Chapter 7: Applying Screen Field Edits

In this chapter, you learn about field edits and assign them to the fields on your screens.

Learn about Field Edits

Goal

In this section you learn about what field edits are and the different types of edits you can create. You also access the Field Edit Facility in the Screen Painter.

Field edits let you define the display and storage characteristics for I/O fields. Field edits can validate input data and format that data for storage and output. You can assign characteristics, such as an internal picture, output picture, edit mask, or date format. Or, you can use field edits to test for specific values or a range of values.

The internal data representation specifies storage characteristics for data in a field. Input and output data representations let you specify the type of data that users can enter or that a field can display. For example, an input data representation for a field may permit a user to enter numbers from 1 to 1,000; an output data representation may require that data display a dollar sign, decimal point, and two places following the decimal point.

Depending on the type of field you create -- character, numeric, or date -- you assign field edits that define the data representations for the field. APS supports the following field edits:

Internal field edit values specify the COBOL picture characteristics for storing data the end user enters. These include:
- Alphabetic, character, or numeric data type
- Internal length
- Binary or packed format
- Sign specification
- Right justification
Input field edit values specify format and data requirements that the end user must adhere to when entering data into the field. These include:
- Required data
- Input mask
- Julian, Gregorian, or system date type
- Minimum/maximum input requirements
- Testing for blank spaces or special characters
- Testing for numeric data
- Testing for specific values
- Zero-fill when blank
Output field edit values specify the format requirements for displaying the data. These include:
- Output mask
- Output picture
- Julian, Gregorian, or system date type
- Right justification
- Commas
- Zero suppression
- Floating, leading, and trailing symbols
Values or conversion values ensure only certain values are entered. You can test for:
- A specific value or range of values for input data
- Conversion values for input and output data representation to define how data is stored and converted for output
Application edit routines specify additional edits or tests for input or output data. Edit routines can be paragraphs, subprograms, or APS macros that you create. Or, you can select a predefined application edit routine from a centralized listing of edit routines maintained by your APS Administrator.

When users fail to enter data correctly, you can display an error message that explains the problem. You can define two error messages, one for when the end user enters invalid data, and one for when the end user neglects to enter data that is required.

Procedure

Start this procedure where the last one ended -- in the Application Painter.

On the Application Painter screen, select the APSU screen by entering s in the selection field and press Enter. The Parts Update screen displays.
To access the Field Edit Facility, type fe in the Command field and press Enter. The Field Selection screen displays.

Checkpoint

You are in the Field Edit Facility and are ready to assign edits to each of your screen fields.

Help

The Screen Painter has an extensive help facility for field edits that you can select from the action bar, or access from your screen by pressing F1.

Hints

You can also code your own edit routines and apply them to multiple screens across any number of application systems. APS field edits ensure that entries match specified definitions. Some fields, however, require specialized testing. For example, if a field has alternate formats, no single field edit can confirm the validity of all possible entries. In such a case, you can write an application edit that verifies all legal entries. Or, you can select a predefined edit from a centralized application edit listing.

Error messages can be global messages that display for all screen fields, or specific messages that display for individual fields. Messages defined for a specific field override the global messages. You can also define conditions for bypassing input edits under certain conditions.

Assign Field Edits

Goal

In this section, you assign the following field edits to the Parts Update screen.

Field	Type	Edit(s)
FUNCTION	Character	Require data entry.
PART-NBR	Numeric	Store data as an 8-digit number. Require data entry. Remove special characters . Define output picture as ZZZZZZZ9.
UNITS-INSTOCK	Numeric	Store data as a 2-digit number. Allow only data between 0 and 50. Move zeros to field if data not entered. Remove special characters. Specify an error message that says VALID VALUES FOR UNITS ARE 0 THROUGH 50. Define output picture as Z9.
BASE-PRICE	Numeric	Store data as a 4-digit number with 2 decimal places. Move zeros to field if data not entered. Remove special characters. Define output picture as ZZZ9.99.

Procedure

Start this procedure where the last one ended -- in the Field Selection screen. The Field Selection screen displays the screen fields for your screen, and lists any edits specified.

Figure 7-1: Summary Field Edit Listing

To select the Function field for edit specification, type s in the selection field to the left of FUNCTION and press Enter, as shown in Figure 7-1. The Edit Selection screen indicates the edits currently specified for the field.

Figure 7-2: Select Field to Assign Edits
To specify input criteria for the field, type s in the Input Editing field and press Enter. The Character Input screen displays, where you can specify input edits for any field with an internal picture defined as alphabetic or character.

Figure 7-3: Specify Input Criteria for Character Fields
To require data entry for this field, type s in the Required field and press Enter.
Press F3 twice to save the edit and return to the Field Selection screen, where you see the edit for the Function field reflected.
To select the Part Number field for edit specification, type s in the selection field to the left of PART-NBR and press Enter. The Edit Selection screen displays.
To automatically access the applicable screens for assigning the required edits, do the following:
- Type s in the Internal Picture field.
- Type s in the Input Editing field.
- Type s in the Output Editing field.
Then press Enter. The Internal Picture screen displays.

