DIGITAL Software Product Description ___________________________________________________________________ PRODUCT NAME: DIGITAL DECforms for OpenVMS, Version 3.0 SPD 29.90.09 DESCRIPTION DIGITAL DECforms for OpenVMS (DECforms) is a strategic software prod- uct of DIGITAL for the development and deployment of forms-based user interfaces for interactive applications running on OpenVMS systems. DECforms is a complete user interface management system (UIMS), pro- viding applications with not only the look and feel of a forms inter- face, but also a robust set of dialog management and validation func- tions to control the user interface at application execution time. DECforms offers application programmers a set of form development tools for creating forms-based user interfaces for the following end-user environments: o VT-based character-cell terminals o Web browsers (in conjunction with the optional DECforms Web Connector product) o Motif workstations and X terminals o PostScript printers Tools are also included for enabling application developers to upgrade existing VT-based DECforms applications to take advantage of the more powerful bitmap displays of Motif-based desktop devices. DECforms embodies the following fundamental principles: o True separation of form and function o Efficient distribution of forms processing September 1998 AE-Q507D-TE o Ease of use o Flexibility of user interface control o Programming language independence One of the most powerful principles reflected in the DECforms archi- tecture is complete separation of form and function. User interface processing is completely removed from the application program and to- tally isolated within the form itself. In DECforms, a form is not sim- ply a collection of fields and background text describing the form's appearance. A DECforms form includes not just elements related to ap- pearance, but also data and procedural elements that control the pro- cessing of the user's interaction with the form. The application pro- gram is only concerned with the processing of data, not with the gath- ering and display of data at the user interface. This makes applica- tion programs much simpler to develop and easier to maintain, and it also allows a single application to support multiple end-user device environments with user interfaces tailored to the capabilities of the device and to the needs of the end-user. In other words, a single ap- plication program can use DECforms to interact with users on character- cell terminals, Motif devices, and Web browsers. Forms comprise one or more panels that can be of any width and height (for VTs, panels must be no larger than the size of the physical dis- play device). If the data required to satisfy an application program's request cannot be physically or aesthetically fit onto a single screen, multiple panels can be defined within a single form to contain all the necessary fields and background text. Thus, a form can be as large as needed. When panels are displayed on the screen, they are displayed in view- ports (windows) that can be located any place on the screen. For VT devices, DECforms provides a complete windowing system to manage these viewports. For Motif-based devices or Web browsers, the services of the associated windowing system are used-each viewport is associated with a separate window. On VT devices, viewports are static-they can- not be moved by the user. On Motif devices or Web browsers, the user 2 can move, resize, and minimize viewports as needed. DECforms automat- ically displays and removes viewports with their associated panels to gather and display all the data required by the application program. A form is described by the Independent Form Description Language (IFDL). The IFDL, although primarily declarational, includes procedural con- structs as well. Field level control, screen navigation, panel man- agement, and cross field and relational validations are among the many form processing activities that can be performed by the IFDL without the need to return to the application program. DECforms allows a single application to support multiple types of users with interfaces tailored to their particular end-user environments, where those environments are differentiated by such factors as desk- top device and natural language. This tailoring is accomplished by uti- lizing another DECforms structure called a layout. Sets of panels tai- lored for a particular environment can be grouped together in a lay- out. A form can consist of multiple layouts, each tailored for a dif- ferent environment-for instance, one form can contain layouts for both VT devices and Motif devices as well as layouts for English users, French users, and German users. For simplicity, Web browsers use the VT lay- outs. At run-time, DECforms chooses the one layout from within the form appropriate for the end-user environment. The application program interacts with DECforms through a very simple, six-call record-level interface. Either single or multiple records can be transferred in a single request. All field-level processing is performed by the DECforms Run-Time Sys- tem, not by the application program. The DECforms Run-Time System pro- 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 o Scrolled regions with the following characteristics: - Vertical or horizontal scrolling 3 - Containing one- or two-dimensional arrays - Partial or full-line scrolling - Multiple lines per scrolled entry o Conditionally protecting, highlighting, and concealing fields o Changing video attributes dynamically based on