How You Create a Terminal-Based Interface

Designing a Terminal-Based Interface › How You Create a Terminal-Based Interface

How You Create a Terminal-Based Interface

To create screens or templates, you use the Screen Design option of the Design tool to perform the necessary tasks and subtasks. The tasks can be divided into the following broad categories:

Create templates and screens step by step
Create screens automatically
Fine tune the interface

Note: If you plan to use templates, build them first. Then build the screens in which you plan to use them.

The following tables illustrate various tasks and subtasks.

The following table lists the tasks to create templates step by step.

Step	Task	Subtasks to Consider
1.	Open a new template	Define the template name. In the Description field, define how and where this template is used throughout the business system.
2.	Add a literal	Determine whether to use defaults for properties. Add literal properties. Determine positioning.
3.	Add a special field	Determine whether to use defaults for properties. Add a prompt. Add prompt properties. Determine field display length. Add field display properties. Add error display properties. Determine fill character. Define edit pattern. Add Help ID. Determine positioning.
4.	Copy a literal	Determine positioning.

The following table lists the tasks to create screens step by step.

Step	Task	Subtasks to Consider
1.	Use a template in a screen	Delete any unwanted literals or special fields contained in template.
2.	Add a field	Define import view. Add a prompt. Add prompt properties. Determine field display length. Add field display properties. Add error display properties. Determine fill character. Define edit pattern. Add Help ID. Determine positioning.
3.	Add a literal	Determine whether to use defaults for properties. Add literal properties. Determine positioning.
4.	Add a special field	Determine whether to use defaults for properties. Add a prompt. Add prompt properties. Determine field display length. Add field display properties. Add error display properties. Determine fill character. Define edit pattern. Add Help ID. Determine positioning.
5.	Copy a literal or repeating group	Determine positioning.
6.	Describe a screen	Include descriptions of source and destination procedure steps.
7.	Specify screen properties	Define screen name (changing the name changes the name of the associated procedure step and action block). Define Help ID. Determine whether to enable scrolling. Define whether unused occurrences are protected or unprotected. Define top on display-first return. Describe screen.
8.	View in different display modes	None.
9.	Run prototyping	None.

The following table lists the task to create a screen automatically.

Task	Subtasks to Consider
Create a screen automatically	None.

The following table lists the tasks to fine tune an interface.

Task	Screens	Templates	Subtasks to Consider
Assign commands to function keys	x	x	Define whether message type is Standard or Default. Check reserved command names before assigning a command name.
Access view maintenance	x		Define whether any attributes should be deleted.
Center a screen object	x	x	None.
Change the name of the screen or template	x	x	None.
Delete an object	x	x	None.
Delete an unused prompt	x	x	None.
Specify whether to display function keys and commands on generated screens	x		None.
Move an object	x	x	None.
Redefine an object	x	x	None.
Redefine a literal	x	x	Reposition literal after changing text.