      Software Product  Description   C ___________________________________________________________________   C PRODUCT NAME:  Compaq DECforms for OpenVMS, Version 3.2         SPD  29.90.11   DESCRIPTION   D Compaq DECforms for OpenVMS (DECforms) is a software product for theD development and deployment of forms-based user interfaces for inter-F active applications running on OpenVMS systems. DECforms is a completeD user interface management system (UIMS), providing applications withF not only the look and feel of a forms interface, but also a robust setE of dialog management and validation functions to control the user in- & terface at application execution time.  G DECforms offers application programmers a set of form development tools C for creating forms-based user interfaces for the following end-user 
 environments:   $ o  VT-based character-cell terminals  C o  Web browsers (in conjunction with the optional DECforms Web Con-     nector product)  % o  Motif workstations and X terminals    o  PostScript printers  F Tools are also included for enabling application developers to upgradeE existing VT-based DECforms applications to take advantage of the more 8 powerful bitmap displays of Motif-based desktop devices.  7 DECforms embodies the following fundamental principles:   ' o  True separation of form and function   - o  Efficient distribution of forms processing    o  Ease of use  C                                                        October 2000   C                                                         AE-Q507F-TE        ( o  Flexibility of user interface control  $ o  Programming language independence  D One of the most powerful principles reflected in the DECforms archi-C tecture is complete separation of form and function. User interface E processing is completely removed from the application program and to- F tally isolated within the form itself. In DECforms, a form is not sim-D ply a collection of fields and background text describing the form'sE appearance. A DECforms form includes not just elements related to ap- E pearance, but also data and procedural elements that control the pro- E cessing of the user's interaction with the form. The application pro- F gram is only concerned with the processing of data, not with the gath-D ering and display of data at the user interface. This makes applica-D tion programs much simpler to develop and easier to maintain, and itD also allows a single application to support multiple end-user deviceE environments with user interfaces tailored to the capabilities of the E device and to the needs of the end-user. In other words, a single ap- G plication program can use DECforms to interact with users on character- 0 cell terminals, Motif devices, and Web browsers.  E Forms comprise one or more panels that can be of any width and height E (for VTs, panels must be no larger than the size of the physical dis- F play device). If the data required to satisfy an application program'sG request cannot be physically or aesthetically fit onto a single screen, F multiple panels can be defined within a single form to contain all theE necessary fields and background text. Thus, a form can be as large as  needed.   D When panels are displayed on the screen, they are displayed in view-C ports (windows) that can be located any place on the screen. For VT F devices, DECforms provides a complete windowing system to manage theseC viewports. For Motif-based devices or Web browsers, the services of D the associated windowing system are used-each viewport is associatedE with a separate window. On VT devices, viewports are static-they can- D not be moved by the user. On Motif devices or Web browsers, the userE can move, resize, and minimize viewports as needed. DECforms automat- E ically displays and removes viewports with their associated panels to D gather and display all the data required by the application program.  "                                  2       H A form is described by the Independent Form Description Language (IFDL).D The IFDL, although primarily declarational, includes procedural con-C structs as well. Field level control, screen navigation, panel man- F agement, and cross field and relational validations are among the manyD form processing activities that can be performed by the IFDL without. the need to return to the application program.  G DECforms allows a single application to support multiple types of users C with interfaces tailored to their particular end-user environments, D where those environments are differentiated by such factors as desk-G top device and natural language. This tailoring is accomplished by uti- F lizing another DECforms structure called a layout. Sets of panels tai-D lored for a particular environment can be grouped together in a lay-E out. A form can consist of multiple layouts, each tailored for a dif- F ferent environment-for instance, one form can contain layouts for bothI VT devices and Motif devices as well as layouts for English users, French E users, and German users. For simplicity, Web browsers use the VT lay- G outs. At run-time, DECforms chooses the one layout from within the form ) appropriate for the end-user environment.    