Display Builder User's Guide

This document is a guide to the use of Display Builder, the display development tool for e-terrabrowser.

Software Version: Release Date:

Display Builder 5.6.0 December 2007

Copyright and Proprietary Information

Copyright 2007 AREVA T&D Inc. All Rights Reserved.

NOTE: CONTAINS AREVA T&D INC. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. DO NOT COPY, STORE IN A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, TRANSMIT OR DISCLOSE TO ANY THIRD PARTY WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM AN OFFICER OF AREVA T&D INC. __________________________________________________________________

Trademarks

ESCA and HABITAT are registered trademarks of AREVA T&D Inc. e-terra is a registered trademark and/or service mark of E-Terra, LLC, licensed for use by AREVA T&D Inc. in connection with its e-terra family of products and services.

Other product and company names in these materials may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other companies, and are the property of their respective owners. They are used only for explanation and to the respective owners benefit, without intent to infringe.

Contents
About This Document.............................................................................. xv
Purpose of This Document...........................................................................................xv Who Should Use This Document .................................................................................xv Structure of This Document .........................................................................................xv For More Information................................................................................................... xvi Conventions ............................................................................................................... xvii Change Summary ..................................................................................................... xviii

1. Overview ................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Display Concepts .................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Common Display Features and Capabilities ...................................................... 1 1.1.2 Common Definable Display Attributes................................................................ 2 1.1.3 Display Elements ............................................................................................... 3 1.1.3.1 Drawn and Typed Graphical Elements ......................................................... 4 1.1.3.2 Graphic Attributes of Primitives and Text...................................................... 4 1.1.3.3 Symbols ........................................................................................................ 4 1.1.3.4 Scale Factors ................................................................................................ 4 1.1.3.5 Shift Factors.................................................................................................. 6 1.1.3.6 Pictures......................................................................................................... 6 1.1.3.7 Menus ........................................................................................................... 8 1.1.3.8 Keysets ......................................................................................................... 9 1.1.3.9 Conditional Attribute Modifiers (CAMS) ........................................................ 9 1.1.3.10 Geometry Modifiers (GEMs) ..................................................................... 10 1.1.3.11 Conditional Text (CT)................................................................................ 10 1.1.3.12 Popups...................................................................................................... 11 1.1.3.13 Picgroups .................................................................................................. 12 1.1.3.14 Placeable and Attachable Elements ......................................................... 12 1.1.3.15 ActiveX Controls ....................................................................................... 13 1.1.4 Display Layers ................................................................................................. 14 1.1.4.1 Simple Layers ............................................................................................. 14 1.1.4.2 Database Linkages ..................................................................................... 15 1.1.4.3 Tabular Layers ............................................................................................ 15 1.1.4.4 Features of Tabular Layers......................................................................... 16 1.1.4.5 Picgroup Spatial Relationships ................................................................... 18 1.1.4.6 Driving Data Structures............................................................................... 19 1.1.4.7 Data Linkage to Linked List Structures ....................................................... 19 1.1.5 Overall Attachments......................................................................................... 20 1.1.6 Permission Area Tests ..................................................................................... 20 1.2 Display Builder Concepts ...................................................................................... 21 1.2.1 Definition Manager ........................................................................................... 21 1.2.1.1 Element Set Window................................................................................... 22
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1.2.2 Display Set Window ......................................................................................... 23 1.2.2.1 Editor Windows ........................................................................................... 24 1.2.2.2 Browser Window ......................................................................................... 24 1.2.3 Definition Manager Menus Title Bar ................................................................. 25 1.2.4 Definition Manager Tool bars ........................................................................... 27 1.2.5 Display Builder Pointers ................................................................................... 28 1.2.6 Display Builder Sets ......................................................................................... 29 1.2.6.1 Element Sets .............................................................................................. 29 1.2.6.2 Display Sets ................................................................................................ 29 1.2.6.3 How Element and Display Sets Relate ....................................................... 30 1.2.6.4 Display Builder Set Storage ........................................................................ 30 1.2.6.5 Display Definition Language (DDL)............................................................. 30 1.2.6.6 Display Builder Set Access ......................................................................... 30 1.2.7 Display Builder Editors ..................................................................................... 31 1.2.7.1 Scratch Pad Editor Components................................................................. 31 1.2.7.2 Dialog Editor Components .......................................................................... 32 1.2.8 Display Builder Tools ....................................................................................... 35 1.2.8.1 Primitives .................................................................................................... 36 1.2.8.2 Static Text ................................................................................................... 37 1.2.8.3 Formatted Fields ......................................................................................... 37 1.2.8.4 Placeholders ............................................................................................... 37 1.2.8.5 Drag-and-Drop Utility .................................................................................. 38

2. Display Builder Basics ........................................................................ 39

2.1 Starting Display Builder ......................................................................................... 39 2.2 Customizing the Building Environment.................................................................. 39 2.2.1 Customizing All Scratch Pads .......................................................................... 39 2.2.2 Customizing Individual Scratch Pads ............................................................... 39 2.3 Selecting the Compatibility Version....................................................................... 40 2.3.1 Compatibility Version Overview ....................................................................... 40 2.3.1.1 Background................................................................................................. 41 2.3.2 Display Feature Cross-Reference .................................................................... 41 2.3.2.1 Comprehensive Display Feature List .......................................................... 41 2.3.2.1.1 Mixed Simple and Tabular Layers ......................................................... 41 2.3.2.1.2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size................................................................ 42 2.3.2.1.3 Text Origin Saved in DDL ...................................................................... 42 2.3.2.1.4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group Layout ....................................... 42 2.3.2.1.5 Special Characters Allowed ................................................................... 43 2.3.2.1.6 Localize String ....................................................................................... 43 2.3.2.1.7 Menu Bar Item Application..................................................................... 43 2.3.2.1.8 Uppercase Formatted Fields.................................................................. 43 2.3.2.1.9 Format Factor ........................................................................................ 43 2.3.2.1.10 Third-Party Scripts ............................................................................... 44 2.3.2.1.11 ActiveX Controls .................................................................................. 44 2.3.2.1.12 GEM Support ....................................................................................... 44

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2.3.2.1.13 Clip to Regions .................................................................................... 45 2.3.2.1.14 Dynamic Simple Layers ....................................................................... 45 2.3.2.1.15 Indexed Placement .............................................................................. 46 2.3.2.1.16 Placement Rotation ............................................................................. 46 2.3.2.1.17 Secondary Application on Simple Layer .............................................. 46 2.3.2.1.18 Background Image............................................................................... 46 2.3.2.1.19 Halo Style ............................................................................................ 47 2.3.2.1.20 Hidden Data Entry ............................................................................... 47 2.3.2.1.21 Conditional Permission Checks ........................................................... 47 2.3.2.1.22 Scale to Fit Style.................................................................................. 47 2.3.2.1.23 Tool Tips .............................................................................................. 47 2.3.2.1.24 Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls................................................ 48 2.3.2.1.25 Enhanced Support for Raster Images.................................................. 48 2.3.2.1.26 CAM Enhancements ............................................................................ 48 2.3.2.1.27 Placement Identifiers ........................................................................... 48 2.3.2.1.28 Multi-Layer CAMs ................................................................................ 48 2.3.2.1.29 Windows TrueType Fonts .................................................................... 49 2.3.2.1.30 Multiple Data Sources.......................................................................... 49 2.3.2.1.31 Signed Pair Arrow Size ........................................................................ 49 2.3.2.1.32 Limits for Inner Dimensions for Multi-Dimensional Data ...................... 49 2.3.2.1.33 Layer Refresh Rate.............................................................................. 49 2.3.2.2 Compatibility Version Features ................................................................... 50 2.3.2.2.1 Compatibility Version FG 2.6.1 .............................................................. 50 2.3.2.2.2 Compatibility Version FG 3.0 ................................................................. 51 2.3.2.2.3 Compatibility Version FG 3.0.2 .............................................................. 52 2.3.2.2.4 Compatibility Version FG 5.0 ................................................................. 53 2.3.2.2.5 Compatibility Version FG 5.1 ................................................................. 54 2.3.2.2.6 Compatibility Version FG 5.2 ................................................................. 55 2.3.2.2.7 Compatibility Version FG 5.2.1 .............................................................. 57 2.3.2.2.8 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 2.1 ............................................... 58 2.3.2.2.9 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.0 ............................................... 59 2.3.2.2.10 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 .......................................... 60 2.3.2.2.11 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 .......................................... 61 2.3.2.2.12 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 .......................................... 63 2.3.2.2.13 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.4.0 .......................................... 64 2.3.2.2.14 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 .......................................... 66 2.4 Opening Display Builder Sets................................................................................ 68 2.5 Creating New Sets ................................................................................................ 68 2.6 Starting Scratch Pad and Dialog Editors ............................................................... 69 2.6.1 Starting Scratch Pad Editors ............................................................................ 69 2.6.1.1 Creating New Symbols and Pictures........................................................... 69 2.6.1.2 Creating New Picgroups and Displays........................................................ 69 2.6.2 Starting Dialog Editors ..................................................................................... 70 2.6.2.1 Creating New Dialog Elements ................................................................... 70 2.6.3 Opening Existing Components......................................................................... 70 2.6.3.1 Using Component Lists............................................................................... 70

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2.6.3.2 Using the Browser Window ......................................................................... 71 2.7 Renaming a Display Component........................................................................... 71 2.8 Resolving Name Conflicts ..................................................................................... 71 2.9 Changing Display Set References ........................................................................ 73 2.10 Saving Sets and Editor Definitions ...................................................................... 74 2.10.1 Saving All Open Sets and Editor Definitions .................................................. 74 2.10.2 Saving the Active Set ..................................................................................... 74 2.10.3 Saving the Current Editor............................................................................... 74 2.10.4 Using Auto Save ............................................................................................ 75 2.11 Copying Component Definitions.......................................................................... 75 2.12 Recovering Changes from Temporary Files........................................................ 75 2.13 Printing the Contents of a Scratch Pad ............................................................... 76 2.14 Transferring Sets for Compilation........................................................................ 76 2.15 Closing Editors .................................................................................................... 77 2.15.1 Closing the Current Editor.............................................................................. 77 2.15.2 Closing All Editors .......................................................................................... 77 2.16 Closing Sets ........................................................................................................ 78 2.17 Closing Display Builder ....................................................................................... 78

3. Using the Scratch Pad Editors............................................................ 79

3.1 Drawing Primitives ................................................................................................ 79 3.1.1 Selecting a Drawing Tool ................................................................................. 79 3.1.2 Defining a Line ................................................................................................. 79 3.1.3 Defining a Polyline ........................................................................................... 80 3.1.4 Defining a Polygon ........................................................................................... 81 3.1.5 Defining a Rectangle........................................................................................ 81 3.1.6 Defining a Circle............................................................................................... 82 3.1.7 Defining an Ellipse ........................................................................................... 82 3.1.8 Defining an Arc ................................................................................................ 83 3.1.9 Resizing a Primitive.......................................................................................... 85 3.1.9.1 Resizing Directly ......................................................................................... 85 3.1.9.2 Resizing Using the Properties Form ........................................................... 86 3.1.10 Defining Static Text ........................................................................................ 87 3.1.10.1 Editing Static Text ..................................................................................... 87 3.2 Defining Symbols .................................................................................................. 88 3.3 Defining Pictures ................................................................................................... 88 3.3.1 Picture Tab....................................................................................................... 89 3.3.2 The Attachment and Permission Test Tabs ..................................................... 90 3.3.3 Primitives in Pictures........................................................................................ 90 3.3.4 Placing Elements in Pictures............................................................................ 91 3.3.5 Defining Formatted Fields ................................................................................ 91 3.3.6 The Formatted Field Definition Tab.................................................................. 91 3.3.7 Specifying the Graphic Attributes of a Formatted Field .................................... 95 3.3.8 The Attachment and Declutter Tabs ................................................................ 96 3.3.9 Specifying a Scale Factor on a Picture Object ................................................. 96

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3.3.10 Specifying a Shift Factor on a Picture Object................................................. 96 3.3.11 Defining Placement Declutter......................................................................... 96 3.3.12 Attaching Elements in Pictures ...................................................................... 97 3.3.13 Defining Popups............................................................................................. 97 3.3.14 Popup Picture Properties ............................................................................... 98 3.3.15 Specifying Picture Attachments and Permission Tests .................................. 99 3.4 Defining Picgroups ................................................................................................ 99 3.4.1 The Picgroup Tab .......................................................................................... 100 3.4.2 The Attachments Tab..................................................................................... 101 3.4.3 Adding Primitives to Picgroups ...................................................................... 101 3.4.4 Placing Elements in Picgroups....................................................................... 101 3.4.5 Attaching Elements in Picgroups ................................................................... 101 3.4.6 Specifying a Secondary Picture Driving Field ................................................ 102 3.4.7 Locking Picgroup Objects .............................................................................. 102 3.5 Defining Displays ................................................................................................ 102 3.5.1.1 Display Tab ............................................................................................... 103 3.5.1.2 Applications Tab ....................................................................................... 105 3.5.1.3 Viewport Tab............................................................................................. 106 3.5.1.4 Menus Tab................................................................................................ 107 3.5.1.5 Background Tab........................................................................................ 108 3.5.1.6 Specifying Display Attachments and Permission Tests ............................ 109 3.5.1.7 Background Image Tab............................................................................. 109 3.6 Defining Layers ................................................................................................... 111 3.6.1 Simple Layer Construction Tasks .................................................................. 112 3.6.2 Defining Simple Layers .................................................................................. 112 3.6.2.1 The Simple Layer Tab............................................................................... 113 3.6.2.2 Attaching Elements on Simple Layers ...................................................... 115 3.6.2.3 The Attachments and Permission Test Tabs ............................................ 115 3.6.2.4 Primitives on a Simple Layer .................................................................... 115 3.6.2.5 Placing Elements on Simple Layers.......................................................... 115 3.6.2.5.1 Adding ActiveX Controls ...................................................................... 115 3.6.2.6 Moving Selected Objects Between Simple Layers.................................... 116 3.6.2.7 Defining a Placeholder.............................................................................. 116 3.6.2.8 Replace Dialog Box .................................................................................. 116 3.6.2.9 Placement Forms for Simple Layer Objects.............................................. 117 3.6.2.10 Move to Layer Dialog Box....................................................................... 117 3.6.2.11 Defining Simple Layer Database Linkages ............................................. 118 3.6.3 Tabular Layer Construction Tasks ................................................................. 118 3.6.4 Defining Tabular Layers ................................................................................. 119 3.6.4.1 Tabular Definition Tab............................................................................... 119 3.6.4.2 Repeat Tab ............................................................................................... 121 3.6.4.3 Hierarchical Tab........................................................................................ 123 3.6.4.4 Link List Tab ............................................................................................. 125 3.6.4.5 Multi-Dimensional Tab .............................................................................. 128 3.6.4.6 Indexed Tab .............................................................................................. 130 3.6.5 Add Picgroup Dialog Box ............................................................................... 134

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3.6.5.1 Placing Constant Picgroups ...................................................................... 135 3.6.5.2 Placing Data-Oriented Picgroups.............................................................. 135 3.6.5.3 Specifying Picgroup Layout ...................................................................... 136 3.6.5.4 Simulating Tabular Layer Database Linkages........................................... 136 3.6.6 Tabular Simulation Form................................................................................ 137 3.6.6.1 Specifying Layer Attachments and Permission Tests ............................... 139 3.6.7 Tabular Layout Form...................................................................................... 139 3.6.8 Layers Tab ..................................................................................................... 140 3.6.9 Specifying the Active Layer............................................................................ 142

4. Scratch Pad Operations .................................................................... 143

4.1.1 Showing or Hiding the Grid ............................................................................ 143 4.1.2 Turning Snap to Grid On or Off ...................................................................... 143 4.1.3 Turning Scale to Fit On or Off ........................................................................ 143 4.1.4 Setting Scratch Pad Zoom ............................................................................. 144 4.1.5 Zooming the Scratch Pad Incrementally ........................................................ 144 4.1.6 Zooming the Scratch Pad to a Prescribed Level ............................................ 144 4.1.7 Setting the Default Shared GAB Element Set ................................................ 145 4.1.8 Setting the Default Shared GAB .................................................................... 145 4.1.9 Placing an Element ........................................................................................ 145 4.1.9.1 Using Drag-and-Drop................................................................................ 146 4.1.9.2 Using the Add Placement Dialog Box ....................................................... 146 4.1.10 Making Attachments to Placed Objects........................................................ 147 4.1.10.1 Using Drag-and-Drop.............................................................................. 147 4.1.10.2 Using the Add Attachment Dialog Box .................................................... 147 4.1.11 Removing Attachments from Objects........................................................... 148 4.1.12 Making Overall Attachments ........................................................................ 148 4.1.12.1 Making Attachments to Pictures.............................................................. 148 4.1.12.2 Making Attachments to Layers................................................................ 149 4.1.13 Removing Overall Attachments.................................................................... 149 4.1.13.1 Using the Placement Properties Dialog Box ........................................... 149 4.1.14 Browsing Object Definitions in Scratch Pads ............................................... 150 4.1.15 Selecting Objects in the Scratch Pad ........................................................... 150 4.1.15.1 Selecting Single Objects ......................................................................... 150 4.1.15.2 Selecting Multiple Objects....................................................................... 150 4.1.15.3 Selecting Objects Using the Rubber-Band Method................................. 151 4.1.15.4 Using the Select All Option ..................................................................... 151 4.1.16 De-Selecting Objects in the Scratch Pad ..................................................... 151 4.1.16.1 De-Selecting All Selected Objects .......................................................... 152 4.1.16.2 De-Selecting Individual Objects .............................................................. 152 4.1.16.3 De-Selecting Multiple Objects ................................................................. 152 4.1.17 Decluttering the Scratch Pad ....................................................................... 153 4.1.18 Hiding or Showing Bounding Boxes for Static Text ...................................... 153 4.1.19 Hiding or Showing Bounding Boxes for Pictures .......................................... 153 4.1.20 Hiding or Showing Bounding Boxes for Picgroups ....................................... 153

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4.1.21 Hiding or Showing Popups........................................................................... 154 4.1.22 Grouping and Ungrouping Objects in the Scratch Pad................................. 154 4.1.22.1 Grouping Objects .................................................................................... 154 4.1.22.2 Ungrouping Objects ................................................................................ 154 4.1.23 Moving an Object ......................................................................................... 154 4.1.23.1 Moving Directly ....................................................................................... 155 4.1.23.2 Moving an Object Incrementally.............................................................. 155 4.1.23.3 Moving Using a Properties Form............................................................. 155 4.1.24 Moving to the Front or Back ......................................................................... 155 4.1.24.1 Moving to the Back ................................................................................. 156 4.1.24.2 Moving to the Front ................................................................................. 156 4.1.24.3 Moving an Object One Level................................................................... 156 4.1.25 Removing an Object from the Scratch Pad .................................................. 156 4.1.26 Aligning an Object to the Grid ...................................................................... 157 4.1.27 Aligning Objects on Edges and Centers....................................................... 157 4.1.27.1 Aligning Objects Horizontally .................................................................. 157 4.1.27.2 Aligning Objects Vertically ...................................................................... 157 4.1.27.3 Centering Objects ................................................................................... 158 4.1.28 Changing the Graphic Attributes of a Primitive ............................................ 158 4.1.29 Undoing Edit Actions.................................................................................... 158 4.1.30 Redoing Edit Actions.................................................................................... 159 4.2 Defining Permission Area Tests .......................................................................... 159 4.2.1 Defining a Picture Permission Area Test........................................................ 159 4.2.2 Defining a Layer Permission Area Test.......................................................... 160 4.2.3 Defining a Display Permission Area Test ....................................................... 160

5. Using the Dialog Editors ................................................................... 161

5.1 Creating a New Element ..................................................................................... 161 5.2 Defining GABs..................................................................................................... 161 5.3 Defining CAMs .................................................................................................... 162 5.3.1 Completing the CAM Dialog Box.................................................................... 162 5.3.2 Defining CAMs with Permission Checks ........................................................ 164 5.3.3 Defining CAMs Using Third-Party Scripting ................................................... 164 5.4 Defining GEMs .................................................................................................... 166 5.4.1 Completing the GEM Dialog........................................................................... 166 5.5 Defining Conditional Text (CT) ............................................................................ 168 5.5.1 Completing the CT Dialog Box....................................................................... 168 5.5.2 Defining CTs using Third-Party Scripting ....................................................... 170 5.6 Defining Conditional Tests for CAMs and CTs .................................................... 172 5.7 Statement Modifiers ............................................................................................ 178 5.8 Defining Attribute Sets ........................................................................................ 178 5.9 Defining Menus ................................................................................................... 180 5.9.1 Edit Menu Tab................................................................................................ 181 5.9.2 Menu Definition Tab ....................................................................................... 182 5.10 Defining Keysets ............................................................................................... 183

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5.10.1 The Edit Keyset Tab..................................................................................... 184 5.10.2 Keyset Definition Tab ................................................................................... 185 5.10.3 Defining Keysets Using Third-Party Scripting .............................................. 185

6. Other Forms, Dialogs, and Tabs....................................................... 188

6.1.1 Change Reference Dialog Box....................................................................... 188 6.2 Placement Properties Forms............................................................................... 188 6.2.1 Symbol and Conditional Text Placement Properties ...................................... 189 6.2.2 Static Text Placement Properties................................................................... 189 6.2.3 Placeholder Placement Properties ................................................................. 189 6.2.4 Picture Placement Properties......................................................................... 189 6.2.5 Primitive Placement Properties ...................................................................... 190 6.2.5.1 Placed Lines, Polylines, and Polygons ..................................................... 190 6.2.5.2 Placed Rectangles and Ellipses................................................................ 190 6.2.5.3 Placed Circles ........................................................................................... 191 6.2.5.4 Placed Arcs............................................................................................... 191 6.3 Shared Forms and Dialog Boxes ........................................................................ 191 6.3.1 Tool Bars Form .............................................................................................. 191 6.3.2 File Transfer Form ......................................................................................... 192 6.3.3 Add Placement Dialog Box ............................................................................ 194 6.3.4 Add Attachment Dialog Box ........................................................................... 195 6.3.5 Options Form ................................................................................................. 196 6.3.5.1 Options Tab .............................................................................................. 196 6.3.5.2 Customize Colors Tab .............................................................................. 198 6.3.5.3 Font Mapping Tab..................................................................................... 199 6.3.6 Scratch Pad Options Form............................................................................. 200 6.4 Shared Tabs........................................................................................................ 202 6.4.1 Attachments Tab............................................................................................ 202 6.4.2 Permission Test Tab ...................................................................................... 203 6.4.3 Placements Tab ............................................................................................. 205 6.4.4 Define Link Tab.............................................................................................. 206 6.4.5 Lock Tab ........................................................................................................ 207 6.4.6 Scale Factor Tab............................................................................................ 207 6.4.7 Declutter Tab ................................................................................................. 209 6.4.8 Colors Tab ..................................................................................................... 210 6.4.9 Lines and Fills Tab ......................................................................................... 211 6.4.10 Fonts Tab..................................................................................................... 212 6.4.11 TrueType Fonts Tab..................................................................................... 213

7. Multi-Dimensional Displays .............................................................. 216

7.1 Creating Multi-D Pictures .................................................................................... 216 7.2 Modifying Default Driving Data............................................................................ 217 7.3 Specifying the Layout of Multi-D Displays ........................................................... 219

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8. Preparing Displays for Online Viewing ............................................ 220

8.1 Display Compilation Overview............................................................................. 220 8.1.1 Compiling e-terrabrowser Displays ................................................................ 220 8.2 Compiling Element Sets ...................................................................................... 221 8.3 Binding the Display ............................................................................................. 221 8.4 Using the rfgdisdef Bind Command..................................................................... 221 8.5 Using the rfgdisdef Compile DSet Command.................................................... 222

9. Field Display Formats........................................................................ 223

9.1 Introduction to Display Formats........................................................................... 223 9.1.1 Defining the Format Type............................................................................... 224 9.1.2 Defining the Format Size and Position ........................................................... 225 9.2 Character Fields.................................................................................................. 226 9.3 Integer and Real Fields ....................................................................................... 227 9.4 Boolean and Logical Fields ................................................................................. 229 9.5 Date and Time Fields .......................................................................................... 230 9.6 Format Factor...................................................................................................... 232

10. Helpful Hints ..................................................................................... 234

10.1 Bounding Rectangles ........................................................................................ 234 10.2 Text ................................................................................................................... 237 10.2.1 Positioning Text Objects .............................................................................. 237 10.2.2 Text Case..................................................................................................... 238 10.2.3 Text Font Family .......................................................................................... 239 10.3 Scroll Bars......................................................................................................... 239 10.4 Conditional Data Entry ...................................................................................... 239 10.5 Conditional Keysets .......................................................................................... 240 10.6 Using Menus in Development ........................................................................... 240 10.7 Toggling L*4 fields............................................................................................. 240 10.8 CAM Precedence .............................................................................................. 240 10.8.1 Last Attached Rule Example........................................................................ 241 10.9 Conditional Test Processing.............................................................................. 241 10.9.1 Clause and Phrase Processing Order.......................................................... 241 10.9.2 L*4 Field Testing .......................................................................................... 242 10.10 Showing Data from Different Databases ......................................................... 242 10.11 Building Pokepoints......................................................................................... 243 10.11.1 Multiple-Part Pokepoints ............................................................................ 243 10.11.2 Pokepoints on Fields with Proxy Strings .................................................... 243 10.12 Using the %FV% Proxy String......................................................................... 244 10.13 Constant Picgroups ......................................................................................... 244 10.13.1 Placing Constant Picgroups ....................................................................... 244 10.13.2 CAMs in Constant Picgroups ..................................................................... 244 10.13.3 Constant Layer Placements ....................................................................... 245
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11. Optimization Guidelines .................................................................. 246

11.1 Display Performance......................................................................................... 246 11.2 Display Processing............................................................................................ 246 11.2.1 Server Processing........................................................................................ 246 11.2.2 Client Processing ......................................................................................... 247 11.2.3 The Effect of Viewport Size on Processing .................................................. 248 11.2.4 Processing vs. Performance ........................................................................ 249 11.3 Performance Guidelines.................................................................................... 250 11.3.1 Simple Layer Complexity ............................................................................. 250 11.3.2 Declutter Levels ........................................................................................... 250 11.3.3 Tabular Layer Pages.................................................................................... 250 11.3.4 Layers and Display Call-Up.......................................................................... 251 11.3.5 Viewport Configuration................................................................................. 252 11.3.6 Placements and Complexity......................................................................... 253 11.3.6.1 Number of Placements vs. Placement Density ....................................... 253 11.3.6.2 Using Popups.......................................................................................... 253 11.3.6.3 Display Background Primitives................................................................ 254 11.3.6.4 The Effect of Drawing Order ................................................................... 254 11.3.7 Conditional Elements and Processing Time................................................. 254 11.3.8 Database Linkage Considerations ............................................................... 255 11.3.8.1 Display Refresh Rates ............................................................................ 256 11.3.8.2 Resolving Database Links....................................................................... 256

Figures
Figure 1: Scale Factor Definition Page............................................................................ 6 Figure 2: Display Builder Definition Manager ................................................................ 22 Figure 3: Definition Manager with Element Set Window Open...................................... 23 Figure 4: Definition Manager with Display Set Window Open ....................................... 24 Figure 5: Definition Manager with Browser Window Open ............................................ 25 Figure 6: Definition Manager with Sample Scratch Pad ................................................ 32 Figure 7: Name Conflict Error Message ........................................................................ 72 Figure 8: Name Conflict Dialog Box .............................................................................. 73 Figure 9: Scratch Pad with Arc Selected and Handles Visible ...................................... 84 Figure 10: Picture Tab................................................................................................... 89 Figure 11: Formatted Field Definition Tab ..................................................................... 92 Figure 12: Popup Picture Properties Form .................................................................... 98 Figure 13: Picgroup Tab.............................................................................................. 100 Figure 14: Display Tab ................................................................................................ 104 Figure 15: Applications Tab......................................................................................... 105 Figure 16: Viewport Tab .............................................................................................. 106 Figure 17: Menus Tab ................................................................................................. 107 Figure 18: Background Tab......................................................................................... 109 Figure 19: Background Image Tab .............................................................................. 110 Figure 20: Simple Layer Tab ....................................................................................... 113
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Figure 21: Replace Dialog Box.................................................................................... 117 Figure 22: Move to Layer Dialog Box .......................................................................... 117 Figure 23: Tabular Definition Tab ................................................................................ 120 Figure 24: Repeat Tab ................................................................................................ 122 Figure 25: Hierarchical Tab ......................................................................................... 124 Figure 26: Link List Tab............................................................................................... 126 Figure 27: Multi-Dimensional Tab................................................................................ 128 Figure 28: Indexed Tab ............................................................................................... 131 Figure 29: Add Picgroup Dialog Box ........................................................................... 134 Figure 30: Tabular Simulation Form ............................................................................ 138 Figure 31: Tabular Layout Form .................................................................................. 139 Figure 32: Layers Tab ................................................................................................. 141 Figure 33: CAM Editor Dialog Box............................................................................... 162 Figure 34: GEM Editor................................................................................................. 167 Figure 35: Conditional Text Editor ............................................................................... 169 Figure 36: Menu Editor................................................................................................ 180 Figure 37: Definition Tab of the Menu Editor Dialog Box............................................. 182 Figure 38: Edit Keyset Tab.......................................................................................... 183 Figure 39: Keyset Definition Tab ................................................................................. 185 Figure 40: Keyset Definition Tab Enabled for Third-Party Scripting Configuration ...... 186 Figure 41: Change Reference Dialog Box................................................................... 188 Figure 42: File Transfer Form...................................................................................... 192 Figure 43: Add Placement Dialog Box......................................................................... 194 Figure 44: Add Attachment Dialog Box ....................................................................... 195 Figure 45: Options Tab of the Options Form ............................................................... 196 Figure 46: Customize Colors Tab................................................................................ 198 Figure 47: Font Mapping Tab ...................................................................................... 200 Figure 48: Scratch Pad Options Dialog Box ................................................................ 201 Figure 49: Attachments Tab ........................................................................................ 203 Figure 50: Permission Test Tab .................................................................................. 204 Figure 51: Placements Tab ......................................................................................... 205 Figure 52: Define Link Tab .......................................................................................... 206 Figure 53: Lock Tab .................................................................................................... 207 Figure 54: Scale Tab ................................................................................................... 208 Figure 55: Declutter Tab.............................................................................................. 209 Figure 56: Colors Tab.................................................................................................. 210 Figure 57: Lines and Fills Tab ..................................................................................... 211 Figure 58: Fonts Tab ................................................................................................... 213 Figure 59: TrueType Fonts Tab................................................................................... 214 Figure 60: Standard Windows Fonts Dialog Box ......................................................... 215 Figure 61: Multi-Dimensional Tab................................................................................ 217 Figure 62: Definition Tab of the Formatted Field Properties Form .............................. 224 Figure 63: How Bounding Rectangles Are Defined ..................................................... 235 Figure 64: Overlap of Bounding Rectangles on a Display ........................................... 236 Figure 65: Position and Expansion of Text.................................................................. 238 Figure 66: e-terrabrowser Server Display Processing ................................................. 247

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Figure 67: e-terrabrowser Client Display Processing .................................................. 248

Tables
Table 1: Clipping and Locked Regions.......................................................................... 45 Table 2: Version FG 2.6.1 Features .............................................................................. 50 Table 3: Version FG 3.0 Features ................................................................................. 51 Table 4: Version FG 3.0.2 Features .............................................................................. 52 Table 5: Version FG 5.0 Features ................................................................................. 53 Table 6: Version FG 5.1 Features ................................................................................. 54 Table 7: Version FG 5.2 Features ................................................................................. 55 Table 8: Version FG 5.2.1 Features .............................................................................. 57 Table 9: Version e-terrabrowser 2.1 .............................................................................. 58 Table 10: Version e-terrabrowser 3.0 Features............................................................. 59 Table 11: Version e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 Features.......................................................... 60 Table 12: Version e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 Features.......................................................... 62 Table 13: Version e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 Features.......................................................... 63 Table 14: Version e-terrabrowser 3.4.0 Features.......................................................... 64 Table 15: Version e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 Features.......................................................... 66 Table 16: Primitive Editing and Resizing Rules ............................................................. 86 Table 17: Standard Display Formats ........................................................................... 225 Table 18: Character Field Display Examples .............................................................. 227 Table 19: Integer and Real Data Type Display Formats.............................................. 227 Table 20: Integer Field Display Examples (I*2) ........................................................... 228 Table 21: Real Field Display Examples (R*4).............................................................. 228 Table 22: Integer and Real Fields with Text Pairs ....................................................... 229 Table 23: Boolean and Logical Field Text Pair Definitions .......................................... 229 Table 24: Allowed Date and Time Field Display Formats............................................ 230 Table 25: Time and Date Field Display Examples....................................................... 232 Table 26: Average-Size Characters of Fonts .............................................................. 237

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About This Document

This document is supplied as a part of AREVA T&Ds Display Builder product.

