Re: Common Display File (Header + File-level Keywords)

On 29-Jan-2014 15:05 -0800, Sarah Kemp wrote:

<<SNIP>> is there a way to set the file-level keywords and available
function keys in one file and use them across the whole application,
or do their definitions need to be present in each display file? Is
there some way to set these with RPG or do they have to be compiled
in with the DDS?

The available F-keys can be compiled into the DSPF as file-level keywords, yet coded with option indicators, thus enabling the program to determine\control each CFnn that will be available with each format; i.e. they can be compiled in the DDS *and* the RPG can set which are active. And those same indicators could control what would be the corresponding text and help for those keys in any record format. Although given the probable difficulty in arranging text for all desired function keys into distinct locations, the program might instead formulate the text for the function keys [e.g. from messages] along with setting its choice of available keys for the presented format(s).

<http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/rzakc/rzakcmstdfcfnn.htm>
IBM i 7.1 Information Center -> Programming -> DDS -> DDS for display files -> DDS keyword entries for display files (positions 45 through 80)
_CFnn (Command Function) keyword for display files_
"You use this file-level or record-level keyword to specify that the function key specified in the keyword (CF01 through CF24) is available for use.
..."

FWiW: Even with consistency of Cmd-keys across many of the Query/400 panels, although the one display file QDQUWSFIL could [and I think did] use file-level indicated CFnn to control the availability for the function-keys for every panel, according to the program that presented its particular formats, the corresponding F-Key text and help IIRC had to be defined specifically at the record level, because they were defined by one or two lines of text vs each as separately indicated fields. A dump of that DSPF confirms the function key text, but I can not be sure of the use of indicator control of the function keys.