Features  C The application program interacts with DECforms through a very sim- G ple, six-call record-level interface. Either single or multiple records ' can be transferred in a single request.   E All field-level processing is performed by the DECforms Run-Time Sys- F tem, not by the application program. The DECforms Run-Time System pro-E vides a wide variety of form, panel, and field-level control and pro-   cessing capabilities, including:   o  Multiline text fields  / o  Simple arithmetic operations within the form   7 o  Scrolled regions with the following characteristics:   &    -  Vertical or horizontal scrolling  /    -  Containing one- or two-dimensional arrays   $    -  Partial or full-line scrolling  "                                  3       '    -  Multiple lines per scrolled entry   @ o  Conditionally protecting, highlighting, and concealing fields  B o  Changing video attributes dynamically based on real-time events  1 o  Highlighting fields when the cursor is present   F o  Color support on VT241 and VT340 terminals via mapping to video at-    tributes    o  Format validations:      -  Character type      -  Entry required      -  Minimum length      -  Full field      -  No data input    o  Content validations:       -  Range check       -  List check   o  Context validations:   "    -  Against a general expression      -  Cross-field validations   E o  Calling a user-defined routine (procedural escape routine) to per- 8    form more complex validations, including file lookups  F o  Built-in flexible field navigation capabilities on VTs allowing the6    operator to move among fields in any manner desired  F o  Timeouts on field entries on character-cell terminals and Motif de-    vices  C o  Toggling between insert/overstrike mode on character-cell termi-     nals and Motif devices   "                                  4       D For Motif devices, DECforms provides the following additional graph-> ical user interface (GUI) control and appearance capabilities:  F o  Use of the mouse for random field navigation and other screen func-    tions   o  Full font and color support   o  Push buttons    o  Slider fields (scale widget)   E o  Horizontal and vertical scroll bars on data arrays, multiline text     fields, and panels   D o  Cut and paste text within fields, between fields, between panels,    and between windows  ( o  Shadows and borders for 3D appearance  7 o  Open and closed polylines with different line styles    o  Grey scale fill patterns   E For Web browsers, DECforms provides the following additional GUI con- ! trol and appearance capabilities:   ! o  Selectable panel display style   F o  Use of the mouse for random field navigation and other screen func-    tions  F o  Changeable background and foreground colors, screen size, font, and    font size   o  Push buttons   C o  Horizontal and vertical scroll bars on multiline text fields and 	    panels   C DECforms also provides an extremely flexible mechanism for defining D functions and redefining keyboards to suit the operator environment.8 This includes support for multikey function definitions.  9 o  On Motif devices, chorded key functions are supported.   "                                  5       E o  On Web browsers, different default mappings are provided for those @    function keys not present on PC keyboards, typically F13-F20.  E DECforms supports most OpenVMS data types, which means that data type C conversion does NOT have to be performed by the application program  in most cases.  H DECforms can be used with Compaq DATATRIEVE to provide powerful, window-D like forms interfaces for queries and reports on data stored in RMS,* Oracle Rdb, and Oracle CODASYL DBMS files.   Internationalization Features   F DECforms includes numerous internationalization features, allowing ap-C plications to support user interfaces in multilingual environments.  These features include:   - o  Multiple natural language layouts per form    o  International date formats   H o  Numeric data formatting, including replacing decimal point with comma  $ o  Multiple character currency signs   o  Multiple character sets  D o  Flexible positioning of fields and literals to allow for transla-    tion   1 o  OpenVMS Message Files to allow for translation   C o  Integrated support for Hebrew language form development and pro- D    cessing, including right-to-left text path on character-cell ter-    minals and Motif devices    Printing Support  C Through the use of the printing layout, DECforms provides the capa- C bility for rendering high-quality, bitmap hardcopy forms for print- C ing on PostScript printers. The printing layout contains the speci- G fication of a user interface that is output only and specifies its out- H put device as a file, rather than a physical device. This file can serve  "                                  6       E as input to other DDIF-capable applications, for ultimate printing or   inclusion in compound documents.  G Through the use of the printing layout, DECforms also supports the con- C cept of "batch printing" in which applications can use DECforms for F high-volume forms printing without the need for a physical display de- vice.   
