HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Using the Name Recall Function
The context-sensitive name recall facility available on developer screens
and administrator screens helps you maintain consistency in item and
field names.
Activating the name recall facility puts the system into search mode.
When in search mode, the function keys let you search through item names,
change the display to another item type, and access the item name
catalog. The message "Search mode [type]" appears on the screen's
message line.
To search item names
1. To see the next or previous item, choose the Previous Item or the
Next Item function key.
2. To return to the first item, choose the FirstItem function key.
3. To search the list for another item type, choose the Next Type
or the Previous Type function key.
4. To search alphabetically through the current list of item names,
press the Next Item key.
If the selected field has no item names defined, the following
message appears on the message line: "Search mode [type] WARNING:
No items found."
NOTE The item names are a list of items that are already defined for
that item type. They may not always represent the correct choices
for that particular field.
Using Name Completion
In addition to search item names, the name recall facility includes a
name completion function. When you enter a partial name in a field, the
name completion function attempts to complete the field with an existing
name defined for that item type.
To use the name completion facility:
1. Type the first word or partial word of the item name you want to
search for at the active field.
You can type part of a valid identifier sequence (a letter
followed by an alphanumeric sequence or an underscore) in the
field.
The name must be a valid name already defined for the current
ALLBASE/4GL application.
2. Press the Next Function key.
The field is completed, if possible, from the defined names for
that field's item type. For instance, if you are in a field that
requires screen names, the defined names are screen names.
3. If the name completed is not the desired name, you may browse
through other names by pressing the Next Item or Previous Item
function keys.
The keys scroll you through the list of all possible item names in
alphabetical order, even if the names do not match the text
pattern originally entered.
Note that name completion is performed only for the right-most text in
the field (that is, the right-most alphanumeric characters after a non
alpha-numeric character other than - or *). Other text is ignored. For
example, you can complete the record name in a field that accepts both a
file name and a record name (for example, file.record). In this case, HP
ALLBASE/4GL will default to the defined files for the search since the
field is defined for a file.
To search through the Records, you must switch the item type. While
performing name completion for the records, HP ALLBASE/4GL will display
the first record layout that matches the text entered, which may or may
not be a record defined for the file specified.
Checks are made for the amount of space left within the field before
completion is allowed. If there is not enough space in the field to
complete the name based upon the longest possible name for the current
item type, HP ALLBASE/4GL will display a message saying there is not
enough room in the field. This condition should never occur if you
search for names having the same item type as the current field; however,
it might occur if you have changed the item type for the search.
Using Catalog Display Function
Within the developr environment, name recall also allows you to use the
catalog display function to display all defined names for an item type.
To show all item names for the active field
1. Choose the Catalog Display function key to show the names of all
items for the item type indicated.
The display changes to a screen similar to the Catalog Display
screen showing all of the items defined for the type.
2. Press the Return key or choose the Previous Screen function key
to return to the original screen.
Returning to Non-Search Mode
To return to non-search mode, complete the current field (usually by
pressing the Return key). The function keys revert back to their
previous values and normal data entry can resume.
NOTE Some fields cannot be left blank. If you cannot find an existing
item name and press the Return key to continue, this message may
appear:
This is a required field -- it must not be left blank.
Enter an item name in the field to continue.
Using the Tab Key for Name Recall
In addition to using the system function keys to activate name recall,
you can also insert the -n option into the command line used to start HP
ALLBASE/4GL. This option activates the tab key for use with name recall.
Once activated for name recall, the tab key puts you into search mode
when you are in a developer screen (such as the Field Specification
screen) and the cursor is on a field where name recall is applicable.
In search mode, the tab key lets you access item names in two ways:
1. If you do not type anything in the field, pressing the tab key
will show the first item name (if any) defined for the field type.
2. If you have filled in the field with at least one or more
characters that begin a valid entry for the field, pressing the
tab key will cause the name recall facility to complete the item
name.
Pressing Shift--Tab in search mode returns you to the front of the field.
Pressing Shift--Tab a second time returns you to normal mode.