Migrating screen arrays to tables

Tables in Genero BDL display using a real table widget, providing a more robust display and interaction than the I4GL screen array.

With IBM® Informix® 4GL, a list of records can be displayed on the screen by using a static screen array in the SCREEN section of the form specification file, with a finite number of lines:

DATABASE stores 
SCREEN
{
 Id       First name   Last name 
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
}
END
TABLES
  customer 
END
ATTRIBUTES
  f001 = customer.customer_num ;
  f002 = customer.fname ;
  f003 = customer.lname ;
END
INSTRUCTIONS
  SCREEN RECORD sr_cust[6]( customer.* );
END

The display of the form specification file in GUI mode:

Screen shot of a legacy static screen array. — Figure: Legacy static screen array (Linux/Gnome GDC)

With Genero Business Development Language, use a static screen array for applications displayed in dumb terminals. For GUI applications, use the TABLE container:

DATABASE stores 
LAYOUT (TEXT="Customers")
TABLE
{
 Id       First name   Last name 
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
[f001    |f002        |f003        ]
}
END
END
TABLES
 customer 
END
ATTRIBUTES
 f001 = customer.customer_num ;
 f002 = customer.fname ;
 f003 = customer.lname ;
END
INSTRUCTIONS
 SCREEN RECORD sr_cust( customer.* );
END

The display of the form specification file is a real table widget, which is resizable. The .4gl source is untouched.