NET/MASTER Network Control Language (NCL) Programmer's Guide

Defining Field Characters in a Panel Description File
Working With Panels
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Fixed output data typically include screen captions, field names, and the names of
individual function keys. This does not change when a panel is displayed.
Variable output data are data generated by Panel Services and NCL when the panel is
being displayed. The data are extracted from NCL variables available in the NCL
process when the panel is invoked. The data may be obtained from system variables
or user variables. The data replace variables positioned within the panel by the creator
of the panel.
Note Each variable that presents output data in the panel must include the initial ampersand (&).
Outvar Fields in a Panel Description File
A #FLD statement that specifies TYPE=OUTVAR defines a field character for an
outvar field.
An outvar field is a protected field like an output field; however, it has an implied
ampersand after the field character.
By defining TYPE in the panel description file as a variable, you can make the panel
field character specify an input field or an output field. In the NCL procedure that
invokes the panel, you can assign a value of either INPUT or OUTVAR to the variable
that defines TYPE, changing the specification of the field character accordingly. This
enables the same field character to conditionally represent either an input or an output
field.
Example of Input and
Output fields
The following example illustrates the difference between input and output fields.
1. Type the following NCL procedure in your user procedure library and call it
ZEX1404N:
zex1404n: PROCEDURE
/* Obtains name and age */
DO FOREVER
PANEL ZEX1404P
END /*do*/
END zex1404n