real-time events o Highlighting fields when the cursor is present o Color support on VT241s and VT340s via mapping to video attributes 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 o Calling a user-defined routine (procedural escape routine) to per- form more complex validations, including file lookups o Built-in flexible field navigation capabilities on VTs allowing the operator to move among fields in any manner desired o Timeouts on field entries on character-cell terminals and Motif devices 4 o Toggling between insert/overstrike mode on character-cell terminals and Motif devices For Motif devices, DECforms provides the following additional graph- ical user interface (GUI) control and appearance capabilities: o Use of the mouse for random field navigation and other screen functions o Full font and color support o Push buttons o Slider fields (scale widget) o Horizontal and vertical scroll bars on data arrays, multiline text fields, and panels o Cut and paste text within fields, between fields, between panels, and between windows o Shadows and borders for 3D appearance o Open and closed polylines with different line styles o Grey scale fill patterns For Web browsers, DECforms provides the following additional GUI con- trol and appearance capabilities: o Use of the mouse for random field navigation and other screen functions o Changeable background and foreground colors, screen size, font, and font size o Push buttons o Horizontal and vertical scroll bars on multiline text fields and panels 5 DECforms also provides an extremely flexible mechanism for defining functions and redefining keyboards to suit the operator environment. This includes support for multikey function definitions. o On Motif devices, chorded key functions are supported. o On Web browsers, different default mappings are provided for those function keys not present on PC keyboards, typically F13-F20. DECforms supports most OpenVMS data types, which means that data type conversion does NOT have to be performed by the application program in most cases. DECforms can be used with DEC DATATRIEVE to provide powerful, window- like forms interfaces for queries and reports on data stored in DEC RMS, Oracle Rdb for OpenVMS, and Oracle CODASYL DBMS files. Internationalization Features DECforms includes numerous internationalization features, allowing ap- plications to support user interfaces in multilingual environments. These features include: o Multiple natural language layouts per form o International date formats o Numeric data formatting, including replacing decimal point with comma o Multiple character currency signs o Multiple character sets o Flexible positioning of fields and literals to allow for transla- tion o OpenVMS Message Files to allow for translation o Integrated support for Hebrew language form development and pro- cessing, including right-to-left text path on character-cell ter- minals and Motif devices Printing Support 6 Through the use of the printing layout, DECforms provides the capa- bility for rendering high-quality, bitmap hardcopy forms for print- ing on PostScript printers. The printing layout contains the speci- fication of a user interface that is output only and specifies its out- put device as a file, rather than a physical device. This file can serve as input to other DDIF-capable applications, for ultimate printing or inclusion in compound documents. Through the use of the printing layout, DECforms also supports the con- cept of "batch printing" in which applications can use DECforms for high-volume forms printing without the need for a physical display de- vice. Components Form Development Environment (FDE) The FDE allows a form designer to create a form interactively. The FDE provides menus that help the designer step through various tasks of form creation and modification. The FDE is used with either the VT-based Panel Editor or the Motif-based Panel Editor to create the appearance of the form. The FDE also provides access to text editors, including DEC LSE, to allow a designer to write statements in the Independent Form Description Language (IFDL) that describes a DECforms form. Panel Editors The VT-based Panel Editor and the Motif-based Panel Editor allow the user to create graphic form elements in an interactive, "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) fashion. The panel editors support the in- teractive creation of the visual elements of a form's panels: back- ground text and graphics, and the locations, sizes and attributes of fields. Independent Form Description Language (IFDL) The IFDL is a semi-procedural language that completely describes a DECforms form. It allows the form designer to create a form (noninteractively), specifying its appearance and functions. While the appearance of a form can be entirely created by the panel editors, procedural aspects of 7 the forms, such as specialized responses to function keys and special- ized data validation, must be specified directly with IFDL statements. An IFDL source file is a text file that can be created or modified with any text editor. LSE templates are available for the IFDL language to aid in the cre- ation and maintenance of IFDL source code. DECforms also supports the Compile and Review capabilities of the LSE. The IFDL also includes a COPY statement that provides for the copy- ing of record and field definitions from the Oracle CDD/Repository[TM]. DECforms supports Oracle CDD/Repository pieces tracking by deposit- ing information in the dictionary indicating that a particular form has used a certain