INF-107 - Minicomputer Operations
Class 14 - Screen Design Aid / Course Sumary
  1. Beyond RPG
    1. ILE RPG
      1. Integrated Language Environment RPG
      2. Next generation RPG
      3. Taught in the RPG programming course here
      4. Removes a lot of the restrictions of traditional RPG
    2. New development systems
      1. Manage the entire systems development process
        1. Database Definition
        2. Project Management
        3. Business Model Specification
        4. Code Generation
      2. An example of this is LANSA
        1. Applications specified within LANSA can generate
          1. Clients
            1. RPG Terminal Based Programs
            2. C++ Client Programs
            3. RPG / HTML Web Applications
            4. Java Applets
          2. Servers
            1. IBM iSeries eServer (AS/400)
            2. Windows NT (with various database managers)
  2. Chapter 13 - Screen Design Aid / Display File Overview
    1. Display Files
      1. A type of device file
        1. Used to communicate with workstation devices
        2. When you see something on your terminal screen, it has been produced by a display file
      2. Defined using Data Definition Specifications
        1. Externally defined file in a program
        2. Typically have multiple formats in file
    2. Screen Design Aid
      1. A system productivity aid
      2. A tool to build display files interactively
        1. A way to build screens without knowing Data Definition Specifications
        2. Define the data fields which will appear on the screen
          1. Referred to from a database file
          2. Defined within the screen
        3. "Paint the screen"
          1. Character strings appear in quotes
          2. Specify the "Attributes" of fields
            1. Input, Output, Both (input & output)
            2. High intensity (Bold), Underlined, Reverse Image, Blinking
        4. The output of the process
          1. Data definition specifications
          2. A display file
      3. A tool to build menus interactively
        1. The menus are in a predefined format
          1. If you require a custom format, you must write a program to execute the menu function
          2. Menu names cannot be longer than 8 characters long
          3. The menus can only be 24 X 80 characters in size
        2. Specify the menu option descriptions
          1. This is the text of the menu options
        3. Specify the menu option commands
          1. There are the commands which are executed for each menu option
          2. If you need to execute more than one command for an option, they must be in a program (CL, probably)
        4. The output of the process
          1. DDS Member with the name of the menu
          2. DDS Member with the name of the menu & "QQ" holding the command source
          3. An object of type "*MENU" which is your actual menu
  3. Creating Menus
    1. Following the procedure which starts on page 263
  4. Creating Display Files
    1. Following the procedure which starts on page 270
  5. In conclusion
    1. Remember the heritage of the IBM iSeries eServer (AS/400)
      1. Predecessor first shipped in 1979
        1. 2 years before the announcement of the IBM PC
        2. At that time, preserved software investments from the late 60's & 70's
        3. A time when there was:
          1. No graphical user interfaces
          2. No client server computing
          3. No local area networks
          4. No Internet
          5. No World Wide Web
      2. The success of the architecture has been:
        1. Preserving software investments for over 20 years, while:
        2. Looking simple to casual users, while giving significant control to power users
        3. Providing day in, day out rock solid performance
        4. Adapting to radical changes in:
          1. Hardware
          2. Software
          3. Data Communications
          4. Computing Strategies
    2. Look at where it is going
      1. Moving with emerging industry standards
      2. Operations Navigator
        1. A graphical operations tool
        2. "Flash" presentation located at  http://www.iseries.ibm.com/opsnav/
  6. Review for Final Exam
    1. Open IBM iSeries eServer (AS/400), Closed everything else
    2. No lab exam, but be prepared to answer questions about lab concepts!
    3. Makeup will be difficult due to demands for "immediate" grades from the administration.
  7. Lab Exercise
    1. Create a menu program
      1. Follow the procedure which starts on page 263 of your book!
      2. Enter the command "STRSDA" to start the Screen design Aid.
      3. Select the option to "Design Menus"
      4. The menu name should be stored in file QDDSSRC in your library. It should be named "MYMENU"
      5. Select "Y" for the option to "Work with image and commands"
      6. Use the following descriptions and commands for your menu:
        7. Description Command
           
        Student Master Inquiry CALL SMR211
        User profile "userid" 
        *** use your userid ***        		 WRKUSRPRF "userid" 
        *** use your userid ***
        Send "your name" a message
        *** put your name here ***        		 ?SNDMSG TOUSR("userid")
        Send Mr. Myers a message ?SNDMSG TOUSR(JMYERS)
        Sign off SIGNOFF
      7. When the menu has been created, use the command "GO MYMENU" in order to being up the menu
      8. Use the Print Screen button to print your menu
      9. Execute each of the menu options in order to see how your created menu works
    2. When you are completed,
      1. Staple the pages together and write your name on the printed output
      2. Hand in your work