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Transact Features and Benefits
Consistent Interface to HP File Structures
A major strength of Transact is its integration with file management
facilities. Access to TurboIMAGE databases, MPE files, KSAM files, and
FORMSPEC forms files support the creation of a wide variety of
transaction-oriented applications. The language syntax provides a single
interface for easy retrieval and update of all these files.
Integration with System Dictionary and Dictionary/V
Data definitions and structures can be maintained in either System
Dictionary or Dictionary/V. Transact automatically resolves data and file
definitions during compile through either of the dictionaries; Transact/V
will dynamically resolve data definitions in Dictionary/V.
Using a dictionary eliminates the need for data definitions within the
program and provides consistent data definitions across Transact
applications. Dictionary entries can also be used to set default prompt
text for data elements, define edit masks, and define heading labels to
identify data when it is displayed.
Command Structure Reduces Coding Time
The command structure built into Transact relieves you from much of the
coding usually required to design menu-driven applications. You assign a
label to a block of Transact statements that accomplish a given task.
The label is then identified to the end user as a command name.
Several command modifiers can be used at execution time to enhance or
modify the program procedures that you set up. For example, you can
direct a display to the printer, rather than to the terminal. You can
also request that information be sorted before it is displayed, or you
can request that a command be repeated.
Development of Block-Mode or Character-Mode Applications
The Transact integration with the VPLUS interface facilitates the use of
block-mode applications. The interface dramatically reduces the amount
of work necessary to communicate with VPLUS. A single statement handles
the complete VPLUS interface, from opening the terminal and forms file
through edit checking and data conversion. There is no need to specify
any low level intrinsics. Transact also contains statements that accept
data from a character-mode terminal with equal ease.
The following two sample Transact programs demonstrates the few lines of
Transact code necessary to retrieve data from a user and update a
database.
Examples
The first example shows the VPLUS form, PRODUCT-INFO, then waits for the
user to enter data in the fields and press ENTER. The PRODUCT-INFO data
set is then updated with the data entered on the screen.
SYSTEM ENTRY, BASE=PRODCT, VPLS=PRODFORM;
LIST(AUTO) PRODUCT-INFO;
GET(FORM) PRODUCT-SCREEN;
PUT PRODUCT-INFO;
END;
The second example requests input from the user one field at a time:
PROD-NUM, PROD-NAME, and PROD-PRICE. The values entered for each of these
prompts are then written to the PRODUCT-INFO data set.
SYSTEM ENTRY2, BASE=PRODCT;
LIST(AUTO) PRODUCT-INFO;
PROMPT PROD-NUM:
PROD-NAME:
PROD-PRICE;
PUT PRODUCT-INFO;
END;
Built-in Debugging Facilities
An extensive, built-in test facility aids the programmer in debugging
Transact/V programs. The programmer can choose from a number of options
that display different information as the program executes. TRANDEBUG is
available in Transact/iX. TRANDEBUG is a full-featured symbolic debugger
which provides access to program data and source code as it executes.
This debugger allows for the display and modification of data, as well as
complete breakpoint manipulation.
Options for Producing Reports
Transact provides two methods for generating reports. Transact can call
predefined Business Report Writer (BRW), Inform/V, and Report/V
procedures, or it can define reports within the Transact source code.
When defining reports within the source code, the heading and edit masks
can be retrieved from either Dictionary/V or System Dictionary. Using a
dictionary to define the report reduces the amount of work that you need
to do. However, Transact provides the flexibility to define the layout
of the report within the source code.
Additional Features
Transact has other features as well:
* Automatic file and data entry locking.
* Automatic and programmatic error handling and recovery. These
techniques simplify Transact programming and help to ensure
effective processing. When the processor discovers an error, it
automatically returns control to the program instruction where the
error most probably occurred, thus saving you from having to code
error routines. You can, however, override this automatic error
handling.
* Support for Dynamic Roll-back with TurboIMAGE/XL.
* Ability to call procedures written in Transact and other languages
such as COBOL, FORTRAN, Pascal, and SPL as well as other Transact
programs.
* Transact programs can be called from COBOL and Pascal programs.
* Ability to call system intrinsics.
* Native language support.
* The Transact/iX run-time library is included with every release of
the MPE/iX operating system, allowing native mode Transact
programs to be run on any MPE/iX system.