Technical Tips

PREFERENCE RUN Command

The PREFERENCE run command is a tool within the decision rules editor for testing help screens. The run command can be used to test

• the index term used to navigate to the help screen

• cursor position help requests

• field content based help requests, including marked field, reader’s field, etc.

• placement of the help screen

• placement of any system generated menu

• limited pick list processing (by using the extended menu option)

• decision rules sequencing, including branching

If you are trouble-shooting a help request that is unsuccessful when attempted in a "live" application, but is successful within the PREFERENCE run facility, it means the problem occurs at a higher level in the rules processing (such as in the Screen Rules, Transaction IDs, Jobnames; either as defined with PREFERENCE or at the system level). 

If the help request fails within the PREFERENCE run facility in the same way as when attempted in a live application, it means the problem is localized within the PREFERENCE decision rules and is not connected with Transaction ID, Jobname, or Screen Rule definition. Possible trouble areas include index term and volume definition, cursor position, field content specification, and decision rules sequencing and branching.    

Because the run facility can be used to quickly "localize", one of the first questions that can be asked in attempting to solve a rules problem is "what happens when the help request is tested using the run command from within PREFERENCE?". 

Basic instructions for using the run facility within PREFERENCE follow:

1. Access the volume Transaction Descriptors table for the rules you wish to test (type "rules" at the writer menu).

2. Using F8 Decisions, navigate to the file where you wish to test.

3. Navigate to the decision rule item that you wish to test in the file and access "option mode" (if not already there).

4. Type "run" at the KEYWORD prompt at the bottom of the screen and press ENTER (see Example 1 below).

5. Paying attention to cursor position and any field content for field based help, press F1 (actually any F-Key besides F3) to invoke help.

The help screen defined for the decision rule you are testing should appear as it would in a live application.

To test a sequence of decision rules, invoke the run command in option mode of the first decision rule following the form item to which the decision rule is keyed.

Example 1

Here is the bottom of the screen where "run" is entered (step 4 above):

= DECISION RULE =========== OPTIONS =================

F3 End   F5 Decision Points    F7 Back   F9  G back  

F4 View       CURSOR BLOCK     F8 Fwd    F10 G fwd   

=====================================================

KEYWORD -> run