Purpose of This Document

This Display Builder Users Guide has three main purposes: To introduce you to the concepts, features, and components of the Display Builder software. To provide instructions for how to use the Display Builder software to build displays. To provide instructions for how to define display components for viewing in e-terrabrowser.

Who Should Use This Document

The Display Builder Users Guide is intended for use by anyone who will build displays for viewing in e-terrabrowser. This guide assumes some knowledge of e-terrahabitat concepts, and it also assumes that you have full knowledge of the use of the Microsoft Windows environment.

Structure of This Document

This guide contains 11 chapters, organized by general and specific information as follows: Chapter 1 provides an overview of Display Builders features and components, and provides a brief discussion of display concepts. Chapter 2 provides an introduction to the basic operations of Display Builder. Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 describe the interactive tools of Display Builder: scratch pads and dialogs. Chapter 7 describes the concepts behind multi-dimensional displays, and describes procedures for defining them. Chapters 8 through 11 provide supplementary information about and hints for building displays and their components.

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For More Information

For more information about e-terraplatform, refer to the following: e-terraplatform System Overview An overall view of e-terraplatform, its components, their functions and use, and how they are related functionally and structurally.

For more information about e-terrahabitat, refer to the following: e-terrahabitat Software Installation and Maintenance Guide Basic information about and instructions for the installation and maintenance of e-terrahabitat. Hdb Users Guide Basic information about and instructions for developing databases in e-terrahabitat. Introduction to e-terrahabitat Programming Basic information about and instructions for developing applications in e-terrahabitat.

For more information about e-terrabrowser, refer to the following: e-terrabrowser Users Guide An introduction to the concepts and features of e-terrabrowser, and instructions for accessing and using e-terrabrowser displays. e-terrabrowser Reference Manual Supporting information about e-terrabrowser commands, utilities, proxy strings, and terms.

For specific information about migrating Rapport-FG displays to an e-terrabrowser system: e-terrabrowser User Interface Migration Guide Comparisons of Rapport-FG and e-terrabrowser, a summary of differences and new features, and strategies for trouble-free migration.

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Conventions
The following conventions are used throughout this document. Commands that are particular to an operating system are shown with the corresponding prompt symbol. Operating System UNIX Prompt % Command Prompts Description All commands preceded by a percent sign prompt (%) are issued from a UNIX terminal window. Note that all UNIX commands are case-sensitive. All commands preceded by a greater than sign prompt (>) are issued from the Windows command-line window. The absence of any prompt character before a command indicates that the command is valid on all operating systems.

Windows

>

All Operating Systems

Operating System UNIX

Delimiter Italics

Command Strings Description

Text in italics indicates information you must supply. (*) UNIX [] Text enclosed in square brackets "[ ]" indicates optional qualifiers, arguments, or data. (*) All Operating Select When used in command strings, the term Select Systems means placing the pointer over the specified item and pressing the left (default) mouse button. (*) Note: All UNIX commands are case-sensitive and must be typed exactly as shown.

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Change Summary
The following changes were made to this document for this release: Updates to the Defining Popups section for popup pictures at a display level. Added the Substring Testing in CAMs and CT section. Added information about support for indirect links for scale factors. Added information about the TrueType Fonts tab.

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1. Overview
This chapter provides an overview of the concepts associated with display building, and the concepts and graphical features of Display Builder.

1.1 Display Concepts

Displays are user-created graphical interfaces to application databases. They provide the means to access, display, and interact with application data. Displays have a common set of features and capabilities, and a common set of definable attributes, as described below.

1.1.1 Common Display Features and Capabilities

The following features and capabilities are common to any displays: Ability to create an interactive view of application data from one or more application databases. Viewed in e-terrabrowser windows called viewports. Ability to set the attributes of the viewport into which it is called. Ability to incorporate graphical devices such as viewport scroll bars and menus. Accessed using display commands. Ability to access e-terrabrowser user interaction functions such as panning, positioning to specific record occurrences, calling up data into popup picture windows, and viewing a display by layers (separately or as a composite). Using the zoom feature, displays can be reduced or enlarged by userspecified zoom factors. Zoom factors are real-number multipliers between 0.1 and 10. Zoom factors can change the display size relative to either of the following: The normalized display size. This is the size of a display when the zoom factor is 1 (100% of its defined size). The current display size or the current zoom factor of the display. The zoom factor of the display can be specified by using commands, using options of a viewport menu bar menu, or using the rubber-band zoom feature. The rubber-band zoom feature allows the user to draw a rectangle around the area to be enlarged and have this area zoomed to fit the current viewport size (holding down the Shift button while using the mouses scrolling wheel will do the rubber-band zoom).
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An entire display can be set to appear at a given zoom factor by defining a default zoom factor. The declutter feature allows objects to be removed from (decluttered) or added to the display at specified zoom factors. An object is defined to declutter by providing a low and a high declutter zoom factor. The object will appear when the zoom factor of the display is greater than or equal to the low declutter zoom factor and less than or equal to the high declutter zoom factor.

1.1.2 Common Definable Display Attributes

Displays also have the following common set of definable attributes. These attributes can affect display call-up, calldown, performance, use, and the viewport into which the display is called. Display name The display name is used to reference a display for editing and call-up. Display title The display title appears in the title bar of the viewport into which it is called. This can be any text string up to 80 characters in length and it can include proxy strings. (Including proxy strings in the title allows the title bar to reflect current context attributes such as the display application, family, or page number. See the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about proxy strings.) Call-up/calldown commands Each display can be defined with one or more commands that execute when a display is called up in or called down from a viewport. These commands can position the display or execute tasks, for example. See the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about the available commands. User applications Each display can be defined to be owned for one or more applications. This does not, however, limit this display to use only in these applications. Refresh rate The refresh rate is that amount of time between successive checks of database values to determine if field values referenced in a display have changed. These changes may then cause changes to the appearance of the display.

The following attributes, which affect the characteristics of the viewport into which the display is called, can be defined for each display. Default settings are shown in parentheses. The minimum and maximum viewport size (no minimum or maximum). This attribute sets whether the viewports size can be decreased or increased beyond specified limits. 2
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Whether the viewport can be occluded (can be occluded). This controls whether or not other viewports are allowed in front of the viewport associated with the display. Whether the standard menu bar menus are used (use the standard menu bar menus). This sets whether the default menu bar menus will appear in the main menu bar. Whether other menus are added to the standard menu bar menus (no other menus). This allows other menus to be added to or replace the standard menu bar menus. Whether the display is locked in the viewport (not locked in the viewport). This determines if another display can replace this display once it is called to the viewport. Whether the viewport has a command window (no command window). This sets whether a viewport command window is created when this display is called to the viewport. Whether the viewport has horizontal or vertical scroll bars (no scroll bars). This sets whether scroll bars on the viewport are created when this display is called. Which screen of a multi-headed console the viewport is to be created on when the client is already running (viewports are created on the screen with input focus). The Screen Option menu, from which you select the desired screen, appears on the Station Viewport Control dialog box only when the client is running on a multiheaded console.

When a display is called up, its defined settings will always override those defined for the viewport. As an example, assume a display has been defined to have no scroll bars, and the active viewport has them. When the display is called to the viewport, the scroll bars will disappear. You can later add scroll bars to the viewport; however, these scroll bars will remain only until the next call-up of the current display or another display defined with no scroll bars.

1.1.3 Display Elements

Display Builder assembles many display elements to create a display. These elements are the building blocks that make up the finished display definition. The display elements used to create a display are described in the following sections.

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1.1.3.1 Drawn and Typed Graphical Elements Graphical elements that are drawn or typed in scratch pads1 are called primitives. They provide Display Builder with a means of creating easily recognizable patterns that will assist the displays user in interpreting display information and performing operations. Primitives are applied directly to a scratch pad, such as the Symbol Editor scratch pad. 1.1.3.2 Graphic Attributes of Primitives and Text The graphic attributes of primitives, formatted fields, and text are established by the default Graphic Attribute Bundle (GAB) when these objects are created, and they can be changed by attaching shared GABs. Note: The user should specify the final graphic attributes of all primitives by attaching shared GABs. Failing to apply a shared GAB to a primitive creates a Private GAB by default. Private GABs should be used only to temporarily set attributes in the scratch pad. Shared GABs are graphical devices that contain settings of frequently used graphic attributes. Shared GABs are used to uniformly apply a set of graphic attributes to primitives and elements. They provide a means of ensuring that similar objects always appear the same. Once defined, a shared GAB can be applied to any drawn primitive using drag-and-drop techniques. A specified shared GAB is also part of a conditional text definition. See Defining GABsfor details about defining Graphic Attribute Blocks/Bundles. See the section Attachments Tab for details about how a shared GAB can be attached to an element. 1.1.3.3 Symbols Symbols are collections of primitives, excluding text, that are used to represent common objects on displays. By defining a symbol once, it can be placed as often as needed on other elements, displays, or picgroups. See Defining Symbols for instructions on how to define symbols in the Symbol Editor. 1.1.3.4 Scale Factors Scale factors are graphical objects that can be attached to primitives and symbols, to make them grow or shrink in relation to a value in a database field called the scaling field.

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Scale factors are defined on the Scale Factor tab of the Primitive and Symbol placement forms. The basic concepts of defining a scale factor are: Defining the scaled object in the scratch pad to represent a value in the scaling field of one (1), or 100% growth. This means that, by default, the object will appear on the online display exactly as drawn when the scaling field value is 1. It will appear 50% of its defined size when the scaling field value is 0.5, and it will appear at 125% of its defined size when the scaling field value is 1.25. Defining proportionality values when scaling field values are not decimal representations of percentages (i.e., values such as 0.5, 1, 1.25, etc.). Proportionality values are those scaling field values that the user wants to represent 0% and 100% growth, respectively. Example: Assume the values in a scaling field range between 20 and 50, and the user wants 0% growth represented by the value 20 and 100% growth represented by the value 40. In this case, a value of 30 would scale the object to 50% of its defined size; a value of 45 would scale it to 125%. Minimum or maximum proportionality values can be specified literally, or the user can reference a field that will contain the values. Specifying the growth directions. The object can be defined to grow in any combination of dimensions. Defining minimum and maximum growth percentages that limit the growth of the object. Example: If the minimum growth percentage is set at 20% and the maximum is 125%, then the object can never shrink below 20% or grow beyond 125% of its defined size, regardless of the value in the scaling field. Indirect links for scale factors has been provided as of Display Builder 5.6. Previously, indirect links were only supported for Formatted Fields, CAMs, CT, and Shift Factors. Indirect links can be associated with the scaling field, minimum bound field, and maximum bound field. These fields are found on the Scale Factor definition page, shown in Figure 1.

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Figure 1: Scale Factor Definition Page Note: This functionality is only available with Displays compiled with e-terrabrowser 3.5 compatibility. The user will be notified if an incompatibility is detected. 1.1.3.5 Shift Factors A shift factor is a non-named attachment; it modifies the location of the object to which it is attached based on the values in the database. See Defining GEMs for more information. Shift factors are defined using the GEometry Modifier (GEM) dialog editor. 1.1.3.6 Pictures Pictures are the primary elements of display building. They carry the graphical objects that make operating information, or database values, accessible to the displays user. If Display Builder has assigned interactive attributes to objects in the picture, the person viewing the display can interact with the database. Display Builder can assign the following elements to a picture: Formatted fields Represent record data with formatting. Formatted fields are placed in pictures to link to and display database field values. 6
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The fields specified within a formatted field attribute must reside on, or be pointed to by, the pictures record type. By attaching a select and enter keyset to a formatted field, the data in the field can be edited in real time. By attaching conditional modifiers to a formatted field, additional visual information can be transmitted to the user. The graphic attributes of formatted fields are established by the default GAB when these objects are created. Symbols Provide easily recognizable objects that help make displays more usable and informative. Symbols can carry interactive mechanisms for toggling and editing database values. A symbol can be assigned a scale factor so that the symbol grows or shrinks in relation to a scaling field value. The scaling field must reside on the pictures record. Conditional text Indicates status by displaying text strings as an outcome of a test on one or more database values. Conditional text can be placed in a picture to provide a human-readable indication of state changes that are occurring in a system database.

Conditional text and symbols are defined in their own editors and are then placed in the picture. Formatted fields and scale factors are defined in the Picture Editor. Conditional Attribute Modifiers (CAMs) can be attached to objects in pictures or to the picture overall to indicate database changes. They do this by modifying an objects graphic attributes based on a test of database values. When pictures are defined, they are associated with a record type in an application database. When pictures are placed on a simple layer, they are linked to specific occurrences of their record type via a composite key. This allows specific field values of a record to be displayed. To display repeating data, Display Builder must place the picture in a picgroup and place the picgroup in a tabular layer. This allows the field values from multiple occurrences of the pictures record type to be displayed automatically in a repeating list. The picture, objects placed in the picture, and formatted fields can be defined to declutter (to appear or disappear at specified zoom factors) by specifying a low and a high declutter zoom factor. The range of allowable zoom factors is between a low of .10 (10%) and a high of 10 (1000%). Pictures can also be defined with a permission area test, in addition to the implicit application permission test. This test defines whether the picture will appear, or whether users can edit fields on the picture or execute commands from the picture, depending on tests of permission areas.

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Pictures can also be defined to display information from multi-dimensional records (see Multi-Dimensional Displays for more information). Pictures can be assigned to other pictures so they have popup characteristics (see Popupsfor more information). Also see Defining Pictures for instructions on how to define pictures in the Picture Editor. 1.1.3.7 Menus Menus provide one means of issuing commands without having to type them. A menu is a list of one or more descriptive labels. Each label is associated with a command that is executed when the label is selected. A menu label is selected by positioning the pointer on the label and pressing a mouse button or key. Menus can be defined with submenus and base commands. Submenus are secondary menus that are activated by selecting a label of the parent menu. A base command is a command (or commands, or part of a command) that becomes part of all commands defined for the individual labels in the menu, including all submenu label commands. The base command can be defined to precede or follow all label commands. Defining a base command provides consistency and reduces the amount of typing needed to define a menu. There are three ways to use menus: Pulldown menus: These are attached to a display definition and appear in the main menu bar of viewports in the online display. These menus operate exactly like those found in any Windows-based application. Popup menus: These are menus that have been attached locally or as overall attachments. They appear, or pop up, when activated. Menus are activated by positioning the pointer on the object that has the menu attached and issuing the MENU command. The most common means of issuing the MENU command is through a virtual key definition in a key map (see the e-terrabrowser Users Guide for details about associating keys and mouse buttons with e-terrabrowser commands through the key map). When activated, popup menus always appear at the current pointer location. Submenus: Submenus are secondary menus that are activated by selecting a label of the parent menu.

See Defining Menus for more information.

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1.1.3.8 Keysets A keyset is a collection of assignments of a command or a series of commands to a keystroke or series of keystrokes. The keyset allows you to define a display so that specific keystrokes execute specific commands whenever the pointer is positioned on the object with the keyset attached. When attached to a visible element on a display, the combination of the element and the keyset defines a pokepoint. A pokepoint is an area on the screen sensitized to a given command for a given keystroke or series of keystrokes. Commands are not directly assigned to specific keys or keystrokes in the keyset; rather the keyset assigns a command to a virtual key name. A virtual key name is an arbitrary name given to a set of physical keystrokes, and it is defined in e-terrabrowser using the key map. See the e-terrabrowser Users Guide for more information about defining virtual key names in the key map. A keyset can be defined so that the object it is attached to flashes when selected. The object the keyset is attached to turns magenta in color for a brief period while the command is executed. Keysets can be defined to allow text on the command line to be appended to the command defined in the keyset. This allows the user to add parameters or qualifiers to the commands. See Defining Keysets for details about defining keysets. 1.1.3.9 Conditional Attribute Modifiers (CAMS) CAMs provide the means for specifying how the visual attributes of primitives, elements, and picgroups would change based on the outcome of a test of database values. In a conditional attribute definition, the user specifies the specific visual attributes and test(s) that will cause the attribute to appear. A common attribute controlled by CAMs is visibility. Multiple CAMs can affect the attributes of a single element or primitive. The precedence of which CAM will override the others follows the last attached rule. The last attached rule states that the CAM that was attached last in the display definition process will override all other CAMs. Each CAM is associated with a specific record type and application database. When used in a display definition, the CAM is linked to a specific occurrence of this record type. The CAM is defined to test the field values in this specific occurrence, in a global field, or in another record type specified by one or more pointer fields (see the Hdb Users Guide in the e-terrahabitat documentation set for more information about pointers in e-terrahabitat).
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See Defining CAMsfor details about defining CAMs. 1.1.3.10 Geometry Modifiers (GEMs) A GEM is a named attachment, like a CAM or a shared GAB. It allows users to shift (reposition) elements to which it is attached. Each GEM is made up of a shift factor, along with e-terrahabitat context information (app, db, record(s)). A GEM can be attached to picture elements (this includes primitives, symbols, text, fields, and CTs) and/or to pictures as an overall attachment. That is, a GEM can be attached within a picture or via the Picture Properties form. In the hierarchical structure of a display, GEMs may be attached at two different levels, so the precedence of the attachment is very important. The following rules define how multiple GEMs and/or non-named geometrical modifier attachments are processed: Transformations are performed one after the other, from highest precedence to lowest. The precedence order is based on the attachment point. The precedence of attachment points is as follows (highest first): GEM attached to a picture definition GEM attached to a picture part Non-named shift factor attached to a picture part At most, one GEM may be attached on the picture definition level. Either one GEM or one non-named geometrical modifier may be attached to a picture part. Relative mode shift transformations are cumulative. This means that a transformation applied at a lower level of precedence acts on top of any transformations previously applied at a higher level.

1.1.3.11 Conditional Text (CT) Conditional text provides a means of defining and displaying text strings, with any combination of visual attributes, based on the outcome of a test of database values. In a conditional text definition, the user specifies the text string, specific visual attributes, and the test(s) that will cause the text to appear. Conditional text can be defined to display a default text string if no conditional test passes. This text string performs an additional function as a position holder for the conditional text in the Picture Editor scratch pad. Without a default output text defined, the conditional text will not be visible in the Picture Editor scratch pad unless it is selected.
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Each instance of conditional text is defined with a default shared GAB that sets the default attributes of any displayed text. The conditional tests can be defined to override any of these default attributes. The Picture Editor scratch pad is the only scratch pad in which conditional text can be placed. Each item of conditional text placed in a picture must test a field or fields in, or pointed to from, the same record type as the picture in which it is placed. See the Hdb Users Guide in the e-terrahabitat documentation set for more information about pointers in e-terrahabitat databases. See Defining Conditional Text (CT) for instructions on how to define conditional text. 1.1.3.12 Popups Popups are simply pictures that are attached to other pictures. Popups are automatically defined to open that is, pop up when the picture to which they are attached is clicked. When activated on the display, popups appear in a temporary viewport (window). Popups act like other pictures, with these special features: Popups can be defined to be either fixed (to pop up at a specific location in the parent display) or floating (to pop up at the current pointer location). Popups can be defined so that the temporary viewport is modeless, modal, or system modal. Modeless popups perform like all other viewports or windows. They can be moved, stacked, minimized, maximized, etc. Modal and system modal popups have these common features: They cannot be moved. They cannot be occluded by other viewports or windows. Modal and system modal popups differ in that modal popups allow you to interact with applications other than e-terrabrowser. System modal popups lock you out of all applications on the screen, allowing interaction only with the popup. Popups, when activated, always grab input focus. A popups temporary viewport cannot be resized. A popup is dismissed if the parent display is called down or if the parent viewport is dismissed. 11
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See Defining Popups for more information. 1.1.3.13 Picgroups Picgroups are groupings of pictures, elements, and primitives that are defined for the purpose of displaying repeating instances of a specific record in a tabular display. Picgroups are the only components of tabular displays and their definitions to provide e-terrabrowser with instructions for how each instance of the specified records should be displayed. Picgroups are associated with a specific record in the database the primary record by selecting one picture in the picgroup as the primary picture. The record of the selected picture becomes the primary record. Note: For each instance of the driving record, only one picgroup is displayed, corresponding to a single instance of the primary pictures record. For secondary pictures those pictures that are not the primary picture e-terrabrowser needs to know which occurrence of these secondary records to display for each occurrence of the primary pictures record. This information is supplied in a field in either the primary pictures record or the driving record. The name of this field must be specified in the picgroup definition for each secondary picture. If a field name is not supplied, e-terrabrowser will paint the occurrence of the secondary record whose record number matches the primary record type. Record occurrences can be deleted, inserted, copied, and edited (the DICE actions) from a tabular display. Because each instance of a picgroup on a tabular display represents one occurrence of the primary record, these DICE attributes of the primary record are definable in the picgroup. Objects placed or drawn in the picgroup can be defined to remain in the viewport as the user scrolls down or to the right. These objects are referred to as being Locked in Y or Locked in X, respectively. Those objects Locked in Y must be placed or drawn at the top of the picgroup. Those objects Locked in X must be drawn or placed along the left side of the picgroup. 1.1.3.14 Placeable and Attachable Elements Elements are display components that can be combined together to form other elements, picgroups, or displays. There are many types of elements. Each type is defined in its own editor. Elements can be categorized into two groups: (1) those that can be placed in and (2) those that can be attached to other elements, picgroups, or displays.

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Placeable elements are so named because, once they have been created, they can be placed on a scratch pad. Display Builder activates the Add Placement and Draw-Add Placement commands for the user, depending on the context of the editing window. Conditional text, symbols, pictures, and picgroups are examples of placeable elements. Attachable elements are so named because, once they have been created, they can be attached to objects in a display definition, thus becoming one of the objects properties. Attaching a popup menu to a button symbol in a picture is an example of an attachable element. Shared GABs, CAMs, keysets, pictures, and menus are examples of elements that can be attached in scratch pad editors. Attachable elements can be attached at two levels of influence: to objects placed on a scratch pad (local attachment), and to display component definitions such as picture definitions, picgroup definitions, and display and layer definitions (overall attachment). Local attachments influence objects only in the setting where the objects are placed. Display Builder does not permanently change the properties of the elements that make up the object or the object itself. Overall attachments affect the element permanently. Because overall attachments are added to an elements definition, the element carries the attachment with it as a permanent property. Placing an element is the task of selecting a defined element and positioning it in a scratch pad. As an example, a picture can be created in its own editor, selected from a list, and placed on a simple layer scratch pad. See Placing Elements in Pictures for details about how elements are placed on scratch pads. 1.1.3.15 ActiveX Controls An ActiveX control is a re-usable software component that supports a set of industry-standard interfaces for integration with other components. Anybody who has used Microsoft Visual Basic has used ActiveX controls to build the user interface for their application. e-terrabrowser now provides similar functionality. You can place any ActiveX control on a simple layer, and you can write JavaScript or VBScript to handle its events and update its properties. These controls enable customers to build displays that have capabilities well beyond those provided by built-in e-terrabrowser features. Note: Currently, this feature is only supported on simple layers.
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CAM Attachment: Use the Add button to link the control instance to a CAM that is defined to use third-party scripts to drive the control.

1.1.4 Display Layers

Displays will also exhibit the unique features, capabilities, and definable attributes of their layers, as described in the sections below. 1.1.4.1 Simple Layers Simple layers are layers where elements are placed at fixed locations. These elements will appear at that coordinate location when the display is called to the workstation. In simple layers, placed pictures and attached CAMs are linked to specific occurrences of a record in the application database. In addition, objects placed in the layer are associated with a specific occurrence of a record type in the application database. That element will represent or directly display data from that occurrence only. Other placements can represent other occurrences of that or other record types in the database. Simple layers are generally used to make a graphical representation of a physical real-time system and to provide the means of accessing a single instance of data. The typical display employing the simple layer is the system one-line display used to represent component locations in a physical system. In addition, simple layers can be defined with some unique features: The entire layer can be set to appear at a given zoom factor by defining a default zoom factor. When the display is called to a viewport, the simple layer automatically appears at this zoom factor. Placeholders are named coordinate locations in the display that can be used to position the online display. Instructions for defining placeholders are found in Defining a Placeholder. Declutter levels Pictures placed in the simple display that have declutter levels defined on them cause the simple display to have a set of defined declutter levels. This set consists of all the different high and low declutter zoom factors defined for all pictures on the simple display. A maximum of 32 declutter levels are allowed on the display. ActiveX controls ActiveX controls can be placed on a simple layer, and third-party scripts such as Java, Perl, or Visual Basic scripts can be written to handle the simple layers events and update its properties. These controls enable customers to build displays that have capabilities well beyond those provided by built-in e-terrabrowser features. 14
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Information about details for specifying simple layers can be found in Defining Simple Layers. 1.1.4.2 Database Linkages Database linkages must be defined for the pictures and CAMs in the simple layer. These linkages are specified as text strings (as opposed to record subscripts) that identify the record type and an identifier that will be found in the record types key field. A key field is a character field suitable for storing a name. A linkage guides the e-terrabrowser server to a records location in a database based on the records key field. In this way, the linkage associates the picture or CAM using it with a specific record occurrence. Database linkages are often specified with composite record keys, which guide the e-terrabrowser server through a sequence of key fields until the destination key field and record are found. See the e-terrahabitat documentation set for more information about composite record keys and key fields. Database linkages are defined using the attached Element Definition form. See Data Linkage to Linked List Structures for details about linkage definitions. 1.1.4.3 Tabular Layers Tabular layers can automatically display a list of any or all occurrences of specified records in an application database, in any desired order. The tabular layer definition provides the information needed by e-terrabrowser to automatically link pictures to the desired record occurrences and then display them in the proper order. This allows the actual list of displayed occurrences to reflect the current values in the database. The linkage to current database occurrences is done automatically at display call-up, as e-terrabrowser processes the displays driving record. The driving record is processed to determine the order and occurrence of the records to display. In most cases, the driving record is the record list of the application database being displayed. However, the driving record can be any record structure that can supply e-terrabrowser with the information it needs. This information is called the driving data and it is specified in the tabular display definition (there is driving data for each layer). Driving data includes: Which records from which database(s) should be displayed, and in what order. Which occurrences of these records should be displayed. 15
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Which specific data in these records should be displayed or represented, and how. How the repeating instances of the data for each record should be spaced, grouped (blocked), and oriented to one another and other records.

Tabular displays are defined by first defining the picgroups to be used on the display, and then defining the display itself with a tabular layer. Picgroups can be selected and placed to perform in two different ways: As a constant picgroup: This type of picgroup appears constantly in the viewport of the online display. It is primarily used to display titles and column and row headers. Only one constant picgroup may be placed per tabular layer. As a repeating picgroup: This type of picgroup is painted repeatedly on the online display. One occurrence of the picgroup is painted, corresponding to one occurrence of the primary record, for each occurrence of the driving record.

1.1.4.4 Features of Tabular Layers Tabular layers are defined to automatically display a list of any or all occurrences of specified record types, in any defined order. Linkage to all current occurrences of the specified record types is done automatically at display call-up, causing the actual display appearance to vary as the database values vary. To accomplish this, the display is constructed by assigning a specific database to a tabular layer and assigning picgroups to that layer. Picgroups consist of pictures associated with a specific record type in a database. The picture database and tabular layer database must match for linkage to occur. A typical tabular layer consists of a hierarchical presentation of the substations, devices, and their associated values for a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. When a tabular layer is called up, e-terrabrowser automatically displays record type occurrences based on the picgroups placed there. The sequence and occurrence of the picgroups are determined by the database hierarchy, the record list, and the layer definition. Tabular layers have the following unique features and definable attributes: Constructed solely of picgroups. Ability to automatically list all occurrences of a given record type in a database. 16
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Ability to automatically list all occurrences of all (or some subset of all) record types in a given hierarchy of a database. Ability to create a custom list of record occurrences, in any order, in any grouping. Ability to automatically display a multi-dimensional array. Ability to divide the display into tabs, and to position within the display page by page or by specifying the exact page number. Ability to create column and row headers that will appear on every page of the display as the user scrolls up or down or right or left. Ability to specify the distance between, the grouping of, and the direction of repeat of the picgroups.

Note: Tabular layers do not have the simple layer capabilities of declutter and placeholders. In addition, the following tabular layer attributes can be defined: The page size, which can be defined by specifying either of the following: Picgroups as page headers or page enders. This indicates that a display page is begun with the primary record of a page header picgroup and is ended with the primary record of a page ender picgroup. A number of picgroup primary records per page. Pages are a set number of primary record types long, counting all picgroup primary records that have been displayed. For multi-dimensional picgroups, the primary record type is the record that repeats with the picgroup, not within the picgroup. Only one of these methods can be used per display or display layer. Which picgroups will be locked in the viewport. Picgroups can be locked in the viewport in either the X (horizontal) or Y (vertical) dimension. These picgroups remain in the viewport as it is scrolled right (Locked in X) or down (Locked in Y), and they will appear on each page of the display. Which layers are held constant. All repeating placements on a layer can be made to appear on each page of the display, whenever that layer is visible. However, these placements will not be locked in X and Y, so as the user scrolls, the user will see other instances of the picgroups. 17
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For example, the user can use current database values to create row and column headers. This is done by placing two repeating picgroups on a layer, specifying one to repeat right (column header) and the other down (row header), and then holding the layer constant. The user then defines another layer to display the actual data in each row and column. Note: For a given display, all objects locked in the viewport (placements in picgroups and the picgroups themselves), combined with all layers held constant, must adhere to the inverted L rule of placement locking. Which picgroups display free records. Free records can be inserted anywhere in an e-terrahabitat database. For example, text records are often defined as free records so that they can accompany many other records (see the e-terrahabitat documentation set for more information about free records). Any overall attachments to the display. Keysets are the only element that can be attached as an overall attachment to displays.

1.1.4.5 Picgroup Spatial Relationships The user can define the spatial relationships between the repeating instances of picgroups in the online display. Three aspects define how repeating picgroups appear, with respect to the previous picgroup, in the online display. These aspects (defaults in parentheses) are: The physical space, in X,Y coordinates, between the picgroups, called picgroup spacing. (All spacing is set at 0,0. There is no space between individual picgroups, blocks of picgroups, or picgroups in a block.) How instances of the same picgroup are grouped together as they repeat, called blocking. (The block count is 1. Each copy of a picgroup in the scratch pad represents a block that contains one (1) picgroup.) The direction that a picgroup appears in relation to the previous picgroup (either below, to the right of, or both), called the picgroup repeat direction or orientation. (The direction of repeat is down. Repeating instances of different picgroups and blocks of picgroups appear directly below the previous one. When block counts are increased, the default repeat direction of the picgroups within a block is also down.)

The above three spatial relationships exist between: Instances of different picgroups. 18
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Instances of different blocks of the same picgroup. Instances of the same picgroup within a block of picgroups.

