HP Data Entry and Forms Management System (VPLUS) Reference Manual (32209-90024)

Chapter 4 179
Advanced Forms Design
PHASES
Field Edit Phase
The field edit phase occurs when VFIELDEDITS is called. The field edit phase is usually
requested by the application after the form is displayed on the screen, and the user has
input data. During this phase, the entered data is checked according to the field attributes
and any processing specifications entered by the designer. The Edit statements can be
executed only in the field edit phase.
Each field in turn is examined. The first action is to check the field type. If it is optional
and the field is blank, the rest of the field edit phase for this field is skipped. If the field is
required, it must contain a nonblank value. If it has a value, the data is checked to see if it
conforms to the field's data type. If it does, then any field processing statements are
executed in the order they were entered.
Edit failures detected in this phase cause the field to be flagged in error so the user can be
informed. All further processing on this field is stopped when an error is detected, and
control passes to the next field.
ENTRY loops through all processing statements in the field edit phase until all errors have
been corrected by the user.
Finish Phase
The finish phase occurs when VFINISHFORM is called. The finish phase usually is requested
by the application after all data has been entered and validated for the entire form. The
ENTRY program executes statements in this phase only when no errors are detected after
ENTER is pressed. Finish statements direct irreversible processing during which the global
environment can be altered.
Under ENTRY control, any processing performed by the preceding two phases can be
undone prior to the FINISH phase. For instance, if the user presses REFRESH, the initial
values replace any that were entered. In the finish phase, such changes can no longer be
made.
Under ENTRY control, the batch file is written as soon as the finish phase is complete. The
assumption is that all fields have been tested and corrected; fields with errors are not
enhanced in the finish phase.