record. DECforms can also use Oracle CDD/Repository records defined with the BASED ON attribute and those referenced through RDB$RELATIONS. IFDL Translator The IFDL translator compiles an IFDL source file into a binary form file. This form file is then ready for use with its application. Its appearance can be tested on a terminal screen or printed. The binary form file may be analyzed by other DECforms utilities, or edited in the FDE or the appropriate panel editor. Back Translator The Back Translator converts a binary form file into an IFDL source file. Essentially, it performs the reverse function of the IFDL Trans- lator. As a result, it provides a method of editing the IFDL source for a form created or modified by the FDE or panel editor. The IFDL source statements that the Back Translator produces also provide a com- plete textual description of the form. Extract Utility The Extract Utility performs three functions: o Produces a printable representation of a form's panels from a form file. 8 o Creates object modules containing a form. These object modules can then be linked in an executable image with a program as a memory- resident form for use by the same program in a single session or in multiple sessions. The modules can also be linked in shareable images for use by multiple sessions from multiple processes. o Produces an object module that contains pointers, or vectors, to procedural escape routines named in the form file. Escape routines are calls from the form to user-supplied subroutines created to do additional processing outside the form. Test Utility The Test Utility allows certain aspects of the form to be tested sep- arately from its application program. It allows a form designer to check the appearance of a form's panels without having to first write a pro- gram. VT-to-Pixel Layout Converter The VT-to-Pixel Layout Converter takes as input a DECforms binary .FORM file containing a character-cell layout and produces as output an .IFDL source file containing a pixel layout in addition to the original character- cell layout. The new layout is a "first-pass" pixel layout that re- quires some additional manual modifications to effectively take ad- vantage of the additional characteristics of the pixel device, such as the use of the mouse and the full range of fonts and colors. FMS Converter The FMS Converter (available on VAX and Alpha) is a migration tool that converts an FMS form or the forms in an FMS form library into a DECforms IFDL source file. This process converts the appearance of the FMS forms into a similar appearance described by the DECforms IFDL. The converter does NOT convert the application program or the User Action Routines associated with the FMS forms. The FMS Converter works with forms cre- ated with FMS V2.0 or later. VAX TDMS Converter (available on VAX only) 9 A VAX TDMS Converter is available from DIGITAL as a separately order- able product (order number QB-270AA-W* for the base package). This tool converts VAX TDMS forms and request definitions into DECforms IFDL. The tool also includes a COBOL translator for converting TDMS calls in a COBOL application program to equivalent DECforms calls. Sample Applications and Demonstration Forms The sample applications show how a form and an application program can interact. One of the samples includes a simple form with a few panels and a simple application program that makes requests of the form through the Form Manager. This introductory sample application is available only in FORTRAN and C. The more complex sample application includes a form with many panels and many responses to various events, as well as an application pro- gram that makes several requests of the form. This application is avail- able in Ada, BASIC, C, COBOL, DIBOL, FORTRAN, Pascal, and PL/I. In addition to the sample applications, the DECforms full development kit contains a package of demonstration forms, their sources, and a demonstration guide illustrating a number of key features of DECforms. Form Manager The Form Manager is the interface between an application program and a display device. It is a run-time system that controls form display and operator input on terminals. The Form Manager provides six requests for communication between the form and the application. These requests (routines in the Form Manager) allow the application to enable the form for use, send data to the form, receive data from it (separately or in one call), disable the form at the end of a session, or asynchronously cancel a request. The Form Manager is included with the DECforms Full Development Sys- tem and is also offered separately in the optional DECforms Run-Time System. The only DECforms component available in this latter option is the Form Manager. The Run-Time System allows the execution of ap- plications using DECforms on a machine other than the one used to de- velop the application. 