1.1.4.6 Driving Data Structures Tabular layers are built with a specific data structure in mind. The user specifies the tabular display data structure so the e-terrabrowser server can find and deliver the data and its associated display components to the client upon request. Tabular layers are classified by the type of data structure that drives them. The structure options are as follows: Repeat Placement: Find every instance of a single record type. This requires one picgroup. Hierarchical Placement: Find every instance of several record types in a tree structure. This structure requires one picgroup for each record type in the hierarchy. Linked List Placement: Find a linked list structure and follow the pointers to the specified record instances (filtered data). This structure requires a picgroup for the record type being filtered. Indexed Placement: Find every instance of several record types in an index data structure maintained by the e-terrabrowser data server. The structure requires one picgroup for record type in the index. Note: If the linked list filters more than one record type, the filtered data can also be grouped by name (picgroup name). In this case, a picgroup sequencing data structure may also be involved. Multi-Dimensional Placement: Find a 2- or 3-dimensional array and detect the orientation of the data on the X, Y, and possibly Z axes. This structure requires one picgroup for each record type in the array.

A tabular layer can be defined as circular, which causes e-terrabrowser to process through all occurrences of the driving record, regardless of the starting point. Circular displays can be processed in ascending or descending order of the driving record subscript value. 1.1.4.7 Data Linkage to Linked List Structures Special linked list driving record structures and linked list software allow sequencing of display data. Fields in linked list record structures supply the needed processing information to the e-terrabrowser server. The parameters supplied by these fields are as follows: Sequence: A sequence field specifies which picgroup to paint for each occurrence of the linked list driving record. When the sequence field is 19
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a character field, it must contain the name of the picgroup to paint. If the sequence field is an integer field, an index or record slot number can be supplied. See the e-terrahabitat documentation for more information about defining driving structures. Occurrence: An occurrence field specifies which occurrence of primary record type to display for each occurrence of the linked list driving record. Forward/Backward Link: A link field specifies the next occurrence of the linked list driving record. In the case where only one picgroup will be displayed, the link field controls the sequence and occurrence of the primary record. Picgroup List: If a picgroup sequence is specified, the name of the record containing the picgroup names must be specified.

1.1.5 Overall Attachments

Only pictures, picgroups, displays, and display layers are subject to overall definition property attachments. Pictures can be given an overall attachment as one of their pre-placement properties. Pictures destined to be popups can be given an overall attachment as one of their preattachment characteristics. Picgroups, displays, and display layers accept their overall attachments as a definition property.

1.1.6 Permission Area Tests

Permission area tests can be defined for pictures, layers, and displays. Permission area tests allow the user to control whether a station can view a picture, a layer, or a display, depending on how the permissions have been defined for a given permission area. By definition, a picture, layer, or display has an implicit application test associated with it. That is, the station must have the appropriate permissions to the application of the picture, layer, or display in order to view, edit, or execute commands from it. Permission area tests can be combined with the implicit application permission tests using the conjunction (AND) and disjunction (OR) to form the entire permission test. The possibilities are as follows: When only one permission area test is defined: Both the implicit application test AND the defined permission area test must pass. Either the application test OR the defined permission area test can pass.

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When more than one permission area test is defined: Both the implicit application test AND all of the defined permission area tests must pass. Either the application test OR any of the defined permission area tests can pass.

See the e-terrahabitat Software Installation and Maintenance Guide for more information about and instructions for defining permissions and permission areas.

1.2 Display Builder Concepts

This section provides information about the construction of the Display Builder windows that appear on the desktop as the user performs display construction tasks.

1.2.1 Definition Manager

The Definition Manager is the main window of Display Builder. When Display Builder is started, the Definition Manager appears with an empty definition work area2 and is available throughout the display building session. The Definition Manager is used to manage all aspects of display building: Creating, accessing, saving, and managing sets of elements and display definitions in element and display sets. Creating, accessing, saving, and managing individual element and display definitions. Managing access to element and display editors. Customizing the Display Builder environment.

See Figure 2 for an illustration of the Definition Manager with display and element sets open in it.

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Figure 2: Display Builder Definition Manager The Definition Manager can be moved, minimized, and resized. Details about the components of the Definition Manager can be found in the following sections. 1.2.1.1 Element Set Window Element sets appear on the Display Builder work area in their own windows, displaying the opened element set name in their title bars. Selecting a tab opens the list box for the selected element type: pictures, symbols, shared GABs, CAMs, conditional text, keysets, menus, and GEMs. The elements of the type selected appear with their graphical identifier and assigned name. Double-clicking an element opens the elements editor. The Element Set window (Figure 3) also contains a filter text box in which the user can enter a search string to locate an element or subset of elements. Right-clicking over the Element Set window element list activates the windows popup menu. Right-clicking on any element in the list activates the popup menu for that element.

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Figure 3: Definition Manager with Element Set Window Open

1.2.2 Display Set Window

Display sets appear on the Display Builder work area in their own windows, with the opened display set name in their title bars. Selecting a tab opens the list box for the selected display set component: displays and picgroups. The objects of the type selected appear with their graphical identifier and assigned name. Double-clicking an item in this list box opens that objects editor. The display set window (Figure 4) also contains a filter text box in which the user can enter a search string to locate a display or picgroup or a subset of these. The asterisk wildcard is allowed in search strings. Right-clicking over the display set window list of definitions activates the windows operations popup menu. Right-clicking on any object in the list activates the popup menu for that object.

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Figure 4: Definition Manager with Display Set Window Open 1.2.2.1 Editor Windows When an object is double-clicked in a display set list box, the selected objects editor starts and opens its window in the Display Builder work area. The editor window title bar displays the set name and selected object name. Right-clicking over an editor window activates an editor-specific Save Data/Close Editor and Options popup menu. Other options, such as Properties and Placement, appear in the menu depending on the context and content of the scratch pad. 1.2.2.2 Browser Window By default, the browser window appears at the left side of the Definition Manager window when Display Builder is opened. The window can be closed and re-opened by selecting View > Browser Window or by pressing Alt+1. The browser window can be resized by positioning the cursor over the right border until a double-headed arrow appears, then dragging the border.

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The browser window presents a schematic view of the selected object definition, complete with icons and names of the components of the definition. The user can unbundle and review the definition hierarchy by opening the schematic using the level indicators of the browsing tool. The browsing tool will take the user to the lowest depth of the schema, which is an attached element such as a shared GAB. Note: Using the browser window, the user can discover all aspects of a display definition without having to trace for attachments or placements in associated editors. This can greatly facilitate display maintenance and troubleshooting.

Figure 5: Definition Manager with Browser Window Open

1.2.3 Definition Manager Menus Title Bar

The menus and title bar configure dynamically based on the Definition Manager context. The name of the object selected for editing and the menus provided to support the editing session appear as soon as the editor is activated. Three Definition Manager contexts can exist during display building: The Definition Manager has appeared, but the work area is empty. A Display Builder set window is open and has input focus. 25
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A Display Builder editor window is open with input focus.

The Definition Manager menus that appear in the three display building contexts are as follows: The File, View, and Help menus appear when Definition Manager has appeared, but the work area is empty. Their usage is described below: The File menu is used to create new Display Builder sets, open existing ones, start the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) utility, and define Print options. Note: The Definition Manager File menu has two forms of support for e-terrabrowser users. When the Definition Manager is idle (no sets are in the work area), a Batch Compile option appears in the menu for binary compilation of displays using the Batch Compile dialog box. If the user has a display set (dset) open in the work area and the dset has input focus, the File menu provides the Save As Binary option for compiling only the displays in that set. If the user has a display open in the Display Editor, the Save As Binary function provides an application selection window and supports the compilation with a tool bar button labeled Save Binary. The View menu is used to assign tool bars, the status bar, and the browser window, and to set global display building options. The Help menu provides information about the Display Builder version and general help about windows. The Edit, New, and Window menus join the File, View, and Help menus when one or more Display Builder sets have been opened. Their usage is described below: The Edit menu provides standard Cut, Copy, and Paste editing and Select All selection. If the set window with input focus contains a display set, this menu allows the user to re-set the element assignment (to the display set) with the Change References command. The New menu is used to create new display components. The option in this menu varies according to the Display Builder set that has input focus. For example, the Display and Picgroup options are the options available when a display set has focus. The Window menu provides standard options for window management.

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The Draw and editor-specific menus join the File, View, Help, Edit, New, and Window menus when an editor has been opened. Their usage is described below: The Draw menu is an attribute of the scratch pad editors; it is used to select drawing tools, and to add placements and attachments. The Draw menu is also used to manipulate selected objects. The editor-specific menu is an attribute of a specific scratch pad editor. For example, the Picture menu label appears here when the Picture Editor is open. The editor-specific menu provides access to the Element Definition form, the Browser utility, and the Scratch Pad Options form.

The Print option is activated on the File menu if a scratch pad editor has input focus. This option captures the image on the scratch pad and sends it to the default printer.

1.2.4 Definition Manager Tool bars

The Definition Manager opens with the following tool bars activated: Edit (the standard tool bar for editing selected objects), Draw, Arrange, Scratch Pad, Default GAB, and Layers. The tool bars unique to Display Builder are described below: Draw: The icons for selection mode and primitive, text, and formatted field creation appear here, followed by the placement, attachment, placeholder, and properties icons. Browser: The icon for browsing the current definition in a scratch pad appears in this tool bar (see Browser Window for more information about browsing definitions). Arrange: The icons for bring to front/back, group/ungroup, and align vertical/horizontal appear here. Default GAB: The dropdown list boxes for selecting the default GAB and its element set appear here. Scratch Pad: The icon (scratch pad editor zoom) and the dropdown list box for zoom-level selection appear here. The grid and snap to grid icons are located to the right of the zoom icon. The Grid push button shows/hides grid lines, and the Snap to Grid push button snaps (relocates) selected objects on grid lines. The scale to fit icon is located at the right-most side; it is a toggle button. If it is pushed down, the display is zoomed to fit the current viewport size based on its fit style. If it is pushed back up, the display is set back to 100% zoom level.
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Layers: The active layer dropdown list box and the layer (properties), tabular simulation data, and tabular layout icons appear here.

Note: The icons on a tool bar are activated and deactivated dynamically according to the context of the activated editor. For example, the Placeholder push button is only active when the Display Editor is active and its active layer is a simple layer. The Definition Manager tool bars can be activated and deactivated by selecting View from the main menu and choosing the desired tool bar, or by using the appropriate shortcut key: View Alt+2 Draw Alt+3 Arrange Alt+4 Scratch Pad Alt+5 Default GAB Alt+6 Layer Alt+7

Each tool bar can be relocated and docked within the Definition Manager using drag-and-drop techniques.

1.2.5 Display Builder Pointers

Display Builder uses several pointers (cursors) based on the current task. Note: As the pointer moves across a scratch pad, the Definition Manager displays the pointers X,Y coordinates and the identity of any objects crossed at the far right side of the status bar. This utility can help Display Builder construct, modify, and identify objects. The pointing devices presented are as follows: Work area pointer: The normal Windows select pointer; by default, a large arrow. Insertion pointer: The Windows text select pointer. When this pointer is positioned over editable text and the left mouse button is clicked, the blinking text entry bar appears. This pointer is accompanied by a blinking text entry bar. Not-Legal-Move pointer: The work area pointer changes to a circleand-diagonal pointer when a drag-and-drop operation is not supported. Drag-and-drop pointer: A shaded rectangle is added to the work area pointer, indicating that an object is being carried to a drop location. If 28
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the work area pointer is something other than the default, the pointer changes to a large arrow. When the drag-and-drop operation is a copy operation (CTRL-key assisted), a plus + accompanies the pointer. When the pointer is used to attach elements, an equal sign = accompanies the pointer. Diamond, 4-arrow pointer: The work area pointer changes to this pointer of black arrows whenever it is positioned over an object in the scratch pad. Clicking the located object with this pointer will select the object. Double-clicking the object will call up its Placement Properties form.

Note: If the Show DB Linkage Tips option is active on the Display menu and the located object has a database linkage defined, the linkage information will pop up over the object. Square, 4-arrow pointer: The work area pointer changes to this pointer of black arrows whenever a primitive is selected and the end point under the pointer is determined to be extensible. When this pointer appears, the user can drag the pointer in any direction to extend the line. Vertical/horizontal arrowhead pointers: The work area pointer changes to one of these double-ended arrow pointers to indicate that the side of a quadrilateral can be moved up or down.

1.2.6 Display Builder Sets

Element and display definitions are grouped and stored in sets. Element sets and display sets are referred to collectively as Display Builder sets. Display Builder manages display definitions by creating and writing collections of graphical and database linkage data in Display Definition Language (see Display Definition Language (DDL)). These DDL files are stored in a source control system. 1.2.6.1 Element Sets Element sets can contain definitions of various placeable and attachable elements. They also include shared GAB definitions. Element sets are created and accessed using the Definition Manager File menu. 1.2.6.2 Display Sets Display definitions are stored in display sets. The picgroup definitions for any tabular displays in the set are also stored in the display set. Display sets are created and accessed using the Definition Manager File menu.

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1.2.6.3 How Element and Display Sets Relate Elements can be re-used in many displays and picgroups. Displays can contain elements from several element sets. However, an element can only be composed of elements from the same set in which it is defined. Correspondingly, a tabular layer can only be composed of picgroups from the same set in which the display is defined. When an element or picgroup is modified, all affected display definitions are automatically updated to capture the change. 1.2.6.4 Display Builder Set Storage Element and display sets are stored in Display Definition Language (DDL). DDL files contain the ASCII definitions of the elements, displays, and picgroups defined in each set. Display Builder assigns filenames to sets according to the following convention: setname_xSET.DDL where setname is the user-specified name given to the set in Display Builder and x is either e for an element set or d for a display set. The default location for these files is a DDL directory on the development machine hard drive. 1.2.6.5 Display Definition Language (DDL) Element and display definitions are composed of ASCII text strings written in Display Definition Language (DDL). Each element and display definition consists of one or more text strings called statements. Each statement is defined according to a set of syntax rules. Statements are composed of reserved keywords, other statements, and delimiters (such as parentheses). 1.2.6.6 Display Builder Set Access Display Builder set files can be accessed through Display Builder or by using a basic text editor. Sets are accessed in Display Builder through the File menu of the Definition Manager. When accessed through a text editor, the user can create and modify elements and displays by defining proper DDL statements. This method is not recommended; it can easily lead to parser errors.

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1.2.7 Display Builder Editors

Displays are created and edited using two types of editors: scratch pad editors and dialog editors. Symbols, pictures, picgroups, and display layers are created with scratch pad editors. Shared GABs, conditional text, CAMs, menus, and keysets are created with dialog editors. 1.2.7.1 Scratch Pad Editor Components The main components of scratch pad editors are: A title bar: The name of the display or element set and the name of the current object in the editor appear in the title bar. A context-sensitive Definition Manager menu bar: As the user changes input focus from window to window, the composition and content of the menu bar changes to support the users needs. Context-sensitive Definition Manager tool bars: The tool bars assigned to each scratch pad editor contain all the buttons used to control the actions taken in the scratch pad. The buttons they contain are activated as the user moves from one scratch pad editor to another. Initially located at the top of the Display Builder window, the tool bars can be relocated by the user. A scratch pad: The gridded coordinate space where primitives are drawn or elements are placed and attached. The scratch pad grid the vertical and horizontal lines on the scratch pad is used to align objects with consistent spacing. The scratch pad has both horizontal and vertical scroll bars (see Figure 6 for an illustration of the Display Editor scratch pad). A status bar: The scratch pad editor uses the Definition Manager status bar to indicate the object types, names, and locations on the scratch pad.

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Figure 6: Definition Manager with Sample Scratch Pad 1.2.7.2 Dialog Editor Components Dialog editors are so called because the definitions created and modified with them are done exclusively with dialogs. Details about dialog editor components can be found in the following sections: Text boxes: Text boxes accept text entry. A text box usually has a title or label to indicate the context and type of text to enter in the box. Each text box will have a blinking insertion cursor (I) when it has input focus. Only one text box in a window can have input focus at a time. When there is more than one text box in a dialog box or form, you can move between the boxes and give input focus to each in succession by either: Clicking in the desired text box. Pressing Tab The Tab key gives each successive text box input focus, starting with the text box that currently has input focus, and proceeding to the lower right and then returning to the upper left, etc. Pressing Shift+Tab Using this key combination gives each successive text box input focus in reverse order of pressing the Tab key.

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Push buttons: Push buttons are used to control the dialog box and to issue commands. To use a push button, simply click on it. The action indicated by the button then takes place. Usually, only one command button on a dialog box is active, or highlighted. The action associated with the highlighted button is the action that occurs when the Return key is pressed. This allows you to take this action directly from the keyboard during extensive text entry. OK push button: Clicking OK causes the following to occur: The attributes specified in the box are applied to the definition. The dialog box is closed.

Clicking OK means Apply and save this dialog box to the definition and close the dialog box. Apply push button: Clicking Apply causes the following to occur: The attributes specified in the box are applied to the definition. The dialog box remains open. This allows you to preview the results of the definition and make changes before closing the dialog box.

Clicking Apply means Apply and save this dialog box to the definition, but dont close it. Cancel push button: Clicking Cancel causes the following to occur: The attributes defined or modified in the box since the last OK or Apply are not applied to the definition. The dialog box is closed.

Clicking Cancel means Do not apply or save the dialog box definition, and close the dialog box. Update push button: Clicking Update causes items in definition list boxes to be updated with information supplied by Display Builder. An example of an update action is the revision of a menu label. Add and Delete push buttons: Add and Delete are used to modify the contents of list boxes by adding or removing items from the list. Radio buttons: Radio buttons appear in an option group; only one radio button in an option group can be selected at a time. Clicking on a radio button sets one of a group of attributes ON while turning the others OFF. 33
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Toggle buttons: Toggle buttons set an attribute ON or OFF. The button contains an X to indicate ON and a blank to indicate OFF. Check boxes: Check boxes are used to turn an attribute ON or OFF. When selected, a check mark will be displayed in the check box. Sliders: Sliders are used to set numerical values within a defined scale.

Note: Most sliders in Display Builder have accompanying text boxes for direct entry of the slider value. Dropdown list boxes: Dropdown list boxes provide a list of choices to define an attribute. The current attribute setting is displayed in the box. The attribute is modified by selecting an option from the list. Directory list boxes: Directory list boxes have the following common features: A file filter text box used to filter the list of items. A file filter parameter causes those items matching the text string to be listed in the list box when Update is clicked. Any items not matching the text string will be excluded. Example 1: Typing the character string SCADA in the filter text box causes only the item named SCADA to appear in the list box. Example 2: Typing the character string SCADA* in the file filter text box causes only those items that begin with the letters S-C-A-D-A to appear in the list. Example 3: Typing the character string *SCADA* in the file filter text box causes only the items with the letters S-C-A-D-A, in that order, anywhere in their names to appear in the list. A window where the list of items is displayed. This window has a vertical scroll bar for positioning in lists that are longer than the window. Definition list boxes: Definition list boxes are filled in by the user to specify the content of an element such as a menu that requires labels. Another example is the creation of a list of virtual key names and associated commands in a keyset definition. All definition list boxes in Display Builder have the following common features: One or more text boxes used to define the item in the list.

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 Add, Delete, and Update buttons used to add the item to the list, delete it from the list, or modify the list item. A window where the list of items is displayed. This window has a vertical scroll bar for lists with more items than can be displayed at one time. Up and Down push buttons, which are used to adjust the position of items in the list. Option menus, radio buttons, toggle buttons, or check boxes for defining the list items.

1.2.8 Display Builder Tools

Display Builder is used to construct and analyze interactive data displays. The tools provided by Display Builder for display building are as follows: Definition Manager: This is the universal working environment for display building. All display building using graphical editors takes place here (see Definition Manager). Scratch pads: Scratch pads are the grid- and coordinate-based work areas for display development (see Scratch Pad Editor Components). Dialogs and forms: These are text- and toggle-based work areas presented as dialog editors and tabbed forms (see Using the Dialog Editors). Elements: These are the pictures, primitives, symbols, keysets, menus, formatted fields, background text, conditional text, Graphic Attribute Bundles (GABs), and Conditional Attribute Modifiers (CAMs) that make up the building blocks for display development. Picgroups: Groupings of one or more pictures are called picgroups. Picgroups are created to carry data of repeating database records in tabular (row and column) format that reside on tabular layers. A picgroups primary picture identifies the desired database entry point for the e-terrabrowser server (see Picgroups). Data layers: Displays can be constructed so data are distributed to different views called layers. These layers are of two types: simple and tabular (see Defining Layers). Display definitions: Display definitions identify databases and data structures, capture viewport attributes, and give the display a unique identity (see Defining Displays).

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Permission test definitions: These serve to filter access to displayed data by screening display and picture call-ups based on user-defined database permission values (see Defining Permission Area Tests).

Display Builder features many of the interactive tools common to windowbased graphical applications, plus other graphical devices that are unique. Some of these powerful tools are: Tool bars: Related editing operations are grouped as push buttons into tool bars (see Definition Manager Tool bars). Drag-and-drop: Graphical placements and attachable elements can be selected and dropped onto scratch pads using the drag-and-drop technique. In addition, selected objects can be transferred from one scratch pad to another using drag-and-drop (see Drag-and-Drop Utility). Browser window: This is an online display construction analyzer that operates in its own window in the Definition Manager (see Browsing Object Definitions in Scratch Pads). Context-sensitive pulldown menus: The contents of the Definition Manager menu bars adjust to the editing context to provide the user with only applicable command menus. Context-sensitive popup menus: Based on the editing context, rightclicking opens the editors popup menu of commonly used commands, such as Save Data, Options, and Properties. Previewing panels: Graphical elements such as picgroups appear in previewing panels so the user can confirm their contents. Shared GAB attributes are applied to objects in a previewing panel so the user can confirm attribute effects. Previewing popups (on simple layers): When the pointer crosses a picture or primitive on a simple layer, the objects assigned composite key pops into view. This feature is set using the Show DB Linkage Tips option from the Display menu. These tips are active only at design time. Data simulation work area: For data that will be displayed in tabular format, a picgroup distribution and sequencing simulation area is provided.

1.2.8.1 Primitives Display Builder provides tools for drawing the following primitives: Lines and polylines

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Polygons Rectangles Circles, ellipses, and arcs Graphical elements closely related in usage to primitives are static text and placeholders. These elements are applied directly to a scratch pad.

Primitives are defined by specifying a sequence of points. The extension of the primitive in the scratch pad is controlled by the pointer and mouse button actions: Clicking the left mouse button provides the scratch pad anchor point. Dragging the pointer in any direction from the anchor point sizes the primitive (see Resizing a Primitive). The shape of the primitive outline (sometimes called the rubber-band model) matches the type of primitive being drawn. Releasing the left mouse button defines: The extent of circles, rectangles, and ellipses. The bounding circle of an arc. The end of the first line segment for polylines and polygons. 1.2.8.2 Static Text Static text is text that does not change. It is defined by typing in a text box that opens on the scratch pad. 1.2.8.3 Formatted Fields Formatted fields are placed in pictures to provide linkage to data in an application database. 1.2.8.4 Placeholders A placeholder is a graphic device that provides a target for navigation within a simple layer. The user provides access to the placeholder by supplying its name as the object of a PLACEHOLDER qualifier in a DISPLAY command. This command is captured as the outcome of a menu option in a menu definition. Selection of the option causes the display to open over the placeholder.

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1.2.8.5 Drag-and-Drop Utility The user can place and attach elements in scratch pads using drag-anddrop functionality. Pictures and symbols can be placed in Picgroup and Display scratch pads (simple layers), and object modifiers such as shared GABs, CAMs, and keysets can be attached to target objects using dragand-drop techniques. Following are the requirements for using drag-and-drop: The receiving scratch pad must be open, and the target object must be visible. The element set window in which the desired object resides must have input focus. The drag-and-drop pointer must appear over the target object. If the Not a Legal Move pointer appears, the selected placeable/attachable item will not drop when the left mouse button is released.

See Making Attachments to Placed Objects and Copying Component Definitions for more information about drag-and-drop.

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2. Display Builder Basics

This chapter provides instructions for basic Display Builder operations.

2.1 Starting Display Builder

Start Display Builder by double-clicking its icon in the Program Group to which it was assigned during installation. The Definition Manager appears with an empty work area (see Definition Manager).

2.2 Customizing the Building Environment

Display Builder scratch pads can be customized as a group using the Definition Manager View menu to access the Options form, and individually using a popup menu to access a Scratch Pad Options dialog box. Some of the aspects that can be customized are: The default GAB. The scratch pad background and alignment grid colors. The size of handles, or hot spots, the editing points of primitives.

2.2.1 Customizing All Scratch Pads

To customize the options that apply to all scratch pads, use the following procedure: 1. Select View > Options from the Definition Manager menu bar. The Options form opens, with the Options tab selected. 2. Complete all sections on the forms three tabs: Options, Colors, and Font Mapping. 3. When all desired options have been set, click OK to save the changes and close the form. See Options Form for more information.

2.2.2 Customizing Individual Scratch Pads

To customize only the current scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Right-click on the desired scratch pad, and select Options from the popup menu to open the Scratch Pad Options dialog box. 2. Set the Grid Settings options as desired. 3. Set the Selection Handles options.
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4. Specify any desired work area margin in pixels. 5. Specify the zoom level of the work area (see Setting Scratch Pad Zoom). 6. Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog box. See Scratch Pad Options Form for more information. See Setting the Default Shared GAB Element Set and Setting the Default Shared GAB for details about specifying an editors default GAB.

2.3 Selecting the Compatibility Version

It is very important that the proper compatibility version be selected prior to working with Display Builder. The compatibility version feature controls the availability of new display features, as well as controlling the content of DDL files when they are saved. In addition, the compatibility version is used to control the format of compiled e-terrabrowser displays. Note: If you do not know which compatibility version is compatible with your organizations system, consult your system administrator. If you develop displays for customers outside your organization, make sure you know for which compatibility version your display work is targeted. This section will provide information about the compatibility feature and its purpose. The Display Feature Cross-Reference section will provide a comprehensive list of all new features, as well as a detailed table for each compatibility version supported by Display Builder. If you are not familiar with the compatibility version feature, please see Compatibility Version for more information. If you would like to explore the display features to find out which compatibility version a given feature is supported in, see the Display Feature Cross-Reference.

2.3.1 Compatibility Version Overview

When a new feature is added to e-terrabrowser, it may require a change to the DDL syntax as well as changes to one or more of e-terrabrowsers subsystems. When such a change is made to the DDL syntax, previous versions of the binder/compiler will not be able to read the file without generating parser errors. Even if the binder/compiler could read in the DDL file, the client and server subsystems would not support the new features contained in the display set file. This is where the compatibility version comes into play. When a change is made to the DDL syntax and/or the underlying data structures of the subsystems, a new compatibility version is added to Display Builder. This
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version will be named according to the e-terrabrowser version that has been modified for the new features. Thus, it is important to understand that not all versions will be listed in the compatibility version combo box, only versions that required changes to the DDL syntax. 2.3.1.1 Background Display Builder is the only supported tool for building and maintaining displays. It replaced the VMS-based Display Builder in late 1996. Since existing installations use a wide variety of FG and e-terrabrowser release versions, it is important that Display Builder be able to support them all. It is also important to be able to add features to e-terrabrowser over time, without creating compatibility problems between Display Builder and the version of FG or e-terrabrowser used by a given installation. To do this, the concept of a compatibility version has been added to Display Builder. The compatibility version can be set by selecting View > Options from Display Builders menu bar.

2.3.2 Display Feature Cross-Reference

The purpose of this chapter is to give users a couple of different ways to get information about features that have been added to Display Builder over time (see Comprehensive Display Feature List for a listing of all features added over time). Note that only features that required changes to the DDL syntax are listed. All compatibility versions supported by Display Builder are listed below. A feature table is available for each compatibility version. Each feature is listed, and the Supported column indicates whether or not the feature is supported for the given compatibility version. 2.3.2.1 Comprehensive Display Feature List Below is a list of all features covered by the compatibility version feature. Each feature is briefly described. The compatibility version that introduced the feature is indicated. 2.3.2.1.1 Mixed Simple and Tabular Layers Prior to version FG 3.0, displays were referred to as simple or tabular displays. Using FG 3.0 or later, a display can contain a mix of simple and tabular layers. A display must contain at least one layer, and this layer can be either simple or tabular. In addition, a given display can have zero or more simple and/or tabular layers. For more information, see Layers Tab. Version introduced: FG 3.0.

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2.3.2.1.2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size The picture and picgroup size can be saved. To make it easier to line up tabular placements, such as column and row headers defined on multiple layers, users now have the option to set a fixed picture and/or picgroup size. The default is that the picture or picgroup size is calculated by the compiler/binder. Later, if a picture size is changed slightly, it could be enough to cause placements on one tabular layer to no longer align with placements on another layer. This could be done unintentionally by simply adding/removing or changing the size of a placement near the border of the picture or picgroup. Now the display designer can choose to manually set the size at design time. If this feature is used consistently, it could help to reduce the display maintenance due to incorrect alignments between layers. It could also help solve similar problems with simple placements. Set the picture size by selecting Picture Properties in the Picture Editor. In the Picture Property dialog box, change the Set Picture Size radio button from Automatic to Manual and specify the appropriate Width and Height. For more information, see Picture Tab. Set the picgroup size by selecting Picgroup Properties in the Picgroup Editor. In the Picgroup Property dialog box, change the Set Picgroup Size radio button from Automatic to Manual and specify the appropriate Width and Height. For more information, see The Picgroup Tab. Version introduced: FG 3.0. 2.3.2.1.3 Text Origin Saved in DDL Prior to FG version 5.0, all text placements saved in a DDL file had both a text origin and a placement origin. FG 5.0 and later versions of a host do not need the text origin, so it is no longer saved. This is an internal feature that cannot be controlled by the user. Version introduced: FG 5.0. 2.3.2.1.4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group Layout Multi-dimensional layout information is now saved correctly. Previously, multi-dimensional layout information was incorrectly saved in the picgroup definition rather than as part of the picgroup placement, which could cause problems when multi-dimensional picgroups were re-used. This is an internal feature that cannot be controlled by the user. Version introduced: FG 5.0.

