9.10 Switching to/from Action Bar Logic
When an action bar process is invoked the switch function key is disabled because there is no panel body present to switch control to.
When an RDML function executes a DISPLAY or REQUEST command that presents a panel body and an action bar, the switch function key is handled as follows:
- The switch key is always enabled and cannot be disabled.
- If the screen cursor is on or above the action bar separator line, the use of the switch key is interpreted as "switch to panel body". The screen cursor is relocated to last known position in panel body.
- If the screen cursor is below the action bar separator line, the use of the switch key is interpreted as "switch to action bar".
- Manually moving the screen cursor from an active panel body up into the action bar area and pressing enter is treated as a "switch to action bar" followed by an "enter" request.
If cancel is used from a pull down, it cancels the pull down only, causing the action bar to remain active on the panel.
If cancel is used from a pull down, it cancels the pull down only, causing the action bar to remain active on the panel.
The disadvantage of this technique over using the "switch" key is that no record of the original (and restorable) cursor location in the panel body is available, should the user choose to switch back to the panel body again.
- Manually moving the cursor from an action bar down into the panel body and pressing enter is treated as a "switch to panel body" request followed by an "enter" request.
This rule does not apply when a pull down is on display, only when just the action bar is displayed. When a pull down is on display you can only switch back to the panel body by using the switch key.
This technique is a very fast way of switching from an action bar back to the panel body and activating it by pressing enter. However, please note that it switches back to the panel body and presses enter.