File: PIX.CONTROL.F

This file contains many control records used by HostAccess for a multitude of purposes. These records are described in their functional groups. Control records that may be amended to suit your operating environment are also detailed here. Ensure that you keep copies of the original records before editing them.

Control Records for DB and EASY.ACCESS

The following records are used by the HostAccess applications DB and EASY.ACCESS respectively:

  • DB.TEXT.

  • EASY.ACCESS.TEXT.

  • DB.COMMANDS.

  • EASY.ACCESS.COMMANDS.

  • EASY.ACCESS.COMMANDS.HELP.

The  '.TEXT' records contain attributes of multi-values of text presented to the user as menu options where each attribute is a separate menu. This text may be customized to meet user requirements. The  '.COMMAND' records are also attribute/multi-valued and match the corresponding attributes/multi-values in the  '.TEXT' records. The  '.HELP' records follow the same attribute/multi-value associations as the  '.COMMAND' records and are used to provide on-line help within the EASY.ACCESS application. (Note: this help is usually only available on those PICK systems, such as Prime INFORMATION, that support an on-line HELP facility.)

You must ensure that you maintain the attribute/multi-value relationships when changing and moving options.

The basic rule is that you can delete, change and move most options within the same attribute (menu) but you cannot move options from one attribute to another.

In most cases, you are unlikely to change the  '.COMMAND' records too much, other than deleting unrequired options or changing verbs. Any other control COMMAND strings should NOT be changed in here since they are used by the programs to determine what option you have selected.

You will also find more copies of each of the above records with the extensions  '.UNIVERSE' and  '.PRIME '. These are the records that are used when you are running on those systems. They have been provided to take into account additional commands and verbs on those systems.

Control Records for the "PASS.TO" Routines

PASS.TO.SUPERCALC

PASS.TO.SYMPHONY

PASS.TO.LOTUS

PASS.TO.LOTUS.WINDOWS

PASS.TO.WORDPERFECT

PASS.TO.WORDPEFECT.WINDOWS

PASS.TO.QUATTRO

PASS.TO.QUATTRO.WINDOWS

PASS.TO.DOS

PASS.TO.WORD

PASS.TO.EXCEL

 

Attributes 1 and 2

The first two attributes of these records are used by EASY.ACCESS when selecting to transfer data to a DOS or Windows package from the  'Pass to' option. Attribute 1 is the text of the options available when calling the package. Attribute 2 is a list of the actual command line option corresponding to the text. E.g. PASS.TO.LOTUS record attribute 1 contains the text option  'Stacked' Graph. Attribute 2 contains a corresponding  'S' which is passed as an option when PASS.TO.LOTUS is called from EASY.ACCESS. The  'text' may be customized to suit user requirements.

Attribute 3 is more important. By default, it contains a single DOS or Windows command that will be used when calling the corresponding DOS or Windows package. E.g. PASS.TO.LOTUS attribute 3 has  '123' as the DOS command to call LOTUS. If all of the PCs running HostAccess can run a DOS command 123 from any directory then this attribute need never be changed.

However, if some or all of your PCs call LOTUS differently, this attribute can be used to identify which DOS command to use on a port by port basis. This is done by storing in the multi-value position (port number + 2), the relevant DOS command to call LOTUS on that port's PC. For example if attribute 3 contains:

123]]MY123]]CD\LOTUS;123

Port 1 will run MY123 to call LOTUS. Port 3 will change to directory LOTUS and run 123. All ports with a null multi-value (0, 2, 4 and above) will call the default DOS command 123 held in the first multi-value.

Note: For network/LAN users, we recommend you set your PCs to all run the same DOS or Windows command to call the relevant DOS package, as the port number may change each time you log in.

Attribute 4

This is used for PASS.TO.LOTUS and PASS.TO.WORDPERFECT. If you use multiple versions of these products, then specify the version number (3 or 4 for LOTUS, or 5 or 6 for WORDPERFECT) in this attribute.

Control Records for DOS.PICK and PICK.DOS Transfers

nn.FT.LOG

This record contains the details of the last file transfer for port  'nn '. This is mainly supported for backwards compatibility.

Control Record for Host Programs Installation

PROGS.TO.COMPILE

This record contains a list of programs that would not compile during the Host Programs Installation process. Perforce would like to hear from anyone who finds that this record is NOT empty. We have tested these programs on a massive range of PICK machines and we want to ensure that we support all of our shipped programs on all platforms and PICK flavours.

Control Record for Host PICK Programs

ENVIRONMENT

This record is the main HostAccess control record and has the following structure:

Attribute

Function

 

001

Machine Type.

(do not change)

002

HostAccess account

(do not change)

003

Reformat Type

(do not change)

004

Item Size Limit.

 

005

System support for CHAR(255) (0 or 1).

 

Attribute Descriptions

Attributes 1,2 and 3 are used by HostAccess programs and should not be modified. If the machine type in attribute 1 does not match that for your system, you should re-install the HostAccess host programs for your machine type into a clean account.

Attribute 4 is used mainly by HostAccess's file transfer upload programs. If the size of the DOS file being uploaded exceeds the Item Size Limit held here, it is split into records of that size accordingly. This value is normally set to 30000 bytes by default. Systems that are known to support unlimited item size will have this value set to 5 megabytes. This value affects all users on the system.

Attribute 5, is used by the file transfer upload programs. If set to 1 (true), this tells HostAccess that this system can print and store the character value 255. Most generic PICK systems cannot support this character and therefore if it is found during any file transfer upload it will be converted to a  tilde. Without character 255 support, many DOS graphics files cannot be printed via the DOS.VS virtual spooler routine. If you need to store files that contain a character 255 then you should look at both the  'X' and  'T' options on DOS.PICK and PICK.DOS file transfer routines.

If you are interested in storing DOS files that either contain a character 255 and/or your DOS files are too big for your PICK host then you should see the  'T' option associated with PIX.DOS.PICK and PIX.PICK.DOS.

Note: If you wish to change attribute 5, ensure that your PICK system supports char(255).

Control Records for Menus and Selection Boxes

  • PIX.MENU.NAMES

  • PIX.SELECTION.BOX.NAMES

These records are used internally by the host "PIX." selection box and menu subroutines. These contain a multi-value list of a names corresponding to a menu or selection box number to use for that name. These should not be changed.