Defining an Application Structure Using ADSA › Instructions › Step 6: Further Define the Application Functions

Step 6: Further Define the Application Functions

Each function in an application represents a unit of work. For example, the DEPTMENU function lists available responses and allows the user to select a response. In this step, you will further define the following Department application functions:

• The DEPTMENU menu function, which displays a list of available responses (ADD, MOD, DEL, and EXIT)
• The ADDDEP dialog function, which allows the user to add a department record
• The MODDEP dialog function, which allows the user to modify an existing department record
• The DELDEP dialog function, which allows the user to delete an existing department record

Note: You do not have to define the POP or QUIT functions. POP and QUIT are system functions that have reserved names and meanings. ADSA automatically will add complete definitions for these functions when you associate them with the BACK and EXIT responses.

Function Definition screens

You define menu and dialog functions in the Department application by using one of several Function Definition screens:

• Function Definition (Dialog) screen allows you to define dialog functions
• Function Definition (Menu) screen allows you to define menu functions
• Function Definition (Program) screen allows you to define program functions

For further information on program functions, see CA ADS Reference Guide.

Some of these screens are made up of multiple pages accessed through [PF7] and [PF8]. The appropriate screen will be displayed based on the initial function definition you gave on the Response/Function List screen.

Screen prompts

Certain information will be presented to you when this screen is displayed:

• Application name— The name of the application will be displayed.
• Version— The version number of the application will be displayed.
• Function name— The name of the function as listed on the Response/Function List screen will be displayed. ADDDEP, for each function.
• Associated dialog (dialog functions only)— The name of the dialog associated with this function will be displayed. A dialog is an application component that typically displays a screen to the user and processes information.

Note: The dialogs that you name in this chapter are not yet defined; you will define dialogs for the Department application in Chapter 10, "Defining Dialogs Using ADSC".

Use the Function Definition screen to define basic information about a function, such as:

• A description— You can specify a one-line description to help you identify the purpose of each function. This description is also available to the programmer (to place as a header on a map, for example) through the global record.
• The responses that the user can select from the function.

  For example, as shown earlier in this chapter, ADD, MOD, DEL, and EXIT are valid from the DEPTMENU function. EXIT is a global response, so it is automatically available from DEPTMENU. You will use the Function Definition screen to make ADD, MOD, and DEL also available from DEPTMENU.

• Specify how menu screens are to appear at runtime (resequencing of menu items and addition of header information). CA ADS uses your specifications to format and display menus at runtime.

For more information on these and other ADSA screens, see CA ADS Reference Guide.

The Department application

The following table summarizes the specifications you will make for the functions in the Department application. You define one application function at a time, transferring between ADSA screens as necessary. Instructions for defining the DEPTMENU menu function and for defining the ADDDEP, MODDEP, and DELDEP dialog functions are presented below.

Dialog and menu functions are discussed separately below. Remember, however, that these screens will be displayed in the order in which you selected the functions on the Response/Function List screen. Pressing [PF5] will move you from a response definition to a function definition and then on to the next response definition.