 Components   Form Manager  D The Form Manager is the interface between an application program andD a display device. It is a run-time system that controls form displayG and operator input on terminals. The Form Manager provides six requests F for communication between the form and the application. These requestsG (routines in the Form Manager) allow the application to enable the form C for use, send data to the form, receive data from it (separately or I in one call), disable the form at the end of a session, or asynchronously  cancel a request.   E The Form Manager is included with the DECforms Development System and D is also offered separately in the optional DECforms Run-Time System.G The only DECforms component available in this latter option is the Form E Manager. The Run-Time System allows the execution of applications us- D ing DECforms on a machine other than the one used to develop the ap-
 plication.  C The Server Wrapper Object (SWO) process is an extension to the run- E time capabilities of the Form Manager and is used in conjunction with  the DECforms Web Connector.   " Form Development Environment (FDE)  F The FDE allows a form designer to create a form interactively. The FDEC provides menus that help the designer step through various tasks of C form creation and modification. The FDE is used with either the VT- D based Panel Editor or the Motif-based Panel Editor to create the ap-C pearance of the form. The FDE also provides access to text editors, D including the Language Sensitive Editor (LSE), part of Compaq DECset  "                                  7       C for OpenVMS Systems, to allow a designer to write statements in the F Independent Form Description Language (IFDL) that describes a DECforms form.   , Independent Form Description Language (IFDL)  K The IFDL is a semi-procedural language that completely describes a DECforms F form. It allows the form designer to create a form (noninteractively),G specifying its appearance and functions. While the appearance of a form C can be entirely created by the panel editors, procedural aspects of E the form, such as specialized responses to function keys and special- F ized data validation, must be specified directly with IFDL statements.G An IFDL source file is a text file that can be created or modified with  any text editor.  D LSE templates are available for the IFDL language to aid in the cre-E ation and maintenance of IFDL source code. DECforms also supports the + Compile and Review capabilities of the LSE.   C The IFDL also includes a COPY statement that provides for the copy- C ing of record and field definitions from the Oracle CDD/Repository. C DECforms supports Oracle CDD/Repository pieces tracking by deposit- C ing information in the dictionary indicating that a particular form F has used a certain record. DECforms can also use Oracle CDD/RepositoryH records defined with the BASED ON attribute and those referenced through RDB$RELATIONS.   IFDL Translator   C The IFDL translator compiles an IFDL source file into a binary form D file. This form file is then ready for use with its application. ItsD appearance can be tested on a terminal screen or printed. The binaryC form file may be analyzed by other DECforms utilities, or edited in ( the FDE or the appropriate panel editor.   Back Translator         "                                  8       C The Back Translator converts a binary form file into an IFDL source F file. Essentially, it performs the reverse function of the IFDL Trans-C lator. As a result, it provides a method of editing the IFDL source C for a form created or modified by the FDE or panel editor. The IFDL G source statements that the Back Translator produces also provide a com- & plete textual description of the form.  
 Panel Editors   D The VT-based Panel Editor and the Motif-based Panel Editor allow theE user to create graphic form elements in an interactive, "What You See E Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) fashion. The panel editors support the in- C teractive creation of the visual elements of a form's panels: back- D ground text and graphics, and the locations, sizes and attributes of fields.    VT-to-Pixel Layout Converter  G The VT-to-Pixel Layout Converter takes as input a DECforms binary .FORM G file containing a character-cell layout and produces as output an .IFDL L source file containing a pixel layout in addition to the original character-C cell layout. The new layout is a "first-pass" pixel layout that re- C quires some additional manual modifications to effectively take ad- C vantage of the additional characteristics of the pixel device, such ? as the use of the mouse and the full range of fonts and colors.    Extract Utility   - The Extract Utility performs three functions:   E o  Produces a printable representation of a form's panels from a form     file.  