9.15 Architecture of Action Bars
Action Bar Methodology is different from normal SAA/CUA menus. They must be approached in a different manner. To create a functional Action bar it is not as simple as just changing the process type to ACT/BAR and filling the Action Bar Control Table. Functions used in an AB process are intrinsically different from those used in an SAA/CUA process. If you want the AB to be more procedural you are doing it wrongly.
The AB controls the calling of functions or other actions that might be defined in the Action Bar Control table. An example of why AB might be used is if a user wanted to perform several actions on an item. An AB would be set up to Create, Print and Order items from a pull down menu on the AB.
An AB results in a pull down when an option is selected. Once the pull down is displayed the user can then start an action by selecting from the pull down window. Either an action or a function can be initiated from the pull down. The invoked function should never be an action bar unless it is a popup. By selecting a popup window function the user is taken to another level. Popups do not require a menu or AB, therefore, the AB is virtually unaffected. Whereas, a CALL to a full screen DISPLAY would change the AB menu and be very confusing to the user. When a popup is invoked from an AB the AB options are displayed but cannot be chosen.
After invoking an action, the action bar of the process to which the function belongs will be displayed. This is true even for attached functions.
Following is a schematic of using Action Bars.
Examples
Example 1: Select Option 1, Action 1 (Func A) from pulldown. Func A CALLS Func C from same process.
Process: AB1 Action Bar One
__________ __________ __________ __________ __________
| | | | | |
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 | Option 5 |
|__________|__________|__________|__________|__________|
|
__________
/ \
| 1. Func A | ____________
| 2. Func B | / Func A \
| 3. Func C*|__| |
| 4. Func D | | calls | *If using a CALL within an
| 5. Other | | ________ | an AB function, AB should only
\__________/ | | | | talk to user via Pop_ups.
\_|Func C* |_/ Pop_ups do not require a menu
* Denote POP_UP | | or AB, therefore, the AB is
|________| virtually unaffected.
Whereas, a CALL to a full
screen DISPLAY would change
the AB menu and be very
confusing to the end user.
Example 2: Select Option 1, Action 4 (Attached Process/Function), Changes AB and Options.
Process: AB2 Action Bar Two
| _________ __________ __________ __________ __________
| | | | | | |
| |Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 | Option 5 |
| |_________|__________|__________|__________|__________|
|
__________
| |
|1. Func A | ____________
|2. Func B | | Attached |
|3. Func C*|____ | AB Process |
|4. Attach | |___________ | * If attached process is an
| Pro/Fun| |* Brings up | action and is selected, the AB
|__________| | AB2 | menu will change along with
|____________| its options and pull downs.
This could be very confusing
to the user and is not
recommended.