or zero value and is expressed in layout units.

The default for number is zero. If a value of zero is chosen,the thinnest line possible is drawn as the object's outline.

Specifies the width of the outline of an object as one layout unit. SINGLE and NORMAL are synonyms.

LINE WIDTH NORMAL is the default.

LINE WIDTH DOUBLE HIGH (character-cell layouts)

Specifies the width of the outline of an object as twice the standard line width and height.

LINE WIDTH DOUBLE WIDE (character-cell layouts)

Specifies the width of the outline of an object as twice the width of a normal line.

LINE MARKER (PRINTER layouts)

Specifies the shapes of markers used at the joints of lines.

The default is no line marker.

LINE MARKER DOT (PRINTER layouts)

Specifies that a dot is used to join lines.

LINE MARKER PLUS (PRINTER layouts)

Specifies that a plus sign is used to join lines.

LINE MARKER ASTERISK (PRINTER layouts)

Specifies that an asterisk is used to join lines.

LINE MARKER CIRCLE (PRINTER layouts)

Specifies that a circle is used to join lines.

LINE MARKER CROSS (PRINTER layouts)

Specifies that a cross is used to join lines.

Specifies how the beginning and end of line segments are drawn. CAP END is ignored at run time for window layouts and for rectangles.

If either CAP START or CAP END is omitted,the omitted attribute defaults to the specified attribute. CAP START must be the same as CAP END unless either is specified as ARROW.

If both attributes are omitted, ROUND is the default.

Specifies the start and end of a line segment are flat.

Specifies the start and end of a line segment are rounded.

Specifies the start and end of a line segment are squared.

Specifies the start and end of a line segment are arrows.

JOIN (PRINTER and Motif layouts)

Specifies how the joints of multisegmented objects are drawn.

ROUND is the default for JOIN.

JOIN MITER (PRINTER and Motif layouts)

Specifies that the joints of a multisegmented object are mitered: drawn at 90 degree angles.

JOIN ROUND (PRINTER and Motif layouts)

Specifies the joints of a multisegmented object are rounded.

ROUND is the default for JOIN.

JOIN BEVEL (PRINTER and Motif layouts)

Specifies the joints of a multisegmented object are beveled: drawn at angles other than 90 degrees.

text-attribute

Specifies how text is displayed within an object. Text attributes include font style, underlining and overlining, bolding, blinking, and character set.

Specifies whether text in an object blinks.

NOBLINKING is the default.

Specifies whether text in an object is displayed at an increased intensity. NOBOLD and NORMAL INTENSITY are synonyms. This attribute is not applicable in Motif layouts, but specifying FONT WEIGHT BOLD for Motif layouts may have a similar effect on increasing the intensity at which text is displayed.

NOBOLD is the default.

Specifies whether text in an object is crossed out.

NOCROSSOUT is the default.

Specifies whether text in an object is enclosed within an outline. The outline may be either a box or a circle.

NOENCLOSED is the default.

Specifies whether text in an object is overlined with a single line.

NOOVERLINED is the default.

Specifies whether text in an object is underlined with a single or a double line, or not underlined.

NOUNDERLINED is the default.

font-declaration

Specifies the character font used to display a field or literal. A font is a set of print characters of one type size and face. For more information on font characteristics, see the FONT declaration syntax section.

Specifies the geographical path of text within an object. TEXT PATH RIGHT specifies that the geographical path of an object's text is from left to right. TEXT PATH HEBREW specifies that the geographical path of an object's text is from right to left in a Hebrew layout.

TEXT PATH RIGHT is the default for all layouts.

CHARACTER SET character-set-name

Specifies one of the registered international character set names or one of the valid private character set names as the character set. he device you are using must support the character set that you specify. Check your device documentation to see which character sets you can specify.

ISO_XXXX_X
PRIVATE_yyy

XXXX_X is the ISO character set registration number and yyy is a character string up to 22 characters in length defined by DECforms. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) mandates that character sets be specified with four digit registration numbers.

