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

Chapter 7 369
USING FORMSPEC IN BATCH MODE
USING FORMSPEC IN BATCH MODE
7 USING FORMSPEC IN BATCH MODE
USING FORMSPEC IN BATCH MODE
FORMSPEC in batch mode allows you to manage a forms file without tying up your
terminal. With this feature, forms may be deleted from or copied to a forms file, compiled,
and listed on a printer by accepting commands from a job stream or from a disc file or I/O
device.
Deleting Forms Using FORMSPEC’s Batch Mode Facilities
Suppose you wanted to delete all forms but F1, F2, and F3 from a forms file named
LITTLEFF. To accomplish this, you would take the following steps:
1. Use the FORMSPEC “FORMS” command to generate a list of forms in LITTLEFF and
redirect the list to a disk file.
:FILE FORMOUT;REC=-80,16,F,ASCII;DEV=DISC;TEMP
:RUN FORMSPEC.PUB.SYS;INFO=”$STDIN”
>FILE LITTLEFF
>FORMS
>EXIT
:SAVE FORMOUT
:RENAME FORMOUT,FORMCMDS
:RESET FORMOUT
2. Bring FORMCMDS into an editor. Delete all lines that do not list form names. Delete the
lines listing forms F1, F2, and F3. Insert the keyword “DELETE” in front of every other
form name. Delete the text remaining after the form name.
3. Add the command FILE LITTLEFF as the first line in the file.
4. Add an EXIT command as the last line in the file.
5. Keep the update FORMCMDS file and exit the editor.
6. Execute the commands in the FORMCMDS file. Note: you may want to do this within a job
file.
Compiling Forms File in Batch Mode
Compiling a forms file can be very time consuming, especially if there are many forms,
fields, and field specifications defined in the file. By using FORMSPEC in batch mode, long
compilations can be executed from a job stream. You do not have to wait for compilation to
complete in order to use your terminal for other purposes.
Updating Forms In Batch Mode
A forms file can be updated systematically by using FORMSPEC in batch mode. Entire