Coding Standards for Database Files › Coding Standards for Messages › Prompt Messages › Prompt Types

Prompt Types

There are a number of different types of text element that make up UIS conformant panels. You should ensure that each type follows the correct UIS standards for its type. See the sections on design and coding for each object type for further information on the rules.

The following is a summary of the different types of prompt commonly found in an application:

• Commands
  • Command titles. Capitalized.
  • Command parameter prompts. First letter capitalized.
• Panel elements
  • Panel titles. Capitalized, centered.
  • Panel top instructions. There are a number of standard formulations, for example, ‘Type choices, press Enter’. Set up standard definitions and reuse them where possible.
  • Panel options. This should follow UIS layout standards (for example 4=Delete). Do not attempt to reuse messages but instead, provide a separate message for each display. Use a single message for the whole line—this makes it easier for translators to abbreviate.
  • Panel column headings. Again, do not attempt to reuse messages but instead provide a separate message for each display. Use a single message for the whole line—this makes it easier for translators to abbreviate.
  • Field labels. Use an initial capital and pad any trailing blanks with periods. Do not use a ‘:’ Hard code it in the DDS.
  • Field right hand side text. Capitalized, punctuated by commas.

There are a number of frequently occurring items (for example "Name, F4 for list"), which should be set up centrally and reused when possible.

• Function key instructions. This should follow UIS layout standards (for example, F3=Exit). Do not attempt to reuse messages but instead, provide a separate message for each display. Use a single message for the whole line.

• Help text
  • Panel titles. Use the panel title with "- Help" appended. (Use the UIM &msg facility to define ("Help") as a reusable message.
  • Extended headings. Use the field labels prompts for the headings that appear in extended help display (UIM ‘:XH3’ tag).
  • Panel options. Use standard messages for each function key label ("Delete", "Change", "Rename", etc.).
  • Field value names. Use lower case with hyphens, for example, library-name. Use apostrophes to indicate a quoted string for example ‘text-description’.
  • Function keys. Use standard messages for each function key label ("Home", "Print", "Exit", etc.).