CHARACTER SET PRIVATE_USER_PREFERENCE is the default for character-cell layouts. CHARACTER SET ISO_8859_1 is the default for PRINTER layouts. The default for Motif layouts is supplied by the Motif toolkit.

character-set-name

Specifies one of the following as the character set that text is displayed in.

ISO_8859_1

Specifies ISO 8859/1 as the character set that displays text. ISO 8859/1 is an 8-bit single byte code graphic character set. ISO 8859/1 is the same as PRIVATE_LATIN_1.

ISO_8859_9

Specifies ISO 8859/9 as the character set that displays text. ISO 8859/9 is an 8-bit single byte code graphic character set. ISO 8859/9 is the same as PRIVATE_LATIN_5.

PRIVATE_ASCII

Specifies ASCII as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_ARABIC

Specifies the Arabic character set as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_HANGUL

Specifies the Hangul character set (used in Korea) as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_HANYU

Specifies the Hanyu character set (used in Taiwan) as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_HANZI

Specifies the Hanzi character set (used in the People's Republic of China) as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_HEBREW

Specifies the Hebrew character set as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_KANJI

Specifies the Kanji character set (used in Japan) as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_KATAKANA

Specifies the Katakana character set (used in Japan) as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_DEC_TURKISH

Specifies the Turkish character set as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_LATIN_1

Specifies Latin 1 as the character set that displays text. Latin 1 is an 8-bit character set that contains 190 graphic characters. The set includes letters with accents and diacritical marks used in languages in many countries in western Europe and North and South America, as well as other special characters not included in the DEC Supplemental Graphic set.

PRIVATE_LATIN_1 is a synonym for ISO_8859_1.

PRIVATE_LATIN_5

Specifies Latin 5 as the character set that displays text. Latin 5 is an 8-bit character set that contains 190 graphic characters. The set includes letters with accents and diacritical marks used in eastern European languages that use Latin rather than Cyrillic characters, as well as other special characters not included in the DEC Supplemental Graphic set.

PRIVATE_LATIN_5 is a synonym for ISO_8859_9.

PRIVATE_MIA_KANJI

Specifies the MIA Kanji character set as the character set that displays text.

MIA Kanji is a character set for displaying Kanji in a fixed 2-byte per character format.

PRIVATE_RULE

Specifies the DEC Special Graphic Character Set as the character set that displays text. The DEC Special Graphic Character Set has 94 graphic characters,most of which are also in the ASCII character set. The special characters include symbols and line-drawing characters.

PRIVATE_THAI

Specifies that the Thai character set (used in Thailand)is the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_UK

Specifies the British version of ASCII as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_USER_PREFERENCE

Specifies the user preference character set as the character set that displays text. On VT100 terminals,this is ASCII. On VT200 terminals, it is the DEC Multinational Character Set (MCS). On VT300 and VT400 terminals, it is either Latin 1 or DEC MCS, depending on set-up.

PRIVATE_VT100_SET1

Specifies the first VT100 customer-supplied character set as the character set that displays text.

PRIVATE_VT100_SET2

Specifies the second VT100 customer-supplied character set as the character set that displays text. This character set is available only on a VT100 terminal with special ROM.

General Rules

Attribute defaults are determined according to layout types, as is the handling of attribute omission. In character-cell and PRINTER layouts, omitted attributes are inherited from higher level display clauses. If no higher level display clause contains an explicit setting for an attribute, a DECforms default is applied.

In window layouts, omitted attributes are also inherited from higher level display clauses, but if no explicit settings are inherited, a DECforms default is not applied. The DECforms default is not applied to allow a default value for that attribute to be applied at run time using the DECwindows resource file mechanism.

If there is no default value for that attribute in the resource file, the IFDL Translator ignores the attribute or issues an error message. See the description of each attribute for specific information. If the layout's device class does not support an attribute, the IFDL Translator ignores the attribute.

