HP 3000 Manuals

HP Data Entry and Forms Management System (VPLUS/V)

Chapter 1  INTRODUCING VPLUS/V 

Introducing VPLUS/V 

VPLUS/V is a comprehensive software system that implements and controls
source data entry.  It also provides an interface between a terminal and
any transaction processing program.  Refer to Figure 1-1 for an overview
of the entire VPLUS/V system.

Source Data Entry 

As a source data entry system, VPLUS/V provides easy forms design with
data editing and validation built into the forms.  It also provides a
ready-to-use data entry program called ENTRY that you can use to enter
data without any programming effort.  ENTRY allows you to "browse" the
entered data and modify it as it is entered.

Thus, source data entry through VPLUS/V can be done without programming
by simply using ENTRY. If, however, you need additional or different
capabilities, you can write your own application incorporating VPLUS/V
intrinsics.  You may want to refer to the sample applications provided in
Appendix A for guidance.

Transaction Processing 

As an interface to transaction processing applications, VPLUS/V provides
a set of intrinsics that allows you to control forms and data on a
terminal from an application program.  These intrinsics are available to
programs written in any of the supported programming languages listed in
Appendix A.

Additionally, some languages (also listed in Appendix A) provide the
programmer with a special interface with terminals and forms, as
described in their respective reference manuals.  With these languages,
the programmer does not call the VPLUS/V intrinsics directly.  Instead,
the programmer specifies the statements appropriate to the special
interface.

VPLUS/V also provides a reformatting capability.  You can enter
specifications to control how entered data is to be reformatted, and then
run a program to actually reformat the data.

The VPLUS/V intrinsics and the reformatting capability, either singly or
in combination, provide a "front end" to existing transaction processing
applications.  Thus, VPLUS/V allows you to concentrate on processing
problems rather than on editing data or controlling the terminal.

Features 

The following are the main features of the VPLUS/V system:

 *  A forms design program (FORMSPEC) that allows quick and easy forms
    design at a terminal using "menus".

 *  Batch mode management of forms files (through FORMSPEC) that allows a
    forms file to be updated, compiled, and listed without tying up a
    terminal.

 *  Powerful runtime data transformation capability (Application-ready
    Buffer, or ARB) that allows data to be entered on the screen in an
    order and format that make sense to the user, while the application
    receives the data converted and reordered to match the format of its
    storage record.

 *  Advanced forms design (through FORMSPEC) that provides for editing,
    formatting, movement, and computation of data when the form is
    executed, using the user's native language for alphabetic information
    and the local customs for numeric and date information.

 *  A ready-to-run data entry program (ENTRY) that provides immediate
    data entry and modification with no programming effort.

 *  A flexible data reformatting design program (REFSPEC) that specifies
    reformatting of entered data.

 *  A batch program (REFORMAT) that reformats the data according to the
    REFSPEC formatting specifications and writes it to a file for use by
    an application.

 *  A set of intrinsics that provides a powerful programming language
    interface to terminals, using FORMSPEC definitions, from applications
    written in any of the supported programming languages.

Figure 1-1 shows data entered at the terminal.  The data is then read and
manipulated by VPLUS/V intrinsics in an application such as ENTRY. This
manipulation is done according to FORMSPEC forms and editing
specifications, in conjunction with the standard HP 3000 capabilities.
The data entered at the terminal is written to a data entry "batch" file
where it is then available for use by an application.  If desired, it can
be reformatted by REFORMAT and written to an "output file".


          Figure 1-1.  Overview of VPLUS/V 

MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation