VT screens

Introduction

The X3 tool makes it possible to develop a VT application. This document lists the development rules relating to this type of application.

The development of the application and the first tests are to be carried out in the Client/Server environment.
The next tests can then be carried out upon VT emulation and then upon mobile drive emulation.

Development for VT mode

The VT screens are o be defined in the X3 dictionary. Since the mobile drive has a limited display capacity, following rules apply and should be obeyed.

The screen:

8 lines at a maximum (7 data lines + 1 button line )
20 columns at a maximum
List and Grid section authorized

The sections:

section without title to avoid unnecessary translations.
the background text is planned on 20 characters (by rule)

The fields:

The field and its title are recorded on 2 distinct fields in order to position the one under the other.
The title is a field in option W. It description is recorded in "Default value".
The untitled fields are named TEXTE0 to TEXTEn and defined for a length of 20 char. (by rule)
The 1st field of the 1st screen (TEXTE0) loads the title of the function. Style VTTIT (reverse video+underlined by rule)
The other titles TEXTE1 to TEXTEn have the style VTTEX (brightened by rule)
The entry field are never set up as mandatory in order to avoid the message Supervisor too long. It is thus necessary to schedule the control in the field action.
The numeric entry field are defined with option "z" in order to prevent the display of value 0 by default.
Tunnel deactivated in VT mode, no graphic field, no help.

The Windows:

The window must be of VT type
Display type: full screen
Header mandatory even for a single screen in the window.
Must be named AVTENT (made mandatory by Supervisor). No field must be declared

Authorized Supervisor templates:

Window entry
Standard processing
Table selection

The menus:

Working like in C/S mode with a menu profile associated with a user
The titles of the menus must be short (20 char. at a maximum)
Several menu levels are possible

Programming:

Global variable GVTMOD = 1 for VT mode.
The LECFIC ‘Log reading’ processing was adjusted to VT screens in order to display only the log file name in a dialog box along with: The number of errors and the first error if needed.

Ergonomics of the VT screens

The ergonomics are specific for a VT application. The list below defines the characteristics:

The field being entered is in reverse video and in bold.
The field length is illustrated by dots.
The hourglass is illustrated by a * in the upper left.
The sections are not illustrated and their title is not displayed.
The tabs are displayed one by one.

The buttons:

4 buttons at a maximum.
OK and END are still here without having to define them.( 1st and 4th button)
SEL for fields having a "selection" button. (3rd button)
The additional buttons may not depend on the current screen. A button defined in the window is present on all the screens, even though they cannot be displayed at the same time.
1st button activated by F1, 2nd by F2, 3rd by F3, 4th by F4 key

The keys:

: Scrolling in a field (e.g. for a long title)
Tab : next field. In the last field, going to the next screen
Shift+Tab: previous field. In the first field, going to the previous screen