Types of window definitions

You can define these five types of windows in a script file:

General window definitions

A general window definition defines a general purpose window. It must begin with the .WINDOW command.

Menu column definitions

Menu column definitions define primary menu and submenu column windows, and also column entries, quick-select characters, and shortcuts. A menu column definition must begin with the .COLUMN command.

Menu entries on a menu column are defined with the .ENTRY command. Menu entries are added to the menu in the order of their definitions in the script file. The first .ENTRY command defines the first entry, the second .ENTRY command defines the second entry, and so on. The total number of menu entries in the column is equal to the total number of entry specifications.

Input window definitions

Input window definitions define windows that can contain text, input fields, and buttons. An input window script must begin with the .INPUT command.

Input fields are defined with the .FIELD command and are created according to the order of their definitions in the script file. The total number of fields in the window is equal to the total number of field specifications.

Selection window definitions

Selection window definitions define windows that contain one or more selection items. A selection window definition must begin with the .SELECT command.

Selection items are defines with the .ITEM command and are created according to the order of their definitions in the script file. The total number of selection items in the window is equal to the total number of item specifications.

List class definitions

List class definitions define a set of specific list characteristics with the .LISTCLASS command. List characteristics that are likely to be consistent across multiple lists, such as the number of lines for headers and footers, can be defined in a list class.

Which window definitions use which commands?

The following table shows which window building commands you can use in which kind of window definition. The script commands ..LOG, .DATE_GENERATED, .SCRIPT, and .VERSION are specified outside of a window definition and are therefore not included in the table.

Commands for Defining Windows

Command

General
window

Menu column

Input window

Selection
window

List
class

.BLANK

 

 

 

.BORDER

 

 

.BOX

 

 

 

.BUTTON

 

 

 

 

.BUTTON_SET

 

 

 

 

.COLUMN

 

 

 

 

.DATA

 

 

 

 

.DISPLAY_AREA

 

 

 

.END

.ENTRY

 

 

 

 

.FIELD

 

 

 

 

.FILL

 

 

 

.FONT

 

 

.INPUT

 

 

 

 

.ITEM

 

 

 

 

.LINE

 

.LIST

 

 

 

 

.LISTCLASS

 

 

 

 

.LOCAL

 

 

 

 

.PAINT

 

 

 

 

.PLACEMENT

 

.REPOSITORY_STRUCTURE

 

 

 

 

.SELECT

 

 

 

 

.SET

 

 

 

 

.STRUCTURE

 

 

 

 

.TEXT

 

.TITLE

 

 

.TRIM

 

 

 

.USER_DEFINE

 

 

 

 

.WFIELD

 

 

 

 

.WINDOW

 

 

 

 

Data control commands

 

 

 

Output logging

To send window script output and error messages to the standard output stream, add the ..LOG command (yes, there are two periods before LOG) to your script. Output from all lines that follow the ..LOG command are sent to the standard output stream.

You can add the ..LOG command at any point in a script, but it must be on a line by itself. Like all other script commands, ..LOG is case insensitive.