DOC HOME SITE MAP MAN PAGES GNU INFO SEARCH PRINT BOOK
 
The Form and Menu Language

Form descriptors

``Frame descriptors for form definition files'' lists the frame descriptors that can be used in a form definition file. None of these descriptors is required in a form definition file. If any are used they can be in any order, but they must precede the field descriptors.

Frame descriptors for form definition files

Descriptor Default if
not defined
Type When
referenced
Default frequency
of evaluation
altslks FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
autolayout FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
begcol any position When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
begrow any position When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
close no default null When form is closed When form is closed
done close command When form is saved Whenever referenced
form Form string When form is opened When form is opened
framemsg no default string When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
help no default command When user asks for help Whenever referenced
init TRUE Boolean When form is opened/updated Whenever referenced
interrupt inherited value* Boolean When an interruptible descriptor is evaluated Whenever referenced

Descriptor Default if
not defined
Type When
referenced
Default frequency
of evaluation
lifetime longterm string When form is opened, closed, made current, made non-current Whenever referenced
oninterrupt inherited value* command After descriptor evaluation is interrupted Whenever referenced
reread FALSE Boolean When checkworld occurs Whenever referenced

``Field descriptors for form definition files'' lists the field descriptors that can be used in a form definition file. In each set of field descriptors the name descriptor is required and must be first.

Field descriptors for form definition files

Descriptor Default if
not defined
Type When
referenced
Default frequency
of evaluation
autoadvance FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
choicemsg no default string When choices menu is selected When choices menu is selected
columns If autolayout is FALSE, -1. If autolayout is TRUE: 4 for first field, else previous field's value ***. integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
fieldmsg no default string When field is navigated to Whenever referenced
fcol If autolayout is FALSE, -1. If autolayout is TRUE: 1+current_ncol+
lengthOfLabel if first field, or max of that and its value in previous field **
integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
frow If autolayout is FALSE, -1. If autolayout is TRUE: current_nrow ** integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
inactive FALSE Boolean When form is opened, made current, updated, saved First time referenced and when referenced after an earlier field value has been changed
invalidmsg Input is not valid string When valid evaluates to false First time referenced
invalidOnDoneMsg Relationship of values in 2 or more fields is not valid string When validOnDone evaluates to false First time referenced

Descriptor Default if
not defined
Type When
referenced
Default frequency
of evaluation
lininfo no default string When this field is navigated to Whenever referenced
menuonly FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
name no default string When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
ncol If autolayout is FALSE, -1. If autolayout is TRUE: 0 for first field, else previous field's value **. integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
noecho FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
nrow If autolayout is FALSE, -1. If autolayout is TRUE: 0 if first field of page or previous_nrow+ previous_rows ** integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
page 1 *** integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
rmenu no default command When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
rows 1 *** integer When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
scroll FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated

Descriptor Default if
not defined
Type When
referenced
Default frequency
of evaluation
show TRUE Boolean When form is opened/updated and when any interfield navigation occurs First time referenced and when referenced after an earlier field value has been changed
valid TRUE Boolean When interfield navigation is attempted from a changed field, or from any field with ENTER, and when form is saved Whenever referenced
validOnDone TRUE Boolean When form is saved Whenever referenced
value no default string When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated
wrap FALSE Boolean When form is opened/updated When form is opened/updated

``SLK descriptors for form definition files'' lists the SLK descriptors that can be used in a form definition file. When they appear in a form definition file, they must be the last descriptors in the file. The name and button descriptors must be defined, and name must be the first descriptor in each set of SLK descriptors.

SLK descriptors for form definition files

Descriptor Default if
not defined
Type When
referenced
Default frequency
of evaluation
action no default command When SLK is pressed Whenever referenced
button no default integer When form is opened/updated Whenever referenced
interrupt inherited value* Boolean When SLK action descriptor is evaluated Whenever referenced
name no default string When form is opened/updated Whenever referenced
oninterrupt inherited value* command After SLK action descriptor evaluation is interrupted Whenever referenced


*
The value of interrupt and oninterrupt in any given set of descriptors is inherited from the next higher level in a precedence hierarchy. If these descriptors have not been defined anywhere in your application, interrupt defaults to FALSE and oninterrupt defaults to `message Operation interrupted!`nop. (See ``Interrupt signal handling'' for more information.)

**
A negative value for this descriptor will cause the label or input area being described to not appear in the form.

***
A zero or negative value for this descriptor will cause the field being described to not appear in the form.

Next topic: Text frame descriptors
Previous topic: SLK descriptors for menu definition files

© 2004 The SCO Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
UnixWare 7 Release 7.1.4 - 27 April 2004