Change a Menu Layout

This is the primary option of the options definition, it’s were you configure all the individual options that the operator will see and use when running the application. It allows you to amend existing options or to create new options on the defined menus – up to a maximum of 99 menus may be configured the first of which must be called MASTER (and this is done for you).

A simple menu structure is shown below. Each menu may have a total of eight choices; these choices may variously lead to further menus or to specific option such as printing a report, or updating a database record. In the example, the master menu has three-choices all of which lead to a sub-menu.Of these the first, UPDATES, leads to two further sum-menus which are both used for file updating. The second sub-menu is used for reports and the third provides the ability to carry out utility functions such as file audits and expansion. A real application is usually a lot more complex than this, with more menus and up to eight choices on each.

When you select the option to ‘Change a Menu Layout’ the screen shows a list of the menus defined so far (at first their may just be MASTER; the list grows as you create new options). The menu structured above would be shown as:

To update an existing menu, move down to the menu and press either <Enter> or the UPDATE button.To add a new menu select the INSERT button or press <Enter> against a blank entry.

When adding a menu for the first time you will be asked for the menu to add in a pop-up. This is a short code to describe the options on this menu. Press <Enter> after entering the id to update the menu – if it doesn’t exist you will be asked to create this menu (if the menu definition is full use the Expand option below). Note that the first menu in any application must always be called MASTER.

Enter a Menu Heading

This prompt allows the option to enter a menu heading. This heading will be displayed at the top of the menu when the application is used (if no heading is entered then the menu id is used – i.e. MASTER etc.).

After entering the heading you are able to enter the title or choice description for the first menu option. Enter the text required for the option and press <Enter>, a further box is then shown allowing you to define this menu option.

Option Type and Parameters

The first prompt ‘Option Type’ asks you to select the type of action this menu is to perform – is it a screen (S), or report listing (L) – a full list of option types is available by pressing <F4-Select>. For each option, after specifying the type, you must specify up to two parameters.

Type Parameter 1 Parameter 2

A Audit a Database DB-No N/A

B Blankout a Database DB-No N/A

C Constants Update DB-No Constant Item No

D Data Interchange DB-No Definition filename

E EDI Messages DB-No EDI layout filename

F Forms Maintenance Form Code N/A

G Global Update DB-No Global Update filename

I Index Tidy DB-No N/A

K Krunch (Recover File space) DB-No N/A

L Listing DB-No Report filename

M Menu Menu Name N/A

O Organise Pointers DB-No N/A

P Program Call Program Name Parameter No

Q Batch Run of a Menu Menu Name File No’s to lock

R Rebuild Indexes DB-No n/ a

S Screen Actions DB-No Screen definition filename

T Table Updating DB-No Table Item Name

U Update A Database on Screen DB-No N/A

W Word Processing Facility DB-No WP definition filename

Y Change ProFiler Application Applic Code N/A

Z System Status Expand Y/N N/A

Where a parameter asks for a ‘DB-No’ this refers to one of the (up to) eight files within the ProFiler application (<F4-Select> is available).

Where a parameter asks for a filename then this asks for the filename to be created/updated – the filenames are created in an 8.3 format although you only enter the first eight characters the file suffix being automatically set for you based on the option type:

.PFI Data Interchange definition

.PFG Global Update definition

.PFL Report Listing definition

.PFS Screen definition

.PFW Word Processing definition

<F7-Option> on the parameter 2 input, where prompted for a filename, allows tools to copy, validate or delete a definition. This can be used when an option is amendment of an existing report or screen layout (used within this application) and you do not wish to recreate from scratch.

In addition to the option type and parameter settings are further options as follows:

Password

You may key a password of up to ten alpha-numeric characters. This is then requested each time an operator selects this option at run-time.

Authority Checks: Level or User

Key either the authority level or a specific user-id to restrict access to this option at run-time.

Log

Available on Premier only, if set this logs the operators who use this option to the LOG.DAT file (although you can’t see what was actually done by the user).

Prompt Message / Warn

Here you can key a message of up to 35 characters which is displayed when the operator selects the option at run-time. You might use this for messages such as ‘Have you taken backups?’

Auto Go To Next Option

If set then, after completing this option, the highlight will move to the next option (unless overridden by mouse position). If not set it will remain on the current position. Note the system doesn’t automatically run the following option.

Once you reach the bottom of the screen you will, if further options are available for the option type, be asked if you wish to update this layout – Yes to update, No to return to the menu. If no further settings are required for this option you will be returned to the menu, otherwise you will be prompted

If you elect to update a definition and the definition has not yet been created you will be prompted to create it