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Forms-based Application Development Tools User Guide
1. Introduction
- What You Must Know
- Special Considerations
- Terminology
2. Overview of Tools and Languages
- How the Tools and 4GL Work Together
- Terms and Concepts
- How to Develop an Application
  - How to Plan the Application
  - How to Create the Application
3. Overview of Vision
- How to Enhance Your Applications
- Components of a Vision Application
  - Frames
  - Visual Queries
- Frame Types
- Examples of Vision-generated Frames
4. Getting Started in Vision
- Start Vision
- Call a Specific Application
- Stop Vision
- Moving Around in Vision
- How to Handle Error Messages
  - Display Multi-line Error Messages
- How to Use Vision's Online Help
  - Display Help
5. Creating Frames
- How to Call the Application Flow Diagram Editor
  - Create a New Application
  - Edit an Existing Application
- How You Can Use the Application Flow Diagram
- Create New Frames
- Using Default Frame Definitions and Forms
- Removing Frames
  - Remove a Frame
- Insert Existing Frames
- Destroy Frames
- Change Menu Item Text
- Viewing and Editing Frames
  - Edit Fields
- Specifyfing Menu Frame Display Styles
6. Defining Frames with Visual Queries
- Call the Visual Query Editor
- Viewing the Visual Query
- Change the Default Form Display
  - Redisplay a Column
- Including Lookup Tables in Visual Queries
- Inserting and Removing Joins
  - Insert a Join
  - Remove a Join
- Defining Specific Frame Types
- Specifying Frame Behaviors
- Modifying Vision-generated Forms
  - Editing a Form
  - Coordinating the Form and the Visual Query
- Using Expressions in Frame Definitions
  - Specifying Expressions
7. Defining Frames without Visual Queries
- Frame Definition Menu Operations
- Define a QBF Frame
  - View and Edit a QBF Definition
- Define a Report Frame
  - Specifying Runtime Report Parameters
  - Create and Edit a Report Definition
- Define a User Frame
  - Create and Edit the 4GL Code and Form
  - Controlling Activations and Validations
- Including Procedures in an Application
- Change the Definition of a Frame or Procedure
8. Using Vision Advanced Features
- Passing Parameters Between Frames
  - Guidelines for Passing Parameters
  - Pass a Parameter to a Frame
- Using Local Variables
- Using Local Procedures
- Global Components
- How Writing Escape Code Works
9. Modifying Vision Code
- Summary of Methods to Modify Code
- Writing Escape Code
- Modifying the Template Files
- Including Source Code Processing Commands
- Editing the Source Code to Create a Custom Frame
  - Edit a Source Code File
  - Guidelines for Editing Comments in Source Code Files
- Editing Help Files
  - Editing Vision-generated Help Files
  - Provide the Edit Operation
10. Using Vision Utilities
- Starting Other Programs
  - Call the Ingres Menu
  - Return to the Operating System
- Examining Tables
  - The Examine a Table Window
  - Display the Examine a Table Window
- Running an Application Report
  - View an Application Report
  - Write an Application Report to a File
- Reconciling Tables and Frame Definitions
  - How Vision Reconciles Frame Definitions
  - Run the Reconcile Utility
- Clean Up a Database
- Use Alternate Sets of Global Constants
  - Create an Alternate Global Constants File
  - Edit an Alternate Set of Global Constants
11. Completing a Vision Application
- Test Applications
- Regeneration of Source Code and Forms
  - How Custom Frames Are Handled
  - Summary of Code Regeneration Operations
- Editing Errors in Generated Code
- Making Applications Easier to Run
- imagename Command—Run a Completed Application
- Rename an Application
- Copying Applications into Different Databases
- Copying Application Components
- Destroy Applications
A. Vision Applications from a User’s Perspective
- Using Lookup Tables and the ListChoices Operation
- Allowing Specific User Operations
- Running an Application
B. Accessing Vision through ABF
- Edit an Application Window
- Create Frames and Procedures through ABF
- Accessing Vision Functions through ABF
C. Template Files Reference
- Substitution Variables
  - System-defined Substitution Variables
    - String Variables
    - Boolean Variables
  - User-defined Substitution Variables
- Template Language Statements
  - Formatting Rules
