Generating the run-time menu

To finally draw the system together, we need to draw the two routines together. This is done by using the menu option which can be reached by selecting option 12.

The first entry requires the user to give the menu a name. Lets call it TEST.MENU. Next a title is required.

The next prompt sets whether the system should do a security check before allowing the user to proceed with the option. This should only be set to ‘N' in exceptional circumstances. If no security is setup, all users will be able to access all options anyway.

The system then needs to know whether to skip the redirection processing when running the menu. The redirection process allows the user to set up multiple menus in an account and then specify which one will be presented to the user when they start a menu in that account. To avoid any problems with existing setups, enter "Y" for this field

We now have to define the options within the menu. The first, EXAMPLEA, is straight forward and is defined as page 1, option 1. We then have to set up the link record. This record tells the system what to do when the option is selected. To setup the link record, press the HELP function key, normally [F6]. This drops the user into the link definition screen. If the user presses [RETURN], the system will load in the next available number. The user can also enter their own ID at this point. In practice, it is generally better to assign you own value so that it doesn't clash with other IDs should you wish to port the menu to another machine. So let's enter EG1 at this point

The user is now ready to fill in the parameters. The first is a short description of the function the link will carry out. In this case, the user could enter ‘Item code maintenance'. The long description can be left blank for now. The link type is ‘S' to indicate that taking this option will result in a PARADYME routine being run.

Mnemonic and mnemonic seq can be left blank for now. For an explanation of these fields refer to the menu setup section of the manual.

The user now has to specify what will be execute by specifying the ‘Link Routine'. In this case, that will be EXAMPLEA. It would also be useful to incorporate this into the auto menu screen generation, so enter ‘Y' for the next field.

Security is not an issue at this time, so the remaining fields can all be left blank. Again, refer to the menu setup section of the manual for an explantion of the function of these fields. Once the fields have been filled in, the screen would look like this.

Once the user files the record away, they are returned to the original screen, with the link ID filled in. Note that if the user has already setup a link record, to carry out the required function, they can just enter that ID for this field.

EXAMPLE is a little more complex in that it is a multi-mode routine.This time, make it page 1, option 2. Again hit [F6] to go into the link definition screen. This time enter EG2 for the Link Ref. The short description could be ‘Example Booking System'. This time, when the user selects this option, we need them to be presented with a further menu which will allow them to select the required mode before advancing to the EXAMPLE routine. In this instance we enter 'M' for link type. The link routine is EXAMPLE. Enter ‘Y' for the next field and leave the rest of the fields blank as we did for the previous option.

Once the fields have been filled in, the screen would look like this.

Note that an alternative way of dealing with this menu option is to create a separate option for each mode, use the 'S' type and tag the mode on the end of the subroutine name. For instance, to call EXAMPLE in 'CHANGE' mode, the following could be entered:-

EXAMPLE,C

One other useful option would be to logoff the system. In this case PAGE would be 1 and it is useful to assign a standard option number such as 99. Again hit [F6] to go into the link definition screen. This time the user could specify the link ID. The ID does NOT have to be numeric, so an appropriate ID would be OFF. The link type would be ‘C' to indicate a CHAIN function, i.e. a one way transfer of control. The link routine would be OFF .

Once this has all been done, the screen would look like this.

At this point, the user needs to specify a title for the menu, which will be displayed when the user is running the menu. Booking Maintenance System would seem to be appropriate. The next field, ‘OPTION DELIM STRING', can be left blank.

Finally, the user needs to setup the menu screen display for each page. This can be a bit time consuming and so it would easier and quicker for PARADYME to do this for you. When you are in the window for the appropriate page, in this case page 1, hit the keys [TAB] F S, in that order and PARADYME generates and loads the menu display for you.

Having done all this the screen would look as follows.

On filing the definition, a menu item will be created. By typing TEST.MENU at TCL, the user will be able to run the menu.

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