Using POINTs and BLOCKs

POINT and BLOCK sections are the areas in the generated code where you can add your own code.

Any code added in a POINT or BLOCK is preserved in the application even when the application is rebuilt.

Code added to a POINT or BLOCK section is preserved in a .code file that is used each time the application is compiled. If you are using Source Code Management, the .code file must be committed with the project. It is not necessary to commit the generated 4gl files.
Tip: To remove all changes you have made, you can simply remove the .code and all generated 4gl files.

POINT

POINT sections are located within each function BLOCK. The more granular POINT sections are located in all relevant locations for adding business logic such as in all control blocks (BEFORE ROW, AFTER INPUT, ....). Common uses of a POINT include defining your own variables, setting conditions on SELECT statements, adding or modifying actions in control blocks of interactive dialogs such as CONSTRUCT, INPUT, MENU, and changing the program flow.

Note: You are responsible for the validity of the code in a POINT.
Table 1. POINT examples
Description POINT name Example
Import an additional module(s). import 
{<POINT Name="import" Status="MODIFIED">}
IMPORT FGL mylibrary 
{</POINT>}
Add comments in the code. comment 
{<POINT Name="user.comments" Status="MODIFIED">}
--Additional information about this module. 
{</POINT>}
Define modular scope variables. define 
{<POINT Name="define" Status="MODIFIED">}
DEFINE myvar STRING
{</POINT>}
Define local scope variables. function.define 
{<POINT Name="fct.uiOpenForm.define" Status="MODIFIED">}
DEFINE myvar STRING
{</POINT>}
Add additional function(s) to the module. user.functions 
--Add user functions
{<POINT Name="user.functions" Status="MODIFIED">}
FUNCTION dispmsg()
  MESSAGE "Program ending"
END FUNCTION
{</POINT>}
Add additional actions for each of the interactive dialog statements (DISPLAY, DISPLAY ARRAY, CONSTRUCT, INPUT, INPUT ARRAY and MENU). userControlBlocks 
{<POINT Name="fct.uiInput.dlg.userControlBlocks" Status="MODIFIED">} 
ON ACTION myaction
  CALL dispmsg()
{</POINT>}

BLOCK

Each function in the generated code is nested within a BLOCK section.
Note: You can change the behavior of the generated function, however once new code has been added to a BLOCK, you take responsibility for the validity of all the code in that BLOCK.

Status attribute

During the first application generation, POINT and BLOCK sections will only contain the Name attribute.
{<POINT Name="fct.uiDisplay.dlg.userControlBlocks">}{</POINT>}
When the code is changed, the POINT and BLOCK will include a Status attribute set to MODIFIED.
{<POINT Name="fct.uiDisplay.dlg.userControlBlocks" Status="MODIFIED">} 
  ON ACTION test 
  MESSAGE "testing..." {
</POINT>}