Defaults

area-attribute

line-attribute

In PRINTER layouts, if either CAP START or CAP END is omitted, the omitted attribute defaults to the specified attribute.

text-attribute

Example

Attribute DOUBLE_ATTRIBS
        IS
    Background Color Unchanged          
    Font Size Double High               
    Nobold                              
    Noblinking                          
    Character Set Private_VT100_Set1    
End Attribute

enable-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

response-step

Specifies the response steps to be performed when the application enables the form. For more information, see the RESPONSE STEP clause syntax section.

REQUEST validation-response-declaration

Establishes the validation response as the response to be interpreted after the operator has signaled completion of input processing during accept phase (if any). For more information, see the VALIDATION RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

REQUEST exit-response-declaration

Establishes a response to be executed after the completion of accept phase. For more information, see the EXIT RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

General Rules

You can declare only one ENABLE RESPONSE declaration for each layout. When the session being enabled is the only session on the display device, the default enable response clears the display. When there are other sessions already running on the display device, the default enable response does nothing.

Example

Enable Response
    Display HOWDY FIRST_FORM
End Response

This ENABLE RESPONSE declaration displays the panels HOWDY and FIRST_FORM in their respective viewports.

enter-help-response-step

Syntax Rules

ENTER HELP

Control does not return to the response step after the ENTER HELP response step until a successful EXIT HELP response step is executed, a successful RETURN response step is executed, or the help activation list is empty.

The EXIT HELP and RETURN response steps are successful if they are specified as IMMEDIATE, or if IMMEDIATE was not specified and the help activation item passed validation. If there is no USE HELP PANEL clause, or if help is already active, the ENTER HELP response step is ignored.

For character-cell layouts, if there are no unprotected fields or icons on the panel when the help panel is activated, the Form Manager performs an ACTIVATE WAIT on the panel.

For window layouts, if there are no unprotected fields or buttons on the panel when the help panel is activated, the Form Manager displays the panel and an implicit EXIT HELP response step is executed.

The ENTER HELP response step is ignored in PRINTER layouts.

Example

ENTER HELP

This example specifies that a help panel is activated.

entry-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

response-step

Specifies the response steps to be performed during accept phase. For more information, see the RESPONSE STEP clause syntax section.

General Rules

The Form Manager interprets entry responses for fields,buttons, and icons during accept phase just before operator input into an item. The Form Manager performs an entry response for a group during accept phase just before the Form Manager allows the operator to enter input into the first active field, icon, or button of a group.

The Form Manager interprets the group entry response before the field, button, or icon entry response. If you specify an entry response for a panel, the response is interpreted during accept phase just before the Form Manager displays a panel to solicit input for an activation item on that panel.

There is no default entry response.

Examples

exit-help-response-step

Syntax Rules

EXIT HELP [ IMMEDIATE ]

The EXIT HELP response step sets the HELP ACTIVE condition to false,and switches from the help activation list to the current item on the main activation list. An EXIT HELP response step does not change the current activation item on the main activation list.

IMMEDIATE specifies that validation is not performed on any item on the help activation list when help is exited.

The EXIT HELP response step is ignored in PRINTER layouts.

Example

EXIT HELP IMMEDIATE

This example specifies that the Form Manager exits help without validating any items on the help activation list, after completing any exit responses for the current activation item.

exit-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

response-step

Specifies the response steps to be performed during accept phase. For more information, see the RESPONSE STEP clause syntax section.

General Rules

The Form Manager interprets an exit response for a field, button, or icon during accept phase after the operator has indicated that item input is completed and the item has been validated, or the item is bypassing validation.

For a group, the Form Manager interprets an exit response just after the operator has indicated that item input into the last field, button, or icon of an active group is completed and the field has been validated, or the item is bypassing validation.

An exit response for a panel is interpreted during accept phase just after the Form Manager completes processing for an activation item on that panel, and either accept phase is ending or the next activation item is on another panel.

