HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Summary
In this lesson you created the order module using the HP ALLBASE/4GL
module builder.
Summary (Continued)
Necessary Preparations.
Before you used the module builder, you had to define and create the
field specification names, record layout and the physical file required
for the module you created.
Module Building.
To create the module you accessed the module builder screen to define the
following:
* The module name, which is used in the naming of application items
created by the module builder.
* The module type. You can create maintenance modules, which allow
the end user to view, modify, delete, or add information in a
file, or inquiry modules, which only allow the user to view
information in a file.
* The main file accessed by the module. The screen and associated
logic created can only modify one file; the main file. When you
specify the main file you must also specify the record layout and
index field you are using to access it.
* Whether the module builder automatically places all the fields in
the record layout in the resultant screen.
Once you have committed the module builder screen, you can either
generate the module or move to the module details screen to refine the
module. If you want to generate the module from the module builder
screen, you must specify Y at the Include All Fields prompt.
On the module details screen you performed the following:
* Define which fields from the main file record layout are placed in
the resultant screen.
* Define a link between a field in the resultant screen and a
secondary file.
* Use this link to validate the data entered into the link field.
* Use this link to display information from a record in the
secondary file on the resultant screen.
When this screen was complete, you generated the module.
Joining the Module to the Application.
After the module had been generated you joined it to the rest of your
application by adding an action item to the main menu. This action item
calls the main process generated by the module builder.
Running the Module.
When you use application testing to run a module, there are several
operating features that you can use:
* A Mode function key allows you to change between add, modify,
and delete modes.
* The mode changes automatically when you attempt to load a record.
If it exists, the module changes to Modify mode. If the record
does not exist, the module changes to Add mode.
* Four function keys allow you to move to the first record, last
record, previous record, and next record in the file.
* If the file contains a unique primary key, you can use keyed
access to find the record matching, or closest to, the primary key
value that you enter in the first field on the screen.
Conclusion
This part of the training application is now complete.
You may wish to stop reading the guide here, and practise writing your
own applications. When you feel that you have understood the material
covered so far in this training guide, venture on to the next chapters.
The lessons in the following chapters show you how to develop the items
needed to use multiple files in conjunction with an HP ALLBASE/4GL
application. These lessons also introduce some more advanced screen
handling techniques.