10 Developing Forms for Display on Remote IBM 3270 Terminals A special version of DECforms V1.4, shipped exclusively as part of the DEC SNA 3270 Application Services software, allows remote SNA-networked IBM 3270 terminal and PC users to access forms-oriented VAX and Alpha applications. This special version of DECforms provides users with ad- ditional features in the OpenVMS VAX development tools to develop and maintain forms for display on 3270 class devices and Run-Time Systems on both OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha that can generate and interpret a 3270 data stream. This version of DECforms is not available as a stan- dalone product and can only be used in conjunction with DEC SNA 3270 Application Services software and the DEC SNA Domain Gateway. The me- dia and documentation for this version of DECforms are available as part of the DEC SNA 3270 Application Services product; however, a stan- dard DECforms development license is required to use this version. Re- fer to the DEC SNA 3270 Application Services Software Product Descrip- tion (38.70.xx) for more details. DECforms Code Generation Using DECADMIRE V2.1A An alternative to the use of the DECforms Form Development Environ- ment and panel editor tools is the use of DECADMIRE for generating DECforms IFDL source code. DECADMIRE is a prototyping and code generating tool for DECforms timesharing and transaction processing applications. DECADMIRE generates DECforms IFDL source code as well as COBOL, Pascal, FORTRAN 3GL code, Oracle CDD/Repository code, SQL for databases, and ACMS task and task group definitions. The DECforms development kit is still required to produce a .FORM file, using the Form Translator to take the .IFDL source file generated by DECADMIRE and translate it into a .FORM file, ready for use at application execution time. Refer to the DECADMIRE Software Product Description (SPD 52.65.xx) for more infor- mation. Documentation The DECforms documentation set is available with the DECforms full de- velopment option and is available separately. It is not available with the DECforms run-time only option. The documentation set consists of: o DIGITAL DECforms Guide to Developing an Application 11 o DIGITAL DECforms Guide to Commands and Utilities o DIGITAL DECforms Programmer's Reference Manual o DIGITAL DECforms IFDL Reference Manual o DIGITAL DECforms Style Guide for Character-Cell Devices o DIGITAL DECforms Guide to Converting FMS Applications o DIGITAL DECforms Installation Guide for OpenVMS Systems o DECforms Keypad Card HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS Hardware Configurations DECforms Version V3.0 for OpenVMS is supported on all hardware con- figurations referenced in the OpenVMS Operating System for Alpha and VAX, Version 7.1, Software Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx). Terminals 1 VT100 VT100 with AVO VT101 VT102 VT103 2 VT125 VT131 VT220 VT240 3 VT2413 VT320 3 VT3304 VT340 4 VT4204 VT510 4 VT520 VT525 VT1200 VT1300 VXT2000 IBM [R] 3270 compatible 5 1. DECforms also supports the Hebrew versions of the VT100, VT200, and VT300 series terminals. 2. The VT131 is supported in VT102 mode only. 12 3. DECforms does not support the use of the 25th status line nor the use of the locator device on VT300-series terminals. 4. DECforms panels of up to 72 lines may be defined for VT420 and VT500 series terminals. These terminals can display 24, 36, or 48 lines on a single screen. Panels consisting of a number of lines greater than the screen size can be panned under local hardware control by the terminal. DECforms does not support access to the F1-F5 func- tion keys or to the ALTERNATE key. The COMPOSE key is supported when configured for LOCAL COMPOSE. 5. DECforms supports display of forms on directly connected IBM 3270- class terminals only when those terminals are connected to the CXM04 3270 Terminal Option Card of a DECserver 550. This option card makes the IBM 3270-compatible device appear as a VT220 to the applica- tion. Terminal Emulators Terminal emulators on workstations and personal computers are supported only to the extent that the emulator conforms to the environment it is emulating. Printers DECforms printing layouts can be converted to PostScript files that can then be printed on any device compatible for printing PostScript files. DECforms character-cell panels and forms can be printed on any DIGITAL printer. Video attributes are not printed and lines are drawn using the characters "-", "+", " " rather than the line-drawing character set. Disk Space Requirements (Block Cluster Size = 1) The approximate amount of space required on the system disk to sup- port the DECforms for OpenVMS software is as follows. Actual sizes may vary depending on the system environment, configuration, and software options. 13 ___________________________________________________________________ Development 33,500 41,000 blocks Installation blocks 16.8 MB 20.5 MB Development 32,500 40,000 blocks Permanent blocks 16.3 MB 20.0 MB Run-Time In- 3,000 5,300 blocks stallation blocks 1.5 MB 2.7 MB Run-Time Perma- 2,500 4,800 blocks nent blocks ___________________1.3_MB_______2.4_MB_____________________________ Memory Requirements for DECwindows Motif Support The minimum supported memory for this application running in a stan- dalone DECwindows Motif environment with both the client and the server executing on the same system is 16MB. The performance and memory usage of DECwindows Motif applications are particularly sensitive to system configuration. Less memory may be re- quired on the client system (the system where the software is installed and executed) if the server (the component that displays the appli- cation) resides on another system. More memory may be required on a system with several applications running, or may be desirable to im- prove the performance of an application. SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS For Systems Using Terminals (No DECwindows Motif Interface): o OpenVMS Operating System V6.2 or higher 14 For Workstations Running DECwindows Motif: o OpenVMS Operating System V6.2 or higher o DECwindows Motif V1.1 for OpenVMS OpenVMS Tailoring: The following OpenVMS classes are required for full functionality of this layered product: o OpenVMS Required Saveset o Programming Support o Utilities OPTIONAL SOFTWARE o DIGITAL DECforms Web Connector V1.0 o Oracle CDD/Repository for OpenVMS V5.3-V7.0 o DECset Release 11.2-12.2 for OpenVMS o Any programming language that conforms to the OpenVMS calling stan- dard. GROWTH CONSIDERATIONS The minimum hardware/software requirements for any future version of this product may be different from the requirements for the current version. YEAR 2000 READY DECforms for OpenVMS is Year 2000 ready. A combination of source code review, and regression, system, and load testing was performed to as- sure Year 2000 Readiness. 