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2.3.2.1.5 Special Characters Allowed Support for single quotes has been added. Now, text strings such as 2.0 can be used in displays; previously, this would cause parser errors. This is an internal feature that cannot be controlled by the user. Version introduced: FG 3.0.2. 2.3.2.1.6 Localize String A localize token has been added to the DDL syntax. The token localize will precede every text string, to help find text strings that might need to be internationalized. This is an internal feature that cannot be controlled by the user. Version introduced: FG 3.0. 2.3.2.1.7 Menu Bar Item Application If a given menu bar item is pertinent to only one application, the applications name can be specified. When the compiled version of the display appears at the console, the menu will only appear in the menu bar of the specified application. If Application is left blank, the menu can be shared among all applications. For more information, see Menus Tab. Version introduced: FG 5.1. 2.3.2.1.8 Uppercase Formatted Fields It is now optional to uppercase formatted fields. Prior to this version, data entry performed on any formatted field was uppercased. With support for UNIX, it has become required to make sure that certain data entry values are not uppercased. This can be done on formatted fields by un-checking the Uppercase Data Entry check box in the Formatted Field Properties dialog box. For more information, see Defining Formatted Fields. Version introduced: FG 5.1. 2.3.2.1.9 Format Factor A multiplication factor has been added to the formatted field properties. The format factor applies to formatted fields of the types Real, Integer, and Exponent. The format factor will be multiplied by the given formatted fields database value before being displayed. When a data entry is performed, the entered value will be divided by the format factor before being entered into the database. The purpose of the format factor is to facilitate displays in the distribution arena. For more information, see The Formatted Field Definition Tab. Version introduced: FG 5.2.
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2.3.2.1.10 Third-Party Scripts Active Scripting provides a new mechanism to greatly extend what users can do to FG displays at run time. Third-party scripts are user-defined scripting functions that will be invoked as a result of user interactions with an FG display, or a change in database field values. Operations such as changing graphics colors, mobilizing display objects, altering online display definitions, exchanging messages with other processes, and launching external programs can be achieved with third-party scripts written in various scripting languages such as JScript (Microsoft JavaScript), VBScript, and PerlScript. Keysets and CAMs can be defined to execute third-party scripts. Scriptenabled CAMs can be used to interact with ActiveX controls placed on displays. See Defining Keysets Using Third-Party Scripting for details about creation of keysets using third-party scripting. See Defining CAMs Using Third-Party Scripting for details about creation of CAMs using third-party scripting. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 2.1. 2.3.2.1.11 ActiveX Controls An ActiveX control is a re-usable software component that supports a set of industry-standard interfaces for integration with other components. Anybody who has used Microsoft Visual Basic has used ActiveX controls to build the user interface of their application. e-terrabrowser now provides similar functionality. You can place any ActiveX control on a simple layer, and you can write JavaScript or VBScript to handle its events and update its properties. These controls enable customers to build displays that have capabilities well beyond those provided by built-in e-terrabrowser features. For more information, see Adding ActiveX Controls. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.12 GEM Support The GEM is a named attachment, like a CAM or a shared GAB. It allows users to reposition (or shift) and scale elements to which it is attached. Each GEM comprises a scale factor and a shift factor, along with e-terrahabitatcontext information (app, db, record(s)). A GEM can be attached to picture parts (this includes primitives, symbols, text, fields, and CTs) and/or to pictures as an overall attachment. That is, it can be attached within a picture or via the Picture Properties form. For more information, see Defining GEMs.
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Version introduced: FG 5.2. 2.3.2.1.13 Clip to Regions Since FG started to support placements to be locked on the simple layers in a display, the scrollable placements disappeared underneath the locking regions on simple displays. Users were often confused by these disappearing placements. In order to accommodate both tabular layers and mixing simple and tabular layers in a display, a toggle button was introduced so the creation of locking regions could be turned on or off on a per-layer basis. e-terrabrowser and Display Builder share the same method to calculate the locking regions. The XYlocked region, the Xlocked region, the Ylocked region, and the Unlocked region can be overlapped. This was not allowed in Rapport-FG. Below is a table that shows how the regions are calculated in e-terrabrowser and Display Builder. Each region is given by top left point (x1, y1) and bottom right point (x2, y2). Table 1: Clipping and Locked Regions e-terrabrowser and Display Builder (0, 0), (max(XY locked placements right boundary), max(XY locked placements bottom boundary)) (min(Ylocked Placements x origin), min(Ylocked Placements y origin)), (infinity, infinity) (min(Xlocked Placements x origin), min(Xlocked Placements y origin)), (infinity, infinity) (min(Unlocked Placements x origin), min(Unlocked Placements y origin)), (infinity, infinity)

XY Locked Region Y Locked Region X Locked Region Unlocked Region

For more information, see Layers Tab. Version introduced: FG 5.2. 2.3.2.1.14 Dynamic Simple Layers This new type of layer allows placements to be generated programmatically by a special kind of OLE DB provider each time the display is called up. This feature is intended to be used by the AREVA T&D distribution automation OLE DB provider, and it should not be used without consultation with an AREVA T&D engineer. For more information, see The Simple Layer Tab. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0.
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2.3.2.1.15 Indexed Placement Indexed placement is tabular layers type, which uses a new mechanism for resolving the query that generates the placements on a layer. An index is a data structure supported by the e-terrabrowser data server and updated by notifications from various applications. When you use an indexed layer, you need to specify the name of the index that should provide the data for the layer, along with a parameter string that specifies sorting and filtering criteria. All indexes automatically filter by area of responsibility, so there is no need to use permission tests on these layers. Also, CAMs are not usually required, because the existence of a record in the index indicates that it meets specific conditions. For more information, see Indexed Tab. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.16 Placement Rotation A rotation angle property has been added to all placeable objects except for Picgroups. Both Display Builder and the e-terrabrowser client will rotate the given placement according to each rotation angle before rendering the placement. For more information, see Placement Properties Forms. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.17 Secondary Application on Simple Layer The Secondary Application property has been added to simple layers. This should be used to specify an application that is different from the displays primary application. This property has been introduced in order to give the display compiler an opportunity to check application context. It is strongly recommended that pictures displaying data from an application different from the primary application are moved to a layer that has the given application name specified as a secondary application. For more information, see The Simple Layer Tab. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 5.2.1. 2.3.2.1.18 Background Image The Background Image property allows the designer to specify an image to serve as a background. A display can have a maximum of one background image at any given time, but it can change to show a different image when certain conditions are met. For more information, see Background Image. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0.

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2.3.2.1.19 Halo Style The Halo Style is a new attribute member of a GAB. Similar to other GAB attributes, Halo Style affects how a piece of graphics is rendered. Specifically, it determines whether and how an enclosing band in background color of the GAB should be drawn around the primary graphics. Halo Style is intended to create the Highlight effect during abnormal conditions. For more information, see Lines and Fills Tab. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.20 Hidden Data Entry This is a new attribute that can be used with formatted fields. If a field with this attribute checked is selected for data entry, the characters typed into the edit box will not be visible and the data entry is encrypted. This attribute is typically used for fields that contain passwords. For more information, see Defining Formatted Fields. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.21 Conditional Permission Checks CAMs can now be used to test permissions. Four new operators have been introduced, to test the four types of permissions supported by PERMIT: permitted_read, permitted_write, permitted_execute, and permitted_audible. For more information, see Defining CAMs with Permission Checks. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.22 Scale to Fit Style The Display Definition dialog box provides Scale to Fit options, which will be used in e-terrabrowser to better size displays when the DISPLAY/FIT feature is enabled. The options are as follows: Fit in XY, Fit in X Only, Fit Either XY or X Based on Aspect Ratio. For more information, see Defining Displays. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.0. 2.3.2.1.23 Tool Tips A tool tip is a small popup window that appears when the cursor hovers over a location. e-terrabrowser allows a tool tip to be associated with any visible object on a display. It can contain any combination of static text, proxy strings, and database fields. This allows the display to provide context-sensitive information about the object under the cursor and how it can be used. For more information, see Placement Properties Forms. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.1.2.
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2.3.2.1.24 Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls The support for ActiveX controls that was introduced in e-terrabrowser 3.0 has been extended. You can now place controls on pictures, which can be used on tabular displays. New proxy strings and commands provide easier access to the properties and methods of controls, without the need for a scripting language such as JavaScript (see the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about proxy strings and commands). New data-aware controls have also been added and are delivered with the e-terrabrowser client. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.1.2. 2.3.2.1.25 Enhanced Support for Raster Images Earlier versions of e-terrabrowser support the use of a bitmap as background for a display. e-terrabrowser 3.1 extends this feature to allow bitmap, gif, jpeg, or icon files to be specified as background for displays, pictures, and symbols. These image files can be included in the compiled display file, or referenced as separate files. Display Builder includes a preview window that allows you to browse through images in any directory on your hard drive, so you can easily find the one you want. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.1.2. 2.3.2.1.26 CAM Enhancements CAMs have been enhanced to test and set the values of proxy strings. CAMs can also define a command to be executed when a clause evaluates to TRUE. Among other things, this capability allows the ability to test and set properties of ActiveX controls based on conditional logic in CAMs. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.1.2. 2.3.2.1.27 Placement Identifiers All placeable objects can be assigned a unique identifier. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.1.2. 2.3.2.1.28 Multi-Layer CAMs The e-terrabrowser compiler has been enhanced to process multi-layer CAMs containing the %pgmax% proxy. Note: This enhancement did not involve a change to the DDL syntax, but it did result in a change to the binary structure of compiled displays. Displays using the %pgmax% proxies in CAMs must be re-compiled using the compatibility version 3.2.1 or higher (see the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about proxies).
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Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.2.1. 2.3.2.1.29 Windows TrueType Fonts e-terrabrowser has been enhanced to support Windows TrueType Fonts rather than the limited number of FG fonts supported in the past. This feature can be used wherever fonts can be selected. Rather than being able to select from a limited set of FG fonts, the user can select fonts from the standard Windows font dialog box. This feature also allows users to specify underscore and strikethrough effects. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.3.0. 2.3.2.1.30 Multiple Data Sources e-terrabrowser has been enhanced to support multiple data sources on a single display. This feature can be used to create displays that show e-terrahabitat data alongside e-terracontrol data and/or relational data. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.3.0. 2.3.2.1.31 Signed Pair Arrow Size The Formatted Field dialog box has been enhanced to allow the size of signed pair arrows to be specified independently of the font size. This feature should be used to enlarge signed pair arrows so they are easier to see on one-line displays. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.3.0. 2.3.2.1.32 Limits for Inner Dimensions for Multi-Dimensional Data This feature allows for the restriction of multi-dimensional data in all dimensions. In the past, only one dimension could be restricted in the case of two- or three-dimensional data. This feature will allow all dimensions to be restricted. Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.3.0. 2.3.2.1.33 Layer Refresh Rate This enhancement allows display designers to specify the refresh rate on the layer level rather than on the display level. Normally, the refresh rate has been specified in the display definition, which assigned the same refresh rate to all layers. The layer level refresh rate options will allow display designers to specify different refresh rates for layers. Note: In order to disable refreshes for a given layer, specify the layer refresh rate 9999. This should be used in cases where a given layer contains only an ActiveX control.

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Version introduced: e-terrabrowser 3.3.0. 2.3.2.2 Compatibility Version Features The following tables list all features added to Display Builder over time. The Supported column indicates whether or not a given feature is supported in this compatibility version. Yes indicates that the feature is supported. No indicates that the feature is not supported in this compatibility version. e-terrabrowser Only indicates that the feature is only supported in e-terrabrowser and not in Rapport-FG. The Introduced column lists the compatibility version in which the feature was first introduced. Version FG 2.6.1 is the initial version used for backward compatibility. The syntax generated is the same as the old VMS-based Display Builder generated. Customers who use both the old VMS-based Display Builder as well as the new Display Builder interchangeably can do so safely by setting the Display Builders compatibility version to FG 2.6.1. 2.3.2.2.1 Compatibility Version FG 2.6.1 Table 2: Version FG 2.6.1 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 ActiveX Controls e-terrabrowser 3.0 12 Gem Support FG 5.2 13 Clip To Regions FG 5.2 14 Dynamic Simple Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 15 Indexed Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 16 Placement Rotation e-terrabrowser 3.0 17 Secondary Application On Simple Layer FG 5.2.1 18 Background Image e-terrabrowser 3.0
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Supported No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

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19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.2 Compatibility Version FG 3.0 Table 3: Version FG 3.0 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 ActiveX Controls e-terrabrowser 3.0 12 Gem Support FG 5.2 13 Clip To Regions FG 5.2 14 Dynamic Simple Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 15 Indexed Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0

Supported Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No No No No No No No

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16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.3 Compatibility Version FG 3.0.2 Table 4: Version FG 3.0.2 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 ActiveX Controls e-terrabrowser 3.0 12 Gem Support FG 5.2

Supported Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No No No

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13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.4 Compatibility Version FG 5.0 Table 5: Version FG 5.0 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2
Proprietary See Copyright Page

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No No No

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10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Third Party Scripts ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.5 Compatibility Version FG 5.1 Table 6: Version FG 5.1 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes

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Display Builder Basics Display Builder Users Guide

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Menu Bar Item Application Uppercase Formatted Field Format Factor Third Party Scripts ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

FG 5.1 FG 5.1 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.6 Compatibility Version FG 5.2 Table 7: Version FG 5.2 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0
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Supported Yes Yes No Yes

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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Layout Special Characters Allowed Localize String Menu Bar Item Application Uppercase Formatted Field Format Factor Third Party Scripts ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

FG 3.0.2 FG 3.0 FG 5.1 FG 5.1 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

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2.3.2.2.7 Compatibility Version FG 5.2.1 Table 8: Version FG 5.2.1 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 ActiveX Controls e-terrabrowser 3.0 12 Gem Support FG 5.2 13 Clip To Regions FG 5.2 14 Dynamic Simple Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 15 Indexed Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 16 Placement Rotation e-terrabrowser 3.0 17 Secondary Application On Simple Layer FG 5.2.1 18 Background Image e-terrabrowser 3.0 19 Halo Style e-terrabrowser 3.0 20 Hidden Data Entry e-terrabrowser 3.0 21 Conditional Permission Checks e-terrabrowser 3.0 22 Scale To Fit Style e-terrabrowser 3.0 23 Tool Tips e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 24 Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 25 Enhanced Support for Raster Images e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 26 CAM Enhancements e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 27 Placement Identifiers e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 28 Multi-Layer Cams e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 29 Windows TrueType Fonts e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 30 Multiple Data Sources e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 31 Signed Pair Arrow Size e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 32 Limits for inner dimensions for multie-terrabrowser 3.3.0 dimensional data
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Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

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33

Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.8 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 2.1 Table 9: Version e-terrabrowser 2.1 Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts 58 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

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Display Builder Basics Display Builder Users Guide

30 31 32 33

Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.9 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.0 Table 10: Version e-terrabrowser 3.0 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only

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21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only No No No No No No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.10 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 Table 11: Version e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 12 13 14 ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 60

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only

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Display Builder Basics Display Builder Users Guide

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only No No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.11 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 This compatibility version did not introduce any new display features. It was added to capture a compiler change needed to support multi-layer CAMs using the proxy %pgmax%.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Table 12: Version e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 Features Feature Introduced Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 Text Origin FG 5.0 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 Localize String FG 3.0 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 Format Factor FG 5.2 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images 62

Supported Yes Yes No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser e-terrabrowser 3.0 Only FG 5.2 Yes FG 5.2 Yes e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only FG 5.2.1 Yes e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser
Display Builder Basics Display Builder Users Guide

Proprietary See Copyright Page

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only No No No No

e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 No

2.3.2.2.12 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 Table 13: Version e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 12 13 14 15 16 ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation 63 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser

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17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate

FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

Only Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only

2.3.2.2.13 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.4.0 Table 14: Version e-terrabrowser 3.4.0 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0
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Supported Yes Yes

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3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Text Origin New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group Layout Special Characters Allowed Localize String Menu Bar Item Application Uppercase Formatted Field Format Factor Third Party Scripts ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers 65

FG 5.0 FG 5.0 FG 3.0.2 FG 3.0 FG 5.1 FG 5.1 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2.1 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser 3.1.2

No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser

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28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate DDL Cross Reference Tool Nested Picture Support

Only e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only Provided with the Display Builder Installation Kit e-terrabrowser 3.4.0 e-terrabrowser Only

2.3.2.2.14 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 Table 15: Version e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 Features Feature Introduced 1 Mixed Simple And Tabular Layers FG 3.0 2 Specify Picture/Picgroup Size FG 3.0 3 Text Origin FG 5.0 4 New Multi-Dimensional Picture Group FG 5.0 Layout 5 Special Characters Allowed FG 3.0.2 6 Localize String FG 3.0 7 Menu Bar Item Application FG 5.1 8 Uppercase Formatted Field FG 5.1 9 Format Factor FG 5.2 10 Third Party Scripts e-terrabrowser 2.1 11 12 13 14 ActiveX Controls Gem Support Clip To Regions Dynamic Simple Layers e-terrabrowser 3.0 FG 5.2 FG 5.2 e-terrabrowser 3.0

Supported Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser Only Yes Yes e-terrabrowser Only

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15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Indexed Layers Placement Rotation Secondary Application On Simple Layer Background Image Halo Style Hidden Data Entry Conditional Permission Checks Scale To Fit Style Tool Tips Enhanced Support of ActiveX Controls Enhanced Support for Raster Images CAM Enhancements Placement Identifiers Multi-Layer Cams Windows TrueType Fonts Multiple Data Sources Signed Pair Arrow Size Limits for inner dimensions for multidimensional data Layer Refresh Rate DDL Cross Reference Tool Nested Picture Support

e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only FG 5.2.1 Yes e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser e-terrabrowser 3.0 Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.3.0 e-terrabrowser Only Provided with the Display Builder Installation Kit e-terrabrowser 3.4.0 e-terrabrowser Only
Display Builder Basics Display Builder Users Guide

e-terrabrowser 3.0

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67

36 37 38

Popup Pictures on Polylines Active Scripting in CTs Indirect Links in Scale Factor

e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 e-terrabrowser Only e-terrabrowser 3.5.0 e-terrabrowser Only

2.4 Opening Display Builder Sets

To open a Display Builder set in the Definition Manager work area, use the following procedure: 1. Select File > Open from the Definition Manager menu bar. The standard Windows Open dialog box appears, opened to the Display Builder Set storage directory that was specified during Display Builder setup. 2. Select a .DDL file from the directory and click OK. The selected set opens in a window bearing its name in the Definition Manager work area. Note: Display sets open with their required element sets as a convenience to the user. Alternatively, Display Builder can choose a set from the numbered list of previously opened sets that appears at the bottom of the File menu.

2.5 Creating New Sets

To initiate work on a new Display Builder set, do the following: 1. Select File > New from the Definition Manager menu bar. The New (display set) dialog box opens. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select eset or dset from the list and click OK. 3. Specify the display set name and click OK. The window for the new Display Builder set opens in the Definition Manager work area. Note: Once a Display Builder set is open in the Definition Manager work area and has input focus, the options available in the New menu change to mirror the editing context of the set. For example, if a display set (dset) window has input focus, only the Display and Picgroup options are available.

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2.6 Starting Scratch Pad and Dialog Editors

Display Builder gives the user several ways to open display component editors. The sections below tell how the display and element set windows can be used to open editors.

2.6.1 Starting Scratch Pad Editors

Display Builders scratch pad editors can be started by creating a new element or display, or by opening an existing element or display. 2.6.1.1 Creating New Symbols and Pictures To open the Symbol and Picture scratch pad editors by creating a new element, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the desired element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, choose the editor by name from the Definition Managers New menu.

3. Specify the element name and click OK. 4. A blank scratch pad opens in the Definition Manager work area, with symbol- or picture-specific features enabled on the tool bar. 2.6.1.2 Creating New Picgroups and Displays The Picgroup and Display Editors can be started using the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the desired display set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, choose the editor by name from the Definition Managers New menu. Note: The New Name dialog box for displays differs from that for picgroups (below).

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3. Specify the picgroup or display name. For new displays, you are required to select whether the display will include either a simple (default) or a tabular layer. Click OK. 4. A blank scratch pad opens in the Definition Manager work area, with picgroup- or display-specific features enabled on the tool bar.

2.6.2 Starting Dialog Editors

Dialog editors can be started by creating a new element or by opening an existing element. 2.6.2.1 Creating New Dialog Elements The Shared GAB, CAM, CT, Menu, and Keyset dialog editors can be started using the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the desired element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, choose the editor by name from the Definition Managers New menu. 3. Specify the element name in the New Name form that appears, and click OK. 4. The desired editor opens in the Definition Manager work area.

2.6.3 Opening Existing Components

There are two procedures for opening display components, for editing in either scratch pad or dialog editors. 2.6.3.1 Using Component Lists To open components for editing using the component lists found in display and element set windows, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the set that contains the display component. 2. Open the component list using the sets component tabs.
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3. Double-click the desired component. For example, double-clicking on a picture name in the Pictures tab will open the Picture Editor. For details about defining display components using the Display Builder editors, see Using the Scratch Pad Editors and Using the Dialog Editors. 2.6.3.2 Using the Browser Window To open components for editing or to start an editor using the browser window, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Browse Current Object icon from the Definition Manager tool bar, or select the Browse option from the editor-specific menu to populate the browser window. Note: The browser window can only be populated if a display component is already open in the Definition Manager work area; therefore, this method is used for opening a placed or attached object for editing. 2. Click the +/- icon at the top of the object schema to display the first level of the definition schema. Continue to navigate the component hierarchy until the desired object is visible. 3. Right-click on the object to display the Scratch Pad Option popup menu, and select the Edit option. The selected object opens in the Definition Manager work area.

2.7 Renaming a Display Component

The following procedure is used to rename a display or display component: 1. Give input focus to the display or element set window containing the desired component. 2. Select the display or component to be renamed. 3. To open the New Name dialog box, select Edit > Rename from the Definition Manager menu bar. 4. Enter the new name in the text box, and click OK to save the new name.

2.8 Resolving Name Conflicts

When creating new displays or display components, you may inadvertently assign a name that is already in use. In this instance, the New Name dialog box will display an error message.

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Figure 7: Name Conflict Error Message To resolve this conflict, enter a different name in the text box and click OK. The Name Conflict form appears when Display Builder detects an identical display component definition in the Display Builder set that is the target of a drag-and-drop operation. This form commonly appears when the user has copied a definition from one set to another. Display Builder safeguards display component definitions by ensuring that they are not accidentally overwritten (replaced). When Display Builder detects a conflict, the Name Conflict dialog box opens.

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Figure 8: Name Conflict Dialog Box To resolve a name conflict, use the following procedure: 1. To keep the existing definition, select Keep Existing Item. 2. To replace the existing definitions with new ones, select Keep New Items. 3. To keep the existing definitions as well as capture the new definitions, select Make Copies of New Items. Display Builder creates a new display component name by adding a number to the root name of the existing component. 4. Click OK to close the dialog box.

2.9 Changing Display Set References

To change the element set reference for a display set, use the following procedure: 1. Give the input focus to the desired display set window. 2. To open the Change References dialog box, select Edit > Change References from the Definition Manager menu bar.

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3. Type the desired element set root name in the text box. 4. Click OK to change the references or Cancel to keep the current references.

2.10 Saving Sets and Editor Definitions

After creating or editing Display Builder sets, they must be saved to disk that is, saved to their respective .DDL file to make them available for future use. The user can save the active set or all currently open sets. The current set can also be saved with a new name.

2.10.1 Saving All Open Sets and Editor Definitions

To save the contents of all open Display Builder set and editor windows, use the following procedure: 1. To save all set contents and editor definitions, select File > Save All from the Definition Manager menu bar.

2.10.2 Saving the Active Set

To save the current set, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the desired set window. 2. Select File > Save from the Definition Manager menu bar. Display Builder saves only the contents of the active set.

2.10.3 Saving the Current Editor

To save the contents of an individual editor window, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the desired editor window. 2. To open the operations popup menu, right-click in the editor window. 3. Select Save Data from the popup menu. Display Builder saves the contents of the editor.
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2.10.4 Using Auto Save

Display Builder has an Auto Save feature, which is activated when Display Builder starts. The Auto Save function periodically saves changes to temporary files. These files are of the following format: setname_BACKUP_xSET.ddl where setname is the name given to each set open in Display Builder and x is either E for an element set or D for a display set. The status of the Auto Save feature, and the directory to which the temporary files are saved, are specified using the Options form (see Options Tab for more information). In the event that Display Builder exits without saving your work, unsaved changes can be recovered by copying the contents of the backup file to its corresponding set. Note: The Auto Save feature does not save changes to the original .DDL file. These must be copied manually (see Recovering Changes from Temporary Files for more information).

2.11 Copying Component Definitions

Component definitions can be copied to other Display Builder sets using the following procedures. This is an excellent way to share and transfer picture and display definitions. 1. Open the source and destination sets. 2. In the source set, right-click on the desired component and select Copy from the popup menu. 3. Right-click in the destination set window and select Paste from the popup menu. Or: Select the desired component definitions and drag them into the destination set. This will delete the component from the originating set and paste it into the receiving set. Note: If a component definition of the same name exists in the destination set, Display Builder will prompt the user with the Name Conflict dialog box. The user must complete the Name Conflict dialog box to resolve the conflict.

2.12 Recovering Changes from Temporary Files

To recover work from a backup file, use the following procedure:
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1. Open the set into which the backed-up work will be captured. 2. Open the backup file for the open set from the backup location; this location appears on the Options Tab of the Options form. The sets backup file contains all the changes made to objects/definitions in the set during the previous session. 3. Select the changed items from the backup set and drag them into the destination set. 4. When the Name Conflict dialog box appears, select the Keep New Items option. 5. Click OK to close the Name Conflict dialog box.

2.13 Printing the Contents of a Scratch Pad

To print the contents of a scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the editor window in which the scratch pad to be printed is open. 2. To open the standard Windows Print dialog box, select File > Print from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Select the desired options, and click OK to print the contents of the scratch pad and close the dialog box.

2.14 Transferring Sets for Compilation

Display Builder provides FTP functionality to allow you to transfer DDL files to other computers. To transfer one or more Display Builder sets to a different computer, use the following procedure: 1. Choose the File Transfer option from the Definition Manager File menu. The Display Builders File Transfer form appears (see File Transfer Form for more information). 2. In the text boxes provided, specify the destination host name, user account, and account password. 3. In the Host Directory text box, specify the destination directory. 4. Using the Send to Host/Get from Host radio buttons, specify whether the transfer is a send or retrieve operation. 5. Click the Files button. The standard Windows Open dialog box appears, open to the .DDL file directory. Alternatively, type the file name(s) in the file list window. 6. Using the Open dialog box, select the names of the desired .DDL file(s) and the disk where they reside. (When the dialog is OKd, the
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path name of the .DDL directory and the selected file names appear in their text boxes on the File Transfer form.) 7. Click the Transfer Now button on the File Transfer form. Display Builder saves the contents of the selected set(s) if they are open, then transfers the files. 8. Determine whether file control is an issue. Click the Lock button to create a Lock (.LCK) file in the destination directory. The user can repeat transfers using the Send to Host option from the Definition Manager File menu or the Send to Host push button. Send to Host transfers the contents of the set window with input focus after saving changes in any editors that are open for writing to the set.

2.15 Closing Editors

Closing an editor stops it and closes its window. Note: If unsaved changes exist when you attempt to close an editor, you will be prompted to save your work.

2.15.1 Closing the Current Editor

To close an editor using the Definition Manager menu bar, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the editor window to be closed. 2. Select File > Close from the Definition Manager menu bar. To close an editor using the editors operations popup menu, use the following procedure: 1. Right-click over the work area of the editor to be closed. 2. Select Close Editor from the popup menu. Following is an alternate procedure utilizing a key combination: 1. Give input focus to the editor window to be closed. 2. Press (Ctrl+W). Note: If no editor windows are open, using this key combination will close the set window with input focus.

2.15.2 Closing All Editors

The following procedure will close all open editors: 1. Select Window > Close All. 77

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2.16 Closing Sets

Closing a Display Builder set closes its window. Note: If unsaved changes exist in an associated editor when the user attempts to close a set, Display Builder prompts the user to save the work before it closes the set. To close a set using the Definition Manager menu bar, use the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the set window to be closed. 2. Select File > Close from the Definition Manager menu bar. To close a set using the set windows operations popup menu, use the following procedure: 1. Right-click in the set window to give it input focus and display the operations popup menu. 2. Select the Close option from the popup menu.

2.17 Closing Display Builder

The user exits Display Builder by selecting the File > Exit option from the Definition Manager menu bar.

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3. Using the Scratch Pad Editors

This chapter contains the procedures for defining and editing display components using the Display Builder scratch pad editors.

3.1 Drawing Primitives

Primitives are defined by specifying a sequence of points. The extension of the primitive in the scratch pad is controlled by the pointer and mouse button actions. Primitives can be drawn directly onto any scratch pad. Clicking at the desired location provides the scratch pad anchor point. Dragging the pointer in any direction from the anchor point sizes the primitive. The shape of the primitive outline (sometimes called the rubber-band model) matches the type of primitive being drawn. Releasing the left mouse button defines: The extent of circles, rectangles, and ellipses. The bounding circle of an arc. The end of the first line segment for polylines and polygons. Primitives may be edited by directly manipulating them on the scratch pad, or via their respective Properties forms. To access the Properties dialog boxes, use the following procedure: 1. Double-click on or inside of the primitive. Or: Right-click on or inside the primitive. 2. From the popup menu, select the Properties option for the primitive to be edited.

3.1.1 Selecting a Drawing Tool

Drawing tools are selected by clicking their respective icons in the Draw tool bar. When selected, the icon will appear to be recessed. The desired primitive can then be defined in (drawn onto) the scratch pad.

3.1.2 Defining a Line

To define a line, use the following procedure: 1. Select the line icon from the Draw tool bar.

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2. Position the pointer on the scratch pad where you want the line to begin. 3. Click to establish the anchor point. 4. Position the cursor at the desired end point. It is not necessary to hold down the left mouse button while moving the cursor. 5. Click again to define the end point. The line appears with the attributes of the default Graphic Attribute Bundle (GAB). Handles are provided at the anchor point and end point of the newly defined line. When the handles are visible, the line is currently selected and can be resized or otherwise edited. The line can be modified by manipulating the handles, or by double-clicking on the line to call up the Polyline Properties form and modify the line definition.

3.1.3 Defining a Polyline

A polyline is a series of connected straight-line segments. Each segment can be of any length, and there can be as many connecting segments as desired. The first line segment in the polyline is defined by the anchor point and an end point. This end point is automatically the start point of the next line segment. The end point of the last line segment drawn is the close point of the polyline. To define a polyline, use the following procedure: 1. Select the polyline icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad where you want the polyline to begin. 3. Click to establish the anchor point. 4. Position the cursor at the desired end point for the first line segment. It is not necessary to hold down the left mouse button while moving the cursor. 5. Click again to define the first end point. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to define as many line segments as desired. 7. Right-click to define the last end point as the close point. The polyline appears with the attributes of the default GAB. Handles are provided at the anchor point, end points, and close point of the newly defined polyline.
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When the handles are visible, the line is currently selected and can be resized or otherwise edited. The user can modify the polyline by manipulating the handles, or by double-clicking on the line to call up the Polyline Properties form and modify the line definition.

3.1.4 Defining a Polygon

To define a polygon, use the following procedure: 1. Select the polygon icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad where you want the polygon to begin. 3. Click to establish the anchor point. 4. Position the pointer at the desired end point of the first side. It is not necessary to hold down the left mouse button while moving the pointer. 5. Click to define the end point of the first side. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to define as many sides as desired. 7. After defining the next-to-the-last side of the polygon, right-click to close the polygon. The polygon appears with the attributes of the default GAB. Handles are provided at the anchor point, end points, and close point of the newly defined polygon. When the handles are visible, the line is currently selected and can be resized or otherwise edited. The user can edit the polygon by manipulating the handles, or by double-clicking in or on the polygon to open the Polygon Properties form and modify the polygon definition.

3.1.5 Defining a Rectangle

To define a rectangle, use the following procedure: 1. Select the rectangle icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad at the desired location. 3. Click and hold down the left mouse button to establish the anchor point. Note: Clicking and releasing the left mouse button will place a rectangle of the minimum size on the scratch pad, which can then be resized. By holding down the left mouse button, it is possible to draw the rectangle to the desired size.

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4. Click and hold down the left mouse button, and drag the mouse in any direction to draw the rectangle to the desired size. 5. Release the mouse button to define the close point. The rectangle appears with the attributes of the default GAB. Handles are provided at each corner and at the midpoint of each side of the newly defined rectangle. When the handles are visible, the rectangle is currently selected and can be resized or otherwise edited. The user can modify the rectangle by manipulating the handles, or by double-clicking on or in the rectangle to call up the Rectangle Properties form and modify the rectangle definition.

3.1.6 Defining a Circle

To define a circle, use the following procedure: 1. Select the circle icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad at the desired location. 3. Click and hold down the left mouse button to establish the anchor point. Note: Clicking and releasing the left mouse button will place a circle of the minimum size on the scratch pad, which can then be resized. By holding down the mouse button, it is possible to draw the circle to the desired size. 4. Click and hold down the left mouse button, and drag the mouse in any direction to draw the circle to the desired size. 5. Release the mouse button to define the close point. The circle appears with the attributes of the default GAB. Four handles are provided, evenly spaced around the circumference of the newly defined circle. When the handles are visible, the circle is currently selected and can be resized or otherwise edited. The user can modify the circle by manipulating the handles, or by double-clicking on or in the circle to call up the Circle Properties form and modify the circle definition.

