Filing and Exiting Commands

The CTRL+X commands offer different methods for exiting an item. CTRL+X signals to exit this item and perform one of a series of options. For example, an item can be exited and the information filed (saved), or the item can be exited without the information being filed.

If an item is exited without being filed, the changes made during the editing session are not saved. To save the changes, the item must be filed. If changes have been made to an item during the current editing session and an option is selected to exit the item without filing it, the system double-checks with the user to make sure the changed information is not to be saved.

All Update Processor exit commands are made up of a minimum of two characters. When CTRL+X is pressed, the current size of the item, file name, and item-ID are displayed on the top line of the CRT. The Update Processor waits for an additional command.

Command

Description

CTRL+XB

Exits the current item without filing any changes, and then returns to the previous item in the item list. If there is no previous item, the terminal beeps and remains in the current item.

CTRL+XC

Files the current item and then compiles and catalogs it. This option is used with FlashBASIC programs.

CTRL+XE

Exits the current item without filing any changes. This is used for viewing an item without making any changes.

If changes were made during an update session and CTRL+XE is used to exit the item, the screen prompts:

item has changed, press y to exit or f to file:

If neither a y nor an f are typed, no action takes place and control returns to the last cursor position in the current item.

CTRL+XF

Files the item, then exits it.

NOTE—Items can be filed automatically using the data-entry modifier.

CTRL+XI {(file.reference}{item-ID}

Renames and files the new item. After entering this command, the screen prompts:

Rename item; new{(filename} item-ID:

After the item-ID and optional filename are entered, the screen prompts:

delete current item (y/<cr>=n)?

y deletes the item and n to leaves the item unchanged.

CTRL+XK

Exits the item without filing any changes and returns to the calling process. If editing with a select list, the select list is terminated.

CTRL+XL

Files and compiles the FlashBASIC source item.

CTRL+XN

Files or exits the current item and creates a new item.

If the item has been changed since being entered, the following prompt displays:

item has changed, press y to exit or f to file’

The new item can be assigned an item-ID either with the ID processing code, or by filing the item with CTRL+XI.

If neither of these methods of assigning an item-ID are used, the system assigns the item-ID based on the current date concatenated with a system-wide sequence number.

CTRL+XO

Exits and deletes the item. If the item was changed during the update session, the screen prompts:

item changed, delete it (y/n=cr)?

CTRL+XP

Files the item and prints it using the Output Processor.

CTRL+XR

Files the item, then compiles and runs it if compilation was successful. This command can be used to run macros, Procs, menus, and FlashBASIC programs.

CTRL+XS

Files and does not exit the item being edited.

A CTRL+XS followed by a CTRL+XE produces the same results as CTRL+XF.

CTRL+XX

Exits the current item without filing any changes.

If changes were made during the update session, the screen prompts:

item has changed, press y to exit or f to file:

If neither a y nor an f are typed, no action takes place and control returns to the last cursor position in the current item.

Item Binding

The item binding command (CTRL+XF) allows you to file or store any link modifications to the current item, including changes in its remote references that might have occurred using one of the above commands. See b (Bridge) Processing Code for information on maintaining automatic two-way referential integrity.

A classic situation for using remote indexes, for example, would occur while entering an order item. The order file would likely be linked to an inventory file, and the operator could both lookup and/or table through the data in the inventory file until the desired item is located. If needed, the operator could zoom to the item in the inventory file, examine or modify it, and then return to the current order item. When finished with the order, the operator merely files the item and all its line-item references would be maintained with the order.

NOTE

There is no restriction from the remote index being used on the same file that the current item is also residing in. This would be typical in files where an explicit hierarchy exists between items, such as a parts.master file that has a bill of materials, an entity file of both companies and employees, or a projects file containing sub-tasks, and so on.