Edit a Procedure Definition Frame

After you create a procedure using the Create a Proceduretype Procedure frame, you see the Edit a Proceduretype Procedure Definition frame for the type of procedure you have chosen. The following figure shows the Edit a Procedure frame for the type 4GL:

The Edit a Proceduretype Procedure frames have similar fields. The following list shows the fields as they appear on the frame (some fields do not appear for all procedure types, as indicated in the list).

Specifies the name of procedure you entered in the Create a Procedure frame

(Optional) Specifies a brief description

Specifies either 4GL, SQL (for database procedures), or the name of a 3GL supported in your installation

(For 3GL procedures only) Specifies the link symbol ABF uses to link to the procedure. The default is the procedure name. The name is case sensitive on systems whose linkers are case sensitive.

UNIX: On some UNIX systems, you must add an underscore (_) after the symbol name. Check your operating system documentation for more information on specifying symbol names.

(For 3GL procedures only) Indicates whether this is a library procedure. A library procedure is not compiled by ABF, but must be defined to ABF. If you enter yes, the Edit and Compile menu operations are not active.

(For 3GL and 4GL procedures only) Specifies the file name with the extension of the selected language, as shown in the table "File Extensions". This field is case sensitive and can contain up to 48 characters. Do not enter a value in this field for library procedures, including database procedures.

Specifies the default value is integer. You can enter none, integer, float or any Ingres string type. The decimal data type is supported for 4GL procedures only.

Determines whether the field can hold a null value. The Nullable field is display only with a value of "No" for all 3GL procedures, because these do not support nullable return values.

(For COBOL procedures only) Specifies whether the procedure passes return values with decimal data types as float data type or decimal data type.

All procedure types have the Created and Last Modified fields. The Last Modified field indicates when the procedure's definition frame was last modified.

The Edit a Proceduretype Procedure frames have the following menu operations:

Edits or creates the definition of a different component. Prompts for the name and type of component to define.

Runs the procedure. For 3GL procedures, you cannot use Go if the procedure receives parameters from the calling frame. ABF warns you that attempting to run a procedure that expects a parameter can have unpredictable results. To test a 3GL procedure that requires parameters, run the procedure from the calling frame.

Uses the system editor to create or edit the file containing the source code for the current procedure. (Does not appear for database procedures.)

Checks the source code syntax for the current procedure, displays errors (if any), and adds the object code for the procedure to the database if free of errors. (Does not appear for database procedures.)

Displays or enters more information about the current procedure on the LongRemark pop-up frame