Introduction to Pathmaker

Major Pathmaker Components
Using Pathmaker—An Overview
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Full Screen Interface The Pathmaker full screen interface is, itself, a running Pathway system composed of
requesters, server processes, server classes, and other Pathway entities. The full screen
interface is used to enter information into a Pathmaker catalog. The interface presents
a series of screens where information about the requesters, services, and servers that
make up an application is entered by application developers. The Pathmaker full
screen interface can run in block mode on the 6520/6530 family of Tandem terminals,
including PCs with 6530 emulators. The full screen interface includes:
A screen painter
A simulation feature
A help screen
A utility menu that provides interactive access to other Tandem products such as
TEDIT, FUP, and so on
Pathmaker Application
Definition Language
(PMADL)
The Pathmaker product provides the Pathmaker Application Definition Language
(PMADL), which is a conversational or batch interface to a Pathmaker catalog.
PMADL can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, using the full screen
interface. An existing Pathmaker catalog can be used as input to PMADL, which
creates a text file that describes the contents of the catalog. This text file is then edited
and used as input back into PMADL, which creates entries in a new catalog.
PMADL is especially useful for making mass changes to a Pathmaker catalog. It can
also be used to quickly create a Pathmaker application modeled after an existing
Pathmaker application or to create a document that details the contents of a Pathmaker
catalog.
Skeleton Files and Code
Generators
The Pathmaker product includes skeleton files and code generators that are used, in
conjunction with the information entered into a Pathmaker catalog, to create SCREEN
COBOL requester source code (including the code describing the end user screen) and
the COBOL85 or C server source code for an application. In addition to the Pathmaker
skeleton files, the following files are used as input to the code generators:
Files created by the application developer containing additional SCREEN COBOL
requester code.
Developer-written COBOL85 or C code that directs custom services to perform
database access, data manipulation, calculations, and input validation.
Macros and copy libraries.
A macro exists as source code in a TEDIT file and is written in the Pathmaker macro
language, which is unique to the Pathmaker product.