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

70 Chapter3
INTRODUCTION TO FORMS DESIGN
EASE OF FORMS DESIGN
The entered data is checked by VPLUS for correct format and that it is a valid date.
Arithmetic operations are not allowed on date fields.
Native Language Support does not affect the order of the date field. It does, however,
accept the names of months and their abbreviations for each native language at run-time.
For more information on Native Language Support, see Section 8.
To illustrate how the three date type specifications interpret entered dates for
NATIVE-3000, Figure 3-5. shows legal dates followed by Figure 3-6. with dates that would
be diagnosed as illegal.
ARB Data Types The valid choices for ARB data types are: CHAR, INT, DINT, REAL,
LONG, SPACK
n , PACK n , SZONE n , ZONE n , and YYMMDD. Data type and length may differ
from screen to ARB. The ARB data types include some that are language-specific. For
example, SPACK
n and PACK n correspond to COBOL COMP-3; SZONE n and ZONE n correspond
to COBOL signed display numeric and unsigned display numeric respectively; and INT and
DINT correspond to COBOL COMP. For more information on COBOL data types, see the
COBOLII/3000 Reference Manual. The default data type and length for an ARB field are
derived from the data type and length of the corresponding field on the associated form
and the Data Type Conversion record.
Table 3-5. Valid Dates
MDY DMY YMD
February 7, 1986 7 February 1986 1986, February 7
FEB 7 1986 7 FEB 1986 1986 FEB 7
02/07/86 07/02/86 86/02/07
2/7/86 7/2/86 86/2/7
02-7-86 07-2-86 86-2-07
2 7 86 7286 8627
020786 070286 860207
Table 3-6. Invalid Dates
MDY DMY YMD Reason
Febrary 7, 1986 7 Febrary 1986 1986, Febrary 7 Misspelled
FEBR 7 1986 7 FEBR 1986 1986 FEBR 7 Four letter abbreviation
2786 7286 8627 Must be a two-digit month, day
when no separator is included.