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- + TEXT FILE FORMAT
-
- A panel text file begins with an optional size statement followed by an
- optional background statement. One or more tag statements are used to relate
- field attributes and field names to special characters or symbols. After the
- tag statements is the actual screen layout, which must begin with a tagged
- symbol.
-
- + size <ul_row> <ul_col> <lr_row> <lr_col>
- + background <color>
- + tag <symbol> <attributes> <variable>...<variable>
- + .
- + .
- + .
- + <symbol> ........................................
- + .................................................
- + .................................................
- + .
- + .
- + .
- + SIZE STATEMENT
-
- This is an optional panel statement, and if present must precede the
- background statement or the first tag statement. This statement simply
- sets the size of the window in which the panel will be constructed.
-
- Format:
- + size <ul_row> <ul_col> <lr_row> <lr_col>
-
- where:
- <ul_row> is the upper left row of the window
- <ul_col> is the upper left column of the window
- <lr_row> is the lower right row of the window
- <lr_col> is the lower right column of the window
-
- Example:
- size 0 0 13 39 Defines a panel to be 14 rows by 40 columns
- located in the upper left part of the screen.
-
-
- If a size statement is not present within a panel definition, the default
- window coordinates are 0,0 and 24,79. If a panel is defined to be smaller
- than the previous active panel, the previous panel will be partially visible
- behind the new panel. However, the overlaid panel will not be active again
- until the new panel is destroyed (i.e. no I/O functions may be performed on
- the previous panel).
-
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-
- + BACKGROUND STATEMENT
-
- This is an optional panel statement, and if present must precede the first
- tag statment. This statement simply sets the screen background color when
- a CGA adapter is in use. If a monochrome adapter is in use the background
- statement is ignored.
-
- Format:
- + background <color>
-
- where <color> is a digit 0 - 7
-
- Color codes: 0 = Black (Default)
- 1 = Blue
- 2 = Green
- 3 = Cyan
- 4 = Red
- 5 = Magenta
- 6 = Brown
- 7 = White
- + TAG STATEMENT
-
- A tag statement allows you to relate a special character or symbol with
- a field definition. This definition includes the field attributes as well
- as the field names.
-
- Format:
- + tag <symbol> <attributes> <variable list>
-
- <Attributes>: P = Protected, U = Unprotected
- H = High Intensity, L = Low Intensity
- B = Blink
- R = Reverse
- _ = Underline
- D = Dark
- 0 \
- 1 \
- . Foreground Color Code
- . / (as defined for background)
- 7 /
- Some attributes may have no effect with certain monitor types (i.e. the
- color codes will have no effect using a monochrome display adapter).
-
-
- <variable list>: one or more field names separated by at least
- one blank. Valid names are no more than eight characters
- begining with a letter. No special characters are allowed.
-
- Each variable or field name is matched to a field on the screen layout.
- If more fields are defined with the tag symbol than variables in the list,
- the last variable name in the list is used to name the remaining fields.
- In this case, a subscript other than 1 is used to access like named
- fields.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- + EXAMPLES
-
-
- + tag % p
- + tag & uh field
- + % Example 1
- +
- + Name:& %
- +
- + Addr:& %
-
-
- In this example, there are two unprotected fields. The first field would
- be accessed using the name FIELD subscripted by 1, and the second would
- be called FIELD with a subscript of 2.
-
- + Press <F1> to activate this panel.
-
- Try moving the cursor from field to field with the tab key, and
- experiment with entering some actual data.
- + background 1
- + tag ! p4
- + tag @ pr7
- + tag * u_2 select
- + ! Example 2
- +
- + @1. Spreadsheet!
- + @2. Word Processor!
- + @3. Database!
- +
- + Select-->* !
-
-
- The screen background color is defined to be blue. The ! symbol defines
- protected red fields. The @ symbol defines protected, reverse fields with
- white characters. The asterisk tagged field is named SELECT and
- will be unprotected, underlined and green.
-
- + Press <F2> to activate this panel.
-
- + size 10 30 16 56
- + background 7
- + tag ! p4
- + !╔══════ Example 3 ══════╗
- + ║ Here is a small panel ║
- + ║ sized down to appear ║
- + ║ as a window on top of ║
- + ║ the previously active ║
- + ║ panel. ║
- + ╚═══════════════════════╝
-
-
- The screen background color is defined to be white. The ! symbol defines
- protected red fields. This example demonstrates the use of the size
- statement. The panel is defined as a 7 x 27 character box to be displayed
- in the lower right part of the screen.
-
- + Press <F3> to activate this panel.
-
-
- + PANEL DESIGN
-
-
- Try your hand at designing your own panel! Use any word processor to
- create the panel file. Be sure your file has an extension of PAN.
-
- Optionally, you may use IPD to create and modify a panel, type:
-
- + ipd [<fn>]
-
- After your panel text file has been created, type:
-
- + showpan <fn>
-
- where <fn> is your panel file name without the .PAN extension.
-
-
- *** END OF TOPIC ***