3. Overview of Vision : Frame Types
 
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Frame Types
You develop a Vision application by creating frames that let the user perform specific operations. You can create frames of all types. The frame type controls the operations that the user can perform, for example, whether a user can add new records to a table or run a report.
A frame's type also determines how you must specify its database query:
• You specify some frames' queries with the Visual Query Editor. Vision generates the code and the form for these frames.
• Some frames use a query object--such as a table, report or graph--that you create with another Ingres tool. These tools specify the frames' queries, and, in some cases, specify the code that runs the frame.
• For some frames you must write the 4GL code and create the form.
Note:  You can include procedures and call them just as you call frames. Any discussion of frame types in this guide refers to procedures as well.
The following table:
• Lists the frame types available in Vision
• Describes the function of each type
• Tells how you specify the query
• Tells how you specify the code and create the form
Examples of Vision-generated Frames shows sample visual queries and default forms for the frame types that Vision generates: Menu, Append, Browse, and Update.
The following table lists the frame and procedure types in Vision applications:
Type
What This Type Does
Where the Query Is Defined
How the Code and Form Are Created
Menu
Displays a list of operations to call other frames or to interact with the database.
Menu frames have no queries.
Vision generates the code and creates a default form that you can modify. (See the example in the next section.)
Append
Lets users insert new records into tables in the database.
You specify the query with Vision's Visual Query Editor.
Vision generates the code and creates a default form that you can modify. (See the example in the next section.)
Browse
Displays records retrieved from the master table and (optional) detail table; users cannot perform operations on the data retrieved.
Browse frames can display a single record or all records that satisfy the query.
You can specify restrictions on the query to limit the data retrieved, or allow users to specify such restrictions, or both.
You specify the query with Vision's Visual Query Editor.
Vision generates the code and creates a default form that you can modify. (See the example in the next section.)
Update
Performs all the functions described above for Browse frames; also lets users change the data retrieved.
You also can let users perform these operations:
• Add new records
• Save a changed record as a new record, without affecting the original data
• Delete records
You can specify any of these actions for the master and detail tables or the master table only.
You specify the query in Vision's Visual Query Editor.
Vision generates the code and creates a default form that you can modify. (See the example in the next section.)
report
Displays data in report format.
You specify the query for the report with RBF or the Report-Writer.
You can either:
• Use RBF to generate the code and a default report layout that you can modify
• Code and format the report with the Report-Writer
Also, you can use VIFRED to create a frame on which the user can specify run-time parameters for the report.
QBF
Runs a query against a table or JoinDefinition.
You define the query with QBF.
QBF generates the code for the query.
You can use a default QBF form or modify it with VIFRED.
User
Runs a user-defined frame.
You specify the query with 4GL statements.
You must write the 4GL code and create the form with VIFRED.
4GL Proc
Executes a 4GL procedure.
You write 4GL statements to define the operations that the procedure executes.
You must write the 4GL code.
4GL Procedures cannot refer to a form.
3GL Proc
Executes a procedure written in a 3GL (programming language) such as C or FORTRAN.
You write 3GL statements to define the operations that the procedure executes.
You must write the 3GL code.
If the procedure uses a form, you must create it with VIFRED.
DB Proc
Runs a series of statements stored as a procedure in the database.
The procedure must exist in the database before you can use it in a Vision application.
You write SQL statements to define the operations that the procedure must execute.
You must write the SQL statements.
Database procedures cannot refer to a form.