12 6 SAA CUA Process Menus

LANSA Application Design

12.6 SAA/CUA Process Menus

A process menu that uses SAA/CUA as implemented by LANSA will appear like one of these examples:

When "Number" Style Menus Are Specified for the Partition

"Number" style menus are the SAA/CUA recommended style.

 SAATEST               Example SAA/CUA test process                    
                                                                       
 Enter number of function required or place cursor on same line        
                                                                       
 _  1. Display workstation messages                                    
    2. Work with customers                                             
    3. Work with orders                                                
    4. Work with communication links                                   
    5. Display process or function HELP text                           
    6. Return to main system menu                                      
                                                                       
                                                                       
 
 F1=Help  F3=Exit  F12=Cancel  F14=Messages                            
                                                                       

 

 

When "Cursor" Style Menus Are Specified for the Partition


 SAATEST               Example SAA/CUA test process                    
                                                                       
 Place cursor on same line as function required and press enter        
                                                                       
 Display workstation messages                                          
 Work with customers                                                   
 Work with orders                                                      
 Work with communication links                                         
 Display process or function HELP text                                 
 Return to main system menu                                            
                                                                       
                                                                       

 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
 F1=Help  F3=Exit  F12=Cancel  F14=Messages                            
                                                                       

 

 

Some points to notice about these menus are:

  • The style of menu (number selection or cursor selection) is defined at the partition level. All menus in the partition are one style or the other. Intermixing of styles is not permitted.
  • The panel identifier (SAATEST) is the name of the LANSA process being used.
  • The panel title (Example SAA/CUA test process) is the description of the LANSA process being used. It is automatically centred, and may be optionally automatically converted to uppercase (uppercase conversion requirement is defined at the partition level).
  • The time and date may be optionally displayed (defined at the partition level). The default in most partitions is to not display the time and date.
  • The instruction line (line 3) is up to 76 characters long. It is site definable (at the partition level).
  • In compiled processes the menu number entry field may be 1 or 2 characters long (dependent upon the number of entries on the menu). When executed interpretively, the input field is always 2 characters long.
  • Additionally, the menu number entry field may be defined to use the AUTO(RA) (automatic record advance) feature. This prevents users having to press the enter key after entering the number of the function they wish to use. This use of this facility can be switched on or off at the partition level.
  • No spacing lines occur between any menu entries (which differs from the implementation of menus for non-SAA/CUA processes).
  • The display HELP text and return to previous higher level menu options always appear as the last 2 options on any menu.
  • Messages always on line 22 in interpretive processes. In compiled processes, messages may appear on line 22 or line 24. The position is defined at the partition level and applies to all compiled process menus.
  • Function keys appear on lines 23 and 24 in interpretive processes. In compiled processes function keys may appear on lines 23/24 (with messages on line 22) or on lines 22/23 (with messages on line 24). The positions are defined at the partition level and apply to all compiled process menus.
  • The following color and attribute table applies to interpretive process menus. It may not apply to compiled process menus if the SAA/CUA recommended standard color and attribute defaults for panel element categories have been modified:

Panel Component

Default Color

Other Attributes on Color Device

Attributes On Mono Device

Identifier

Blue

None

None

Title

Blue

None

None

Date and time

Blue

None

None

Instructions

Green

None

None

Menu choice

Green

None

None

Selected choice

White

None

High intensity

Messages

White

None

High intensity

Function keys

Blue

None

None

 

 

  • When using a bi-directional language, within a multilingual partition, details on the menu are "reversed" as if they were reflected in a mirror.
  • When using a DBCS language, within a multilingual partition, all textual details can be made to appear as ideographic characters.