E o  Creates object modules containing a form. These object modules can D    then be linked in an executable image with a program as a memory-C    resident form for use by the same program in a single session or D    in multiple sessions. The modules can also be linked in shareable?    images for use by multiple sessions from multiple processes.     "                                  9       C o  Produces an object module that contains pointers, or vectors, to E    procedural escape routines named in the form file. Escape routines E    are calls from the form to user-supplied subroutines created to do *    additional processing outside the form.   Test Utility  E The Test Utility allows certain aspects of the form to be tested sep- H arately from its application program. It allows a form designer to checkF the appearance of a form's panels without having to first write a pro- gram.   + Sample Applications and Demonstration Forms   F The sample applications show how a form and an application program canC interact. One of the samples includes a simple form with a few pan-_D els and a simple application program that makes requests of the formH through the Form Manager. This introductory sample application is avail- able only in FORTRAN and C.n  D The more complex sample application includes a form with many panelsD and many responses to various events, as well as an application pro-H gram that makes several requests of the form. This application is avail-? able in Ada, BASIC, C, COBOL, DIBOL, FORTRAN, Pascal, and PL/I.e  D In addition to the sample applications, the DECforms development kitF contains a package of demonstration forms, their sources, and a demon-A stration guide illustrating a number of key features of DECforms.f  
 FMS Convertero  E The FMS Converter is a migration tool that converts forms or form li- E braries created with Compaq FMS for OpenVMS (Forms Management System)sC into a DECforms IFDL source file. This process converts the appear-rE ance of the FMS forms into a similar appearance described by the DEC-eE forms IFDL. The converter does NOT convert the application program orgE the User Action Routines (UAR) associated with the FMS forms. The FMSm: Converter works with forms created with FMS V2.0 or later.  . TDMS Converter (available on OpenVMS VAX only)  "                                 10 m  d  C A TDMS Converter is available from Compaq as a separately orderable G product (order number QB-270AA-W* for the base package). This tool con-2F verts forms and request definitions created with Compaq TDMS for Open-F VMS VAX (Terminal Data Management System) into DECforms IFDL. The toolE also includes a COBOL translator for converting TDMS calls in a COBOLe1 application program to equivalent DECforms calls.a  ' Developing Forms for IBM 3270 Terminals   F A special version of DECforms V1.4, shipped exclusively as part of theJ Compaq SNA 3270 Application Services software, allows remote SNA-networkedE IBM 3270 terminal and PC users to access forms-oriented VAX and AlphanF applications. This special version of DECforms provides users with ad-E ditional features in the OpenVMS VAX development tools to develop and E maintain forms for display on 3270 class devices and Run-Time Systems E on both OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha that can generate and interpretnH a 3270 data stream. This version of DECforms is not available as a stan-G dalone product and can only be used in conjunction with Compaq SNA 3270iD Application Services software and the Compaq SNA Domain Gateway. TheE media and documentation for this version of DECforms are available ashD part of the Compaq SNA 3270 Application Services product; however, aF standard DECforms development license is required to use this version.F Refer to the Compaq SNA 3270 Application Services Software Product De-& scription (38.70.xx) for more details.  
 Documentationm  D The DECforms documentation set is available with the DECforms devel-C opment option and is available separately. It is not available withbE the DECforms run-time only option. The documentation set consists of:l  % o  Guide to Developing an Applicationc  " o  Guide to Commands and Utilities    o  Programmer's Reference Manual   o  IFDL Reference Manual  ) o  Style Guide for Character-Cell Devicesr  ' o  Guide to Converting FMS Applicationsc  "                                 11 r     ) o  Installation Guide for OpenVMS Systemsw   o  Keypad Card   o  Release Notes   HARDWARE REQUIREMENTSo   Hardware Configurationss  E DECforms for OpenVMS is supported on all hardware configurations ref-dC erenced in the OpenVMS Operating System for Alpha and VAX, Softwaren# Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx).f   Terminals Supporteds  C ________1__________________________________________________________sC Terminal__________________________Notes____________________________e   VT100, VT100 w/AVO VT101, VT102, VT103, VT125# VT131                             2  VT220, VT240, VT241 # VT320, VT330, VT340               3i# VT420                             4o# VT510, VT520, VT525               4h VT1200, VT1300 VXT2000 C IBM_3270_compatible_______________5________________________________n  F 1. DECforms also supports the Hebrew versions of the VT100, VT200, and    VT300 series terminals.  - 2. The VT131 is supported in VT102 mode only.h  D 3. DECforms does not support the use of the 25th status line nor the7    use of the locator device on VT300-series terminals.o      "                                 12 a  c  G 4. DECforms panels of up to 72 lines may be defined for VT420 and VT500yD    series terminals. These terminals can display 24, 36, or 48 linesE    on a single screen. Panels consisting of a number of lines greaterlE    than the screen size can be panned under local hardware control byrD    the terminal. DECforms does not support access to the F1-F5 func-G    tion keys or to the ALTERNATE key. The COMPOSE key is supported when      configured for LOCAL COMPOSE.  E 5. DECforms supports display of forms on directly connected IBM 3270-,G    class terminals only when those terminals are connected to the CXM04tG    3270 Terminal Option Card of a DECserver 550. This option card makesiC    the IBM 3270-compatible device appear as a VT220 to the applica-g    tion.   Terminal Emulators  G Terminal emulators on workstations and personal computers are supportedlC only to the extent that the emulator conforms to the environment it-
 is emulating.g   Printers  C DECforms printing layouts can be converted to PostScript files thatTD can then be printed on any device compatible for printing PostScript files.  G DECforms character-cell panels and forms can be printed on any printer.eD Video attributes are not printed and lines are drawn using the char-@ acters "-", "+", " " rather than the line-drawing character set.  0 Disk Space Requirements (Block Cluster Size = 1)  E These counts refer to the disk space required on the system disk. The D sizes are approximate; actual sizes may vary depending on the user's8 system environment, configuration, and software options.          "                                 13 t  b    C ___________________________________________________________________   - Development        33,500       41,000 blocks4 Installation       blocksa'                    16.8 MB      20.5 MBr- Development        32,500       40,000 blocks- Permanent          blocksi'                    16.3 MB      20.0 MB , Run-Time In-       3,000        5,400 blocks stallation         blocks &                    1.5 MB       2.7 MB, Run-Time Perma-    2,600        4,900 blocks nent               blocks C ___________________1.3_MB_______2.5_MB_____________________________   ( Memory Requirements for DECwindows Motif  D The minimum supported memory for this application running in a stan-G dalone DECwindows Motif environment with both the client and the server % executing on the same system is 16MB.c  E The performance and memory usage of DECwindows Motif applications areoF particularly sensitive to system configuration. Less memory may be re-G quired on the client system (the system where the software is installed C and executed) if the server (the component that displays the appli-oC cation) resides on another system. More memory may be required on afD system with several applications running, or may be desirable to im-( prove the performance of an application.   SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS    For Systems Using Terminalss  + o  OpenVMS Operating System, V6.2 or higherf  ) For Workstations Running DECwindows Motifi  + o  OpenVMS Operating System, V6.2 or higher   / o  DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS, V1.1 or higher3  "                                 14 n  w   OPTIONAL SOFTWAREy  / o  Compaq DECforms Web Connector, V3.0 or laterw  / o  Oracle CDD/Repository for OpenVMS, V5.3-V7.0I  ; o  Compaq DECset for OpenVMS Systems, Release 11.2 or latere  F o  Any programming language that conforms to the OpenVMS calling stan-    dard.   SOFTWARE LICENSING  E This software is furnished only under a license. For more informationfD about Compaq's licensing terms and policies, contact your local Com- paq office.   ! LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY (LMF)r  C This layered product supports the OpenVMS License Management Facil-n ity.  C License units for the Development System are allocated on an Capac-uE ity Basis by hardware tier or a Personal Use basis. Each Personal UsedD license allows one identified individual to use the layered product.F License units for the Run-Time System are allocated on an Capacity Ba-C sis by hardware tier or a Concurrent Use basis. Each Concurrent Use-D license allows any one individual at a time to use the layered prod-E uct. Some number of concurrent use licenses must be purchased to sup-r$ port the concurrent number of users.  E For more information on the License Management Facility, refer to theiD OpenVMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx)G or the License Management Facility manual of the OpenVMS Operating Sys-r tem documentation set.   