- define Statement—Define a Substitution Variable
- generate Statement—Generate 4GL Source Code
- if then else endif Statement—Process Conditional Statements
- ifdef Statement—Process a Set of Statements with Variables or Logicals
- ifndef Statement— Process a Set of Statements without Variables or Logicals
- include Statement—Include a Template File
- undef Statement—Undefine a Substitution Variable
D. Vision Architecture
- Vision Components
- How Vision Generates Code
- How Vision Handles Deadlocks
- How the Vision Reconcile Utility Works
12. Overview of ABF
- Benefits
- Types of Frames
- Forms
- Directories for Source Code and Application Components
  - Establishing a Directory for Source Code
  - Establishing a Directory for Compiled Application Components
13. Building Applications
- The ABF Development Process
- Starting and Using ABF
- Creating an Application
- The Edit an Application Frame
- The Create a Frame or Procedure Frame
- The Globals Submenu of the Edit an Application Frame
- Selecting a Text Editor
- Built-in Frames and Procedures
- Working with Existing Frames or Procedures
- Testing Incomplete Applications
  - How the Test Application Is Built: Procedures
    - How ABF Handles Dependencies
- Creating an Image of the Application
  - Build an Image from Within ABF
  - imageapp Command—Build an Image from the System Level
- imagename Command—Run a Completed Application
- Destroying an Application
- Copying an Application into a Different Database
- Copying Application Components
- Running the Application on a Different Database
14. ABF Development Example
- The Sales Entry Application
- Defining the Sales Entry Application
  - Start ABF
  - Create the Application
- Guidelines for Creating Tables
  - The Sample Database
- Creating a User-Specified Frame
- Test Topframe
  - Set Default Start Frame
  - How You Can Test with an Undefined Frame
- Define a QBF Frame
  - Define the Customer Form
  - Test the Customer Frame
- Building a Report Frame
  - Define the SaleRep Frame
- Another User-Specified Frame
  - Define the NewOrder Frame
- Test the Application
- Installing the User Application
  - Create an Executable Image
- Application Handling Operations
E. Notes for Users of QUEL
- QUEL Notes for the Building Applications Chapter
  - Source Code File Names and Extensions for Procedures
    - The Edit a Procedure Definition Frame
  - Using EQUEL/Forms with ABF
- QUEL Notes for the ABF Development Example Chapter
  - The 4GL Code for Topframe
  - The 4GL Code for NewOrder
F. ABF Architecture
- Where Applications Are Stored
- Forms in ABF Applications
  - How Forms and the Image Operation Work
  - Linking Forms and 3GL Procedures
- How an Application Is Built with the Go Operation
- How an Application Is Built with the Image Operation
- Linking with Libraries
  - Updates to Linker Option Modules
  - Linking with Compiled Forms for Procedures
- Calling Library Procedures
G. The ABF Demo Program
- Installing the Sample Application
  - Install ABFdemo
- Start the Sample Application
- Contents of the Sample Application
- How to Run the Sample Application
- 4GL Code for the Sample Application
H. Roles for ABF Applications
- Roles for Applications
15. Embedded Forms Program Structure
- General Syntax of Forms Statements
- Basic Structure of a Forms-based Program
- How the FRS Is Invoked
- How Forms Are Declared
  - forminit Statement—Declare Uncompiled Forms
  - addform Statement—Declare Compiled Forms
- display Statement—Display a Form
- The Display Block
- endforms Statement—Disconnect from the FRS
- An Extended Example
- Dynamic FRS
- Application-level Mapping
  - Static Mapping
  - Dynamic Mapping
- How You Implement Keys in an Application
  - Key Activation Example
16. Table Fields
- Overview of Table Fields
- The Data Set
- How Table Fields Can Be Used in an Application
- Table Field Operations
- Table Field Row States
- Change Variables
- Invisible Fields
- Derived Fields
- How Field Validation Works
17. Forms Statements
- activate Statement—Activate a Section of Code
  - The Menuitem Condition
  - The Field Condition
  - The Column Condition
  - The Scroll Condition
  - The Frskey Condition
  - The Timeout Condition
- addform Statement—Declare a Pre-compiled Form
- breakdisplay statement—Terminate a Display Loop or Submenu
- clear Statement—Clears the Screen or Fields
