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

System Variables Set by the PANEL Verb
Working With Panels
14–74 106160 Tandem Computers Incorporated
System Variables Set
by the PANEL Verb
The system variables that are set as a result of displaying a panel are listed in
Table 14-13. You can test these system variables from an NCL process after the
PANEL verb has completed its operation.
Table 14-13. System Variables Set by the PANEL Verb
System Variable Contents of System Variable
&SYS.CURS.COL Contains the cursor position of the column in which input was received from the last displayed panel. The
value is relative to the top left corner of the panel, beginning from 1.
&SYS.CURS.FLD Contains the name of the input or outvar field for the most recent data entry from a panel.
&SYS.CURS.POS Contains the offset to the cursor position from the start of the field defined by &SYS.CURS.FLD.
&SYS.CURS.ROW Contains the cursor position of the row in which input was received from the last displayed panel. The
value is relative to the top left corner of the panel, beginning from 1.
&SYS.INKEY Contains the name of the key pressed by a user to terminate input and remove the panel from display. It
has a null value if the panel was synchronous and timed out (using the INWAIT operand).
&SYSMSG Contains the text of the message related to the first error detected during internal validation. This includes
the case when the panel description file is not found or an error prevents its display. It has a null value if no
error is detected.
&SYS.NATIVE.INKEY Contains the natural or untranslated name of the function key that was last used during a panel operation,
or to enter data.
&SYS.PANEL.FLD Contains the name of the field that was detected to be in error during internal validation. It has a null value
if no error is detected.
&SYS.PANEL.ID Contains the name of the current panel, as it appears in the PANEL verb, and is intended to label the panel
display with an identifier. This system variable can be used only within a panel description file.
&SYS.PANEL.MODFLD Contains a list of names representing modified input fields.
&SYS.PANEL.SKIP Contains a specification equivalent to a hierarchy of options from a series of menus. This system variable
is set as a result of panel skipping.
&SYS.RETCODE Contains a return code. The value of the return code indicates the result of an operation. Synchronous
and asynchronous panels use the same values to mean different results. For synchronous panels, the
setting of CONTROL [NO]PANELRC determines whether return codes are made available in
&SYS.RETCODE. For asynchronous panels, return codes are always available in &SYS.RETCODE,
regardless of the setting of CONTROL [NO]PANELRC.
Return Codes From
Synchronous Panels
The return codes in the &SYS.RETCODE system variable from synchronous panel
display primarily indicate the result of validating input fields.
The setting of the CONTROL [NO]PANELRC verb determines whether return codes
are made available in &SYS.RETCODE.
Panel Processing When CONTROL NOPANELRC Is Set
CONTROL NOPANELRC is the default. If CONTROL NOPANELRC is set, the
following processing occurs:
1. If required, the NCL process determines from the data content whether any input
fields have been modified.