Figure 7-4: Generate a COBOL Picture for Internal Storage
To store the data as an 8-digit number, type n in the Data Type field and type 8 in the Internal Length field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 to save these edits. Because you defined the field as numeric and you selected Input Editing on the Edit Selection screen, the Numeric Input screen automatically displays.

Figure 7-5: Specify Input Criteria for a Numeric Field
To remove special characters from the input data, type s in the Numeric De-Edit field.
To require data entry for this field, type s in the Required field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 to save these edits. Because you defined the field as numeric and you selected Output Editing on the Edit Selection screen, the Numeric Output screen automatically displays.

Figure 7-6: Specify Output Criteria for a Numeric Field
To assign the COBOL output picture, type zzzzzzz9 in the Output Picture field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 twice to save these edits and return to the Field Selection screen, where you will see your edits reflected.
To select the Units In Stock field for edit specification, type s in the selection field to the left of UNITS-INSTOCK and press Enter. The Edit Selection screen displays.
To automatically access the applicable screens for assigning the required edits, do the following:
- Type s in the Internal Picture field.
- Type s in the Input Editing field.
- Type s in the Output Editing field.
Then press Enter. The Internal Picture screen displays.
To store the data as a 2-digit number, type n in the Data Type field and type 2 in the Internal Length field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 to save these edits. The Numeric Input screen automatically displays.
To remove special characters from the input data, type s in the Numeric De-Edit field.
To move zeros to the field if data is not entered, type s in the Zero When Blank field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
To automatically access the additional screens for assigning the required edits, do the following:
- Type s in the Values or Conversions field.
- Type s in the Error Processing field.
Press F3 to save these edits. Because you selected Values or Conversions on the Numeric Input screen, the Values or Conversions screen automatically displays.

Figure 7-7: Assign a Valid Range of Values
To assign a range of acceptable input values, type 0 thru 50 on the first value entry line. Optionally press Enter to view the edit.
Press F3. Because you selected Error Processing on the Numeric Input screen, the Error Processing screen automatically displays.

Figure 7-8: Define an Error Message for Invalid Data
To assign the error message, type valid values are 0 through 50 below the Enter Message for Field in Error line.
To position the cursor at the field when invalid data is entered, and to assign a bright intensity to the error message, type pos+brt below the Using TP-ATTR Attribute Syntax line. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 twice. The Numeric Output screen automatically displays.
To assign the COBOL output picture, type z9 in the Output Picture field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 twice to save these edits and return to the Field Selection screen, where you will see your edits reflected.
To assign a field to display the error message you assigned, type parm in the Command field and press Enter.
Type sysmsg in the Error Message Display Field field. Optionally press Enter to view the edit.
Press F3 to return to the Field Selection screen.
To select the Base Price field for edit specification, type s in the selection field to the left of BASE-PRICE and press Enter. The Edit Selection screen displays.
To automatically access the applicable screens for assigning the required edits, do the following:
- Type s in the Internal Picture field.
- Type s in the Input Editing field.
- Type s in the Output Editing field.
Then press Enter. The Internal Picture screen displays.
To store the data as a 4-digit number with 2 decimal places, type n in the Data Type field, type 4 in the Internal Length field, and type 2 in the Decimal Places field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3 to save these edits. The Numeric Input screen automatically displays.
To remove special characters from the input data, type s in the Numeric De-Edit field.
To move zeros to the field if data is not entered, type s in the Zero When Blank field. Optionally press Enter to view the edits.
Press F3. The Numeric Output screen automatically displays.
To assign the COBOL output picture, type zzz9.99 in the Output Picture field. Optionally press Enter to view the edit.
Press F3 twice to save these edits and return to the Field Selection screen, where you will see your edits reflected.
Press F3 repeatedly until you return to the APS Main Menu.

Checkpoint

You have assigned the field edits to your screen fields. You are ready to import your database definitions, a required step before you define the program.

Help

You can delete field edits in one of the following ways:

To delete all field edits for all fields on the screen, access the Field Selection screen, and then type delete all in the Command field and press Enter. At the prompt, verify that you want to delete all field edits.
To delete all field edits for a specific field, access the Edit Selection screen for the field, and type d next to the field name. At the prompt, verify the deletion.
To delete a specific field edit for a specific field, access the Edit Selection screen for the field, and type d to the right of the field edit name and press F3. At the prompt, verify the deletion.

Hints

To copy edits from another field, access the Edit Selection screen for the field you are copying field edits to, and then enter copy in the Command field. The Copy Function screen displays. Enter the field name you are copying edits from; it must be the same length as the current field. The current field inherits the edits of the copied field, and loses any prior edits.

On the Parm screen you can define two error messages, one for when the end user enters invalid data, and one for when the end user neglects to enter data that is required that display for all screen fields. Any messages defined for a specific field then override these global messages. You can also define conditions for bypassing input edits under certain conditions on this screen.