| Form specification files / Form file concepts | |
To work with a screen form, a program loads a compiled version of the form file, and uses a set of interactive statements that control the display of the form, bind form fields to program variables, and respond to actions by the user in fields.
Use the fglform form compiler to do the form compilation. When a SCHEMA is specified in the form file, fglform requires that the database schema files already exist. Compiled form files depend on both the source files and the database schema files.
Compiled forms must be loaded by the program with the OPEN FORM or the OPEN WINDOW WITH FORM instruction. The FGLRESOURCEPATH environment variable must contain the directory where the compiled form file is located, if the form file is not in the current directory.
Once a form is loaded, the program can manipulate forms to display or let the user edit data, with interactive instructions such as INPUT or DISPLAY ARRAY. Program variables are used as display and/or input buffers.