There is no default exit response.

Example

Panel REGISTER_PANEL
    Viewport MID_VP
       Exit Response
           Let NEXT_UPDATE_MESSAGE = "Heigh Ho! You're broke!"
       End Response
    .
    .
    .
End Panel

This example specifies that a LET response step be performed when panel REGISTER_PANEL is about to cease being the panel with the current activation item. A LET response step assigns a value to a form data item. This response step puts the character string “Heigh Ho! You're broke!” into the NEXT_UPDATE_MESSAGE form data item.

extent-clause

Syntax Rules

WIDTH number-1 HEIGHT number-2

Specifies the width and height of an object's extents; number-1 and number-2 are expressed in layout units.

HEIGHT number-2 WIDTH number-1

Specifies the width and height of an object's extents; number-2 and number-1 are expressed in layout units.

WIDTH number-1

Specifies the horizontal extent of an object; number-1 is expressed in layout units.

HEIGHT number-2

Specifies the vertical extent of an object; number-2 is expressed in layout units.

General Rules

An EXTENT clause can be used to specify explicitly the size of various DECforms objects. The size of objects is particularly significant for objects within groups. The size of a group's occurrence, in the absence of an EXTENT clause, is determined by the sum of the sizes of all the objects within that occurrence. By default, a group's occurrence is the smallest extent rectangle that completely contains all the objects within that occurrence.

For window layouts, the Form Manager retrieves the default size of these objects at run time by querying the display device. Therefore, the default sizes of objects can vary slightly from one device to another.

For PRINTER layouts, the IFDL Translator sizes text objects by querying system font metric resource files to determine the height and width of text literals and fields. If a specific font metric file is not available, the metrics for FONT FAMILYCOURIER STYLE ROMAN SIZE 12 are used.

There are two types of EXTENT clauses: full and partial. You must specify both vertical and horizontal dimensions in full extent clauses. You can omit either dimension in a partial extent clause.

Example

Push Button EXIT_APPLICATION
    Line 2500
    Column 200
    Height 75
    Width 100
    Label "Exit"
End Button

This example creates an Exit push button.

external-response-declaration

Syntax Rules

enable-response-declaration

Performed when the Form Manager enables a form. Only one enable response may appear in each layout. For more information, see the ENABLE RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

disable-response-declaration

Performed when the Form Manager disables a form. Only one disable response can appear in each layout. For more information, see the DISABLE RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

send-response-declaration

Performed when an application sends a record message to the form. For more information, see the SEND RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

receive-response-declaration

Performed when the application receives a record message from the form. For more information, see the RECEIVE RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

transceive-response-declaration

Performed when the application transceives (sends and receives) a record message or messages. For more information, see the TRANSCEIVE RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

control-text-response-declaration

Performed when the application sends control text to the form. For more information, see the CONTROL TEXT RESPONSE declaration syntax section.

Defaults

enable-response-declaration

The default enable response is to execute a REMOVE ALL response step and clear the display, unless there are other sessions on the display device.

disable-response-declaration

The default disable response is to do nothing.

send-response-declaration

The default send response is to do nothing.

receive-response-declaration

The default receive response executes an ACTIVATE CORRESPONDING RECEIVE ALL response step.

transceive-response-declaration

The default transceive response performs a receive response for the receive records.

control-text-response-declaration

The default control text response is to do nothing.

Example

The following are examples of external responses.

Enable Response                                                    
    Activate Panel WELCOME_PANEL                                   

        Request Exit Response
            Display CHOICE_PANEL BALANCE_PANEL                     
        Message "USE ARROWS TO POSITION TO CHOICE AND PRESS Return"
    End Response                                                   
End Response                                                       

field-default-application

Syntax Rules

NO FIELD DEFAULT

Specifies that no user-defined defaults apply at the current level.

