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M I C R O F O C U S
D I A L O G S Y S T E M V 2.5
C H A R A C T E R
V4.1.10
For Use With Micro Focus COBOL for UNIX
Running Under The DG/UX
Operating System Version R4.11MU03
On The AViiON
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NEW FEATURES DOCUMENTATION
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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INTRODUCTION
NEW FEATURES
INTRODUCTION
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This is the documentation for the New Features available to you because
you are a subscriber to the Annual Maintenance Agreement.
Sections in this document will be added to at each maintenance release.
Subsection headings show the releases when entries were first included.
NEW FEATURES
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V2.5.64
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o Datablock optionally passed to DSUSRFMT. If the new directive
DATABLOCK-DSUSRFMT is present in the runtime configuration
file dsdef.cfg, then whenever Dialog System calls the
user coded DSUSRFMT program, an additional parameter,
(the third parameter), which is the user data block,
is passed across.
It is the user's responsibility not to access beyond the
boundary of this parameter.
The ability to access the data block, allows the content of
other fields in the data block to influence the behavior
of the user code.
One example of this, permits unlimited field protection to
be controlled. In this scenario, user data fields are used
as flags to indicate whether associated fields should be
treated as protected or not (in the same way as built-in
field protection works now). The user code in DSUSRFMT
checks the corresponding flag on initial field entry, and
if set to protect, then the autoskip flag is set to cause
the field to be skipped. This method, is not bound by the
limits on the number of flags and fields per panel which
are supported, as is the built-in protection mechanism.
o Year 2000 Support. The batch mode of running Character Dialog System
has been enhanced by the addition of a new feature, to intercept
potential year 2000 problems.
The year 2000 problem is simply where dates are being used
with 2 character years, and which therefore cannot cater
correctly for the century change. The solution is to change
such dates to 4 character year format.
By inspecting a screenset using this new mode, Dialog System
will produce a report in the logfile DS.LOG & display to
screen, highlighting areas where dates are being used without
full 4 character year fields. Furthermore, an export file is
produced, where Dialog System has auto-corrected the screenset.
This export file contains comments against all changes made.
The mode is enabled by a new set of output parameter types
(Y,M,D). Each type represents one of the 4 character year date
formats that Dialog System supports (YYYYMMDD, MMDDYYYY, DDMMYYYY).
The selected date format will be used in place of non
4 character year dates within the screenset.
eg:
dsch !is example1 !oy yearfile
This command line will load the screenset example1.S, and
create an auto-corrected export file yearfile.Y20, replacing
non conforming dates with YYYYMMDD date format entries.
The default output extension to the export file is Y20.
After making the auto-corrections to the screenset, it is
likely that the screen layout will need amending. This is
because all date changes made will produce larger fields. On
the screen this may lead to two fields overlapping. In this
case, Dialog System at run time will ignore the second field. A
comment in the export file will draw your attention to each
field where this has occurred.
Since the datablock will have been changed (with a comment
against each changed entry in the export file), then it is
necessary to regenerate the screenset copybook, and recompile
your application. At this point great care is needed, since the
logic in your application will almost certainly have to change
to handle the new century-included dates.
The export file must be regarded simply as an example of
dealing with the year 2000 problem, but you have to decide on a
case by case basis whether to accept a change made, or revert
to the previous setting. To do this you will also need a copy
of a normal export file from the screenset.
o CEOF clears numeric fields. CEOF will now clear a numeric field to
zero. Previously this function only affected non-numeric fields,
clearing the field from the current cursor position.
o New date formats. Dates in the format MMDDYYYY and YYYYMMDD are now
explicitly supported in Dialog System, in addition to the present
DDMMYYYY. Dynamic changing of date formats via the configuration file
dsdef.cfg directive DATEFORM continues to be supported, with the
addition of the new formats.
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Micro Focus is a registered trademark, and Dialog System is a trademark,
of Micro Focus Limited.
UNIX is a registered trademark of X/Open Company Limited.
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@(#)Vrn/dsannu.1/2.5.08/25Apr97/nrV
Copyright (C) 1992-97 Micro Focus Limited.