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

Chapter 3 87

INTRODUCTION TO FORMS DESIGN

FORM FAMILIES

A family of forms is a collection of forms that share a common form layout but may have

different ﬁeld attributes, processing speciﬁcations, or form sequencing options. Use of form

families may improve VPLUS performance in some transaction processing applications;

since only the internal form characteristics are different among members of a family, you

do not have to wait for VPLUS to repaint the screen when you change to another form in

the same family. Note that the security attribute is not updated when changing from one

form in a family to another in the same family. Figure 3-14. illustrates some form family

concepts.

Figure 3-14. Form Family Relationship

Parent Form Also called father or root form. A parent form is a standard VPLUS form

created in FORMSPEC either by designing it or by copying it from another

form. The form layout of the parent form determines the layout of all child

forms that are reproduced from it. Changing the layout of the parent form

causes the layouts of the child forms to change.

Child Form Reproduced from the parent form, the form layout of the child form may

not be modiﬁed. You may change form sequencing options, ﬁeld attributes

and processing speciﬁcations. As Figure 3-14. indicates, you may

reproduce a child form from another child form, although VPLUS still

considers the original root form to be the parent of both forms.

Reproduce Generate a related form by entering the name of an existing form in the

"Reproduced from" ﬁeld of the Form Menu.

Creating Child Forms

You create child forms by following these steps:

1. Select

A for "Add a form" at the Main Menu. Press ENTER.

2. When the Form Menu comes onto the screen, specify the name of the child form you

wish to create, and, in the "Reproduced from" ﬁeld, specify the name of the form from

REPRODUCTION

Parent

Form

Child

Form

Child

Form

Child

Form