Pathway/iTS SCREEN COBOL Reference Manual (H06.10+, J06.03+)

Introduction to SCREEN COBOL

HP NonStop Pathway/iTS SCREEN COBOL Reference Manual—426750-003

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General Rules for Program Design

depending on how the Pathway application is designed to process the transactions.

Figure 1-7 illustrates two typical organizations: the menu and chain.

Both organizations are hierarchical with entry to the group through a single program.

In the menu organization, the main menu screen displays a selection of operations,

with any selection resulting in a call to another simple SCREEN COBOL program that

handles one operation.

The chain organization consists of a series of programs. In the chain, the terminal

operator's selections can call PROG-B from PROG-A and PROG-C from PROG-B.

General Rules for Program Design

The list that follows presents some general guidelines that are helpful when designing

standard (screen-oriented) SCREEN COBOL requester programs. For concepts and

guidelines pertaining to intelligent device (message-oriented) requester programs, see

the

Pathway/iTS TCP and Terminal Programming Guide.

•

Design simple screens.

•

Keep the operator informed of task completion, errors, the next step, and what the

system is doing at all times.

Figure 1-7. Program Organizations

007CDT .CDD

Menu Organization Chain Organization

PROG-A PROG-B PROG-C

PROG-A

PROG-B

PROG-C