3.1.7 Defining an Ellipse

To define an ellipse, use the following procedure: 1. Select the ellipse icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad at the desired location.

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3. Click and hold down the left mouse button to establish the anchor point. Note: Clicking and releasing the left mouse button will place an ellipse of the minimum size on the scratch pad, which can then be resized. By holding down the mouse button, it is possible to draw the ellipse to the desired size. 4. Click and hold down the left mouse button, and drag the mouse in any direction to define the size and shape of the ellipse. 5. Release the mouse button to define the close point. The ellipse appears on the scratch pad with the attributes of the default GAB. When selected, the ellipse appears within a bounding rectangle. Handles are provided at each corner and at the midpoint of each side of the newly defined ellipse. When the handles are visible, the ellipse is currently selected and can be resized or otherwise edited. The user can modify the ellipse by manipulating the handles, or by double-clicking on or in the ellipse to call up the Ellipse Properties form and modify the ellipse definition.

3.1.8 Defining an Arc

An arc is a segment of a circle. An arc is defined by three factors: The circumference of a bounding circle, defined like all other circles. The place on the circumference where the arc begins, called the angle anchor point (A). The leading edge of the arc angle sweeps around the circumference of the bounding circle in a counter-clockwise direction from this point. The angular attribute of the arc, called the extent (E).

To define an arc, use the following procedure: 1. Select the arc icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad where you want the anchor point (A) of the bounding circle. 3. Click and hold down the left mouse button to establish the anchor point. 4. Drag the pointer to the initial extent of the arcs radius. 5. Release the mouse button. The arc appears on the scratch pad with the attributes of the default GAB. When selected, the arc appears within a bounding circle. Four
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handles are provided, evenly spaced around the circumference of the newly defined arcs bounding circle.

Figure 9: Scratch Pad with Arc Selected and Handles Visible Two other handles are provided on the arc definition for altering the arc angle (sweep) and the vertical attitude of the arc relative to the bounding circles center. To modify the arc angle, use the following procedure: 1. Position the pointer over the extent handle marked E. Note: Positioning the pointer over one of the two remaining handles and allowing it to hover for a few moments will cause either an E or an A to appear, depending on the handle. 2. Click and hold down the left mouse button, and drag the handle to indicate the extent of the arc angle. 3. Release the mouse button. The extent of the arc angle is drawn on the scratch pad. To modify the arc attitude, use the following procedure: 1. Position the pointer on the attitude handle marked A.

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Note: Positioning the pointer over one of the two remaining handles and allowing it to hover for a few moments will cause either an E or an A to appear, depending on the handle. 2. Click and hold down the left mouse button, and drag the A to pivot the arc around its center. 3. Release the mouse button. The arc appears on the scratch pad in the desired vertical or horizontal attitude. The user can double-click within or on the arc to call up the Arc Properties form and modify the arc definition.

3.1.9 Resizing a Primitive

For rectangles and ellipses, it is a simple matter of expanding the primitives bounding rectangle. Circles are resized by changing the radius. For polylines and polygons, the length of each line segment or side can be modified independently, and line segments and sides can be removed from the primitive. For arcs, both the size of the bounding circle and the extent (number of degrees of arc) can be modified. All primitives can be resized by direct manipulation in the scratch pad. This is accomplished by dragging the primitives handles. Primitives can also be resized using their Properties forms (see Placement Properties Forms for information about using the Properties forms to set the attributes of primitives). 3.1.9.1 Resizing Directly To resize a primitive by direct manipulation in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select the primitive to reveal the handles. 2. Position the pointer on one of the primitives handles, depending on how you want to resize the primitive (see Table 16). 3. Click and hold down the left mouse button, and drag the pointer in any direction to resize the primitive according to the rules in Table 16. A ghost of the object moves with the pointer, and the object remains at the original size or position. 4. Release the mouse button when the primitive is the desired size. The primitive snaps to its new size.

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Table 16: Primitive Editing and Resizing Rules Primitive Handle Result Rectangle Side Moves that side only and stretches or contracts the rectangle in only one dimension Corner Moves the corner and stretches or contracts the rectangle in two dimensions Circle Any Stretches or contracts the circumference of the circle Ellipse Side Moves that side only and stretches or contracts the ellipse in only one dimension Corner Arc Radius Arc Anchor Arc Extent Polyline Any Anchor Point A Extension Point E Either End Point Moves the corner and stretches or contracts the ellipse in two dimensions Stretches or contracts only the radius of the bounding circle Rotates the arc around the center of the bounding circle Adjusts the arc angle Moves either the begin point of the first line segment or the end point of the last line segment, respectively Moves the end point and begin point, respectively, of adjoining line segments Moves the begin and end point, respectively, of adjoining sides of the polygon

Any Other Polygon Any

3.1.9.2 Resizing Using the Properties Form To resize a primitive using its Properties form, use the following procedure: 1. Open the primitives Properties form by: Double-clicking the primitive Or: Right-clicking the primitive and selecting the objects Properties option from the popup menu

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2. When the Properties form opens, the Definition tab will be selected. The resize attributes appear on the Definition tab. These attributes differ depending upon the type of primitive being modified (see Primitive Placement Properties for information about the usage of definition dialog boxes for primitives). 3. Make the desired changes. 4. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. The primitive snaps to its new size.

3.1.10 Defining Static Text

To define static text, use the following procedure: 1. Select the text icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad at the desired location, and click to activate text entry mode. A blinking cursor (I) opens on the scratch pad. 3. Enter the desired text, including hard returns. 4. Exit text entry mode by clicking on the scratch pad outside the text box. The text appears with the attributes of the default GAB, and a bounding rectangle to show that it is currently selected in the scratch pad. Static text can be used to show the value of proxies. For example, assuming the enabled data server is named EMS1, the static text string The Enabled Host is %%enabled%% will at run time be displayed as The Enabled Host is EMS1. Note that the proxy string is resolved when the display containing the static text is initially called up. If the value of the proxy changes, a redisplay will have to be performed in order for the static text to reflect the updated value of the embedded proxy. 3.1.10.1 Editing Static Text To edit static text, use one of the following procedures: Method One 1. Select the text icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Click on the text to reactivate text entry mode. 3. Edit the text. 4. Exit text entry mode by clicking on the scratch pad outside the text box.
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Method Two 1. Right-click on the text and select Edit Static Text from the popup menu. The user can also double-click on the text and modify the text using the Static Text Properties form.

3.2 Defining Symbols

This section describes the tasks associated with defining a symbol using the Symbol scratch pad editor. Symbols are created by defining and configuring their component primitives, excluding text, in the symbol scratch pad. To define a symbol, do the following: 1. Select the element set window. The menu bar is reconfigured for element editing. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > Symbol from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the symbol in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The symbol is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the Symbol Editor. 5. Draw the symbols primitives in the scratch pad (see Drawing Primitives). 6. Set the graphic attributes of the primitive(s) using the Attachments tab of the Properties form (see Attachments Tab). 7. Right-click on the symbol and select the Save Data option from the popup menu.

3.3 Defining Pictures

This section describes the tasks associated with defining a picture using the Picture Editor scratch pad. To define a picture, do the following: 1. Give the element set window input focus. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > Picture from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the picture in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box.
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5. The Picture Editor scratch pad opens with the name of the new picture in the title bar. 6. Select Picture > Picture Properties from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Picture Definition form. 7. Provide values for all parameters as required on each tab of the Picture Definition form. 8. Click OK to save your changes and close the form. See the following sections for more information about completing each tab.

3.3.1 Picture Tab

Pictures are defined using the Picture tab of the Picture Definition form.

Figure 10: Picture Tab The following are included on the Picture tab:

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Name: The name that was specified in the New Name dialog box when the picture was created. Database: Enter a database name. If the picture is used to transmit data, this must be the records database. Leave this field blank if the picture does not reference data.

Note: If the picture contains no formatted fields linked to record data, then only a database and picture name is required. Application: Enter an application name only when the application context restricts data display. Leave this field blank for unrestricted picture usage. Comment: Enter a description of the pictures usage. Records: Enter the name(s) of the record(s) that define the location of the data. Declutter (%): Check this box to allow entry of declutter values. Low: Specify the zoom level at which the picture must disappear. A value of 10 represents 10 percent of normal. High: Specify the zoom level at which the picture must disappear as the image shrinks. Set Picture Size: Specify whether the picture size is automatically set by Display Builder or manually set by the user. Automatic: Select this button for automatic sizing. Manual: Select this button to allow manual entry of picture dimensions: Width: Specify the width in pixels. Height: Specify the height in pixels.

3.3.2 The Attachment and Permission Test Tabs

The Attachments and Permission Test tabs are shared by the Display, Layer, and Picture Property Definition forms (see Attachments Tab and Permission Test Tab for more information).

3.3.3 Primitives in Pictures

Primitives and text can be drawn in the picture scratch pad (see Drawing Primitives). The primitives can be drawn at any time while defining a picture.

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3.3.4 Placing Elements in Pictures

Symbols and conditional text can be placed in a picture (see Placing an Element for more information).

3.3.5 Defining Formatted Fields

To define a formatted field, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Formatted Field icon from the Draw tool bar. 2. Click on the scratch pad at the desired location. The Formatted Field Definition form appears. 3. Provide values for all parameters as required on each tab of the Formatted Field form. 4. Click OK to save your changes and close the form. The formatted field appears in the scratch pad with the defined number of placeholder characters, and with the graphic attributes of the default shared GAB. The formatted field is bounded by a shaded rectangle to show that it is currently selected in the scratch pad. See the following sections for more information about completing each tab.

3.3.6 The Formatted Field Definition Tab

Formatted field definition begins on the Definition tab of the Formatted Field form.

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Figure 11: Formatted Field Definition Tab The following are included on the Definition tab: Field Name and Indirect Record Links: Specify the field name and any indirect pointer field names.

Note: Whenever record linkages/indirect pointers are specified to access data in records other than the picture record, these pointers must be specified in a sequence that proceeds from the record instance defined by the formatted field and points upward/outward into the target database structure. This linkage sequence must match the upward linkage of the records specified in the target database hierarchy.
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Note: By placing a $ or _ _ (two underscores) in the Field Name text box, e-terrabrowser will display the subscript value of the record instance; however, dollar-sign and underscore usage cannot be mixed. Justify: Select a radio button to indicate the alignment of data on the screen: left, centered, or right. Numeric values are right-justified by default; all other values are left-justified. Display Builder Character: Enter the alphanumeric character that is used to represent the formatted field in the scratch pad. The font of the chosen character determines the width of the data displayed and the entry widget of an enterable field. Type: Select the data type to be output, such as character, integer, or text pair. The Text Pair and Time/Date options require additional detail; see their descriptions below. Factor: The format factor edit box becomes active only when Exponent, Integer, or Real format type is selected. The default value is 1, but the user can specify any real number with precision less than 7. The following two operations will be placed at run time: Database values will be multiplied by a format factor before being displayed. Entered data will be divided by a format factor before being stored in the database. Size: Specify the total number of alphanumeric characters that will be displayed. Position: Specify the position in the alphanumeric string from which character painting will start. This attribute specifies digits to the right of the decimal in a real field.

The display options for formatted fields are as follows: Enterable: Set ON to indicate that the field is editable in the online display. e-terrabrowser creates a text entry box when an enterable formatted field is selected for editing.

Important: The background color of the text entry box is determined by the value of the background field in the formatted fields attached GAB. Therefore, attach a GAB whose background color provides adequate contrast. Uppercase Data Entry: Set this toggle ON to specify that e-terrabrowser will convert text entry in this field to uppercase.

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Hidden Data Entry: Set this toggle ON to specify that e-terrabrowser will not display characters typed into this field. This option is typically used for fields that contain passwords; the data entry is encrypted. Do Not Display Field: Set ON to suppress data output when the picture is displayed. This feature is used to create password-like fields. Do Not Refresh Field: Set ON to suppress data refresh for this field.

Refresh Indirect Chain: Set ON to enable indirect pointer chain refresh. Text Pair: These field types are used to indicate True/False conditions by displaying text strings or bitmaps that show the sign value of a field, the setting of a boolean field, or the setting of a MASK field. The Text Pair format can accompany a numeric field format type, such as Real. When a text pair accompanies another field type, the text pair always appears to the left of the field value on the display. Text pair designations are as follows:

None: Set ON if no text pair association exists for the Type selected. Sign: Set ON to create a text pair based on whether the field value is positive or negative (zeroes are considered positive values). The text pairs specified as text pair values will be painted depending on the value of the data (see Text Pair Values below for details about specifying text pairs). Boolean: Set ON to enable the usage of a boolean field (1 or 0). Text Pair Values: The user can specify a pair of True/False indicators to override the default T/F indicators, as follows: Positive/True: Enter a positive status text string up to 16 characters in length. Alternatively, set the Bitmap flag ON, then select the bitmap arrow indicator to show direction or flow, based on the sign of the field. Negative/False: Enter a negative status text string up to 16 characters in length. Alternatively, set the Bitmap flag ON, then select the bitmap arrow indicator to show direction or flow, based on the sign of the field.

Time/Date formatting options are as follows: AM: AM or PM indicator. Date: Date in dd-mmm-yyyy format.

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 Day: Three-character weekday identifier, such as MON for Monday. DD: Two-character numeric indicator of the day of the month. DST: Daylight Savings Time indicator, as specified by the DSTCHAR global field in the TIMEDATE database. HC: Two-character indicator of the hour 00 to 24. HM: Two-character indicator of the hour 01 to 23. Holiday: Name of the current holiday defined in the TIMEDATE database. HR: Two-character indicator of the hour 01 to 12. MLTM: 24-hour time designation with minutes, such as 2356. MM: Two-character indicator of the month. MN: Two-character indicator of the minute. MON: Three-character month identifier, such as AUG for August. Month: Month in full-character format, such as AUGUST. SC: Two-character numeric indicator of the second. Time and Date: The date in dd-mmm-yyyy format, with time in hc:mm:sc format. TMZ: Time zone format; only the local time zone is displayed. VMS: DEC VMS time in hc:mm:sc format. Weekday: Day of the week in full-character format, such as THURSDAY. YY: Decade format for the year, such as 96. YYYY: Millennium format for the year, such as 1996.

3.3.7 Specifying the Graphic Attributes of a Formatted Field

To specify the graphic attributes of a formatted field, use the following procedure: 1. With the desired formatted field in view on the scratch pad, give input focus to the element set window in which the shared GAB definitions reside. Make sure the formatted field is still visible.

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2. Select the Shared GAB tab to display the directory list of available GABs. 3. Drag the desired shared GAB selection over the formatted field. 4. Release the mouse button. The new attribute is attached and the old attachment is deleted. An alternate procedure is as follows: 1. Open the Formatted Field Properties form. 2. Select the Attachments tab and attach the desired shared GAB (see Attachments Tab for more information).

3.3.8 The Attachment and Declutter Tabs

The Attachments tab is shared by the Display, Layer, and Picture Property Definition forms. The Declutter tab is shared by the Formatted Field, Static Text, Symbol Placement, and CT Placement Properties forms, as well as the Primitive Properties forms (see Attachments Tab and Declutter Tab for more information).

3.3.9 Specifying a Scale Factor on a Picture Object

To specify a scale factor, use the following procedure: 1. In the Picture scratch pad, double-click the primitive or symbol to be scaled. 2. Use the Scale tab of the Properties form to specify the scaling parameters (see Scale Factor Tab for more information). 3. Click OK to save the changes and close the Properties form. The selected primitive or symbol is now defined to grow and shrink in the direction(s) specified, depending on the values in the scaling field.

3.3.10 Specifying a Shift Factor on a Picture Object

Shift factors are applied to picture objects by attaching GEometry Modifiers (GEMs). See Shift Factors and Defining GEMs for more information.

3.3.11 Defining Placement Declutter

Placed elements, drawn primitives, and defined formatted fields can be defined in the Picture Editor with individual declutter attributes. This attribute is defined using the Declutter tab of the Properties form (see Declutter Tab for more information).

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3.3.12 Attaching Elements in Pictures

The following elements can be attached as local or overall attachments in the Picture Editor: keysets, CAMs, GEMs, menus, and pictures. See Making Attachments to Placed Objects, Making Overall Attachments, and Attachments Tab for more information.

3.3.13 Defining Popups

Two special attributes of popups can be defined. These properties define the following: The mode of the viewport the popup opens in. This can be either modal, system model, or modeless. The default is modeless. The location of the popup. The popup can open at a fixed location on the parent picture (a fixed popup) or at the current cursor location (a floating popup). The default is a fixed popup.

Use the following procedure to define popup attributes for popup pictures defined at the picture level. 1. With the parent picture in the active scratch pad, select Picture > Show All Popup Pictures. Or: Right-click on the picture scratch pad and select Show Popup Pictures from the menu for popup pictures defined at the picture level. 2. Double-click the desired popup in the Picture Editor scratch pad to display the Popup Picture Properties form. Or: Right-click on the scratch pad and select Popup Picture Properties from the menu. 3. In the Popup Type option group, specify the mode for the popup viewport. 4. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. Use the following procedure to define popup attributes for popup pictures defined at the display level. 1. With the display containing the primitive with the popup picture attachment in the active scratch pad, first select the primitive, then right-click and select Show All Popup Pictures.

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2. Double-click the desired popup in the scratch pad to display the Popup Picture Properties form. 3. In the Popup Type option group, specify the mode for the popup viewport. 4. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. See Popup Picture Properties for more information.

3.3.14 Popup Picture Properties

Popups are defined from the Popup Pictures Properties form.

Figure 12: Popup Picture Properties Form The following are included on the Popup Picture Properties form: Origin: Set the X and Y coordinates for the upper left corner of the popup. Modeless: Select the modeless type for a movable popup. Modal: Select the modal type for a non-movable, non-occludable popup. Modal popups disallow interaction with any e-terrabrowser features other than the popup itself.

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System Modal: Select the system modal type for a non-movable, nonoccludable popup. System modal popups disallow interaction not only with other e-terrabrowser features, but also with any other applications that may be active on the client computer. Activate at Cursor Position: Set ON to enable popup positioning at the cursor location on call-up.

See Placing an Element for more information.

3.3.15 Specifying Picture Attachments and Permission Tests

The Attachments and Permission Test tabs of the Display Definition form are shared by the Display, Layer, and Picture Property Definition forms (see Attachments Tab and Permission Test Tab for more information).

3.4 Defining Picgroups

The general steps for defining picgroups are as follows: A new picgroup is created and named. Pictures and symbols are placed. (Primitives can be drawn on the Picgroup Editor scratch pad if desired, but placed pictures and symbols are easier to maintain.) Attachments are made for interactive and graphic attribute control. Special picture linking and object locking is specified if required.

To define a new picgroup, use the following procedure: 1. Select New > Picgroup from the Definition Manager menu bar to display the New Name dialog box. 2. Enter a name for the new picgroup in the text box. 3. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The picgroup is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the Picgroup Editor. Note: Picgroups can also be created and named using the Picgroup from Picture option that is available on the Tabular Definition tab of the Tabular Layer Properties form. 4. Select Picgroup > Picgroup Properties from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Picgroup Definition form. 5. Provide values for all parameters as required on each tab of the Formatted Field form. 6. Click OK to save your changes and close the form.
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3.4.1 The Picgroup Tab

Picgroups are defined on the Picgroup tab of the Picgroup Definition form.

Figure 13: Picgroup Tab The following are included on the Picgroup tab: Name: The name that was specified in the New Name dialog box when the picgroup was created. Primary Picture: If one or more pictures have been placed, select the picture whose record will drive the data display. Interactive Attributes: DICE operations are enabled using the following check boxes: Deletable: Check this box to enable deletion of the data displayed by the primary picture. Insertable: Check this box to make the data displayed by the primary picture insertable. Copyable: Check this box to make the data displayed by the primary picture copyable.
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 Confirm Delete: Check this box to enable the confirm delete prompt. Margins: The margins of the picgroup can be extended beyond the maximum picture or symbol extent by using the margins fields: Bottom: Specify a value in excess of the Y extent. Right: Specify a value in excess of the X extent. Set Picgroup Size: Specify whether the picgroup size is automatically set by Display Builder or manually set by the user: Automatic: Select this button to make sizing automatic. Manual: Select this button to enable manual entry of picgroup dimensions: Width: Specify the width in pixels. Height: Specify the height in pixels.

3.4.2 The Attachments Tab

The Attachments tab is shared by the Display, Layer, Picture, and Picgroup Property Definition forms (see Attachments Tab for more information).

3.4.3 Adding Primitives to Picgroups

All types of primitives, including text, can be drawn in the Picgroup scratch pad. Note the available buttons in the Picgroup Editor control panel. The primitives can be drawn at any time during the process of defining a picgroup.

3.4.4 Placing Elements in Picgroups

Previously defined symbols and pictures can be placed in a picgroup. Note: If the picgroup contains a multi-dimensional picture, that picture must be designated the primary picture. See Placing an Element for details about placing elements in scratch pads.

3.4.5 Attaching Elements in Picgroups

The Picgroup Editor provides for both local and overall attachments (see Making Attachments to Placed Objects for more information).

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3.4.6 Specifying a Secondary Picture Driving Field

When a picture with a secondary record co-exists with a primary picture on the Picgroup Editor scratch pad, the secondary pictures driving field must be specified. This driving field is a subscript field in the primary record or driving record. e-terrabrowser uses the driving field to find the secondary record subscript. To specify the secondary pictures driving field, use the following procedure: 1. Double-click the secondary picture in the scratch pad. 2. Specify the secondary picture driving field in the Subscript Field text box using the field_record convention. 3. Click OK to save the changes and close the form.

3.4.7 Locking Picgroup Objects

To lock picgroup objects so they do not move in the display viewport, use the following procedure: 1. Double-click the object(s) to be locked. 2. Select the Lock tab. 3. Set the toggles ON for locking the object(s) in the X or Y direction or both. 4. Click OK to save the changes and close the Properties form.

3.5 Defining Displays

Displays are created using the following general steps: The supporting element and display sets are created if they do not already exist. The components of the displays (elements or picgroups) are defined. An empty display is generated and named. Display attributes are defined. The display is constructed according to the layers required and the data structure(s) to which the display is designed to be linked. The display is saved to its display set. The element set(s) and displays are compiled and linked to become available for online access 102
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To define a display, use the following procedure: 1. To open the New Name dialog box, with the input focus on the display set window, select New > Display from the Definition Manager menu bar. 2. Enter a name for the display name in the text box. 3. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The display name is now specified and the editor is opened to the definition. Any or all attributes of the display can now be defined. 4. Select Display > Display Properties from the Definition Manager menu to open the Display Definition form. 5. Provide values for all parameters as required on each tab of the Display Definition form. 6. Click OK to save your changes and close the form. See the following sections for more information about completing each tab. 3.5.1.1 Display Tab Display definition begins on the Display tab of the Display Definition form.

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Figure 14: Display Tab The following are included on the Display tab: Name: The name that specified when the display was created appears for informational purposes. Title: The name that appears in the viewport title bar when the display is called up. Proxies such as %DISAPP% for the displaying application name can be inserted in this text string. Call-up Command: Specify one or more display call-up commands if e-terrabrowser commands are required to be issued when the display is accessed. Separate commands with semicolons (;). Calldown Command: Specify one or more display calldown commands if e-terrabrowser commands are required to be issued when the display is closed. Separate commands with semicolons (;). Scale to Fit: The Display Definition dialog box provides Scale to Fit options, which will be used in e-terrabrowser to better size displays when the DISPLAY/FIT feature is enabled. The options are as follows:

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 Fit In XY Fit in X Only Fit Either XY or X Based on Aspect Ratio Refresh Rate: Specify the interval between data updates in seconds. This value should usually be in the range of four to five seconds. Default Zoom Factor (%): Specify the zoomed aspect of the display; 100 is normal size, 200 is twice normal size.

3.5.1.2 Applications Tab The Applications tab is used to specify and edit the application list for the display.

Figure 15: Applications Tab The following are included on the Applications tab: Add: Click Add to enable the Application list box for entry. Enter an owning application name, and click anywhere on the form to exit entry mode, or click Add again to add another application. 105
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Edit: Click Edit to enable editing for the highlighted application. Delete: Click Delete to delete the highlighted application.

3.5.1.3 Viewport Tab In Rapport-FG, the Viewport tab was used to set the attributes of the viewport into which a display was called.

Figure 16: Viewport Tab Always on Top: Set ON to specify that the viewport cannot be occluded. Lock In Viewport: Set ON to make the display the sole owner of the viewport. Command Window: Set ON to append an e-terrabrowser command-line window to the viewport. Last Page Number Proxy: Set ON to enable the e-terrabrowser proxy that produces the page N of total page identifier in the viewports title bar.

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Horizontal Scroll Bar: Set ON to activate the viewports horizontal scroll bar. This toggle enables the Horizontal line and page sliders. Vertical Scroll Bar: Set ON to activate the viewports vertical scroll bar when the display is called into the viewport. This toggle enables the Vertical line and page sliders. Min/Max Width and Height Sliders: Move the slider to specify the size of the viewport. Horizontal/Vertical Line and Page Sliders: Move the slider to specify the unit step produced when the scroll bar arrow is activated, and the page step produced when the scroll bar itself is clicked. 3.5.1.4 Menus Tab The Menus tab is used to specify the user-defined menus that will appear in the menu bar when the display is called up in the viewport. Menus are identified by menu bar label, the name of the menu as created, and the owning element set.

Figure 17: Menus Tab

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Note: The e-terrabrowser user can define other menus for the viewport using a resource file. The following are included on the Menus tab: Add: Click Add to open the Add Attachment dialog box. A list of available menus will be displayed (see Using the Add Attachment Dialog Box for more information). Label: The menu label that will appear on the menu bar. The menu bar label is set when a menu is added, and it can be edited by clicking Edit Label. Sequencing Arrow Buttons: Use these buttons to modify the sequence of the menus in the menu bar. No Default Menu Bar Menus: Set ON to disable the creation of the default viewport menus: Viewport, Zoom, and Help. Application: If the menu is pertinent to only one application, enter the application name in the text box. When the compiled version of the display appears on the console, the menu will only appear in the menu bar of the specified application. If Application is left blank, the menu can be shared among many applications.

3.5.1.5 Background Tab The Background tab is used to specify a background color for the display.

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Figure 18: Background Tab The following is included on the Background tab: Color: Select the desired background color from the color palette.

3.5.1.6 Specifying Display Attachments and Permission Tests The Permission Test tab of the Display Definition form is shared by the Display, Layer, and Picture Property Definition forms (see Permission Test Tab for more information). 3.5.1.7 Background Image Tab The Background Image tab is used to specify an image to appear as a backdrop for the display in lieu of or in addition to a background color.

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Figure 19: Background Image Tab Note: Displays that reference external image files should not incur noticeable performance degradation for display call-up, scrolling, and zooming once these image files have been downloaded and cached. Displays that contain compiled-in image files will have a larger file size and will take longer to call up. The following are included on the Background Image tab: Apply Background Image: Select this check box to enable the remaining parameters. Image Scaling: Select the Image Scaling options: None: Do not scale the image. Display: Scale the image to the size of the display. Window: Scale the image to the size of the window. Image Folder: The image directory set on the Options tab of the Options form is displayed for informational purposes. 110
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Note: The image path is not saved as part of the display. Display Builder will use the e-terrabrowser Image Directory setting on the Option dialog box to locate the image files. At run time, e-terrabrowser requires the image path to be specified in the webfg_config.txt file (see Options Tab for more information). Image File: Use the browse button to select the image file to use as display background. Thumbnails of the images available in the specified image directory will be displayed to ease the selection process. Note: Only bitmap (.bmp), jpeg (.jpg), and icon (.ico) images are supported at this time.

3.6 Defining Layers

Layers are defined using the Layer Properties form. The dialog box includes the following tabs for simple layers: Layers Simple Layer Attachments Permission Test

The following tabs are included for tabular layers: Layers Tabular Definition Repeat, Hierarchical, Link List, Multi-Dimensional, or Indexed, depending upon the type of layer selected on the Tabular Definition tab. Attachments Permission Test

The Layer Properties form is accessed using the following procedure: 1. Give input focus to the desired display. 2. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar. The user can specify whether a layer is called up or not on initial display call-up. A layer can also be set as not removable, meaning it cannot be controlled with either the DISPLAY command /LAYER qualifier or the LAYER command.
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3.6.1 Simple Layer Construction Tasks

Simple layers are distinguished from tabular layers by the placement of individual although not necessarily different pictures in the scratch pad and the explicit linkage to database records by Display Builder. Simple layer construction consists of some or all of the following tasks: Placing Elements: Physically locating previously defined pictures and symbols, and defining placeholders on the layer. Attaching Elements: Making local or overall attachments of CAMs, keysets, and menus, as appropriate. Drawing Primitives: Creating any and all types of primitives and defining their graphic attributes. Defining Database Linkages: Establishing the link between the placed pictures and attached CAMs and specific occurrences of record types. Each picture and CAM must be linked.

3.6.2 Defining Simple Layers

Simple layers are layers where elements are placed at fixed locations. In simple layers, placed pictures and attached CAMs are linked to specific occurrences of a record in the application database. In addition, simple layers can be defined with some unique features: Placeholders: These are named coordinate locations in the display that can be used to position the online display (see Defining a Placeholder for more information). Declutter Levels: Pictures placed in a simple layer that have declutter levels defined for them cause the layer to have a set of defined declutter levels. This set consists of all the different high and low declutter zoom factors defined for all pictures on the layer. A maximum of 32 declutter levels is allowed on the display.

To define a simple layer, use the following procedure: 1. Open the Layer Properties form as described above. The default layer will appear in the layer list box. 2. To add a new layer, enter a name in the New Layer text box and click Add. The new layer will appear in the layer list box. 3. Provide values for all parameters as required on each tab of the Simple Layer Properties form. 4. Click OK to save your changes and close the form.

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Note: The Layers tab is shared with the Tabular Layer Properties form (see Layers Tab for more information). See the following sections for more information about completing each tab. 3.6.2.1 The Simple Layer Tab The Simple Layer tab becomes available when a simple layer is designated as active. The Simple Layer tab is used to define a database linkage for a picture or a CAM placed on a simple layer.

Figure 20: Simple Layer Tab The following are included on the Simple Layer tab: Layer: The name of the active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Secondary Application: Specify an application other than the application or applications that own the display, as specified by the

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Applications tab of the Display Properties form. This feature allows the display compiler a better opportunity to check application context. Note: It is strongly recommended that pictures displaying data from an application different from the primary application be placed on layers that have the given application name specified as a secondary application. Currently, the display compiler will issue a warning message if the application context of a picture or CAM does not match that of the layer. This could indicate that the display could display different data than it was designed to do. Picture and CAM Linkages: Each picture placement and CAM attachment is listed on the Simple Layer tab. Clicking an object name in the list causes the object to flash in the scratch pad. When the pointer crosses a picture or primitive on a simple layer, the objects assigned composite key pops into view if the DB Linkage Tips feature is turned on. To enable this option, select the Show DB Linkage Tips option from the Display menu. The Show DB Linkage Tips option displays a check mark to indicate that it is active. Composite Key: The database linkages for pictures and CAMs are specified as a sequence of key fields that uniquely identify the Picture record or CAM target record. The fields are enterable in the format: record_name = key_field_identifier The record_name specifier tells the server which record type in the sequence to locate next, and the key_field identifier specifies the value in the key field (see Database Linkages for more information). Composite keys can be copied and pasted to other picture and CAM entries, then edited. Note: A global replace editing utility is provided for user convenience (see Replace Dialog Box for more information). Dynamic: Checking this box allows placements to be generated programmatically by a special kind of OLE DB provider each time the display is called up. This feature is intended to be used by the AREVA T&D distribution automation OLE DB provider, and it should not be used without consultation with an AREVA T&D engineer. Find/Replace: Select this button to display the Replace form (see Replace Dialog Box for more information).

