HP 3000 Manuals

HP ALLBASE/4GL Run-Time Administration Manual

System Definition 

The various system definition facilities are accessible from the system
definition screen.  To display this screen, select the System Definition 
option on the system-wide specifications menu.

Most likely, you will only need to use the system definition facilities
when you're setting up HP ALLBASE/4GL for the first time.  Even then, you
will only need to change these specifications if the released defaults
don't suit your particular needs.


            

This screen has two functional areas.  The top group of fields allow you
to define the date format, decimal radix character, and the currency
symbol.  The last field allows you to define the default MPE/iX command
interpreter program.

The following subsections describe the meanings of these fields and the
acceptable entries for them.  When you've completed your entries for
these fields, press the  Commit Data  function key to confirm your
entries.

System-Wide Values 

Date Format.     

The entry in the U.S. or European field defines how HP ALLBASE/4GL
presents date values on reports and screens for all applications.  There
are two options:  the US date format is MM/DD/YY, the European date
format is DD/MM/YY (where MM represents the month, DD the day, and YY the
year.)

Enter either U for US, or E for European in the U.S. or European field to
set the system date format.

The entry in the Separator Character field defines the character used to
separate the day, month, and year portions of dates presented on screens
and reports.  Typical examples are / or -.

The released default is /.  Enter the separator character required for
your site in the Separator Character field.

Decimal Number Format.     

The entry in the Decimal Radix Character field defines how HP ALLBASE/4GL
prints decimal numbers on reports.  Two options are provided:  the
English language number format n,nnn.nn and the European number format
n.nnn,nn.

Enter .  in the Decimal Radix Character field to set the system to
English language format or enter , to set the system to European number
format.

This entry defines the way HP ALLBASE/4GL presents numbers on reports if
the application developer has specified that the number contains numeric
punctuation.

Currency Symbol.     

The entry in the Currency Float Symbol field defines the system-wide
currency symbol, printed by HP ALLBASE/4GL before money amounts on
reports.

The released default symbol is $.  To change it, enter the currency
symbol for your site into this field.

This entry defines the way HP ALLBASE/4GL presents money amounts on
reports if the application developer has specified that the amount be
printed with the currency float symbol.

Operating System Environment 

The last field on the system specifications screen allows you to define
the default MPE/iX command interpreter program for the HP ALLBASE/4GL
system.

MPE/iX Command Interpreter.     

The entry in this field defines the default MPE/iX command interpreter
that is executed if the user presses the  Op.  System  function key.

This function key allows a user to temporarily suspend an HP ALLBASE/4GL
session and exit from HP ALLBASE/4GL to MPE/iX. The MPE/iX command
interpreter passes the user's input to the MPE/iX system, and interprets
the MPE/iX output that is returned to the user.

Users can execute a specific command interpreter by setting the HP4CI
variable.  In this case, MPE/iX executes the command interpreter defined
by this variable whenever the user presses the  Op.  System  function
key.  The system will only call the command interpreter you specify on
this screen if the HP4CI variable is not set.

It's important to realize that this feature allows the user to access
MPE/iX facilities outside the HP ALLBASE/4GL system.  Depending on your
site requirements this may or may not be desirable.  It's quite possible
that a particular user may need to use applications other than HP
ALLBASE/4GL applications as part of their normal work.  If this is the
case, the  Op.  System  function key provides a convenient way of
temporarily suspending HP ALLBASE/4GL. This allows users to access other
applications, and then return to their original place in HP ALLBASE/4GL.

However, if it's important for your site security that HP ALLBASE/4GL
users are restricted to the HP ALLBASE/4GL system, the HP ALLBASE/4GL
application developer can disable the  Op.  System  function key.

If you're not sure what to enter in this field, leave it as CI.PUB.SYS 
(the released default).  This is the standard MPE/iX command interpreter,
and you can be confident that it will be available on your system.

MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation