&ZPSKIP

Returns the next available segment of panel skip data.

The &ZPSKIP system variable is used to retrieve the next available segment of panel skip data. The stored panel skip string is automatically updated to remove this segment. The &ZPSKIP reference is thus performing a similar action to a panel display. The invoking NCL procedure should then use the returned data as if you had entered it as a menu option.

Example: &ZPSKIP

The following code illustrates typical &ZPSKIP usage:

&SELECT = &ZPSKIP
.PROCESS
   &GOTO .MENU &SELECT
   &SYSMSG = &STR MSG004 INVALID SELECTION

.MENU
   &PANEL USERPANEL
 ...
   &GOTO .PROCESS

.MENU1
 ...

.MENU2
 ...

Notes:

The system supports the ability to perform menu jumps or panel skips as a means of abbreviating panel navigation. Panel skips is used to move rapidly from one panel display to another without viewing each individual panel which would normally be displayed. The panel skip data is a variable length string wherein data for each panel is delineated by the use of a period (.). This data is normally used to automatically satisfy &PANEL statements.

The use of &ZPSKIP as a system variable is not required to implement panel skipping. The system automatically uses panel skip segments to satisfy &PANEL requests.

The &ZPSKIP system variable returns a null value if the current panel skip segment contains a field separator character.

When the &ZPSKIP variable returns a non-null value, the value of &INKEY is set to ENTER.

More information:

&ZPSKIP

&ZPSKPSTR