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3.6.2.2 Attaching Elements on Simple Layers Both local and overall attachments are allowed on simple layers. Instructions for attaching elements are provided in Making Attachments to Placed Objects. 3.6.2.3 The Attachments and Permission Test Tabs The Attachments and Permission Test tabs of the Simple Layer Properties form are shared by the Display, Layer, and Picture Property Definition forms (see Attachments Tab and Permission Test Tab for more information). 3.6.2.4 Primitives on a Simple Layer All types of primitives, including text, can be drawn on a simple layer. See Drawing Primitives for more information about drawing the various types of primitives. 3.6.2.5 Placing Elements on Simple Layers Previously defined symbols and pictures can be placed in a simple layer (see Placing an Element for more information). 3.6.2.5.1 Adding ActiveX Controls To place an ActiveX control on a simple display layer or picture, open the appropriate scratch pad editor. In the tool bar, select the ActiveX Control button (Ax), and select a rectangle on the display where the control should be placed. The Insert ActiveX Control dialog box will come up, populated with all the ActiveX controls installed on the machine. Scroll down to locate the control you want to add to your display. Select the control to insert and click OK. The ActiveX control inserted will be painted in the scratch pad editor. Note: It is important to set the controls Extended Properties before the display is called up. To set the Extended Properties, select the control and press the F4 key. The ActiveX Controls Properties dialog box will be displayed. Select the Extended Properties tab to set the following properties: Name: The control instance must be given a unique name. Left: Coordinate of the controls left edge. Top: Coordinate of the controls top edge. Width: Set the controls width. Height: Set the controls height. 115
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Locking: (optional) X: Check box to lock the control in X. Y: Check box to lock the control in Y.

Note: e-terrabrowser 3.0 supports ActiveX controls only on simple layers. In e-terrabrowser 3.1.2, the support of ActiveX controls has been extended to pictures, which can be used on tabular layers. 3.6.2.6 Moving Selected Objects Between Simple Layers To move an object from one simple layer to another, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired object in the scratch pad. 2. Select Display > Move to Layer Definition Manager menu bar. The Move to Layer form appears. 3. Select the layer name in the Move to Layer dialog box. 4. Click OK to close the form. 3.6.2.7 Defining a Placeholder Placeholders can be defined and placed on a simple layer. When defined, the placeholder is shown in the scratch pad with the words Placeholder xxxx, where xxxx represents the name of the placeholder. This text string does not appear in the online display. To define a placeholder, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Placeholder push button in the Drawing Tools tool bar. 2. Click at the position on the layer where you want the placeholder to be located. The New Name dialog box opens on the scratch pad. Type the placeholder name. 3. Click OK to close the dialog box. The placeholder appears in red text, with a bounding rectangle to show that it is currently selected in the scratch pad. 3.6.2.8 Replace Dialog Box The Replace form is used to modify composite key entries on the Simple Layer tab of the Layer Properties form.

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Figure 21: Replace Dialog Box The user enters the string to modify and its replacement string, then uses the command buttons to complete the Find and Replace operation. See Database Linkages for details about composite key definitions. 3.6.2.9 Placement Forms for Simple Layer Objects Details about the Placement forms and their tabs for the objects commonly found on simple layers can found in Placement Properties Forms (see Placing an Element for more information). 3.6.2.10 Move to Layer Dialog Box The Move to Layer form is a property of the Display Editor when the context is a simple layer construction.

Figure 22: Move to Layer Dialog Box To move an object to a different layer on the display, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired object on the scratch pad.
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2. Select Draw > Move to Layer from the Definition Manager menu bar. The Move to Layer dialog box will be displayed. 3. The text box lists all layers in the current display. 4. Select the desired layer and click OK. The desired object is transferred to the layer selected in the text box. 3.6.2.11 Defining Simple Layer Database Linkages To define a database linkage for a Picture or a CAM placed on a simple layer, do the following: 1. Choose the Layers and Driving Data option from the Display menu. The Layer Properties form appears. 2. Select the placed element from the Picture and CAMs Linkages list. 3. Enter the composite key in the Composite Key section of the entry. Note: A global replace editing utility is provided for user convenience. Use the Find/Replace button to activate this utility. When the pointer crosses a picture or a primitive on a simple layer, the objects assigned composite key pops into view if the DB Linkage Tips feature is turned on. To activate the Linkage Preview popup for composite key definitions, do the following: Choose the Show DB Linkage Tips option from the Display menu. The Show DB Linkage Tips option displays a check mark to indicate that it is active.

3.6.3 Tabular Layer Construction Tasks

Tabular layers are designed to display repeating record data from numerous driving data schemes. The record data specified in the picture is carried by a picgroup. Tabular layer construction consists of some or all of the following tasks: Selecting Picgroups: Selecting picgroups to determine when and how the primary record types of the picgroups are to be displayed. Defining Overall Picgroup Attributes: Establishing which picgroups head or end display pages. Defining Picgroup Alignment: Determining the physical or visual relationships between picgroups.

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Specifying Alternate Driving Data: Specifying alternate record structures that drive the appearance of the tabular layer. By default, the layer is driven by the database hierarchy and the record list. Other database structures can be defined to modify the default appearance and then specified in the tabular layer definition. Attaching Elements: Attaching keysets as overall attachments to the layer. No local attachments can be made to the picgroups in a display layer; however, picgroups and picgroup components can be defined with local and overall attachments.

3.6.4 Defining Tabular Layers

To define a tabular layer, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar to display the Tabular Layer Properties form. 2. To add a new layer, enter a name in the New Layer text box and click Add. The new layer will appear in the layer list box. 3. Provide values for all parameters as required on each tab of the Simple Layer Properties form. 4. Click OK to save your changes and close the form. Note: The Layers tab is shared with the Simple Layer Properties form (see Layers Tab for more information). 3.6.4.1 Tabular Definition Tab The Tabular Definition tab becomes accessible when a tabular layer is designated as active. Display Builder must specify a target data structure for each tabular layer that the user creates. Unlike the simple layer, where Display Builder specifies explicit database linkages for chosen record instances, the tabular layer requires a database linkage description. This description tells the e-terrabrowser server where to find the data specified by the pictures placed in the layers picgroups. See Tabular Layers and Driving Data Structures for more information about tabular layers and their data linkages.

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Figure 23: Tabular Definition Tab The following are included on the Tabular Definition tab: Layer: The name of the active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Driving Database: The name of the e-terrahabitat database for which this display layer binds to display data. Secondary Application: An application other than the application or applications for which the display is compiled, as specified on the Applications tab of the Display Properties form. Binding to the secondary application clone will occur when the display is called up. Note: In order to ensure data integrity, it is highly recommended that this field be completed if the layer will be bound to data from an application other than that specified on the Display Properties form. Constant Picgroup: Check this box to enable addition of a constant picgroup to the layer. Add: Select this button to display the Add Picgroup form.

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Layer Placements Are Constant: Check this box to ensure the constant display of the picgroups on this layer. Page Breaks: The choices in this option group define the number of records at a time that will be delivered to the client. None: Data is delivered with no page separations. Records/Page: Data is delivered one page at a time, with each page containing the specified number of records. Tabular Type: The choices in this option group define the data structure that the server must find and deliver to the client. The selection made in this option group will be reflected in the tabs available for further layer configuration. The structure options are as follows: Repeat Placement: Find every instance of a single record type (see Repeat Tab for more information). Hierarchical Placements: Find every instance of several record types in a tree structure (see Hierarchical Tab for more information). Link List Placement: Find a linked list structure and follow the pointers to the specified record instances. Find a structure of required picgroup names if a sequencing requirement exists (see Link List Tab for more information). Multi-Dimensional Placement: Find a 2- or 3-dimensional array and detect the orientation of the data on the X, Y, and possibly Z axes (see Multi-Dimensional Tab for more information). Indexed Placement: Execute the query using one of the predefined indices, sorting and filtering according to the criteria specified in the index parameters (see Indexed Tab for more information).

3.6.4.2 Repeat Tab The Repeat tab is available when Repeat Placement has been specified on the Tabular Definition tab, and it allows entry of parameters for finding and delivering data (see Placing Data-Oriented Picgroups for more information).

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Figure 24: Repeat Tab The following are included on the Repeat tab: Layer: The active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Repeat Picgroup: The picgroup containing the record of interest. Add: Select this button to change the repeat picgroup. Delete: Select this button to delete the repeat picgroup. Circular: Check this box to specify that database traversal will be circular and directional. Selection of this option activates the Ascending and Descending radio buttons: Ascending: Select this radio button to sort records in ascending order. Descending: Select this radio button to sort records in descending order.

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First Record Subscript and Last Record Subscript: The choices in these option groups specify the bounds of the data retrieval sequence. First: Select this radio button to begin data retrieval at the first picture record subscript. Last: Select this radio button to end data retrieval at the last picture record subscript. Literal: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at a specified subscript. Selection of this option enables the Literal text box in which to enter the desired value. Field: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript identified by a specified field. Selection of this option enables the Field and Database text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Global Field: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript identified by a specified global field. Selection of this option enables the Global Field and Database text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Composite Key: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript whose location in the database tree is identified by one or more key fields. Selection of this option enables the Composite Key text box in which to enter the desired values. Display call-up is much enhanced when composite keys are used to bound data retrieval. Note: Composite keys are specified as a series of one or more equalities; the left side of the equation is the record type and the right side is a key field identifier. For example, the composite key SUBSTN = STATION1 tells the server to find the record instance of the SUBSTN record with an ID field equal to STATION1 and to proceed from there to find the first instance of the primary record. Field with Composite Key: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript specified by this field, which resides on the key deepest in the tree structure. Selection of this option enables the Field, Database, and Composite Key text boxes in which to enter the desired values.

3.6.4.3 Hierarchical Tab The Hierarchical tab becomes accessible if Hierarchical Placements has been specified on the Tabular Definition tab to allow entry of parameters

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for finding and delivering data (see Placing Data-Oriented Picgroups for more information).

Figure 25: Hierarchical Tab The following are included on the Hierarchical tab: Layer: The active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Picgroups: This option group allows you to add or delete picgroups and to indicate hierarchical relationships in the data. Add: Select this button to display the Add Picgroup form. Delete: Select this button to delete the highlighted picgroup. Schema Portrayal: By using the arrow buttons to indicate where its primary record resides in relation to others, the user can schematically represent a database structure. Clicking the up or down arrow buttons will move the selected picgroup up or down in the data hierarchy; clicking the left or right arrow buttons will promote or demote the selected picgroup in relationship to the picgroup immediately above it.
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Starting Record Subscript: Use this option group to specify the bounds of the servers picgroup data retrieval sequence. All: Selecting this option will instruct the server to start at the first instance of the first picgroups primary record and retrieve all subordinate picgroup data, then proceed to the next instance and repeat the retrieval. Data retrieval will continue until all records have been accessed. Composite Key: Selecting this option will instruct the server to start at the record instance specified by a composite of key fields that includes the primary records key field as the last entry.

Note: Display call-up is much enhanced when composite keys are used to bound the servers data retrieval (see Database Linkages for more information). 3.6.4.4 Link List Tab The Link List tab becomes accessible if Link List Placement has been specified on the Tabular Definition tab (see Data Linkage to Linked List Structures for more information).

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Figure 26: Link List Tab The following are included on the Link List tab: Layer: The active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Picgroups: The list box contains the picgroup(s) associated with the display. The picgroup list can be edited using the Add and Delete buttons. Picgroup Ordering: By selecting a picgroup and using the directional arrows, the user can sort the picgroups into the desired order. Link List Driving Fields: Special driving data structures and linked list software allow sequencing and display of data in an order other than the default record list. The following fields are used for specifying data retrieval: Sequence: Specify the field containing the name of a picgroup to paint or the pointer to a picgroup list record.

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 Driving Record: Specify the special record used to carry the linked list sequencing information for the server. Occurrence: Specify the field containing the subscript of the picgroups primary record. Picgroup List Record: Specify the name of the picgroup list record. Forward Link: Specify the field containing the pointer to the next link in the chain. Note: When the driving record serves to independently arrange several record types in a database, the linked list software will create a dynamic list of picgroups that will carry the sorted data at display call-up. The picgroups added to the Picgroups list box must bear the same names and must represent the full range of potentially displayable record types. Picgroup List Database: Specify the name of the database where the picgroup list record resides. First Record Subscript and Last Record Subscript: The choices in these option groups specify the bounds of the data retrieval sequence. First: Select this radio button to begin data retrieval at the first picture record subscript. Last: Select this radio button to end data retrieval at the last picture record subscript. Literal: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at a specified subscript. Selection of this option enables the Literal text box in which to enter the desired value. Field: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript identified by a specified field. Selection of this option enables the Field and Database text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Global Field: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript identified by a specified global field. Selection of this option enables the Global Field and Database text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Composite Key: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript whose location in the database tree is identified by one or more key fields. Selection of this option enables the Composite Key text box in which to enter the desired values. Display call-up is much enhanced when composite keys are used to bound data retrieval.
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Note: Composite keys are specified as a series of one or more equalities; the left side of the equation is the record type and the right side is a key field identifier. For example, the composite key SUBSTN = STATION1 tells the server to find the record instance of the SUBSTN record with an ID field equal to STATION1 and to proceed from there to find the first instance of the primary record. Field with Composite Key: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript specified by this field, which resides on the key deepest in the tree structure. Selection of this option enables the Field, Database, and Composite Key text boxes in which to enter the desired values. 3.6.4.5 Multi-Dimensional Tab The Multi-Dimensional tab becomes accessible when Multi-Dimensional Placement is selected on the Tabular Definition tab (see Multi-Dimensional Displays for more information).

Figure 27: Multi-Dimensional Tab

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The following are included on the Multi-Dimensional tab: Layer: The active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Multi-Dimensional: Specify the 2-D or 3-D picgroup using the Add button. Only a multi-dimensional picgroup can be specified. First Record Subscript and Last Record Subscript: The choices in these option groups specify the bounds of the data retrieval sequence. First: Select this radio button to begin data retrieval at the first picture record subscript. Last: Select this radio button to end data retrieval at the last picture record subscript. Literal: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at a specified subscript. Selection of this option enables the Literal text box in which to enter the desired value. Field: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript identified by a specified field. Selection of this option enables the Field and Database text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Global Field: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript identified by a specified global field. Selection of this option enables the Global Field and Database text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Composite Key: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript whose location in the database tree is identified by one or more key fields. Selection of this option enables the Composite Key text box in which to enter the desired values. Display call-up is much enhanced when composite keys are used to bound data retrieval. Note: Composite keys are specified as a series of one or more equalities; the left side of the equation is the record type and the right side is a key field identifier. For example, the composite key SUBSTN = STATION1 tells the server to find the record instance of the SUBSTN record with an ID field equal to STATION1 and to proceed from there to find the first instance of the primary record. Field with Composite Key: Select this radio button to begin and end data retrieval at the subscript specified by this field, which resides on the key deepest in the tree structure. Selection of this

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option enables the Field, Database, and Composite Key text boxes in which to enter the desired values. Record Processing Order: Specify the record processing order. Record Held Constant (required for 3-D specifications; optional for 2D specifications): Specify the name of the record to hold constant. Set the radio button ON to identify the subscript of the record occurrence which will be held constant. None: Select only if no record is to be held constant. Literal: Select to identify the constant record by means of a specified subscript. Selection of this option enables the Literal text box in which to enter the desired value. Proxy: Specify the subscript of the occurrence by proxy. Composite Key: Specify the key field of the occurrence by proxy or literally. 3.6.4.6 Indexed Tab Indexed layers use a unique mechanism for resolving the query that generates the placements on a layer. An index is a data structure supported by the e-terrabrowser data server and updated by notifications from various applications. When you use an indexed layer, you specify the name of the index that will provide data for the layer and a parameter string that specifies sorting and filtering criteria. All indexes automatically filter by area of responsibility, so there is no need to use permission tests on these layers. CAMs are not usually required, because the existence of a record in the index indicates that it meets specific conditions. The Indexed tab becomes accessible if Indexed Placement has been specified on the Tabular Definition tab (see Placing Data-Oriented Picgroups for more information).

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Figure 28: Indexed Tab The parameters for finding and delivering the data are specified on this tab as follows: Layer: The active layer as specified on the Layers tab. Index Name: Three indexes are currently supported: ALARMS EVENTS SCADA_EXCEPTIONS Params: Each index has a different parameter string syntax. The syntax for each is listed below: ALARMS Syntax: sortOrder filter filterValues "sortOrder" can be one of the following values:

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unacked_first_desc_time, unacked_first_asc_time, unacked_first_desc_priority_desc_time, desc_time, asc_time, desc_priority_desc_time "filter" and "filterValues" can be one of the following: "filter" = priority ==> "filterValue" = priority,priority,... "filter" = category ==> "filterValue" = category,category,... "filter" = location ==> "filterValue" = location,location,... "filter" = priority_location ==> "filterValue" = priority,priority,... location,location,... Syntax: groupSortOrder filter "groupSortOrder" can be one of the following values: desc_severity asc_severity filter = groupbycategory filter = groupbylocation Examples: unacked_first_desc_time priority 1,3 unacked_first_desc_time category cat1,cat4 desc_time location loc1,loc5 asc_time priority_location 1,5 loc1,loc2 asc_severity groupbylocation EVENTS Syntax: sortOrder startTime filter filterValues "sortOrder" can be one of the following values: desc_time,

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asc_time "startTime" can be a time in TimeDate "Time_Full" format, or "All" "filter" and "filterValue" can be one of the following: "filter" = location ==> "filterValue" = location1,location2,... "filter" = category ==> "filterValue" = category1,category2,... Syntax: groupSortOrder filter "groupSortOrder" can be one of the following values: desc_severity asc_severity filter = groupbycategory filter = groupbylocation Examples: desc_time All category cat1,cat4 desc_time All location loc1,loc5 asc_severity groupbylocation SCADA_EXCEPTIONS Syntax: sortOrder recordType filter filterValues "sortOrder" can be one of the following values: desc_time, asc_time "recordType" can be one of the following values: analog,point,both "filter" and "filterValue" can be one of the following: "filter" = location ==> "filterValue" = location1,location2,... "filter" = category ==> "filterValue" = category1,category2,... Examples: desc_time both category cat1,cat4 desc_time analog location loc1,loc5
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Picgroups: Use the list box in this section to Add and Delete picgroups and to indicate hierarchical relationships in the data.

3.6.5 Add Picgroup Dialog Box

The Add Picgroup form is used to add picgroups to tabular layers. It is displayed when you select the Add button on the Tabular Definition tab or the Tabular Type (Repeat, Hierarchical, etc.) tab of the Layer Properties form.

Figure 29: Add Picgroup Dialog Box The Add Picgroup form includes the following: Select from Option Group: This section gives you the option of adding either an additional picgroup, or a picture that will be converted to a picgroup. Selecting the Pictures option will enable the Element Set list box. Element Set: If the Pictures option is selected, the Element Set list box will be activated, listing all open element sets. Click on the element set with the desired picture. 134
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Filter: The filter text box allows you to narrow the number of picgroups or pictures displayed in the Picgroup/Picture list box. The search is dynamic with data entry, populating the list box with matches without other user action. The asterisk wildcard is supported. Picgroup/Picture List Box: All picgroups or pictures matching any filter criteria will be listed. Clicking on a selection will cause a preview of the item to be displayed in the preview box below. To make a selection, click on the desired object, then click OK.

See Placing Data-Oriented Picgroups for more information. 3.6.5.1 Placing Constant Picgroups The picgroups for a tabular layer are selected and placed using the Layer Properties tabbed form. To place a constant picgroup, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Layer Properties form. 2. Select the Tabular Definition tab. 3. Set the Constant Picgroup toggle ON. 4. Click Add to add the constant picgroup. 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. See Tabular Definition Tab for more information. 3.6.5.2 Placing Data-Oriented Picgroups The data-oriented picgroups for a tabular layer are selected and placed using the Layer Properties tabbed form. To place a data-oriented picgroup, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Layer Properties form. 2. Activate the tabular layer by selecting the layer button to the left of the tabular layer name. 3. On the Tabular Definition tab, specify the tabular layer type by selecting a Tabular Type radio button. This activates the Repeat, Hierarchy, Link List, or Multi-Dimensional context-sensitive tabs, reflecting your choice. 4. Select the context-sensitive tab. 5. Click Add to open the Add Picgroup form.
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6. Select the picgroup (or picture) from the directory. 7. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. See Add Picgroup for more information. 3.6.5.3 Specifying Picgroup Layout Display Builder specifies the picgroup painting details for the e-terrabrowser client (sent to the client from the e-terrabrowser server with the display definition and data) by describing the layout on the Tabular Layout form. To specify the layout of a picgroup on a tabular layer, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Tabular Layout from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Tabular Layout form. 2. Choose the desired layer from the Current Layer dropdown list. The names of the picgroups residing on that layer will be displayed in the Current Picgroup dropdown list. 3. Select the desired picgroup from the Current Picgroup dropdown list. The current picgroup layout settings are echoed in the form. 4. Specify the picgroup blocking details in the Picgroups/Block text box. 5. Specify the selected picgroups horizontal and vertical offsets and gluing orientation details in the offset text boxes. 6. Set the special picgroup attribute toggles at the bottom of the form as desired. 7. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. See The Picgroup Tab for more information about picgroup offsets and orientations. See Tabular Layout Form for details about Tabular Layout form usage. 3.6.5.4 Simulating Tabular Layer Database Linkages To simulate linkage to a layers data structure, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Tabular Simulation Data from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Tabular Simulation Data form. 2. Choose the desired tabular layer from the Choose Layer dropdown list. The names of the picgroups residing on that layer appear in the list box on the left.

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3. Select the desired picgroup. The graphical contents of the picgroup appear in the Preview window. 4. Use the large arrow buttons to transfer picgroups to and from the simulation window (the list box on the right). Move enough picgroups to simulate the number of record instances that would appear in the online display. 5. Use the small arrow buttons to sort the picgroups in the simulation window. 6. Click OK to save the picgroup sequencing simulation and display the simulation in the Display Editor scratch pad. See Tabular Simulation Form for more information about using Tabular Simulation Data. See Multi-Dimensional Displays for information about using the Tabular Simulation Data form with picgroups containing multidimensional pictures.

3.6.6 Tabular Simulation Form

The Tabular Simulation form becomes accessible when a tabular layer is the active layer of the Display Editor. This form, with its simulation window, is provided for users who know the relative number of occurrences of specific record types, their relationships in the database, and how the data should be presented to the end user.

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Figure 30: Tabular Simulation Form The following are included in the Tabular Simulation form: Choose Layer: Select the desired layer from the dropdown list. Visible: Check this box to selectively make a layer visible for display building purposes. Clear All Layers/This Layer: Select these buttons to clear the simulation frame for one or all layers. Picgroup (Left) Window: Select the desired picgroup and move it into the simulation window using the large import arrow. Simulation (Right) Window: Select the desired picgroup and move it out of the simulation window using the large export arrow. Sequencing Arrows: Use these buttons to sequence the picgroups in the simulation window. Show Slices with These Picgroups: This parameter applies only to multi-dimensional layers. The list of picgroups in the simulation window

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indicates the number of picgroups in one slice of the multi-dimensional layout. Use this text box to indicate the number of slices to display. Preview Window: The picgroup selected for transfer to the simulation window appears in the Preview window at the bottom of the form.

3.6.6.1 Specifying Layer Attachments and Permission Tests The Attachments and Permission Test tabs of the Tabular Layer Properties form are shared by the Display, Layer, and Picture Property Definition forms (see Attachments Tab and Permission Test Tab for more information).

3.6.7 Tabular Layout Form

The Tabular Layout form becomes accessible when a tabular layer is the active layer of the Display Editor. This form provides the means for aligning, blocking, and locking data, and for specifying picgroup attributes for sequencing in the data delivered by the server. See Specifying Picgroup Layout for details about specifying picgroup attributes and alignment.

Figure 31: Tabular Layout Form

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The following are included on the Tabular Layout form: Current Layer: Select the layer containing the desired picgroup from the dropdown list. Current Picgroup: Select the desired picgroup from the dropdown list. Picgroups/Block: Specify the number of picgroups that will be displayed in a block. Values greater than 1 activate the Within Block Offset dialog box. Offset Option Groups: The Offset option groups allow you to specify picgroup layout parameters: Top Left Offset: X and Y offset from 0,0 coordinate in pixels. Between Block Offset: X and Y offset between the blocked data in pixels. Within Block Offset: X and Y offset between the picgroups in each block in pixels. This parameter is active only if Picgroups/Block is greater than 1. Multi-Dimensional Offset: X and Y offset between multidimensional picgroups in pixels. This parameter is active only if the selected picgroup is multi-dimensional. Glue Buttons: Specify the repeat orientation of a picgroup by selecting the Down, Right, or Both button. Picgroup Attributes: Checking these boxes specifies special attributes for a picgroup: Page Header: Only one picgroup per page appearing at the beginning of data. Page Ender: Only one picgroup per page appearing at the end of data. Free Record: This picgroup can appear anywhere in the data stream. Locked in X: Lock the data horizontally. Locked in Y: Lock the data vertically.

3.6.8 Layers Tab

The Layers tab contains the list of layers defined for a display. The radio buttons to the left of the layer names are used to select the desired active

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layer. The Layers tab is shared by the Simple Layer Properties and the Tabular Layer Properties forms.

Figure 32: Layers Tab The following are included on the Layers tab: Active Layer: Selecting the radio button next to a layer activates the tabs of the Layer Properties form that are applicable to the layer type. Layer Properties: The choices in this option group define layer attributes: Visible: Checking this box causes the layer to be visible during display design; clearing the box causes the layer to be invisible. Display On Call-Up: Checking this box causes the layer to be visible upon opening in e-terrabrowser; clearing the box causes the layer to be invisible. Not Removable: Checking this box locks the layer in the viewport.

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 Clip to Locking Regions: Checking this box causes the layer to be included from the calculation of locking regions; clearing the box causes the layer to be excluded. Delete: Selecting this button deletes the active layer. New Layer: The choices in this option group create new layers: New Layer Text Box: Specify the layer name in this text box. Simple: Selection of this radio button creates a simple layer. Tabular: Selection of this radio button creates a tabular layer. Add: Click this button to add the specified layer to the list of layers on the Layer tab.

3.6.9 Specifying the Active Layer

Only one layer of a display definition can be active at a time. Display Builder chooses the active layer using the Active Layer tool bar or the Layer Properties form. To specify the active layer using the Layer tool bar, use the following procedure: 1. With the Display Editor open to the desired display, select the layer from the Active Layer tool bar dropdown menu. Or: Click the Layers icon in the Layer tool bar to open the Layer Properties form. 2. On the Layers tab, select the radio button next to the desired layer. 3. Click OK to select the layer and close the form. To specify the active layer using the Layer Properties form, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Layer Properties form. 2. On the Layers tab, select the radio button next to the desired layer. 3. Click OK to select the layer and close the form. See Layers Tab for more information.

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4. Scratch Pad Operations

This chapter describes the tasks common to the use of one or more of Display Builders scratch pad editors.

4.1.1 Showing or Hiding the Grid

Scratch pad editors open with a grid displayed in the work space. The use of grid lines is optional and may be enabled or disabled for individual scratch pads. To show or hide grid lines, use the following procedure: 1. Select Draw > Show Grid from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Select the Grid toggle button from the Scratch Pad tool bar. The grid is displayed or hidden alternately as either of the above procedures is performed.

4.1.2 Turning Snap to Grid On or Off

Snapping objects to the drawing grid provides for a uniformity of initial alignments. Display Builder will either snap the object to the grid or place the object where the user has dropped it. Later, adjustments can be made to these alignments by turning the Snap to Grid option off. This allows the user to drag objects off the grid lines. To turn the Snap to Grid feature on or off, use the following procedure: 1. Select Draw > Snap Grid On from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Select the Snap to Grid toggle button from the Scratch Pad tool bar. Snap to Grid is alternately turned on or off as either of the above procedures is performed. See Aligning an Object to the Grid for more information about re-aligning placed objects to the grid.

4.1.3 Turning Scale to Fit On or Off

Scale the content of the display scratch pad to the size of the viewport by pressing the Scale to Fit button in the Scratch Pad tool bar. Press the button again to return to normal zoom level.

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4.1.4 Setting Scratch Pad Zoom

A scratch pads zoom factor determines whether objects will appear actual size, magnified, or reduced when they are placed on the scratch pad. The zoom factor is expressed as a percentage of a scratch pads normal view. A setting of 100 (percent) means that objects will be displayed with no magnification or reduction in size. To set the scratch pad zoom factor, use the following procedure: 1. Right-click in the scratch pad work area to display the Operations popup menu. 2. Select Options from the menu to display the Scratch Pad Options form. 3. Enter the desired value in the Zoom text box. 4. Click OK to save the changes and close the form.

4.1.5 Zooming the Scratch Pad Incrementally

To incrementally magnify drawing details, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Zoom In icon from the Scratch Pad tool bar to magnify drawing details. The scratch pad zooms to the zoom level listed in the View Zoom dropdown list box located next to the push button. To incrementally reduce the size of drawing details, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Zoom Out push button to miniaturize drawing details. Or: Use Ctrl+Mouse wheel to zoom incrementally. To set the zoom factor to a custom value, see Scratch Pad Options Form for information about setting the zoom factor using the Scratch Pad Options dialog box.

4.1.6 Zooming the Scratch Pad to a Prescribed Level

To zoom a scratch pad to a prescribed zoom level, do the following: 1. Select the desired zoom level from the Zoom dropdown list that appears adjacent to the Zoom In/Zoom Out icons in the Scratch Pad tool bar. The scratch pad zooms to the level selected.

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To set the zoom factor to a custom value, see Scratch Pad Options Form for information about setting the zoom factor using the Scratch Pad Options form.

4.1.7 Setting the Default Shared GAB Element Set

Each scratch pad can have its own default shared GAB. The default shared GAB element set determines where the default shared GAB will get its attributes. This set can be changed during an editing session. To select the default GAB element set, use the following procedure: 1. With one or more element sets open in the Definition Manager, start the desired scratch pad editor. 2. Select the target set from the default GABs Element Set dropdown list in the Scratch Pad tool bar. The currently selected default GAB will now possess the attributes defined by the selected set.

4.1.8 Setting the Default Shared GAB

Setting the default GAB specifies which attributes primitives will have when they are placed on a scratch pad. To select a scratch pads default shared GAB, use the following procedure: 1. Open the desired default shared GAB element set. 2. Start the desired scratch pad editor. 3. Select the target set from the default GAB Element Set dropdown list in the Scratch Pad tool bar. 4. Select the desired shared GAB from the default GAB dropdown list in the Scratch Pad tool bar. Primitives drawn on the scratch pad will possess the attributes of this GAB.

4.1.9 Placing an Element

Placements are most rapidly made using Display Builders drag-and-drop utility. The alternatives are to use the Add Placement option from the tool bar or the Draw menu. Elements placed in a scratch pad are classified as placed objects of a display component definition.

