Step 4: Add Process Modules

Adding Process Logic to a Dialog › Adding Process Modules to Dialogs Using ADSC › Step 4: Add Process Modules

Step 4: Add Process Modules

Premap Processes

You add a premap process to a dialog so the dialog can perform processing or access database information before the dialog's map is displayed. If a dialog has a premap process, that process is executed as soon as the dialog begins.

You add a premap process to a dialog by using the ADSC Process Modules screen.

Response Processes

A response process enables a dialog to perform processing after the user inputs data on the map.

You can add any number of response processes to a dialog, enabling a dialog to perform many different processing operations. At runtime, the response process executed for the dialog is determined by actions taken by the user during dialog execution, as described later in this step.

You add a response process to a dialog by using the ADSC Process Modules screen.

Accessing the Process Modules Screen

You access the Process Modules screen by entering 5 at the Screen prompt on the Main Menu and pressing [Enter].

Sample Process Modules Screen

The Process Modules screen is displayed.

Process Modules Page 1 of 1 Dialog XXXDADD Version 1 Name ________________________________ _ Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop Name ________________________________ _ Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop Name ________________________________ _ Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop Name ________________________________ _ Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop * Type : 1=Declaration 2=Premap 3=Response 4=Default Response Enter F1=Help F3=Exit F4=Prev F5=Next F7=Bkwd F8=Fwd

Screen Prompts

You specify information about the process modules after prompts on the Process Modules screen:

Name—You specify a process module name after the Name prompt. By doing this, you associate the process module with the dialog.
Version—You specify the version number of the associated process module as specified in the dictionary.
Type—You specify the type of process module you have just named.
- 1 indicates that this is a declaration module used with SQL only.
  >> For information on declaration modules, see CA IDMS SQL Programming Guide.
- 2 indicates that this is a premap process.
- 3 indicates that this is a response process.
- 4 indicates that this is the default response process for the dialog.
  At runtime, the dialog's default response process (if any) is executed when the user inputs information on the dialog's map without specifying any response process to be executed.
  
  You will define a premap process and a response process for dialog XXXDADD. You will not define a default response process.
Key—If the process module is defined as a response process, you can associate a key (for example, [Enter] or [PF1]) with the process.
At runtime, the response process is executed for the dialog if the user presses the associated control key while viewing the dialog's map.

You will associate [Enter] with response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE.
Value—If the process module is defined as a response process, you can associate a value (for example, MOD) with the process.
At runtime, the response process is executed when the dialog's user enters the response field value in the screen's $RESPONSE field.

For example, assume that you defined response process XXXDADD-MOD to be executed when the user requests transfer to function MODDEP. In this case, you would give response process XXXDADD-MOD a response field value of MOD. This way, MOD first executes XXXDADD-MOD, which then transfers control to function MODDEP.

You will not add a response field value to response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE.

Using ENTER as a Key

When you add response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE to dialog XXXDADD, you will associate the process with [Enter]. ENTER is a good key for this response process because users are accustomed to pressing [Enter] to input information, and are more likely to press [Enter] than a PF key when unfamiliar with the application.

At runtime, whenever the user presses [Enter] to input data for dialog XXXDADD, response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE is executed.

ENTER is often associated with the response process that performs the dialog's major processing. To make it easier for users to input information, the runtime system automatically executes a dialog's ENTER response process when the user inputs information without otherwise specifying a response process to execute.

In the sample application, when using dialog XXXDADD, response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE is executed if the user:

Inputs a new department record by pressing [Enter]
Requests transfer to the MODDEP function by using the MOD response or by pressing [PF2]. This is true in this dialog because:
1. Response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE is associated with [Enter].
2. No response process is associated with MOD or with [PF5], both of which are valid the current function (ADDDEP).

Immediately Executable Function

As an application developer, you can inhibit execution of XXXDADD-RESPONSE when the user requests transfer to MODDEP. To do this, you make function MODDEP an immediately executable function.

At runtime, when the user requests transfer to an immediately executable function, control transfers immediately to that function. No response process is executed before transfer occurs.

For more information on immediately executable functions, see the CA ADS Reference Guide.

The EXECUTE NEXT FUNCTION Command

In this chapter, you will not make function MODDEP an immediately executable function. Instead, you will enable response process XXXDADD-RESPONSE to transfer control. To do this, you include an EXECUTE NEXT FUNCTION command in the process module. When executed, this command transfers control to the function specified by the user.

For example, when you defined XXXDADD-RESPONSE by using IDD earlier in this chapter, you included the EXECUTE NEXT FUNCTION command in the following conditional structure:

IF AGR-CURRENT-RESPONSE NE SPACES
AND DEPT-ID-0415 NOT CHANGED
THEN
    EXECUTE NEXT FUNCTION.       ◄-- Control transfers to the next
                                     function only when the
                                     above two conditions are met.

AGR-CURRENT-RESPONSE is an element in the system-supplied ADSO-APPLICATION-GLOBAL-RECORD that the runtime system uses for flow-of-control processing.

This conditional structure causes the following different events to occur at runtime:

A department is added and control remains in dialog XXXDADD whenever the user enters new department information.
Control transfers when the user enters a valid response name (AGR-CURRENT-RESPONSE NE SPACES) without entering a new department ID.

Adding Process Modules to the Dialog

You use the Process Modules screen to add two processes to the dialog:

Process module name	Type	Comments
XXXDADD-PREMAP	Premap
XXXDADD-RESPONSE	Response	Key: [Enter]

Process Modules Page 1 of 1 Dialog XXXDADD Version 1 Name xxxdadd-premap__________________ 2 Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop Name xxxdadd-response________________ 3 Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key enter Value ________________________________ _ Drop Name ________________________________ _ Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop Name ________________________________ _ Type Version ____ _ Execute on errors Key _____ Value ________________________________ _ Drop * Type : 1=Declaration 2=Premap 3=Response 4=Default Response Enter F1=Help F3=Exit F4=Prev F5=Next F7=Bkwd F8=Fwd

ADSC displays a message confirming that the named process module was found in the dictionary. After the processes have been identified, you can recompile the dialog.