HP DECforms for OpenVMS, Version 4.0

HP DECforms for OpenVMS, Version 4.0 SPD 29.90.14
Printing Support
Through the use of the printing layout, DECforms pro-
vides the capability for rendering high-quality, bitmap
hardcopy forms for printing on PostScript printers.
The printing layout contains the specification of a user
interface that is output only and specifies its output de-
vice as a file, rather than a physical device. This file can
serve as input to other DDIF-capable applications, for
ultimate printing or inclusion in compound documents.
Through the use of the printing layout, DECforms also
supports the concept of "batch printing" in which applica-
tions can use DECforms for high-volume forms printing
without the need for a physical display device.
Components
Form Manager
The Form Manager is the interface between an appli-
cation program and a display device. It is a run-time
system that controls form display and operator input on
terminals. The Form Manager provides six requests for
communication between the form and the application.
These requests (routines in the Form Manager) allow
the application to enable the form for use, send data
to the form, receive data from it (separately or in one
call), disable the form at the end of a session, or asyn-
chronously cancel a request.
The Form Manager is included with the DECforms De-
velopment System and is also offered separately in the
optional DECforms Run-Time System. The only DEC-
forms component available in this latter option is the
Form Manager. The Run-Time System allows the ex-
ecution of applications using DECforms on a machine
other than the one used to develop the application.
Form Development Environment (FDE)
The FDE allows a form designer to create a form in-
teractively. The FDE provides menus that help the de-
signer step through various tasks of form creation and
modification. The FDE is used with the VT-based Panel
Editor to create the appearance of the form. The FDE
also provides access to text editors, including the Lan-
guage Sensitive Editor (LSE), part of HP DECset for
OpenVMS Systems, to allow a designer to write state-
ments in the Independent Form Description Language
(IFDL) that describes a DECforms form.
Independent Form Description Language (IFDL)
The IFDL is a semi-procedural language that completely
describes a DECforms form. It allows the form designer
to create a form (noninteractively), specifying its appear-
ance and functions. While the appearance of a form
can be entirely created by the panel editors, procedural
aspects of the form, such as specialized responses to
function keys and specialized data validation, must be
specified directly with IFDL statements. An IFDL source
file is a text file that can be created or modified with any
text editor.
LSE templates are available for the IFDL language to aid
in the creation and maintenance of IFDL source code.
DECforms also supports the Compile and Review ca-
pabilities of the LSE.
The IFDL also includes a COPY statement that pro-
vides for the copying of record and field definitions
from the Oracle CDD/Repository. DECforms supports
Oracle CDD/Repository pieces tracking by depositing
information in the dictionary indicating that a particu-
lar form has used a certain record. DECforms can
also use Oracle CDD/Repository records defined with
the BASED ON attribute and those referenced through
RDB$RELATIONS.
IFDL Translator
The IFDL translator compiles an IFDL source file into
a binary form file. This form file is then ready for use
with its application. Its appearance can be tested on a
terminal screen or printed. The binary form file may be
analyzed by other DECforms utilities, or edited in the
FDE or the appropriate panel editor.
Back Translator
The Back Translator converts a binary form file into an
IFDL source file. Essentially, it performs the reverse
function of the IFDL Translator. As a result, it provides
a method of editing the IFDL source for a form created
or modified by the FDE or panel editor. The IFDL source
statements that the Back Translator produces also pro-
vide a complete textual description of the form.
Panel Editors
The VT-based Panel Editor allow the user to create
graphic form elements in an interactive, "What You See
Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) fashion. The panel ed-
itors support the interactive creation of the visual ele-
ments of a form’s panels: background text and graphics,
and the locations, sizes and attributes of fields.
Extract Utility
The Extract Utility performs three functions:
• Produces a printable representation of a form’s pan-
els from a form file.
• Creates object modules containing a form. These
object modules can then be linked in an executable
image with a program as a memory-resident form for
use by the same program in a single session or in
multiple sessions. The modules can also be linked in
shareable images for use by multiple sessions from
multiple processes.
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