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4.1.9.1 Using Drag-and-Drop To place an element on the Picture Editor scratch pad using drag-anddrop, use the following procedure: 1. Open the Picture Editor. 2. From the element set window, select the Symbol or Conditional Text tab. 3. Select the placeable element from the element list. 4. Drag the element from the element set window and drop it on the Picture Editor scratch pad. To place an element on a simple layer in the Display Editor scratch pad using drag-and-drop, use the following procedure: 1. Open the Display Editor. 2. Use the Active Layer tool bar button or the Layer Properties form to activate the simple layer. See Specifying the Active Layer for details about activating display layers. 3. From the element set window, select the Symbol or Picture tab. 4. Select the placeable element from the element list. 5. Drag the element from the element set window and drop it on the Display Editor scratch pad. 4.1.9.2 Using the Add Placement Dialog Box To add a placement using the Add Placement dialog box, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Add Placement icon from the Edit tool bar to display the Add Placement dialog box. Or: Select Draw > Add Placement to open the Add Placement dialog box. 2. Elements such as symbols and conditional text can now be placed. Select the placeable element type using the radio buttons. The available placeable elements are displayed in the list box. 3. Select the desired object from the list box. 4. Click OK to make the placement and close the dialog box. The selected element appears on the scratch pad positioned in the upper left corner.
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See Add Placement for more information about placing objects using this dialog box.

4.1.10 Making Attachments to Placed Objects

Attachments are most rapidly made using Display Builders drag-and-drop utility. The alternatives are to use the editor Add Attachment option from the Draw tool bar or the Draw menu, or to activate the objects Placement Properties form by double-clicking the object. Note: Pictures and popup pictures can reside on scratch pads and will accept attachments as placed objects. 4.1.10.1 Using Drag-and-Drop To make an attachment using drag-and-drop, use the following procedure: 1. Open the editor whose scratch pad contains the target of the attachment. 2. On the element set window, select the tab containing the attachable element; for example, the Shared GAB tab. 3. Drag the attachable element from the tabs list of elements and drop it on the target. 4.1.10.2 Using the Add Attachment Dialog Box To make an attachment to one object or the same attachment to multiple objects, use the following procedure: 1. Open the editor whose scratch pad contains the target(s) of the attachment. 2. Select one or more objects on the scratch pad. Multiple selections can be made by holding down the Shift key while selecting the objects. 3. Select Draw > Add Attachment from the Definition Manager menu to display the Add Attachment dialog box. Or: Select the Add Attachment icon from the tool bar to display the Add Attachment dialog box. 4. Select the desired type and element set. 5. Select the desired object from the list box. 6. Click OK to make the attachment and close the dialog box. See Add Attachment for details about making an attachment using the Add Attachment dialog box.
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4.1.11 Removing Attachments from Objects

To remove a local attachment, use the following procedure: 1. Double-click the object in the scratch pad to open its Properties form (see Placement Properties Forms for more information). 2. Select the attachable element type (shared GAB, CAM, popup picture, keyset, or menu) using the Attachments tab of the Properties form (see Attachments Tab for more information). The attachments of the type selected appear in the list box. 3. Select the attachment to be deleted. Delete and Edit will be enabled. 4. Click Delete. The element is deleted from the attachments list. 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the form.

4.1.12 Making Overall Attachments

Overall attachments can be made to pictures, layers, picgroups, and displays as well as to individual elements placed on them. 4.1.12.1 Making Attachments to Pictures To make an overall attachment to a picture, use the following procedure: 1. Open the Picture Editor for the desired picture. 2. Open the Picture Definition form. Select Picture > Picture Properties from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Right-click on the picture and select Picture Properties from the popup menu. Or: Press the [F3] shortcut key. 3. Select the Attachments tab (see Attachments Tab for more information). 4. Click Add to open the Add Attachment dialog box (see Add Attachment for more information). 5. Click OK to close the Add Attachment dialog box. 6. Click OK to save the changes and close the Picture Definition form. Note: The procedure for making overall attachments to picgroups and displays differs only slightly from making attachments on pictures. The
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Picgroup and Display menus and the editors respective Definition forms are used. 4.1.12.2 Making Attachments to Layers To make an overall attachment to a display layer, use the following procedure: 1. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar to open the Layer Properties form. 2. Select the Attachments tab. 3. Click Add to open the Add Attachment dialog box (see Add Attachment for more information). 4. Click OK to close the Add Attachment dialog box. 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the Layer Properties form.

4.1.13 Removing Overall Attachments

To remove overall attachments, use the following procedure: 1. Open the Properties form of the desired object and select the Attachments tab. A listing of the elements attachments is displayed in the list box. 2. Select the attachment to be deleted. Delete and Edit will be enabled. 3. Click Delete. The element is deleted from the attachments list. 4. Click OK to save the changes and close the form. The attachment has been deleted. 4.1.13.1 Using the Placement Properties Dialog Box To make an attachment using the Placement Properties form, use the following procedure: 1. Double-click the object in the scratch pad to display the Placement Properties form. 2. Select the Attachments tab. 3. Click Add to open the Add Attachment dialog box (see Add Attachment for more information). 4. Click OK to close the Add Attachments dialog box. 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the Placement Properties form (see Placement Properties Forms for more information).

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4.1.14 Browsing Object Definitions in Scratch Pads

Graphical objects are often composed of other objects and elements such as symbols, pictures, and conditional modifiers. These composite objects are stored by Display Builder in a definition schema. You can review an objects composition by opening its definition schema in the browser window. To browse the composition of a display, a picgroup, a picture, or a symbol definition, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Browse Current Object icon from the Draw tool bar to open the browser window. Or: Select the Browse option from the editors popup menu to open the browser window. 2. Click the +/- expansion indicator boxes to expand or contract the definition schema.

4.1.15 Selecting Objects in the Scratch Pad

Before objects in a scratch pad can be moved or edited, they first must be selected in the scratch pad. This section provides instructions for selecting and de-selecting objects in the scratch pad. 4.1.15.1 Selecting Single Objects To select a single object in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Position the pointer in the scratch pad on the object to be selected. 2. Click on the desired object. When selected, objects appear with their bounding rectangle and primitives appear with hot spots. Actions can now be performed on the selected object. 4.1.15.2 Selecting Multiple Objects To select multiple objects in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. While holding down the Shift key, click on the desired objects. Bounding rectangles and hot spots appear, indicating that the objects are selected. Actions can now be performed collectively on the selected objects.

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4.1.15.3 Selecting Objects Using the Rubber-Band Method To select an object or objects using the rubber-band method, use the following procedure: 1. Choose the Select (arrow) icon from the Draw tool bar to put the scratch pad in select mode. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad near the object(s) to be selected. 3. Click and hold down the left mouse button to define the anchor point of the rubber-band. 4. Drag the pointer so that the object(s) to be selected are inside the rectangular-shaped rubber-band. 5. Release the mouse button. Bounding rectangles and hot spots now appear around the objects to indicate that they are currently selected. Additional objects can be selected as follows: 1. While holding down the Shift key, click on the desired object. Or: Position the pointer in the scratch pad near the object(s) to be selected. 2. While holding down the Shift key, click and hold down the left mouse button to define the anchor point of the rubber-band. 3. Drag the pointer so that the additional object(s) to be selected are inside the rectangular-shaped rubber-band. 4. Release Shift and the mouse button. 4.1.15.4 Using the Select All Option All objects in a scratch pad may be selected at one time. To select all objects in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select Edit > Select All from the Definition Manager menu bar. All objects in the scratch pad appear with their bounding rectangles and hot spots to indicate that they are currently selected.

4.1.16 De-Selecting Objects in the Scratch Pad

This section describes how to de-select objects in a scratch pad that are currently selected.
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4.1.16.1 De-Selecting All Selected Objects To de-select all selected objects in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Choose the Select (arrow) icon from the Draw tool bar to put the scratch pad in select mode. 2. Click anywhere in the scratch pad outside the bounding rectangle(s) of the selected object(s). Note: Selecting any primitive push button also de-selects all objects in the scratch pad. The bounding rectangle and hot spots of all selected objects disappear. 4.1.16.2 De-Selecting Individual Objects To de-select an individual object from a group of selected objects in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Choose the Select (arrow) icon from the Draw tool bar to put the scratch pad in select mode. 2. While holding down the Shift key, click inside the bounding rectangle of the object you want to de-select. The bounding rectangle and hot spots of this object disappear. All other selected objects remain selected. 4.1.16.3 De-Selecting Multiple Objects To de-select multiple objects in one step, use the following procedure: 1. Choose the Select (arrow) icon from the Draw tool bar to put the scratch pad in select mode. 2. Position the pointer in the scratch pad near the objects to be deselected. 3. While holding down the Shift key, click and hold down the left mouse button to define the anchor point of the rubber-band. 4. Drag the pointer so that the objects to be de-selected are inside the rubber-band. 5. Release Shift and the mouse button. The bounding rectangle and hot spots disappear from around the objects to indicate that they are de-selected. All other currently selected objects remain selected. 152

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4.1.17 Decluttering the Scratch Pad

The picture and simple layer scratch pads can be set to declutter any items that have been defined to declutter at the current scratch pad zoom factor. By default, all items are seen in the scratch pad, regardless of the current zoom factor. To turn the declutter capability on or off in the scratch pads, use the following procedure: 1. For pictures, select Picture > Declutter from the Definition Manager menu bar; for displays, select Display > Declutter. When Declutter is turned ON, only those items in the current scratch pad set to appear at the current zoom factor are shown in the scratch pad. When Declutter is turned OFF, all items, regardless of the zoom factor, are shown. As the zoom factor changes, objects will be shown or hidden according to their declutter definitions.

4.1.18 Hiding or Showing Bounding Boxes for Static Text

When static text bounding boxes are displayed, they indicate the approximate maximum extent of each text string. This is a guide for positioning adjacent objects so that overlaps do not occur. To hide or show the bounding boxes around static text in the active scratch pad editor, use the following procedure: 1. Select Show Text Bounding Boxes from the scratch pad editor menu. A check mark next to the option indicates that the option is ON. The active scratch pad will reflect the selection.

4.1.19 Hiding or Showing Bounding Boxes for Pictures

To hide or show the bounding boxes around pictures in the active scratch pad editor, use the following procedure: 1. Select Show Picture Bounding Boxes from the scratch pad editor menu. A check mark next to the option indicates that the option is ON. The active scratch pad will reflect the selection. The pictures in the scratch pad display their bounding rectangles. The Show Picture Bounding Boxes option shows its selection with a check mark.

4.1.20 Hiding or Showing Bounding Boxes for Picgroups

To hide or show the bounding box around a picgroup in the active scratch pad editor, use the following procedure:
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1. Select Show Picture Bounding Boxes from the scratch pad editor menu. A check mark next to the option indicates that the option is ON. The active scratch pad will reflect the selection.

4.1.21 Hiding or Showing Popups

To hide or show popups in the Picture scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select Picture > Show All Popup Pictures from the Definition Manager menu bar. A check mark next to the option indicates that the option is ON. The active Picture scratch pad will reflect the selection.

4.1.22 Grouping and Ungrouping Objects in the Scratch Pad

Objects in the scratch pad can be grouped together. When grouped, they are considered as a unit for selection, movement, and other operations. As an example, if you group five objects together, clicking on one will select all five objects. Groupings are not saved with the definition and are lost when the editor is closed. 4.1.22.1 Grouping Objects To group objects in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Using any of the methods described in Selecting Objects in the Scratch Pad, select the desired objects. 2. Click Group on the Scratch Pad Editor tool bar. The selected objects are now grouped and can be handled as a single object for selection, movement, etc. 4.1.22.2 Ungrouping Objects To ungroup objects in the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired group. 2. Click Ungroup on the Scratch Pad Editor tool bar. The selected objects are now ungrouped and must be handled as individual objects for selection, movement, etc.

4.1.23 Moving an Object

Any drawn or placed picture, as well as attached popups, can be moved after initial placement on the scratch pad. An object in the scratch pad can
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be moved by direct manipulation or by using the objects Placement Properties form. 4.1.23.1 Moving Directly To move an object in the scratch pad by direct manipulation, use the following procedure: 1. Select the object on the scratch pad. 2. Click and hold down the left mouse button anywhere inside the objects bounding box. 3. Drag the pointer in any direction to move the object. An outline of the object moves with the pointer, while the object remains at the original position. 4. Release the mouse button when the outline is at the desired location. The outline disappears and the object snaps to the new position. 4.1.23.2 Moving an Object Incrementally To move an object one scratch pad unit up, down, to the right, or to the left, use the following procedure: 1. Select the object on the scratch pad. 2. Use the up, down, right, or left arrow keys on the keyboard to move the selection. 4.1.23.3 Moving Using a Properties Form To move an object using its Properties form, use the following procedure: 1. Double-click the object in the scratch pad to open its Properties form with the Definition tab selected. 2. In the Origin option group, enter coordinates in either or both of the X or Y text boxes. Note: The origin of an object is always the upper left corner. 3. Click OK to save the changes and close the Properties form. The selected object snaps to its new position.

4.1.24 Moving to the Front or Back

Objects can be stacked on the scratch pad, and can then be positioned in front of other objects, obscuring the view of the object(s) behind them. The position of these objects can be changed, as described in the following sections.
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4.1.24.1 Moving to the Back To move objects behind other objects, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired object(s) in the scratch pad. 2. Select Draw > Send to Back from the Definition Manager menu bar. The selected objects now appears behind any other objects. 4.1.24.2 Moving to the Front To move some objects in front of others, use either of the following procedures: 1. If the object(s) to be moved to the front are visible in the scratch pad: Select the desired object(s). Select Draw > Bring to Front from the Definition Manager menu bar. 2. If the object(s) to be moved to the front are not visible in the scratch pad and cannot be selected: Select those object(s) you can see that are in front of the desired object(s). Select Draw > Send to Back from the Definition Manager menu bar. The desired object(s) are now seen in front of the other objects. 4.1.24.3 Moving an Object One Level To move the selected object up or down in the object placement order, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired object. 2. To reposition the object, select Draw > Bring Forward One or Draw > Send Backward One from the Definition Manager menu bar.

4.1.25 Removing an Object from the Scratch Pad

To remove an object from the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired object. 2. Select Edit > Delete from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Press Delete. The selected object is deleted from the scratch pad.
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4.1.26 Aligning an Object to the Grid

Objects that are not currently positioned on the alignment grid can be snapped to the grid. With the exception of text objects, the upper left corner of the objects bounding rectangle aligns to the nearest alignment grid intersection when the Align to Grid option is selected. To position an object on the alignment grid, use the following procedure: 1. Select the object in the scratch pad. 2. Select Draw > Align to Grid from the Definition Manager menu bar to reposition the object to the nearest alignment grid intersection. Exceptions: For text objects (text, formatted fields, and conditional text), the objects baseline snaps to the nearest alignment grid intersection.

4.1.27 Aligning Objects on Edges and Centers

Groups of objects can be aligned either horizontally or vertically on the scratch pad. 4.1.27.1 Aligning Objects Horizontally To align the top or bottom edges of selected objects horizontally across the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired objects in the scratch pad. 2. Select Draw > Align > Tops or Draw > Align > Bottoms from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Select Align Tops or Align Bottoms from the Arrange tool bar. The selected objects re-position on the scratch pad to reflect the selection. 4.1.27.2 Aligning Objects Vertically To align the left or right edges of selected objects vertically down the scratch pad, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired objects in the scratch pad. 2. Select Draw > Align > Lefts or Draw > Align > Rights from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Select Align Lefts or Align Rights from the Arrange tool bar.

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The selected objects re-position on the scratch pad to reflect the selection. 4.1.27.3 Centering Objects To center objects relative to each other, either horizontally or vertically, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired objects in the scratch pad. 2. Select Draw > Align > Middles or Draw > Align > Centers from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Select Align Middles or Align Centers from the Arrange tool bar. The selected objects re-position on the scratch pad to reflect the selection. Selecting Middles will center the objects on the X axis; selecting Centers will center the objects on the Y axis.

4.1.28 Changing the Graphic Attributes of a Primitive

To change the graphic attributes of a primitive defined by a shared GAB attachment, do the following: 1. With the desired primitive open on a scratch pad, select the element set window in which the shared GAB definitions reside. This gives the element set window input focus. 2. Select the Shared GAB tab to display the directory list of available GABs. 3. Drag the desired shared GAB over the primitive in the scratch pad. The drag-and-drop pointer appears as the selection is carried over the scratch pad to the target. 4. Release the mouse button. The new attribute is attached and the old attachment is deleted. Or: Double-click the desired primitive to open its Properties form. 5. Make the attachment using the Attachments tab (see Attachments Tab for more information).

4.1.29 Undoing Edit Actions

Edit actions can be reversed using the Undo feature. This includes changes made using a Properties form. To reverse the last edit action, use the following procedure:
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1. Select the Undo option of the Edit menu. Or: Press Ctrl+Z. The last edit action performed on the selected object is reversed. 2. Repeat the Undo action for reversal of the next-most-previous editing action. Display Builder supports infinite levels of Undo.

4.1.30 Redoing Edit Actions

Previously undone edit actions can be reversed using the Redo feature. Press the Redo button to re-apply the last undone edit action. Display Builder will allow you to redo as many edit operations as previously undone.

4.2 Defining Permission Area Tests

The user can specify the permission area by name or specify a field that contains the name. If needed, an indirect pointer chain can be specified to point to this field. One or more permission area tests can be defined for each object. If you need more information about permission tests, see Permission Area Tests.

4.2.1 Defining a Picture Permission Area Test

Each picture, simple layer, and tabular layer can be defined with a permission area test. A permission test is a check that controls which data or displays appear on a console screen. This test exceeds the implicit application permission test performed by e-terrahabitat. To define a permission area test for a picture, use the following procedure: 1. Open the desired picture in the Picture Editor. 2. Right-click on the scratch pad, and select Picture Properties from the popup menu to open the Picture Definition form. 3. Select the Permission Test tab. 4. Select the Apply Permission Test check box and complete the dialog box (see Permission Test Tab for more information). 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the Picture Definition form. The permission test for the picture is now defined.

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The user specifies the permission area by name or specifies a field that contains the name. If needed, an indirect pointer chain can be specified to point to this field. One or more permission area tests can be defined for a picture.

4.2.2 Defining a Layer Permission Area Test

To specify a permission area test for a simple or tabular layer, use the following procedure: 1. Open the display in which the layer resides. 2. Select Display > Layers and Driving Data from the Definition Manager menu bar. Or: Select Layers from the Layer tool bar to open the Layer Properties form. 3. Select the Permission Test tab. 4. Select the Apply Permission Test check box and complete the dialog box (see Permission Test Tab for more information). 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the Layer Properties form. The permission test for the layer is now defined. The user specifies the permission area by name. One or more permission area tests can be defined for a layer.

4.2.3 Defining a Display Permission Area Test

To specify a permission area test for a display, use the following procedure: 1. Open the desired display. 2. Right-click on the scratch pad and select Display Properties from the popup menu. 3. Select the Permission Test tab. 4. Select the Apply Permission Test check box and complete the dialog box (see Permission Test Tab for more information). 5. Click OK to save the changes and close the Display Properties form. The permission test for the display is now defined. The user specifies the permission area by name. One or more permission area tests can be defined for a display.
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5. Using the Dialog Editors

This chapter describes the procedures for defining shared GABs, CAMs, conditional text, menus, and keysets using their corresponding dialog editors. These editors utilize dialog tools exclusively.

5.1 Creating a New Element

To name a shared GAB, CAM, CT, menu, GEM, or keyset, use the following procedure: 1. To open the New Name dialog box, with the desired element set active, select the element option (such as shared GAB) from the Definition Managers New menu. 2. Type a name for the new element in the text box. 3. Click OK to close the New Name dialog box. The dialog editor for the chosen element opens with focus on a new definition.

5.2 Defining GABs

Shared GABs are defined in the Shared GAB dialog editor using the Colors, Lines and Fills, and Fonts tabs. These attributes are mirrored in a Preview window to the right of the work area. To set a graphic attribute, use the following procedure: 1. Select the element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > Shared GAB from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the shared GAB in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The shared GAB is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the Shared GAB dialog box. 5. Select the desired options for the shared GAB (see Colors Tab, Lines and Fills Tab, and Fonts Tab for more information). 6. Right-click and select the Save Data option from the popup menu. The shared GAB definition is saved in the active element set.

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5.3 Defining CAMs

To define CAMs, use the following procedure: 1. Select the element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > CAM from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the CAM in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The CAM is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the CAM dialog box. 5. Complete all sections of the dialog editor (see Completing the CAM Dialog Box for more information). 6. After all parameters are defined, right-click on the dialog box and select Save Data from the popup menu to save the CAM definition.

5.3.1 Completing the CAM Dialog Box

Figure 33: CAM Editor Dialog Box

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The following are included in the CAM dialog editor: Select Script Engine: Select the desired scripting option using the radio buttons. See Defining CAMs Using Third-Party Scripting for information related to creation of script-enabled CAMs. Database: To resolve conditional tests, enter the name of the database that this CAM will access. Application: If only one application owns the data, enter the name of the application. Record(s): Enter the name of the specific record type(s) from the Application database to which this CAM will link. Additional text boxes are provided for defining the record relationships for two- and threedimensional arrays. Note: The test fields specified in any of the conditional tests defined for this CAM must be in the record type specified here, unless pointers are used. Indirect Links: If all test values are accessed by the same indirect pointer, specify the pointer field or indirect chain. Note: Whenever record linkages/indirect pointers are specified to access data in records other than the CAM record, these pointers must be specified in a sequence that proceeds from the record instance defined by the formatted field and points upward/outward into the target database structure. This linkage sequence must match the upward linkage of the records specified in the target database hierarchy. Conditional Wizard: Select Conditional Wizard to activate the wizard for defining the CAMs conditional tests (see Defining Conditional Tests for CAMs and CT for more information). Conditional Statement Text Window: This text window is populated through either of two means: the Conditional Wizard, or direct entry of conditional statements. Select the desired statement line to give the line input focus for Attribute Set definition. A black dot appears to the left of the line when it is active. Verify Conditions: Select Verify Conditions to validate the conditional statements defined. Outcome Attributes Work Area: Define outcomes for each statement using the attribute tabs provided in the outcome attributes work area (see Defining Attribute Sets, Colors Tab, and Lines and Fills Tab for more information). 163

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Note: All attribute types that are used (e.g., from the Colors, Lines and Fills, and TrueType Fonts tabs) must be enabled in the Conditional Attributes tab in order to preserve the changes after saving the CAM. For example, if you use an italic font from the TrueType Fonts tab, you must enable Font Slant from the Conditional Attributes tab.

5.3.2 Defining CAMs with Permission Checks

CAMs can be used to test permissions. Note: This feature is only supported in e-terrabrowser. Four new operators have been introduced, to test the four types of permissions supported by PERMIT: permitted_read permitted_write permitted_execute permitted_audible

Below is a sample CAM that uses the new permission syntax:

DEFAULT SET A IF UNACK1_ANALOG TRUE AND I__AREA_ANALOG AREA1_AREA READ_PERMITTED SET B ELSE IF NOLIM_ANALOG FALSE OR UNREAS_ANALOG TRUE AND I__AREA_ANALOG AREA1_AREA READ_PERMITTED SET C ELSE IF UNACK2_ANALOG TRUE AND I__AREA_ANALOG AREA2_AREA READ_PERMITTED SET D ELSE SET L

5.3.3 Defining CAMs Using Third-Party Scripting

Active Scripting provides a means to greatly extend what users can do to displays at run time. Third-party scripts are user-defined scripting functions that will be invoked as a result of user interactions with a display or a change in database field values. Operations such as changing graphics colors, mobilizing display objects, altering online display definitions, exchanging messages with other processes, and launching external programs (just to name a few) can be achieved by third-party scripts written in various scripting languages such as JScript (Microsoft JavaScript), VBScript, and PerlScript. Script-enabled CAMs can be used to interact with ActiveX controls placed on displays.
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To define a script-enabled CAM, use the following procedure: 1. Select the Third-Party Script Engine radio button from the Script Engine option group in the CAM dialog box. The available options will change.

2. Enter the name of the database that this CAM will access to resolve conditional tests in the Database text box. 3. Enter the name of the specific record type from the above database that this CAM will link to in the Record text box. 4. If only one application owns the data, type the name of the application in the Application text box. 5. Select the third-party script language from the combo box. If the desired language is not listed, type in the name. 6. Specify the name of the script function with which this CAM will interact in the Script Function text box. 7. In the Argument Value text box, specify the argument value. 8. In the Type text box, specify the argument value type. 9. When argument value and type have been specified, click Add Argument to add the argument. 10. To modify an argument, select the desired argument from the Arguments list. Make your changes to the Argument Value and/or Type. When changes are complete, click Update Argument to update the argument. 11. To delete an argument, select the desired argument from the Argument list. Click Delete to delete the argument.
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5.4 Defining GEMs

The GEM dialog box is used to shift factors for display elements (see Shift Factors for more information). To define GEMs, use the following procedure: 1. Select the element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > GEM from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the GEM in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The GEM is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the GEM dialog box. 5. Complete all sections of the dialog editor (see Completing the GEM Dialog for more information). 6. After all parameters are defined, right-click on the dialog box and select Save Data from the popup menu to save the CAM definition.

5.4.1 Completing the GEM Dialog

GEMs are configured using the GEM Editor.

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Figure 34: GEM Editor The following are included in the GEM dialog box: Apply Shift: Check the Apply Shift check box to enable the parameter fields. Database: Enter the name of the database that this GEM will access to resolve the database value. Application: If only one application owns the data, enter the name of the application. Record(s): Enter the name of the specific record type(s) from the above database that this GEM will link to. Text boxes are provided for defining the record relationships for two- and three-dimensional arrays. Coordinate Mode Relative To: Absolute means that the shift value is treated as absolute world coordinates (i.e., relative to the display origin). Relative means that the shift amount is relative to the default position of the element being shifted. Constrained By: 167
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 X Movement: Use the check box to enable the text box for X axis movement. Enter a single field or an indirect chain in the X Field Name and Indirect Links text boxes. The semantics for ordering indirects matches the semantics required in the Formatted Field Properties dialog box. Y Movement: Use the check box to enable the text box for Y axis movement. Enter a single field or an indirect chain in the Y Field Name and Indirect Links text boxes. The semantics for ordering indirects matches the semantics required in the Formatted Field Properties dialog box. Note: At minimum, either an X or a Y shift factor must be specified.

5.5 Defining Conditional Text (CT)

The aspects unique to CT definitions that appear in the Conditional Text Editor dialog box are the Output Text and Shared GAB text boxes, and the Add Shared GAB button. To define conditional text, use the following procedure: 1. Select the element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > Conditional Text from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the CT in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The CT is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the Conditional Text dialog box. 5. Complete all sections of the dialog box (see Completing the CT Dialog for more information). 6. After all parameters are defined, right-click on the dialog box and select Save Data from the popup menu to save the CT definition.

5.5.1 Completing the CT Dialog Box

The fields of the CT Editor must be completed to define conditional text.

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Figure 35: Conditional Text Editor The following are included in the Conditional Text Editor dialog box: Shared GAB: Specify the default shared GAB. These attributes will be overridden by the outcome of conditional test results based on the contents of the assigned Attribute Set. Output Text: Enter a default text string for easier identification of the CT on the scratch pad. The output text field can be used to show the value of proxies. For example, assuming the enabled data server is named EMS1, then the output text string The Enabled Host is %%enabled%% will at run time be displayed as The Enabled Host is EMS1 if the given clause evaluates to true. Add GAB: Select Add GAB to open the Attachment form for shared GABs. Record(s): Enter the name of the specific record type(s) to which this conditional text will link. Text boxes are provided for defining the record relationships for two- and three-dimensional arrays.

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Note: The test fields specified in any of the conditional tests defined for this CT must be in the record type specified here, unless pointers are used. Indirect Links: If all test values are accessed by the same indirect pointer, specify the pointer field or indirect chain. Note: Whenever record linkages/indirect pointers are specified to access data in records other than the conditional text record, these pointers must be specified in a sequence that proceeds from the record instance defined by the formatted field and points upward/outward into the target database structure. This linkage sequence must match the upward linkage of the records specified in the target database hierarchy. Conditional Wizard: Select Conditional Wizard to activate the wizard for defining conditional tests (see Defining Conditional Tests for more information). Conditional Statement Text Window: This text window is populated through either of two means: the Conditional Wizard, or direct entry of conditional statements. Select the desired statement line to give the line input focus for Attribute Set definition. A black dot appears to the left of the line when it is active. Verify Conditions: Select Verify Conditions to validate the conditional statements defined. Outcome Attributes Work Area: Define outcomes for each statement using the Attribute tabs provided in the outcome attributes work area (see Defining Attribute Sets, Colors Tab, and Lines and Fills Tab for more information). This work area is inactive when the Default statement is the active statement. For Attribute Set A, specify the text string in the Output text box that will appear on the display if the test associated with the A condition is true. Graphic attributes are controlled by the default shared GAB (see Statement Modifiers for more information). For Attribute Set B and all remaining Attribute Sets, specify the text string in the Output text box that will appear on the display if the test associated with the B (or other) condition is true.

5.5.2 Defining CTs using Third-Party Scripting

As of Display Builder 5.6, Conditional Text has been enhanced to support Substring Testing. This functionality has been realized by using Active Scripting. Active Scripting has been supported in CAM, MENU, and
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KEYSET for several years. For Active Scripting to work properly, the respective scripting engine of the target language must be registered at the client machine. Supported script engines are Jscript, VBScript, Perl script, and Python script. The configuration of script files for CT should be the same as for CAM, MENU, and KEYSET. Refer to the e-terrabrowser Software Installation and Maintence Guide for general information on how to configure the script files. The Display Builder has been modified to allow the user to specify an associated script language and function with arguments to pass to the function. This is achieved via the user interface window shown below.

Below is a simple example of Substring testing for CT. Determine if both fields have the substring Brighton between two database values in CT:
function substring_test( val1, val2 ) { var gab, ct, test_result; context = document.ScriptingContext; ct = context.ConditionalText; gab = ct.DisplayGab; var i = val1.indexOf("Brighton"); var j = val2.indexOf("Brighton"); Proprietary See Copyright Page

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if(i >= 0 && j >= 0) { gab.Foreground = "SandyBrown"; ct.DisplayString = "I found substring Brighton in both field"; } else { gab.Foreground = "Seagreen"; ct.DisplayString = "substring Brighton not found"; } document.Invalidate(); }

5.6 Defining Conditional Tests for CAMs and CTs

Conditional tests are defined for CAMs and conditional text using the same mechanism: one or more conditional statements. Except where noted, the information and instructions that follow apply to defining conditional tests for either type of conditional element. A conditional statement is composed of keywords. The statement is created using Display Builders Conditional Wizard. The Conditional Wizard form is activated using the Conditional Wizard button in the CAM and CT Editor dialog box. The pages of the wizard have the following buttons in common: Next: Click the Next button to proceed to the next step. Back: Click the Back button to return to a previous page. Cancel: Click the Cancel button to cancel the conditional statement definition process.

To create a conditional statement using the Conditional Wizard, use the following procedure: 1. Click Conditional Wizard. 2. The Test page of the Conditional Wizard appears.

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3. Use the radio buttons to specify the conditional statement keyword and click Next. Each IF statement defines a separate test from which there is a single result. ELSEIF and ELSE statements support a given IF statement and do not stand alone. An IF statement can be supported by as many ELSEIF statements as desired, but only one ELSE statement. Note: The DEFAULT keyword is reserved for specifying default attributes that give CAMs and conditional text (CT) a default appearance until the test is resolved. 4. The Database Field page of the Conditional Wizard appears.

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5. Specify the location of the test field using either the Database Field text box or the Indirect List text box. Click the radio button next to the desired text box to activate it. Click Next. Database Field: Enter the target field name in field_record format. Indirect List: Enter the chain of indirect pointer fields in field_record format, starting with the CAMs field record specification. Important: Indirect pointers specified in a CT definition must be listed in an order matching the database hierarchy, starting locally (at the picture record) and jumping upward through the database hierarchy. (See the Hdb Users Guide in the e-terrahabitat documentation set for more information about pointers in e-terrahabitat databases.) 6. The Logic page of the Conditional Wizard appears.