CLUSTER ENVIRONMENTr  C This layered product is fully supported when installed on any valid E and licensed VMScluster configuration without restrictions. The Hard-eF ware Requirements section of this Software Product Description details. any special hardware required by this product.  "                                 15 y  g  E VMScluster configurations are fully described in the VMScluster Soft- D ware Product Description (SPD 29.78.xx) and include CI, Ethernet and" Mixed Interconnect configurations.   DISTRIBUTION MEDIA   This product is distributed on:o  . o  9-track 1600 BPI Magtape (OpenVMS VAX only)  ) o  TK50 Streaming Tape (OpenVMS VAX only)e  = o  CD-ROM (as part of the OpenVMS Software Product Libraries)o  C The software documentation is also available as part of the OpenVMSt) Online Documentation Libraries on CD-ROM.S   ORDERING INFORMATION  C ___________________________________________________________________oC OpenVMS_Alpha________________Part_Number___________________________   ( Development License,         QL-0J8A*-AA
 Unlimited Use   ( Development License,         QL-VCHAA-2B Personal Use  ( Development Software         QT-0J8A*-** Product Services  ( Run-Time License, Unlim-     QL-0J9A*-AA ited Use  ( Run-Time License,Concurrent  QL-VNSAA-2B Useh  ( Run-Time Software Product    QT-0J9A*-** Services  ( Media and Documentation      QA-03XAA-H8 (OpenVMS Alpha Softwared Product Library)  C Hardcopy_Documentation_______QA-VCHAA-GZ___________________________a  "                                 16    i    C ___________________________________________________________________m  ( Development License,         QL-VCHA*-AA
 Unlimited Usec  ( Development License,         QL-VCHAA-2B Personal Use  ( Development Migration        QL-VUVAA-J* License,
 Unlimited Usef  ( Development Media and        QA-VCHAA-H*
 Documentation(  ( Development Software         QT-VCHA*-** Product Services  ( Run-Time License, Unlim-     QL-VNSA*-AA ited Use  ( Run-Time License, Concur-    QL-VNSAA-3B rent Use  ( Run-Time Migration Li-       QL-VUWAA-J* cense,
 Unlimited Use   ( Run-Time Media and Docu-     QA-VNSAA-H*	 mentation   ( Run-Time Software Product    QT-VNSA*-** Services  ( Media and Documentation      QA-5G88A-H8 (OpenVMS VAX Softwareo Product Library)  C Hardcopy_Documentation_______QA-VCHAA-GZ___________________________O  F *  Denotes variant fields. For additional information on available li-D    censes, services, and media, refer to the appropriate price book.   OpenVMS VAX Migration Licenses  "                                 17 n  t  F Users of FMS or TDMS that want to use DECforms on the same OpenVMS VAXC system as FMS or TDMS can purchase DECforms Development or Run-TimehD Migration Licenses at a significant discount using the order numbersF listed above. Order numbers for media, documentation, and services areA the same as the standard DECforms Development or Run-Time system.E  F The Development Migration License would be purchased when DECforms de-D velopment tools are to be used on the same OpenVMS VAX system as ex-D isting FMS or TDMS development tools. The Run-Time Migration LicenseE would be purchased when the DECforms run-time system is to be used onhE the same OpenVMS VAX system as existing FMS or TDMS run-time systems.m   SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICESd  D A variety of service options are available from Compaq. For more in-, formation, contact your local Compaq office.   GROWTH CONSIDERATIONS   E The minimum hardware and software requirements for any future versioneC of this product may be different from the requirements for the cur-t
 rent version.i   SOFTWARE WARRANTYe  F This software is provided by Compaq with a 90 day conformance warrantyF in accordance with the Compaq warranty terms applicable to the license	 purchase.d  F The above information is valid at time of release. Please contact your8 local Compaq office for the most up-to-date information.  "  2000 Compaq Computer Corporation  F COMPAQ, the Compaq logo, DECforms Registered in U.S. Patent and Trade- mark Office.  D DECset, DECwindows, and OpenVMS are trademarks of Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P.  ' Motif is a trademark of The Open Group.t  "                                 18 D  o  D All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks or regis-/ tered trademarks of their respective companies.A  F Confidential computer software. Valid license from Compaq required forC possession, use, or copying. Consistent with FAR 12.211 and 12.212,wH Commercial Computer Software, Computer Software Documentation, and Tech-C nical Data for Commercial Items are licensed to the U.S. Governmentl+ under vendor's standard commercial license.a  E Compaq shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omis- C sions contained herein. The information in this document is subjecto to change without notice.e                                                        "                                 19