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FOCUS Screen Handling System for ND-100/ND-500

ND 210188/ND 210341

[Photo: Computer monitor displaying a software interface]

ND
Norsk Data

Scanned by Jonny Oddene for Sintran Data © 2021

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SCREEN HANDLING

INTRODUCTION

The FOCUS system is designed to facilitate a dialogue between the application program and the terminal operator; it may, for example, be used for entering data to and displaying data from record files and databases.

FOCUS should be used when the programmer requires more functionality than that which is offered by the I/O statements in the programming language in use.

The use of FOCUS is based on two main elements, the forms (defined on the screen) and the application programs which use the forms. A form consists of permanent text ("leading texts") - which cannot be modified at runtime - together with data fields.

The FOCUS system works on asynchronous terminals only.

FEATURES

  • Interactive definition and modification of screen forms.
  • NOTIS-WP compatible editing.
  • Can be used from different types of terminals (the functionality may be restricted on some terminals).
  • Graphic and Greek character sets may be used.
  • Text attributes (inverse video, underline, blink, etc.) on both leading texts and fields.

Field features:

  • Fields are referenced by field names.
  • String fields with left, right and no justification and legal character check.
  • Text fields with the additional editing functions "word wrap", "insert line" and "delete line".
  • Fields with storage code Integer, BCD, ACD (ASCII Coded Decimal) and Real.
  • Help forms with information about the current field may be defined, and will be displayed at runtime when the HELP key is used.
  • Automatic conversion to uppercase letters.
  • Initial values and default values may be defined.
  • Legal/illegal range/value check.
  • User-defined control.
  • Forms can be loaded with the program and/or be used from a file.
  • User-defined function keys.
  • User-defined navigation between fields.
  • Multiform handling. Many forms may be in use simultaneously, and forms may overlap.
+--------------+                 +--------------+
|  Form name: A|                 |  Form name: B|
|  This is an  |                 |  This is an  |
|  example of  |                 |  example of a|
|  a form with |                 |  text field. |
|  more than   |                 |  It consists |
|  one form at |                 |  of 5 lines, |
|  a time.     |                 |  and the     |
|  Focus. Form |                 |  editing     |
|  A inter-    |                 |  functions   |
|  acts with   |                 |  'word wrap',|
|  form B.     |                 |  'insert     |
|              |                 |  line' and   |
|              |                 |  'delete     |
|              |                 |  line' are   |
|              |                 |  available.  |
+--------------+                 +--------------+

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Screen Handling

Product Description

FOCUS consists of the following three modules: - FOCUS-DEF - FOCUS Runtime System - FOCUS-COMPILE

FOCUS-DEF is an interactive program for creation and modification of forms.

The system is simple to use — forms are referenced by name and easily handled through a special form manager feature.

Both screen layout and field definitions may be printed for documentation purposes.

The HELP key gives useful information on all levels when a form is created.

The FOCUS Runtime System is a collection of subroutines to be used from user programs written in COBOL, FORTRAN or PLANC.

There are routines to set the current form, to display leading texts and fields with or without data on the screen, and to read/modify data as typed by the terminal operator. The program may operate on all or on a subset of the fields in a form.

When a form is created, it is possible to define automatic data control on any field. If the data entered by the user of the application program is unacceptable because of the type or value of the field, the data will be rejected and the user will be prompted by an audible error signal. The user may then enter the correct data.

The leading texts can be created with display options like "underlined", "inverse video" and "blinking" using the text-attribute specification facility.

When a field (in a form) is created, help forms with information about the current field can be defined. These help forms can be retrieved while running the program, by using the HELP key.

In addition, there are routines for reading and sending messages to a status line, to get editing status and information about a form and the fields in the form, and for producing hardcopy of form layouts.

FOCUS-COMPILE is used to make a relocatable unit of a set of forms, so that they can be loaded with the application program.

ND-Numbers

Number Description
ND 210188 FOCUS Screen Handling System for ND-100
ND 210341 FOCUS Screen Handling System for ND-500
ND 210567 FOCUS Runtime System for ND-100
ND 210568 FOCUS Runtime System for ND-500

Prerequisites

FOCUS-G requires SINTRAN III, version H or later.

Documentation

FOCUS Screen Handling System ........ ND-60.137 EN