15 A definable sliding window capability for interpretation of two digit years on input is provided. SOFTWARE LICENSING This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions. For more in- formation about DIGITAL's licensing terms and policies, contact your local DIGITAL office. License Management Facility Support: This layered product supports the OpenVMS License Management Facil- ity. License units for the Full Development System are allocated on an Un- limited System Use and Personal Use basis. License units for the Run- Time Only System are allocated on an Unlimited System Use and Concur- rent Use basis. For more information on the License Management Facility, refer to the OpenVMS Operating System Software Product Descriptions (SPD 25.01.xx) or the OpenVMS Operating System documentation set. DISTRIBUTION MEDIA o TK50 Streaming Tape o 9-track 1600 BPI Magtape The software for DECforms for OpenVMS is available as part of the OpenVMS Software Product Library CD-ROM. The documentation for DECforms for OpenVMS is available as part of the OpenVMS Online Documentation Library CD-ROM. 16 ORDERING INFORMATION OpenVMS VAX Full Form Development and Run-Time: ___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________Part_Number___________________________ Unlimited Use License QL-VCHA*-AA Personal Use License QL-VCHAA-2B Software Media QA-VCHAA-H* Hardcopy Documentation QA-VCHAA-GZ Software_Product_Services____QT-VCHA*-**___________________________ Users of VAX FMS or VAX TDMS that want to use DECforms development tools on the same system as VAX FMS or VAX TDMS development tools can or- der DECforms development licenses at a significant discount using the following order number: Software Migration License: QL-VUVAA-J* Order numbers for the media, documentation, and services are the same as the standard development system. OpenVMS Alpha Full Form Development and Run-Time: ___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________Part_Number___________________________ Unlimited Use License QL-0J8A*-AA Personal Use License QL-VCHAA-2B Software Media QA-03XAA-H8 Hardcopy Documentation QA-VCHAA-GZ Software_Product_Services____QT-0J8A*-**___________________________ OpenVMS VAX Run-Time Only System: 17 ___________________________________________________________________ Unlimited Use License QL-VNSA*-AA Concurrent Use License QL-VNSAA-3B Software Media QA-VNSAA-H* Software_Product_Services____QT-VNSA*-**___________________________ Users of VAX FMS or VAX TDMS that want to use the DECforms run-time system on the same system as a VAX FMS or VAX TDMS run-time system can order DECforms run-time licenses at a significant discount using the following order number: Software Migration License: QL-VUWAA-J* The order numbers for the media and services are the same as the stan- dard run-time system. OpenVMS Alpha Run-Time Only System: ___________________________________________________________________ _____________________________Part_Number___________________________ Unlimited Use License QL-0J9A*-AA Concurrent Use License QL-VNSAA-2B Software Media QA-03XAA-H8 Software_Product_Services____QT-0J9A*-**___________________________ * Denotes variant fields. For additional information on available li- censes, services, and media, refer to the appropriate price book. The above information is valid at time of release. Please contact your local DIGITAL office for the most up-to-date information. 18 CLUSTER ENVIRONMENT This layered product is fully supported when installed on any valid and licensed VMScluster configuration without restrictions. VMSclus- ter configurations are fully described in the OpenVMS Cluster Soft- ware Product Description (29.78.xx) and include CI, Ethernet, and Mixed Interconnect configurations. SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES A variety of service options are available from DIGITAL. For more in- formation, contact your local DIGITAL office. SOFTWARE WARRANTY This software is provided by DIGITAL with a 90 day conformance war- ranty in accordance with the DIGITAL warranty terms applicable to the license purchase. © 1998 Digital Equipment Corporation. All rights reserved. [R] IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Ma- chines Corporation. [R] Motif is a registered trademark of Open Software Foundation, Inc. [R] Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. [R] PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Incor- porated. [TM] Oracle CDD/Repository is a trademark of Oracle Corporation. [TM] Oracle CODASYL DBMS is a trademark of Oracle Corporation. [TM] Oracle Rdb is a trademark of Oracle Corporation. 19 [TM] The DIGITAL Logo, ACMS, CI, DATATRIEVE, DDIF, DECforms, DECserver, DECset, DECwindows, DIGITAL, OpenVMS, TK, VAX, VAX FMS, VAXstation, VMS, VMScluster, VT100, VT220, VT300, VT320, VT330, VT340, VT420, and VXT2000 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. 20