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

Chapter 4 157
Advanced Forms Design
Processing Specifications For Advanced Processing
Processing Specifications For Advanced Processing
The advanced processing discussed in the rest of this section includes:
• Data movement. Data movement falls into two basic categories: setting the current
field to a value and moving data between fields. Each of these categories uses the SET
statement.
• Data formatting. When data is moved between fields with the SET statement, certain
automatic formatting is performed. If the automatic formatting is not exactly what you
want, or if you want to display data in a different format, you can use the FORMSPEC
formatting statements to reformat the current data field during data collection. These
statements are: STRIP, JUSTIFY, FILL, UPSHIFT.
• Altering forms sequence. The CHANGE statement allows you to alter the sequence in
which forms are displayed.
• Conditional processing. The IF statement allows you to specify under which conditions
the processing statements are to be executed.
• Control Statements. Two statements provide control over forms processing. The FAIL
statement forces a failure of the current field edit, the STOP statement stops all
processing of the current phase of the current form.
• Processing phases. Processing statements may be associated with one of four phases
of form execution:
— Configuration. Configure the terminal for specific field.
— Form initialization. Determine initial values of fields.
— Field edits. Edit and validate data entered in field.
— Finish form. Complete processing of form.
For advanced processing, the sequence of specifications must be considered. If you need
only the field edits described so far, you need not be overly concerned with the order in
which statements are specified. Advanced processing statements, on the other hand, can
be thought of as elements of a language where the order in which they are entered is
important.
You may want to refer to "Phases" at the end of the section before reading the statement
descriptions. In any case, you should be aware that all field edit and advanced processing
statements can be executed in all phases, except configuration. Only configuration
processing statements are executed in the configuration phase. Phases allow terminal
configuration preceding initial processing for the form, which in turn precedes field edits
and finish processing.