HP System Dictionary/XL SDMAIN Reference Manual (32256-90001)

3- 38

Menu Choices

After the attribute menu is displayed, the prompting facility displays the menu prompt (>>) and waits to

receive a selection of numbers from the menu. After you enter values for the speciﬁed attributes, the menu

prompt is again displayed until you enter either a period (.) or a [[RETURN]]. The following table shows

the valid responses to an attribute menu prompt:

INPUT ACTION

A number Prompts for a value for the indicated attribute. EXAMPLE: 2

A list of numbers Promptsfor a value for each of the indicated attributes separated by blanks or commas.

EXAMPLE: 2,3 or 6

all option On all menus, menu option 1 is the all option. When you enter 1, the system prompts for

values for each of the attributes in the menu. When the prompting is completed, this

option proceeds immediately with the execution of the command instead of returning to

the menu prompt. EXAMPLE: 1.

A range of numbers Prompts for a value for each of the attributes (including the attributes associated with

the beginning and ending number) within the specified range. A range is of the form:

beginning number : ending number where the ending attribute number is greater than

the beginning attribute number. EXAMPLE: 2 : 4

H[ELP] Displays a short description of the syntax of user input at the menu and attribute

prompts.

A blank line or a period Terminates prompting and begins execution of the command.

Attribute Values

After you choose an attribute, the system prompts for a value for the attribute and provides the current or

default value in parentheses after the attribute name prompt (for example, SENSITIVITY (PRIVATE)>>).

When using the CREATE command, the default value is displayed in parentheses the ﬁrst time you choose

that attribute. If you choose that attribute again before the command is executed, the value you previously

entered at this attribute prompt is displayed in parentheses. When using the MODIFY command, the

value currently assigned in the dictionary is displayed in parentheses. If you select that attribute again,

the value you entered previously for this attribute prompt is displayed. The value that you enter must

follow the same rules that apply in command mode. Values you enter during attribute prompting are

validated to insure they are legal for the attribute type. No check is made against the edit value of the

attribute. That check is done during execution of the command. The following values have special

meaning when entered in response to value prompting:

INPUT ACTION

[[Return]] The attribute is skipped as if it were never selected. If the attribute has not been previ-

ously selected during this command, the attribute is NOT included in the ATTRIBUTE-

LIST; otherwise, the value assigned at the previous prompt is used.

.(a period) The value of the current attribute is set as if you entered a [[Return]] and prompting of

the current range (if one is active) is stopped. If it is a simple range, no more attributes

in that range are prompted for, and the system moves on to the next attribute. If the

selection is the all option, no more attributes are prompted for and the command exe-

cutes immediately.

/ (a slash) For the CREATE and MODIFY command the attribute is set to its default value. For