- clearrow Statement—Clear Data from a Field
- deleterow Statement—Delete a Row
- describe Statement—Retrieve Descriptive Information
- display Statement—Initiate Form Display
- display submenu Statement—Display a Submenu
- enddisplay Statement—Terminate a Display
- endforms Statement—Terminate Application Connection
- endloop Statement—Terminate a Loop
- finalize Statement—Transfer Data
- formdata Statement—Loop Through Fields
- forminit Statement—Declare a Form
- forms Statement—Invoke the FRS
  - Restrictions
- getform Statement—Transfer Data into Program Variables
- getoper (function) Statement—Get Comparison Operators
- getrow Statement—Get Values from a Row
- helpfile Statement—Display Help
- help_frs Statement—Include the Ingres Help Facility
- Initialize Statement—Initialize a Form
- Inittable Statement—Initialize a Table Field
- inquire_frs Statement—Retrieve FRS Runtime Information
  - Retrieving Information about the Runtime System
  - Retrieving Information about a Form
  - Retrieving Information about a Field
  - Retrieving Information about a Table Field
  - Retrieving Information about a Column
  - Retrieving Information About a Row in a Table Field
  - Retrieving Information about Menu Items
- insertrow Statement—Insert a Row
- loadtable Statement—Append a Row of Data
- message Statement—Print a Message
- printscreen Statement—Copy the Displayed Screen
- prompt Statement—Prompt the User for Input
- purgetable Statement—Purge Deleted Rows
- putform Statement—Transfer Data to the Form
- putrow Statement—Update a Table Row
- redisplay Statement—Refresh the Screen
- resume Statement—Resume the Display Loop
- scroll Statement—Perform a Table Field Scroll
- set_frs Statement—Set FRS Features
  - Setting Global Field and Column Validations
  - Setting Global Field and Column Activations
  - Setting Field and Column Display Attributes
  - Setting Field and Column Color
  - Setting the Change Variable
  - Setting Control, Function, and Arrow Key Mappings
  - Defining an Alias for Mapped Keys
  - Setting the Menu Map
  - Specifying the Mapping File
  - Setting the Display Mode of a Form
  - Setting the Display Mode of a Table Field
  - Setting a Form's Change Variable
  - Setting the Timeout Period
  - Enabling the FRS shell Command
  - Enabling the FRS editor Command
  - Suppressing Validation Error Messages
  - How You Can Change a Field's Format
  - Renaming Menu Items
  - Enabling and Disabling Menu Items
  - Enabling and Disabling the Out of Data Message
- sleep Statement—Suspend Application Execution
- submenu Statement—Start a Menu Not Linked to a Form
- tabledata Statement—Traverse Columns
- unloadtable Statement—Loop Through Rows and Execute Statements
- validate Statement—Validate Fields
- validrow Statement—Check Column Validity
I. EQUEL/FORMS Examples
- Activate
- Addform
- Breakdisplay
- Clear
- Clearrow
- Deleterow
- Display
- Display Submenu
- Enddisplay
- Endforms
- Endloop
- Finalize
- Formdata
- Forminit
- Forms
- Getform
- Getoper
- Getrow
- Helpfile
- Help_frs
- Initialize
- Inittable
- Inquire_frs
- Insertrow
- Loadtable
- Message
- Printscreen
- Prompt
- Purgetable
- Putform
- Putrow
- Redisplay
- Resume
- Scroll
- Set_frs
- Sleep
- Submenu
- Tabledata
- Unloadtable
- Validate
- Validrow
- Extended Examples
  - Basic Format of a Forms-Based Application
  - Example of Activations
  - Submenus
  - Nested Menus
  - Table Fields
  - Using _record and _state
  - Using the Putrow and Getrow Statements
  - Target Scrolls
  - Using Resume Statements
18. Overview of 4GL
- How You Can Use 4GL
- Frame Activations
- Procedures
19. Using 4GL
- Form Fields
- Local Variables and Hidden Columns
- Global Variables and Constants
- Assigning Values to Fields and Variables
- Referencing Fields, Variables, and Constants
- Expressions
- 4GL Names
  - Examples
20. Writing 4GL Statements
- Basic Statement Types
- Using Initialize and Declare Statements
- Forms-Control Statements
- Database Access Statements
- Flow-Control Statements
- Call Statements
- Accessing Files from 4GL
- Inquiring About and Setting Applications Status
- Multiple Session Connections
- Built-In Frames and Procedures
- How Database Events Are Handled
  - Event Handling Sequence Example
  - Event Handling Statements
- Putting It All Together: 4GL Specification
