Chapter 6: Prototyping the Screen Flow

In this chapter, you create a screen flow prototype and run the scenario.

Create a Screen Flow Prototype

Goal

In this section you create a screen flow prototype in the APS Scenario Painter.

Before you generate your screens, you can review their design and flow with the end user in the APS Scenario Painter. You can define a sequence of screens, called a scenario, enter data in those screens, and display the screens to the end user.

By using the Scenario Painter early in the development process, you can work with end users to precisely define screen format and sequence before the development efforts begin.

The Scenario Painter automatically creates a scenario by displaying a list of your application screens, where you can reorder the screens as you like, delete screens, or add new screens (whether or not they have been painted). You can also enter descriptive information.

Procedure

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

To access the Scenario Painter, type scen apsappl in the Command field of the Application Painter screen and press Enter. The Scenario Painter screen for the APSAPPL application displays.

Figure 6-1: Access the Scenario Painter
To display the titles for the screens in the application, including the one you previously created in the Screen Painter with the Title command, type retitle in the Command field and press ENTER. The Screen Painter information displays.

Figure 6-2: Display Screen Titles
To save your prototype definition, enter save in the Command field.

Checkpoint

You have created the screen flow prototype and are ready to run it.

Help

For a new prototype definition, the Scenario Painter lists the screens as they appear in the application definition.

To reset the screen flow to its sequence at the beginning of the session, type reset in the Command field.

The Scenario Painter has an extensive help facility that you can select from the action bar, or access from your screen by pressing PF1.

Hints

You can enter descriptive information about each application screen by typing the desired text in the User Comment field.

To modify the scenario in this tutorial, use the ISPF I(nsert), D(elete), C(opy), and M(ove) line commands to reorder, insert, and delete screen names until the prototype represents the scenario you want to test. A prototype definition can include up to 160 screens.

To describe the screen for the end user, enter text in the User Comments field. For example, a user comment might identify the varying conditions under which the same screen displays multiple times.

Run the Scenario

Goal

In this section, you run the scenario sequentially, display descriptive information about the scenario, and simulate the movement of data.

The Scenario Painter offers data simulation capabilities that allow you to quickly establish and demonstrate online application flow. During prototype sessions, you can capture, save, and reuse data to simulate realistic data movement to the end user. All of the data that you enter automatically becomes available to other screens and displays in identically named fields.

While running a scenario, you can display descriptive information on the last line of the screen, such as the screen name, scenario sequence number, total number of scenario screens, screen title, and any descriptive text entered in the User Comment field. This information is particularly useful when running large scenarios.

Procedure

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

To begin the scenario, type run in the Command field and press Enter. The first screen in the scenario, APSM, displays. Note that Xs indicate the I/O fields.

Figure 6-3: Display the First Screen in the Scenario
To display descriptive information about the scenario, first press the Home key to position the cursor in the upper left corner. Then, type num and press Enter. The Scenario Painter screen redisplays with the information replacing the last line of the application screen mock-up.

Figure 6-4: Display Information about the Scenario
To eliminate the Xs from the I/O fields so you can enter data, first press the Home key to position the cursor. Then type data and press Enter. The I/O fields are available for data entry.

Figure 6-5: Eliminate the Xs from I/O Fields
To simulate what the end user must do to select the ADD screen, type 1 in the Option field of the Menu Screen and press Enter. The Parts Add Screen displays.

Figure 6-6: Enter Sample Data
Enter sample data as shown in Figure 6-6, or enter your own data.
Press Enter to display the final screen in the scenario, the APS Update Menu. If desired, enter sample data.

Figure 6-7: Display the Last Screen
To turn off the data simulation, press the Home key to position the cursor in the upper left corner. Then type dataoff and press Enter. The screen displays in mock-up format.

Figure 6-8: Turn Off Data Simulation
To exit the scenario, press Enter.
Press F3 to return to the Application Painter.

Checkpoint

You have demonstrated the screen flow prototype. The next step in this tutorial is to assign field edits in the screen fields.

Help

To store the current data entered in this session for use in future prototyping sessions, while running he scenario, type save in the upper left corner of the screen.

The READ command displays data saved by the most recently executed SAVE command and also executes the DATA command.

After viewing the last screen in the scenario, press Enter to exit the Scenario Painter.

To modify the viewing sequence of the screens, type any of the following commands, followed by a space, in the top left corner of the displayed screen.

Command	Description
start, first	Display the first screen in the prototype. When you press Enter, the second screen displays, and so on.
last	Display the last screen in the prototype.
end, can, quit	Terminate the prototype and return to the invoking screen.

Hints

To display screens consecutively, press Enter repeatedly until all screens display. If a screen named in your prototype is not yet painted in the Screen Painter, a message displays that information.