FIELD DEFAULT default-name

Specifies that the named default, default-name, applies at the current level.

FIELD DEFAULT OF [field-default-entry] ... END DEFAULT

Specifies that a set of field default entries applies at the current level. For further information, see the FIELD DEFAULT entry syntax section.

General Rules

Description entries for fields, icons, and buttons can be declared in the same field default. Only the description entries allowed for each item are applied as field defaults: for example, field validation entries cannot be applied to icons.

Field characteristics set by the FIELD DEFAULT application remain in effect for a layout, group, panel,field, icon, or button until the end of that syntactic entity. At that time, all field characteristics revert to defaults declared at a higher level, if any. If no defaults are declared at a higher level, field characteristics revert to DECforms defaults.

When a field description entry from a field default is to be applied to a field, icon, or button,that field description is applied only if it does not conflict with any field description entry in the field, icon, or button. For a list of conflicting field description entries, see the FIELD VALIDATION entry syntax section.

You cannot specify the negation of a field description entry—for example, NOT PROTECTED—in a field default application. The negative field description entry is the default.

Defaults are not additive; when a default becomes active for an item, it completely obscures any default that is active at a higher level.

When a field default is active within a layout, group, panel,field, button, or icon, the default is applied to that object only when the clause in question is entirely absent from the object, and the clause in question is explicitly declared in the default.

For example, the ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT clause in a default application is applied to a field within the default application's influence only when an explicit ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT is absent from the field. If there is no ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT in the default application, no ACTIVE HIGHLIGHT is applied to the field.

Any inheritance of attributes within the DISPLAY clause for the object from higher levels takes place after the defaulting mechanism is applied. Therefore, an object obtains display attributes from a default application only when the object possesses no DISPLAY clause of its own, and there is an explicit DISPLAY clause within the currently active default application.

In this case,the DISPLAY clause within the default acts (for inheritance purposes) exactly as if it were the DISPLAY clause for the object; the fact that the object obtained the DISPLAY clause from the default application is entirely transparent to the inheritance mechanism.

Array expressions in field default applications either must be fully subscripted or must refer to data items that are associated with panel fields that are contained in the panel group where the default application is declared. Array expressions in named field default declarations must always be fully subscripted.

Defaults

If you specify NO FIELD DEFAULT, or if there are no applicable field entries, the field defaults are as follows:

LOCATION Clause

For character-cell layouts, the LOCATION clause specifies that the field or icon display starts at the next line,and the same column. You cannot default a location in a window or PRINTER layout.

FONT Declaration

For character-cell layouts, the character set defaults to PRIVATE_USER_PREFERENCE and the font size defaults to SINGLE.

For Motif layouts, the character set and font defaults are supplied by the Motif toolkit.

For PRINTER layouts, the character set and font default is FAMILY COURIER STYLE ROMAN WEIGHT MEDIUM SIZE 12.

BACKGROUND COLOR UNCHANGED

The background color remains as set by the user.

FOREGROUND COLOR UNCHANGED

The foreground color remains as set by the user.

Examples

field-default-declaration

Syntax Rules

field-default-name

Specifies a name for a default to be subsequently referred to in one or more field default applications.

field-default-entry

Specifies the attributes to be used as field defaults. For further information, see the FIELD DEFAULT entry syntax section.

General Rules

You cannot specify negative field description entries—for example, NOT PROTECTED—in a FIELD DEFAULT declaration. The negative field description entry is the default.

Array references in named field default declarations must be fully subscripted. For more information on arrays and subscripts, see Appendix A, Using Arrays with DECforms Software.