21. 4GL Statement Glossary
- Using SQL with 4GL
- ArrayAllRows()
- ArrayClear()
- ArrayFirstRow()
- ArrayInsertRow()
- ArrayLastRow()
- ArrayRemoveRow()
- ArraySetRowDeleted()
- Assignment
  - Direct Assignments
  - Query Assignments
- Beep()
- Call
  - Call ABF
  - Call Application
  - Call Ingmenu
  - Call ISQL
  - Call QBF
  - Call RBF
  - Call Report
  - Call SQL
  - Call Sreport
  - Call VIFRED
  - Call Vision
- Call System
- Callframe
  - Passing Values from the Calling Frame
  - Passing a Query
- Callproc
  - Coding 4GL Procedures
  - 3GL Arguments
  - Coding ADA Procedures (VMS only)
    - Create an ADA Procedure
  - Coding C Procedures
  - Coding COBOL Procedures
  - Coding FORTRAN Procedures
  - Calling Database Procedures
  - Calling Library Procedures
- Clear
- Clearrow
- CloseFile()
- CommandLineParameters( )
- Connect
  - Connecting with Distributed Transactions
  - Creating Multiple Sessions
  - Permissions
  - Locking
- Delete
- Deleterow
- Disconnect
- Display Submenu
- Endloop
- Execute Immediate
- Execute Procedure
  - Passing Parameters
- Exit
- Find_record()
- FlushFile()
- Help_Field()
- Helpfile and Help_Forms
  - Editing the Help Text File
- If-Then-Else
- Initialize
  - Initialization of Fields and Variables
- Inittable
- Inquire_4gl
- InquireFile()
- Inquire_forms
  - Inquire_forms Formobject
  - Inquire_forms Field
  - Inquire_forms FRS
- Inquire_sql
- Insert
- Insertrow
  - Insertrow and Table Fields
  - Insertrow and Arrays
- Loadtable
- Look_up()
- Message
- Mode
  - Summary of Effects
- Next
- OpenFile( )
- PositionFile( )
- Printscreen
- Prompt
- ReadFile( )
- Redisplay
- Resume
- Return
- RewindFile( )
- Run Submenu
- Scroll
- Select
  - Overview of the Select Statement
  - Query Targets
  - Selecting into Table Fields
  - Select to a Complex Object
  - Master/Detail Query
  - Submenus
  - Using a Select Loop
  - Select to Simple Objects
- Sequence_value()
- Set_4gl
- Set_forms
  - Set_forms Formobject
  - Set_forms FRS
- Set_sql
- Sleep
- Unloadtable
- Update
- Validate
- Validrow
- While
  - Breaking Out of While Loops
- WriteFile( )
22. Using 3GL Procedures
- Passing Records and Arrays Between 4GL and 3GL Routines
- Callframe, Callproc
- Clear Array
- Describe
- Get Attribute
- Get Global, Set Global
- Inquire_4gl
- InsertRow
- Removerow
- Set Attribute
- Set_4gl
- Setrow Deleted
23. Sample 4GL Application
- Employee Database
- Employee Application
J. Notes for Users of QUEL
- QUEL Notes for the Using 4GL Chapter
- QUEL Notes for the Writing 4GL Statements Chapter
- QUEL Notes for the 4GL Statement Glossary Chapter
- Append (QUEL)
- Call (QUEL)
- Callframe (QUEL)
  - Passing a Query
- Delete (QUEL)
- Message (QUEL)
- Next (QUEL)
- Range (QUEL)
- Redisplay (QUEL)
- Replace (QUEL)
- Retrieve (QUEL)
- Unloadtable (QUEL)
- While (QUEL)
- QUEL Notes for the Returning to the Top Frame Appendix
  - Embedded Query Language Considerations
- QUEL Notes for the Runtime Error Processing Appendix
  - Effect on EQUEL Procedures
K. Keywords
- Ingres Keywords
- ISO SQL
L. Returning to the Top Frame
- Example Frame Calling Sequence
  - Embedded SQL Language Considerations
M. Runtime Error Processing
- Standard inquire_sql Method
- How You Can Use iiseterr() in Ingres Applications
N. Troubleshooting Guide
- Before You Call Technical Support
- Using Logicals/Environment Variables
- Starting ABF or Vision
- Creating and Editing Applications
  - Creating Applications and Frames
  - Editing Applications and Frames
- Testing an Application
- Creating an Image of an Application
  - 4GL Compiler
  - C Compiler (WIN32)
    - Running Microsoft 6.00A and DOS 4.01
    - C Compiler
- Running a Completed Application
- Performance Problems
  - Prior Releases
  - Slow-running Applications
O. Menu Operations
- The Applications Catalog Window
- The Create an Application Window
- The MoreInfo about an Application Window
- The Application Flow Diagram Editor Menu
- The Visual Query Editor Menu
P. Using Vision or ABF in a Multi-Developer Environment
- Starting Vision or ABF with Command Line Options
  - Disabling Warnings
  - 5.0 Applications
- Sharing Objects with Other Vision Developers
- Using ABF in a Multi-Developer Environment
- Managing Locks in Vision or ABF
  - Setting the Display Refresh Interval (Vision Only)
  - Using the LockStatus Utility