Available Types

The following types of functions are available under CA ADS:

Menu Functions are used to direct a user through an application. The menus contain a list of valid responses for the terminal user to use when processing in application. System-defined menus are built automatically by the runtime system.
Dialog Functions are used for data processing, such as database access. A dialog function can have any number of valid responses defined for it during application generation. A response can activate another dialog function or can activate a dialog not defined as a function.
Menu/Dialog Functions are dialogs that display a user-defined menu. When a menu is associated with a dialog, its map is displayed when the executing dialog issues a DISPLAY process command. Menu/dialogs must be used if the menu map is user-defined.
For further information on the options available when designing menus for an application, refer to Chapter 4, Designing Maps.
System Functions are predefined. Available to all applications, they perform the same action in all applications to which they are assigned. The use of system functions adds flexibility to an application, eliminating the need to write code for a given activity.