Coding Standards for Database Files › Coding Standards for Help Text › General Coding Techniques

General Coding Techniques

Use the following general rules for coding UIM help:

• Use uppercase for UIM tags so that they stand out. Use lower case for labels, but use uppercase for the labels of standard text fragments.
• Provide :XH3 entries so that there are headings in the extended help listing—that is, when F2 is pressed.

  

• Use external message descriptions to ensure consistency between panel and command prompts and the headings and labels shown in the help text. For example, the following command and command parameter definitions use a number of message definitions.

Example of Use of &MSG/MSGID - Messages:

The message definitions are used for the command prompts.

Example of Use of &MSG/MSGID - Command Source:

The command prompt message definition is used for the command overview help text definition.

Example of Use of &MSG - Command Summary, UIM Source:

Note: The command parameter prompt message definition is used for the parameter help text definition.

Example of Use of &MSG - Parameter Definition:

Extended headings should have the form:

* For commands

For example:

* For command parameters

For example:

Make use of OS/400 system help group modules where possible. References to system modules should be placed in the standard definition panel group member so they can be changed, if necessary.

Example of Use of Import - Parameter Definition:

Keep your own standard definitions in a ‘dictionary’ and reuse them wherever possible. This ensures consistency and reduces the work required to translate a system. The dictionary should be the default import declaration. Avoid excessive use of hypertext tags at it makes the help text hard to read. A list of ‘related topics’ after the introductory text is the most concise.