Examples

field-default-entry

Syntax Rules

field-validation-entry

Specifies the validation attributes for a field. For more information, see the FIELD VALIDATION entry syntax section.

item-description-entry

Specifies the display and processing attributes for an item. Item description entries are applied from the previously stated item default in the same panel or group. For more information, see the ITEM DESCRIPTION entry syntax section.

picture-field-description-entry

Specifies the display,validation, and processing attributes for a picture field. For more information, see the PICTURE FIELD declaration syntax section.

slider-field-description-entry (window layouts)

Specifies characteristics of an object that presents and allows input of a numeric value within fixed limits. For more information, see the SLIDER FIELD declaration syntax section.

text-field-description-entry

Specifies characteristics of an object that presents and allows input of a multiline text value. For more information, see the TEXT FIELD declaration syntax section.

Example

Field Default BORING_DEF
    Same Line
    Next Column
End Default

In this FIELD DEFAULT declaration, BORING_DEF is specified as the name for the field default entry of same line, next column.

field-validation-entry

Syntax Rules

INPUT REQUIRED

Specifies that the operator must enter data into the field for the field to be considered valid. (If the operator enters the existing value of the panel field, the INPUT REQUIRED clause is not satisfied. The INPUT REQUIRED clause is satisfied only if the value of the data item has been modified by the operator. The Read Verify function of the OpenVMS terminal driver determines the behavior of the INPUT REQUIRED clause.) Once data has been entered into to the field, the field is considered valid for the duration of the accept phase, or until the field is deactivated. Once the field is deactivated, its valid status is reset. If the field is activated again later, and revisited, more data must be entered into the field to validate it.

INPUT REQUIRED is not the same as MINIMUM LENGTH.

message-clause-1

Specifies the message that is displayed to the operator when INPUT REQUIRED validation fails. The message text may be supplied as a form data item, as a text string, or as a code for a message text string from the Form Manager.

NO INPUT REQUIRED

Specifies that the operator does not have to enter data into a field before the field is considered valid.

The specified range is inclusive. THROUGH and THRU are synonyms.

message-clause-2

Specifies what is displayed to the operator if range validation fails. You can specify a form data item, a text string, or a code for a message text string from the Form Manager as the message text.

NO RANGE

Specifies that there is no range check on the value of the form data item validation.

REQUIRE conditional-expression-1

Specifies that conditional-expression-1need be satisfied for the field to be considered valid. For more information on conditional expressions, see the CONDITIONAL EXPRESSION syntax section.

message-clause-3

Specifies a message that is displayed to the operator if conditional-expression-1 is false. You can specify a form data item, a text string, or a code for a message text string from the Form Manager as message text.

NO REQUIRE

Specifies that no REQUIRE condition needs to be satisfied for the field to be considered valid.

SEARCH [ NOT ] list-name

Specifies that the field value must be one of a list of items, list-name. List-name must contain all numeric items if the field's data type is numeric; list-name must contain all alphanumeric items if the field's data type is alphanumeric. For more information, see the LIST declaration.

If you specify SEARCH NOT, the field value must not be one of the items in list-name. You must not use date fields as items in list-name in SEARCH.

message-clause-4

Specifies what is displayed to the operator if the item does not pass SEARCH validation. You can specify a form data item, a text string, or a code for a message text string from the Form Manager as the message text.

NO SEARCH

Specifies that no list is checked for field validation.

General Rules

Field validation entries must be either on or off. If you specify a particular field characteristic, you cannot specify the negative of that same characteristic in the same field declaration.

If a message clause is omitted, a default message is printed in its place.

Example

Field RANGE_FIELD
    Line 18
    Column 1
    Range data_x_1 Thru data_x_2
        MESSAGE "Data must be between data_x_1 and data_x_2."-
                "No other value will suffice."
END FIELD

The field RANGE_FIELD specifies that the data must be between data_x_1 and data_x_2 and displays a message when the data is not in the correct range.

font-declaration

Syntax Rules

FAMILY

The font specified by FAMILY specifies the font used for text rendition. Each font specified in FAMILY has a set of characteristics that you can specify: STYLE, WEIGHT, and SIZE. See Table 1.6, “Valid IFDL Font Combinations for Motif” for valid font combinations for Motif layouts.

