Custom Graphical Screens

Custom graphical screens are highly customized default screens that are saved on the host in the GUI Dictionary (IDDBB) providing a common graphical screen to all VIP clients.

Note

If you are upgrading from earlier versions of VIP where screens were not saved on the host, please see the GUI screen import utility later in this manual.

The custom graphical screen definition is an extension of a character screen; it must have a corresponding character screen definition. The two definitions share a common screen header saved in Dictionary-IV (IDDBD). The graphical screen details are saved in the GUI Dictionary (IDDBB).

Graphical screens are fully integrated with Dictionary-IV maintenance and Dictionary-IV utilities. For example, the Dictionary-IV Copy/Rename/Delete functions will be performed on both the selected character screen and the corresponding graphical screens. The Backup/Restore utilities will include both the character screen definition and the corresponding graphical screen details.

Custom graphic screens are automatically updated to reflect changes made to the corresponding character screen and the format definition. The character screen definitions and the graphical screen definitions are automatically kept in sync. This eliminates the need to regenerate a new default screen when either the format or the character screen is modified. Depending upon the nature of the changes, it may be necessary to make some edits to the graphical screen definition in order to achieve the desired presentation. The following describes how these changes impact the look of a graphical screen definition.

Adding New Fields

When a new field is added to a character screen definition, that field is automatically appended to the corresponding custom graphical screen definition. This is true for both input fields and formula fields.

Note

Adding a new field to a format definition does not impact either the character or the custom graphical screen definition.

Control Types

The control type is based on the format attributes of the field. Both the input control and the corresponding label (field description) will be added. For more information on control types, please see the beginning of this Screens section.

Labels

If a data element description exists, it is used for the corresponding label control. If not, the data element name is used. For formulas, an attempt will be made to determine what text to the left of the formula is the field description. Going from left to right it will scan for the first instance of two or more spaces. It will assume all text from that point to the formula field should be used for the label control. If it fails to determine the label text using this rule, the label control will default to the text: “*FORMULA*”. This text can be modified using the Graphic Screen Designer.

Properties

Screen maintenance will analyze the custom graphical screen definition and determine by control type, the most commonly used font and color properties. Those properties will be used when adding the new field. If common properties cannot be determined, default properties will be applied.

Size

The size of a control is determined based on its font properties. The size of a character determined by font face (typeface), style, and point size is used to create the control height and width. When an input control is added, the width of the control is calculated by multiplying the average size of a character in pixels, times the input size. The width of a label control is calculated using the length of the text. The average character size in pixels (font mapping) is maintained in a help module OOVFONT. For more information on maintaining OOVFONT please refer to the Font Mapping section in this document.

Location

When a new control is added, the control is simply appended to the end of the GUI screen definition. If necessary, the height of the screen is adjusted accordingly. It is nearly impossible to determine where a control should be placed. The use of various fonts, panels, images, buttons, etc. result in a GUI presentation that is very different from the character presentation. In addition, GUI screens can be arranged using a column structure: top down, left to right. Using a row structure: left to right, top down, or it can be arbitrary: a combination of column and row structures.

Deleting Fields

When a field is deleted from either the character screen or the format definition, that field is automatically removed from the corresponding custom graphical screen definitions.

Screen Maintenance: When a field or formula is deleted from a character screen, that field or formula control is removed from the corresponding custom graphical screen definition.

Format Maintenance: When a field is deleted from a format definition, all custom graphical screen definitions linked to that format are automatically updated; removing the field from the custom graphical screen.

Because there is no link to cross-reference an input control and the corresponding label control, only the input control is removed from the custom graphical screen.

Changing Field Attributes

When the attributes of a data element are changed in format maintenance, those changes are reflected in all custom graphical screens linked to that format definition. The following are some examples of how a custom graphical screen might be impacted:

• If the size of a data element is changed, the maximum input size will be updated.
• If a valid value is added to a data element, custom graphical screens will be updated to use a List Box control for that field at run time.
• If the format entry number is changed, custom graphical screens will be updated to reference the correct format entry number.
• If the data element name is changed, custom graphical screens will be updated to reference the correct data element name.
• If either the data element name or data description is changed, an attempt to identify and update the corresponding Label control is made. If an exact match on the old data element or the old data description can be made, the Label control text property will be updated with the new data element name or description.

Changing Element Order

When the screen collection order is changed form within screen maintenance, those changes will be reflected in the corresponding custom graphical screen definition. There is no impact to the custom graphical screen presentation.

Copy, Delete, and Rename Definitions

Screen, format, link and library maintenance will include the custom graphical screen definitions when a copy, delete or rename is done. For example:

Copying a character screen definition will also copy the corresponding custom graphical screen definition.

Deleting a character screen definition will display a prompt message allowing you to delete both the character screen and the custom graphical screen or just the custom graphical screen.

Note

It is not possible to delete just the character screen; the custom graphical screen is a component of the character screen definition.

Renaming a character screen definition will also rename the corresponding custom graphical screen definition.

Renaming a format definition will search all custom graphical screen definitions and automatically adjust the format definition name saved with the custom graphical screen.

Backup/Restore

The Backup and Restore utilities will include custom graphical screen definitions and screen templates (see Templates below). When screens are selected for backup and a custom graphical screen exists, a second backup file will be created. The backup will append “VIP” to the end of the standard backup file name. For example, a backup file IDDbkTSI will result in a second backup file named IDDbkTSIVIP containing the custom graphical screen definition details.

Note

When moving or copying a backup file from one directory to another be sure to
move/copy both backup files.
When renaming a backup file be sure to rename both backup files.
When erasing a backup file be sure to erase both backup files.

The custom graphical backup file will only be created when screen definitions have been selected and corresponding custom graphical screen definitions exist.

When a custom graphical backup file is created, it will include the same time stamp record as the standard backup file. These matching timestamps are used to determine if the two backup files are in sync.

The restore operation will compare the time stamp of both backup files. If these time stamps do not match, a warning message will be displayed.

The restore operation will attempt to open a corresponding custom graphical backup file using the same backup file name rule (e.g. IDDbkTSI, IDDbkTSIVIP). If the custom graphical backup file is found, the custom graphical screens will be restored. If it is not found, a warning message will be displayed.

Both the backup “Edit” and “Refresh” options support custom graphical screens. If appropriate, the custom graphical backup file will be created and the time stamps updated.

From the VIP for Dictionary-IV Reference, version 8.9.1. Open this page in the PDF