Application Concepts › Dialog Features › Dialog Components

Dialog Components

Each dialog consists of the following components:

Map

Provides a means of communication between the application and the user. Map definitions in the dictionary maintain a formatted screen layout of literal and variable map fields (that is, data fields). Map data fields are associated with areas in program variable storage and are contained in map records. There can be only one map for each dialog. The application developer defines the map online with the online mapping facility; the resulting map load module is stored in the load area of the data dictionary.

Processes

Performs data retrieval and processing. Processes are instructions written in CA ADS process code. Each process consists of one or more commands that specify the type of processing to be performed (for example, database accessing, conditional testing, inter- and intra-dialog communication). A dialog is associated with two types of processes: premap and response. Both types are optional. A maximum of one premap process can be associated with a dialog; there is no limit to the number of response processes.

The application developer defines the processes by using the batch or online capabilities of IDD. The batch DDDL compiler stores the source statements as modules in the dictionary.

Subschema

Provides the dialog with a view of the database. Each dialog can be associated with a maximum of one subschema. Subschemas are defined by the database administrator and stored in the dictionary by the subschema compiler. Subschemas are associated with dialogs when a dialog is compiled by ADSC.

Records

Supplies data to the dialog for processing. A dialog obtains data from a combination of records, as follows:

Subschema records

Identifies the database and logical records that comprise the subschema.

Map records

Identifies subschema or work records.

Dialog work records

Identifies dictionary records used as working storage by a dialog.

These records contain the data elements that are needed by the application. Data elements and records are created with the use of IDD DDDL and are stored in the dictionary. They can have associated values, edit criteria, external and internal pictures, and code tables that are all recognized by the maps and dialogs of an application. For a more detailed discussion on creating the records used in an application, see Chapter 2:.