FAMILY cannot be specified for character-cell terminals.

"user-name"

In Motif layouts, "user-name" specifies an X Logical Font Definition (XLFD) family as the font used for text rendition. "User-name" must be a supported XLFD font.

If "user-name" is specified, it will be used as the XLFD family name when building the XLFD font name. This gives you the ability to select XLFD font families that are not explicitly supported in the IFDL, for example, Asian fonts.

STYLE

Specifies a particular style of font. STYLE ROMAN is the default font style.

STYLE ROMAN

Specifies that a Roman style is applied to the chosen font. A Roman style is characterized by upright letters. This is the default style.

STYLE ITALIC

Specifies that an Italic style is applied to the selected font. An italic style is characterized by letters slanting to the right. STYLE ITALIC and STYLE OBLIQUE are equivalent for all fonts with the exception of user-name. If you specify user-name, you must specify the appropriate style for the font on your system.

STYLE OBLIQUE

Specifies that an oblique style is applied to the selected font. An oblique style is characterized by letters that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to the line they rest upon.

WEIGHT

Specifies the heaviness, or thickness, of the font. WEIGHT MEDIUM is the default font weight. These font weights are listed in ascending order of lightest to heaviest.

WEIGHT MEDIUM

Specifies that the font is of average weight. This is the default.

WEIGHT BOLD

Specifies the heaviest weight of the font.

SIZE

Specifies the physical dimension of the font.

SIZE integer

Specifies that the height of the font is integer. The default for integer is 12, specifying 12 point type.

Specifies the standard font size for the display device. SIZE SINGLE and SIZE NORMAL are synonyms. This is the default font for character-cell terminals.

SIZE SINGLE and SIZE NORMAL apply only to character-cell layouts.

SIZE DOUBLE HIGH

Specifies a font that is twice as high and twice as wide as the standard font size.

SIZE DOUBLE HIGH applies only to character-cell layouts.

SIZE DOUBLE WIDE

Specifies a font that has twice the normal width of the standard font size, but has the standard height.

SIZE DOUBLE WIDE applies only to character-cell layouts.

General Rules

The FAMILY, STYLE, WEIGHT, and SIZE integerclauses are permitted only in window and PRINTER layouts. If the integer clause is not specified, the SIZE clause is supported only in character-cell layouts.

You cannot use SINGLE (NORMAL), DOUBLE HIGH, and DOUBLE WIDE in combination for fields and literals on the same line in a panel in character-cell layouts.

In character-cell layouts, you are restricted as to where fields and literals that have a DOUBLE HIGH or DOUBLE WIDE font size may appear. These constraints result from hardware restrictions on VT-class terminals.

Objects having either DOUBLE HIGH or DOUBLE WIDE font size must be in odd columns. Because the physical column is made up of two components, the viewport base and the object COLUMN clause, the restrictions on the objects' COLUMN clauses are stated in one of two ways.

If an object is in a panel that has a viewport starting in an odd column, the object must have an odd column specification. If the object is in a panel that has a viewport starting in an even column, the object must have an even column specification. For example, panels in a viewport starting in column 1 must have all DOUBLE font objects starting in odd columns.

%FORMS-E-NODBLHIGH, double high objects cannot exist on this line

You can work around this problem by declaring the second literal with a NEXT LINE+1 clause. For more information, see the Examples section.

If an object has a DOUBLE HIGH font size, the line specified is the line of the bottom half of the object. Such objects must have line clauses that specify at least line two (to allow the upper half of the characters room in the viewport).

Defaults

Character-Cell Layouts

The default font is FONT SIZE NORMAL or FONT SIZE SINGLE.

PRINTER Layouts

The default font is FONT FAMILY COURIER FONTSTYLE ROMAN FONT WEIGHT MEDIUM FONTSIZE 12.

Window Layouts

The default font is device-specific. See Table 1.6, “Valid IFDL Font Combinations for Motif” for valid Motif font combinations.