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Display File Coding - Field Emphasis Standards

The use of emphasis (underline, high intensity, and color) should correspond to standard meanings. For the IBM i, the display at tributes should follow the recommendations of SAA CUA.

The preferred standards are as follows:

Standard Field Display Attributes

 

IBM i (CUA)

 

Field type

HI

UL

PC

RI

CLR

Title

Y

 

 

 

WHT

Top instruction

 

 

 

 

BLU

Label

 

 

 

 

GRN

Data - Input capable: Error

 

 

Y

Y

WHT

Data - Input capable

 

 

Y

 

GRN

Data - Output only

 

 

 

 

GRN

RHS text

 

 

 

 

GRN

Column heading

Y

 

 

 

WHT

Note: Both standards place maximum emphasis on error fields and minimum emphasis on the least important fields; for example, constants.

Do not use blink (DSPATR(BL)), as it is more annoying to the user than helpful.

Fields that are in error should be highlighted in reverse image DSPATR(RI). The cursor should be positioned at the first field in assigned to each input capable field.

Wherever possible, reset error indicators from the panel using the DDS SETOF(xx) keyword.

All panel text and column headings should normally use both upper and lower case. Field labels that appear on the same line as the field they describe should have a trailer and end with a colon.