Need for Dummy Record Format

[rechit]

As400 ites...

Had a quick question.. I have been using Dummy record formats for quite some time with out knowing the actual purpose for it.

But its high time i came to know the acutal purpose.. Plss help me out....

[Marc_d]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

Only the wizards at the IBM development lab know for sure, but it can sure make the rest of us wonder....

[birdschmitt]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

Well, I just discovered WHAT it's inclusion into your Display Format specs will do for you, but I don't know why.

I have a screen where all of the formats are'windows'. There is a selection screen where one enters an item#, a subfile that displays all of the records for that item that one may select for maintenance, and then the actual maintenance screen.

When I ran it, the select window would appear to 'blank out' the background before displaying, as would the subfile screen ( I think, but I'm not sure as the subfile window has a big enough footprint to cover the selection window), and then the only window that would keep what was originally behind it, and display was the maintenance screen. I hope I've explained the situation.

Anyway, I had the KEEP & OVERLAY keywords on all of the formats, tried removing them from some of the formats, tried different compile options, all sorts of stuff to no avail. I came looking here in the forums for some ideas, and saw this question, and wondered about it myself.

So...What the heck... I put a 'DUMMY' format in my display file, and now all of the windows display without seeming to remove the existing background, just as I was trying to do! Yee Haa!

Why it works...I don't know. On to other stuff for me.

Hope this helps! - Brad

FWIW... Here is what I put in my display file:


A R DUMMY
A KEEP
A ASSUME
A 1 2' '

[JimWaymire]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

Help.... have used this on subfiles, but can it be used on a regular non-subfile screen? i.e., am placing a help capability on a regular screen display, on multiple fields. If F4 is pressed on any of the input fields, it displays a window of appropriate values and their meanings.
Unfortunately, It clears all other fields that have already been entered as enter has not been pressed yet !!!!

[Brian Rusch]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

Are the help screens within the same display file as the regular screen? If so, then you don't need the 'dummy' record format. My guess is that the help function key (F4) is defined as CA04 when it should be CF04.

In answer to the 7 year old question (sorry it's a little late) about why the 'dummy' format is needed with the ASSUME keyword, it's because the default behavior is to clear the screen when a display file is opened or closed. The ASSUME keyword suppresses the clearing of the display at open time and the KEEP keyword suppresses the clearing of the display at close time. The manual could state that a little more clearly.

[JimWaymire]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

Thanks for the response, Brian. The help (ca04) calls another program which presents a window with a selection ability, which then allows the user to make a selection and have it entered into the original screen.

[JimWaymire]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

Brian......Thanks.... I only had to change from CA04 to CF04 and it worked perfectly..........Your are a genius!

[WilsonAlano]

Re: Need for Dummy Record Format

In the DUMMY format, the keyword ASSUME is what is really important. It indicates that operating system must not clear screen when it opens a new workstation file. It's used basically in programs with windows (or screens) called by other programs with a previous opened workstation file.