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7. Using the radio buttons, specify the logic for comparing the test field to a comparison field or value, and click Next. Quantitative Test Radio Buttons: Select from the buttons provided to define a comparative test between database quantities or userspecified literal values. Boolean Test Radio Buttons: Select the True or False radio button to specify the boolean test desired. 8. The Comparison Value page of the Conditional Wizard appears. If you selected a quantitative test radio button on the Logic page, the fields on this page are active.

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9. Specify the location of the comparison field using the Database Field text box, or specify a literal string for comparison. Click the radio button next to the desired text box to activate it. Click Next. Database Field: Enter the target field name in field_record format. Literal Value: Enter the literal value for the comparison. Type: Specify the format of the literal value by selecting the type from the dropdown menu. 10. The Check Statement page of the Conditional Wizard appears. The summation of the test statement, followed by the keyword SET (for attribute set), appears in the Check Statement text box.

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11. Using the radio buttons, select between the following options: Apply GAB or text modifications when this statement is true: Select this radio button if an attribute set assignment is desired. Wait to add another phrase: Select this radio button if an attribute set assignment is not desired (when an AND or OR statement must be added). 12. Click the Finish button if the conditional statement is acceptable. The Conditional Wizard closes, and the results appear in the editors conditional statement text window. 13. If you selected the Apply GAB option, the wizard has added the keyword SET to complete the statement and has assigned an attribute set. This attribute set is identified by a letter. 14. If you selected the Wait to Add option, the user must add the modifying keywords. The keyword SET must also be added to conclude each statement (see Statement Modifiers for more information). 15. Click the Verify Conditions button to determine whether the statement(s) are acceptable. Keywords displayed in red indicate errors; correct and re-verify. The conditional statement(s) for the CAM or conditional text are now defined. The next step is to define the attribute set for each test. Note: You can also define conditional statements directly in the editor conditional text box using standard editing techniques.
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5.7 Statement Modifiers

AND and OR are the keywords that can be used to add logic to the primary test. Each modifying statement has a test field, a comparison value or field, and an operand of its own. An AND statement (conjunction) means that the primary test and the modifier test must both pass to cause a positive test result. An OR statement (disjunction) means that, if either the primary test or the modifier test passes, a positive result occurs.

5.8 Defining Attribute Sets

An attribute set defines the graphic attributes that will result when a conditional test passes. Sometimes called override attributes, these attributes will override any default settings applied to an element with a GAB. For conditional text, any default text and its settings will be changed. To define an attribute set, use the following procedure: 1. Select the desired test statement for configuration. To select a test statement, position the pointer on the desired line and click. A black dot will appear next to the test to show it is selected. 2. Select the graphic attributes that will be activated when the test evaluates to True. This is done using the choices on the Graphic Attributes tab.

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The following options are available: Visible: Selecting this option toggles between Visible (default) and Not Visible. Foreground: Selecting this option sets the foreground color to the color currently specified on the Colors tab. Background: Selecting this option sets the background color to the color currently specified on the Colors tab. Blink: Selecting this option toggles between Blinking (default) and Not Blinking. Line Width: Selecting this option sets the line width to the width currently specified on the Lines and Fills tab. Line Style: Selecting this option sets the line style to the style currently specified on the Lines and Fills tab. Fill: Selecting this option toggles between Filled (default) and Not Filled. Fill Style: Selecting this option sets the fill style to the style currently specified on the Lines and Fills tab. Fill Pattern: Selecting this option sets the fill pattern to the pattern currently specified on the Lines and Fills tab. Fill Rule: Selecting this option sets the fill rule to the rule currently specified on the Lines and Fills tab. Font Family: Selecting this option sets the font family to that currently specified on the Fonts tab. Font Size: Selecting this option sets the font size to that currently specified on the Fonts tab. Font Weight: Selecting this option sets the font weight to that currently specified on the Fonts tab. Font Slant: Selecting this option sets the font slant to that currently specified on the Fonts tab. Halo Style: Selecting this option toggles between Halo Style (default) and None. 3. Specify the parameters for Conditional Attributes other than toggles using the Colors, Lines and Fills, and Fonts tabs (see Colors Tab, Lines and Fills Tab and Fonts Tab for more information).

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5.9 Defining Menus

Menus are defined using the Menu dialog editor. Menu labels and their associated commands are specified by typing and adding each label to the Menu Items list box on the Edit Menu tab.

Figure 36: Menu Editor To define menu labels and commands, use the following procedure: 1. Select the element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > Menu from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the menu in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The menu is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the Menu dialog box. The Edit Menu tab is active. 5. Type a label in the Label text box. This is the text that will appear in the list of menu items when a menu is accessed. The label can be any alphanumeric text string, including blank spaces, up to 32 characters.
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6. Select the Command radio button if selecting the label will issue a command, and enter the command in the adjacent text box. This can be any e-terrabrowser command, a series of commands separated by semicolons, or part of a command. Or: Select the Submenu radio button to specify that the label will activate a submenu when selected. Enter the submenu name in the adjacent text box. 7. Click Add to add the label to the list box. 8. Right-click in the Menu Editor and select the Save Data option to save the menu definition. See Edit Menu Tab for more information. It is possible to define a base command that can be added to the commands defined for individual labels. This prevents redundancy when all commands will begin or end with the same base command (see Menu Definition Tab for more information).

5.9.1 Edit Menu Tab

The following are included on the Edit Menu tab of the Menu Editor dialog box: Menu Items: The menu items to be included in the pulldown menu are displayed in the list box. Menu Item Sequencing Arrows: Click the sequencing arrows to move the selected label up or down in the list of menu items. Currently Selected Item Option Group: This option group allows you to add new menu items, or edit or delete existing menu items. Label: The label of the currently selected menu item appears here. The label can be edited, or labels for new menu items can be entered. Submenu: Select Submenu to activate the Submenu text box. Submenu Name Text Box: Enter the name of the submenu that will be activated when this menu item is selected by the user. Command: Select Command to activate the Command text box. Command Text Box: Enter the command to be issued when this menu item is selected by the user. Add: Use this button to add a new label to the Menu Items list box.
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 Update: Use this button to save changes to an existing label. Delete: Use this button to remove an existing label from the Menu Items list box.

5.9.2 Menu Definition Tab

Figure 37: Definition Tab of the Menu Editor Dialog Box The following are included on the Menu Definition tab of the Menu Editor: Select Script Engine: Select the desired scripting option using the radio buttons. Base Command: Specify a base command to be associated with each label in the menu. Append Item to Base Command: Select this radio button if the base command should follow each label command. Append Base Command to Item: Select this radio button if the base command should precede each label command.

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5.10 Defining Keysets

Keysets and their associated commands are specified in the Keyset Editor by typing and adding each one to the Keyset Items list box on the Edit Keyset tab.

Figure 38: Edit Keyset Tab To define virtual keys and their commands, use the following procedure: 1. Select the element set window. 2. To open the New Name dialog box, select New > Keyset from the Definition Manager menu bar. 3. Enter a name for the keyset in the text box. 4. Click OK to save the name and close the New Name dialog box. The Keyset is now named, and its name appears in the title bar of the Keyset dialog box. The Edit Keyset tab is active. 5. Enter the virtual key name in the Key Name text box. This can be any alphanumeric text string up to 32 characters; characters must reside in the system key map. (See the e-terrabrowser Users Guide for information about defining virtual key names in the system key map.)

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6. Specify the command for this virtual key in the Command text box. A series of commands must be separated by semicolons (;). 7. Click Add to add the key assignment to the list box. 8. Right-click in the editor window and select the Save Data option to save the keyset definition.

5.10.1 The Edit Keyset Tab

The following are included on the Edit Keyset tab: Keyset Items: Select the virtual key label to be modified from the key name directory window. A virtual key associates a command with a specific keyboard or mouse button action. See the e-terrabrowser Users Guide for details about defining virtual keys. Currently Selected Item Option Group: This option group allows you to add new menu items, or edit or delete existing menu items. Key Name: Enter the virtual key name here. This can be any of the alphanumeric text strings, 32 characters or less, that reside in the system key map. (See the e-terrabrowser Users Guide for information about defining virtual key names in the system key map.) Command: Specify the command that will be issued when this keyset is activated. Add: Select Add to place a key name in the key name directory. Update: Select Update to update a virtual key that has been edited. Delete: Select Delete to remove a key name from the directory.

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5.10.2 Keyset Definition Tab

Figure 39: Keyset Definition Tab The following are included on the Keyset Definition tab of the Keyset Editor: Select Script Engine: Select the desired scripting option using the radio buttons (see Defining Keysets Using Third-Party Scripting for more information). Flash on Select: Select this toggle to cause the object to which the keyset is attached to flash when a valid keystroke is performed. Use Command Line to Complete: Select this toggle when command text will be entered by the operator from a command window. Append Keyset Command to Key Map Command: Select this toggle to cause commands defined in the keyset to be appended to the commands defined for the virtual keys.

5.10.3 Defining Keysets Using Third-Party Scripting

Active Scripting provides a mechanism to greatly extend what users can do to displays at run time. Third-party scripts are user-defined scripting functions that will be invoked as a result of user interactions with a display,
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or a change in database field values. Operations such as changing graphics colors, mobilizing display objects, altering online display definitions, exchanging messages with other processes, and launching external programs (just to name a few) can be achieved by third-party scripts written in various scripting languages such as JScript (Microsoft JavaScript), VBScript, and PerlScript. Third-party scripting is enabled on the Definition tab of the Keyset Editor.

Figure 40: Keyset Definition Tab Enabled for Third-Party Scripting Configuration To define a script-enabled Keyset, use the following procedure: 1. Create a new keyset (see Defining Keysets), or open an existing keyset for editing. 2. On the Definition tab, select Third-Party Script Engine from the Select Script Engine option group. 3. Select Flash on Select, if desired. This option causes the object to which the keyset is attached to flash when a valid keystroke is performed. 4. Select the desired script language. If the language is not available, type in the name.

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After the script language has been specified, select the Edit Keyset tab to complete the keyset definition by setting the following parameters: Key Name: Specify the virtual key. Function: Specify the name of the script function this keyset will interact with when the specified virtual key is received. Argument Value: Specify the argument value. Type: Specify the argument value type. Add Argument: When argument value and type have been specified, press the Add Argument button to add the argument. Update Argument: Select the argument you want to update in the Arguments list. Make your changes to the Argument Value and/or Type. When the changes are complete, press the Update Argument button to update the argument. Delete Argument: Select the argument you want to delete in the Argument list. Press the Delete button to delete the argument.

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6. Other Forms, Dialogs, and Tabs

Display Builder utilizes various forms, dialogs, and tabs that are shared by more than one editor. Details about the use of these forms, dialogs, and tabs can be found in the following sections.

6.1.1 Change Reference Dialog Box

When a display set window has input focus, the Change Reference dialog box is accessible by selecting Edit > Change Reference. All display and picgroup editors for the display set must be closed prior to making the selection, or an error message will be generated.

Figure 41: Change Reference Dialog Box Change all references to Element Sets in this Display Set to: Enter the name of a valid element set, and click OK to change the reference.

6.2 Placement Properties Forms

Placement Properties forms are accessed by any of the following three means: Double-clicking the desired object on a scratch pad. Selecting the desired object on the scratch pad, then choosing the Properties option from the editor menu of the Definition Manager. Right-clicking the desired object and selecting the Properties option from the popup menu.

Placement Properties forms contain one or more tabs. These tabs are activated and de-activated depending on the context of the selection. Angle: A rotation angle property has been added to all placeable objects except for picgroups. Both Display Builder and the 188
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e-terrabrowser client will rotate the given placement according to each rotation angle before rendering the placement. Definition: This tab is unique to the selected object for each Placement Property form. Details about a placed objects Definition tab can be found in the following sections. Tool Tip: This placement property can be used to specify a descriptive text message that will be activated when the cursor hovers over the placement. Tool tips can contain any combination of static text, proxy strings, and database fields. This allows the display to provide contextsensitive information about the object under the cursor and how it can be used. Proxies can be embedded in the tool tip using normal syntax %myProxy% (see the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about proxies). Database fields can be embedded in a tool tip using the syntax %%myField%%. If needed, an indirect pointer chain can be specified to point to this field. There is no limitation on the number of proxies and/or field values that can be referenced in a given tool tip.

6.2.1 Symbol and Conditional Text Placement Properties

Symbols and conditional text (CT) are defined by name and element set. To substitute one symbol or conditional text for another, enter the substitute name in the Reference text box and click OK. The substitute symbol or conditional text will appear on the scratch pad at a position relative to the original objects origin. See Placing Elements in Pictures for details about symbol and CT placements.

6.2.2 Static Text Placement Properties

Static text is defined by its text string. Static text can be modified by using the text field on the form to edit the string. See Placing Elements in Pictures for details about static text placements.

6.2.3 Placeholder Placement Properties

Placeholders are defined by their text strings. They can be modified by using the text field on the form to edit the string. See Defining a Placeholder for details about placeholder placements.

6.2.4 Picture Placement Properties

The Definition tab of the Picture Placement Properties form appears when a picture is double-clicked on Picgroup or Display Editor scratch pads. The origin coordinates for the placement are modifiable on this form, as is the picture placed at this location.

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The subscript field appears if the picture selected resides on the Picgroup Editor scratch pad. This field is used for any picture whose record occurrence does not match the driving record subscript. The user must specify the field where this subscript can be found in field_record format. To change coordinates, edit the X and/or Y origin values. To change the picture appearing at the placement location, edit the reference picture and/or element set fields. See Attachments Tab, Define Link Tab, and Lock Tab for more information.

6.2.5 Primitive Placement Properties

The common fields in the definition tabs of primitive definitions are the origin data fields, which specify the elements position in coordinate space in pixels. Details about the fields of other definition tabs can be found in the following sections. Details about primitive creation can be found in Drawing Primitives. 6.2.5.1 Placed Lines, Polylines, and Polygons Lines, polylines, and polygons are defined by the X and Y coordinates of their end points. The list box on the Definition tab for lines, polylines, and polygons shows each point. The attributes of this Definition tab are as follows: Points: The X and Y text boxes contain the coordinates of the highlighted end points. Select an end point from the list box to call it into the Points text box for editing. List Box Operations: End points are manipulated in the list box as follows: Insert: Select this button to insert a new end point. Delete: Select this button to delete the selected end point. Move Up: Select this button to move the selected end point up in the list. Move Down: Select this button to move the selected end point down in the list. See Attachments Tab for more information. 6.2.5.2 Placed Rectangles and Ellipses Rectangles and ellipses are defined by their width and height.

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The attribute of this Definition tab is as follows: Size: The Width and Height text boxes contain the coordinates of the primitive.

See Attachments Tab, Declutter Tab, Colors Tab, Lines and Fills Tab, and Fonts Tab for more information. 6.2.5.3 Placed Circles Circles are defined by their diameters. The attribute of this Definition tab is as follows: Diameter: Enter a new number to change the diameter of the circle.

See Attachments Tab for more information. 6.2.5.4 Placed Arcs Arcs are defined by width and height parameters, and by their angle of rotation away from their anchor point and their angle of sweep or extent. The attributes of this Definition tab are as follows: Size: The Width and Height text boxes contain the symmetrical dimensions of the arc from its origin in pixels. Symmetry is maintained when a dimension is modified. Angles: Arcs are created in a rising sun attitude with their anchor points (A) to the right of center in the horizontal plane. The text boxes for modifying the attitude and extent of an arc are as follows: Anchor: This value represents an amount of rotation in a counterclockwise direction from the arcs anchor point. This rotation gives the arc its horizontal/vertical attitude. Extent: This value denotes how much of a circle the arc represents. See Attachments Tab for more information.

6.3 Shared Forms and Dialog Boxes

Several forms are shared among the scratch pad editors. Details about these forms can be found in the following sections.

6.3.1 Tool Bars Form

The Tool Bars form is accessible by choosing View > Tool Bars from the Definition Manager menu bar. The six tool bar options plus the browser window option are selectable by clicking the selection box adjacent to
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each option. The results of user selections are immediate; the View menu is updated, and the tool bar is made available or unavailable from the Definition Manager as specified.

6.3.2 File Transfer Form

The File Transfer form is used to transfer files to and from the local display-building environment using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). See Transferring Sets for Compilation for details about file transfers.

Figure 42: File Transfer Form The following are included on the File Transfer form: Login: The user specifies login information in this section. Host: Enter the name of the e-terrabrowser server. The entry in this field is saved.
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 Account: Enter the user account on the destination machine. The entry in this field is saved. Password: Enter the password to the user account. The entry in this field is saved. File Transfer: The user controls file transfers with the buttons in this section. Send to Host: Set ON to put the FTP utility in upload mode. Get from Host: Set ON to put the FTP utility in download mode. Transfer Now: Click the Transfer Now button to start the transfer. Directory and Files: The user specifies the path names of the server and local transfer directories in this section. Note: This path is automatically defined if the user selects the transfer file(s) using the Windows File Open dialog (see Files below). Host Directory: Enter the path name of the server transfer directory in the text box provided. Local Directory: Enter the path name of the local transfer directory in the text box provided. File List Window: Enter the filenames in this window, or use the Files button described below. Files: Click the Files button to access the standard Windows File Open dialog box. When the user OKs this dialog, the selected file(s) appear in the Transfer Files text box. If the Change Local Directory text box is empty, the path to the file(s) is echoed there. Host File Locking: The user specifies file locking controls in this section. Lock ID: User ID supplied by Display Builder; enter a new identifier if desired. Lock/Unlock: Click the Lock button to create a .LCK file in the Host transfer directory for each file specified in the file list window. Reverse the lock with the Unlock button. Note: .LCK files indicate which files are currently being modified. Display Builder notifies the user if the current file transfer is targeting one of these files. The user must remove the lock before the transfer will be successful.

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FTP Message Window: The FTP utility echoes its actions in the window at the bottom of the form.

6.3.3 Add Placement Dialog Box

The Add Placement dialog box is activated from the Draw tool bar and the Draw menu whenever the display building context supports element placement.

Figure 43: Add Placement Dialog Box The user selects the placeable element type using the Symbol, Conditional Text, or Picture radio buttons and the set where it resides using the Element Set dropdown list box (only open sets appear in the list). The placeable elements appear in the forms list box. The user places an element by selecting it and clicking OK. A filter text box is provided to aid in the search for elements. The search is dynamic with data entry populating the list box with matches without other user action. The asterisk wildcard is supported.

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6.3.4 Add Attachment Dialog Box

The Add Attachment dialog box is activated from the Draw tool bar and the Draw menu whenever the display building context supports element placement. The Add Attachment dialog box adds an attachment to all selected objects.

Figure 44: Add Attachment Dialog Box The user selects the placeable element type using the Shared GAB, CAM, Keyset, Menu, or Popup Picture radio buttons and the set where it resides using the Element Set dropdown list box (only open sets appear in the list). The placeable elements appear in the forms list box. Drag-and-drop does not work in this context. The user places an element by selecting it and clicking OK. A filter text box is provided to aid in the search for elements. The search is dynamic with data entry populating the list box with matches without other user action. The asterisk wildcard is supported.

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6.3.5 Options Form

The Options form is accessible by choosing View > Options from the Definition Manager menu bar. Many of the items set from the Options form customize the building environment. These settings are applied globally to the scratch pad editors and are saved for future sessions. See Customizing the Building Environment for details about using the Options form. In addition to customizing the work environment, some settings specify options for the Display Builder application, such as turning the Auto Save feature on and off. Details about the tabs on this form can be found in the following sections. 6.3.5.1 Options Tab

Figure 45: Options Tab of the Options Form The following are included on the Options tab of the Options form: Draw lines with flat ends: Set ON to apply this characteristic of blunting the end points of polylines.

Warning: This feature can produce unpredictable results if the displaygenerating hardware and software resident on a workstation do not support it.
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Automatic Save: Set ON to activate Auto Save; specify the interval in minutes. Auto Save Directory: Specify the directory for the backup file. Compiler Compatibility Version: Select the version of e-terrabrowser with which your work will be compatible. This is an important feature that controls the availability of display features compatible with a given version. Note: It is very important to select the appropriate compatibility version. Please see Selecting the Compatibility Version for a detailed description of Display Builders compatibility version feature. See Display Feature Cross-Reference for a detailed cross-reference between compatibility versions and display features. Below is a list of all compatibility versions currently supported by Display Builder: Compatibility Version FG 2.6.1 Compatibility Version FG 3.0 Compatibility Version FG 3.0.2 Compatibility Version FG 5.0 Compatibility Version FG 5.1 Compatibility Version FG 5.2 Compatibility Version FG 5.2.1 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 2.1 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.0 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.1.2 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.2.1 Compatibility Version e-terrabrowser 3.3.0

WebFG Root Output Directory: Enter the destination directory for the output of any binary compilation of displays for e-terrabrowser usage. WebFG Image Directory: Enter the directory where image files are located. This directory path gives Display Builder access to image files at design time. Note: This path is not saved as part of the display definition. At run time, the image path must be supplied in the webfg_config.txt file in

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order to give the e-terrabrowser client access to the image files used in a given display. Embed image data streams into compiles display file: This option allows you to choose between compiling background images into the display file, or linking to background images in the specified directory. Note: Displays that reference external image files should not incur noticeable performance degradation for display call-up, scrolling, or zooming once these image files have been downloaded and cached. Displays that contain compiled-in image files will have a larger file size and will take longer to load. Dont warn me about Compatibility Settings when opening files: When an element or display set is opened in Display Builder, the current compatibility version is compared to the version that was used when the element or display set was saved. An informational message will be issued if the versions do not match. This informational message is optional and can be disabled. It might be useful to disable this option while performing batch compiles, etc. 6.3.5.2 Customize Colors Tab

Figure 46: Customize Colors Tab The following are included on the Customize Colors tab:
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Drawing Background: The color of the button indicates the background color of all scratch pads. Alignment Grid Button: The color of the button indicates the color of the grid lines on all scratch pads. Color Palette List Box: Mirrors the drawing background color and alignment grid color selections. Selection Style: Depending on the background color, the default selection box is sometimes hard to see. The user can choose a dotted border or a solid border to make the selection box easier to see. By default, the selection box is drawn using the Hatched Border option. Dotted Border: The selection box is shown in dotted border, which has medium visibility. Solid Border: The selection box is shown in solid border, which has the most visibility. Hatched Border: The selection box is shown in hatched border, which has the least visibility.

See Customizing the Building Environment for details about using the Customize Colors tab. 6.3.5.3 Font Mapping Tab Display Builder represents FG fonts by using Windows TrueType fonts. The Font Mapping tab of the Options form maps the available FG font family fonts to a TrueType font family. Modify the mapping to obtain the best match of appearance and size of fonts. See Customizing the Building Environment for details about using the Font Mapping tab.

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Figure 47: Font Mapping Tab The following are included on the Font Mapping tab: Font Mapping Table: The FG font families and their mappings to TrueType fonts are listed here. Select Font: Click this button to call up the standard Windows Font dialog box.

6.3.6 Scratch Pad Options Form

The Scratch Pad Options form is accessible by choosing Options from the scratch pad popup menu.

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Figure 48: Scratch Pad Options Dialog Box The following are included in the Scratch Pad Options dialog box: Grid Settings: Set the toggles in this section to control grid usage. Selecting Show Grid causes the gridlines to be displayed; unselecting it causes them to be hidden. Gridlines are displayed by default. Selecting Snap to Grid causes objects placed on the scratch pad to automatically align with the grid. Unselecting Show Grid does not affect whether or not objects will snap to the grid; objects will continue to snap to the invisible gridlines. Selecting Square Grid causes the value of an entry on either the X or Y axis to be mirrored in the companion entry. If Square Grids is unselected, the X and Y values can be entered independently. Setting Show Grid Interval controls the number of gridlines displayed on the scratch pad. Changing the grid interval does not change the size of the grid, and objects will continue to snap to the invisible gridlines. Square Grids: Set ON to activate square gridding. X and Y Grid Sizes: Specify the pixel spacing between grid lines in the X and Y directions.

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 Show Grid Interval: Specify the interval of grid painting in the scratch pad (every grid line or some alternative interval). Zoom: Specify the magnification (%) of the scratch pad. The default value is 100, which is standard magnification. Selection Handles: Use the radio buttons in this section to specify the attributes of the handles (hot spots) that appear when an object is selected. Handles Inside: Set ON to put the handles inside the object perimeter. Handles Outside: Set ON to put the handles outside the object perimeter. Size: Specify the size of the handle in pixels. Display Margin: Specify any margin (in pixels) that is desirable for separating the grid from the edge of the editor window. Note: When the user closes the editor, the settings specified on the Scratch Pad Options form are applied to the current scratch pad and saved for future sessions. These options are saved separately for each type of scratch pad (symbol, picture, picgroup, and display).

6.4 Shared Tabs

Several tabs are shared by the Display Builder editors. These tab descriptions are collected here for easy reference. Details about the tabs can be found in the following sections.

6.4.1 Attachments Tab

The Attachments tab is used to specify and edit attachments.

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Figure 49: Attachments Tab The attachments are added to the list box using the Add Attachment button. Selecting an attached element, then selecting the Edit button, opens the attached elements editor. Selecting an element, then selecting the Delete button, removes the attachment. See Making Attachments to Placed Objects for details about attaching elements to objects.

6.4.2 Permission Test Tab

Permission area tests are used to control operator interaction with applications and their databases by limiting whether a display can be called up at a workstation. In a permission area test, the user defines the access permission area ID(s) used in the display-based comparison check with the PERMIT database, or specifies where the area ID will be found. See Defining Permission Area Tests for details about defining permission tests for pictures, layers, and displays.

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Figure 50: Permission Test Tab The user can specify the permission area by name or specify a field that contains the name. If needed, an indirect pointer chain can be specified to point to this field. One or more permission area tests can be defined for each object. The following are included on the Permission Test tab: Apply Permission Test: Set ON to enable test definition. Permission Granted When: Use the radio buttons to specify when display access will be permitted. All areas are valid: Select this radio button to grant display access only when all specified area permission tests pass. Any area is valid: Select this radio button to grant display access when any of the tests pass. For Areas Specified By: Use the radio buttons to identify how the area ID used in the test is being specified.

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 Area names: Select this radio button to specify that the text entered in the list box is the area ID. Fields and indirects: Select this radio button to specify that the text entered in the list box identifies a database location for the area ID. Area ID Data Entry: Type the area ID or its database location in the list box. The database location can be specified with global fields, record fields, or record fields with indirects. OK each test definition separately.

6.4.3 Placements Tab

The Placements tab is activated any time the user simultaneously selects more than one scratch pad object.

Figure 51: Placements Tab

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The selected objects are identified by their element type icon, type name, and element name. Formatted fields are identified by their field_record definition rather than element name. Note: Selecting an object causes it to flash on the scratch pad.

6.4.4 Define Link Tab

The Define Link tab is activated for pictures placed on a simple layer and symbols with an attached CAM placed on a simple layer. Primitives with a CAM attached that have been drawn on a simple layer also activate this tab.

Figure 52: Define Link Tab You specify the linkage for a picture, symbol, or primitive by entering a composite key, with each entry separated by a carriage return. See Defining Simple Layer Database Linkages for details about entering composite keys.

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6.4.5 Lock Tab

The Lock tab is used to specify picture locking in a picgroup. This tab is part of the Picture Properties form, which appears when a picture is double-clicked in the Picgroup Editor scratch pad.

Figure 53: Lock Tab Set the X Locked toggle ON to lock the picture in the horizontal (panning) direction. Set the Y Locked toggle ON to lock the picture in the vertical (scrolling) direction. See Locking Picgroup Objects for more information.

6.4.6 Scale Factor Tab

The Scale Factor tab is used to specify the parameters for dynamically scaling a symbol or primitive from its original size (100% growth) to a minimum or maximum or no upper boundary.

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Figure 54: Scale Tab The following are included on the Scale tab: Apply Scale Factor: Set ON to activate the fields on the tab. Scaling Field: Specify the record field whose value will be represented by the size of the symbol or primitive. Growth Buttons: Select the button that indicates the direction(s) of growth. Minimum Growth Percentages: Specify the location of the value that determines a scaling to 0% of original size by selecting one of the following: Field: Enter the field_record identifier in the text box. Literal: Enter the integer value in the text box.

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Maximum Growth Percentages: Specify the location of the value that determines a scaling to 100% of original size by selecting one of the following: Field: Enter the field_record identifier in the text box. Literal: Enter the integer value in the text box. No Limit: Set ON if the object has no growth maximum.

See Scale Factors for details about scale factor specifications.

6.4.7 Declutter Tab

The Declutter tab is used to specify the % zoom level at which the element will vanish from the display.

Figure 55: Declutter Tab Set the Declutter toggle ON to activate the zoom % boxes, then specify the percent level of zoom at which decluttering will occur. See Defining Placement Declutter for details about the declutter specifications.
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6.4.8 Colors Tab

The Colors tab is a feature of the Shared GAB editor. It is also available on the Properties forms for primitives if no shared GAB has been attached.

Figure 56: Colors Tab The following are included on the Colors tab: Foreground and Background (Alternate Blink Color): Select the Foreground or Background button, then select a color from the color palette list box. The result of the selection is mirrored on the selected button. Note: The background color specified becomes the background color of run-time text entry boxes when the GAB is attached to an enterable formatted field. Blinking Option: Set ON or OFF to set the shared GABs blink attribute.

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6.4.9 Lines and Fills Tab

The Lines and Fills tab is a feature of the Shared GAB editor. It is also available on the Properties forms for primitives if no shared GAB has been attached.

Figure 57: Lines and Fills Tab The following are included on the Lines and Fills tab: Line Width: Move the slider to specify the line width in pixels. Fill Pattern: Select a fill pattern from the list box. If the object can be filled and has the Fill attribute set to Filled, this pattern will be painted. Fill Options: Set the Fill, Fill Style, and Fill Rule options as follows: Unfilled/Filled: Select Unfilled for an empty interior or Filled for a patterned interior. Solid/Stippled/Opaque: Select Solid for solid coloration, Stippled for a dotted coloration with the background color predominant, or Opaque for a dotted coloration with the foreground color predominant.

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 Even-Odd/Winding: Select Even-Odd for alternating fill within a polygon and Winding for total filling of a polygon. The Even-Odd selection tells the Fill utility to alternately fill spaces that result from construction lines. Halo: The Halo Style attribute affects how graphics are rendered. Specifically, it determines whether and how an enclosing band in the background color of the GAB should be drawn around the primary graphics. Halo Style is intended to create the highlight effect during abnormal conditions. None: No Halo highlight effect. One Pixel: Thin highlight effect. As Line: Thick highlight effect.

6.4.10 Fonts Tab

The Fonts tab is a feature of the Shared GAB editor. It is also available on the Properties forms for primitives if no shared GAB has been attached.

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Figure 58: Fonts Tab The user specifies the font by selecting the character set, family, size, weight, and slant from the dropdown lists.

6.4.11 TrueType Fonts Tab

Starting with version 5.4.0, AREVA T&D replaced the existing Fonts tab (on the Shared GAB editor, and on the Properties Page for primitives if no shared GAB has been attached) with a new TrueType Fonts tab.

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Figure 59: TrueType Fonts Tab Users can specify the font by clicking the Select TrueType Font button, and then clicking the OK button.

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Figure 60: Standard Windows Fonts Dialog Box

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7. Multi-Dimensional Displays
Tabular layers can be defined to automatically generate a table showing two dimensions in a multi-dimensional array. This is accomplished by defining a special multi-dimensional (multi-D) picture, placing it in a picgroup, and placing the picgroup on a tabular layer. The multi-D picture is unique in that it specifies more than one record in its definition (the records in the multi-dimensional array). In addition, all formatted fields in the picture must be defined in the form: fieldname_recorda_recordb_recordc where fieldname is the name of the field in the multi-dimensional structure to be displayed and recorda, recordb, and recordc are the multidimensional records specified in the picture definition. Note: For two-dimensional arrays, only two records are specified in the picture and formatted field definitions. The multi-D picture is defined to display the various instances of the multi-dimensional field, F_A_B_C, where F is the field name and A, B, and C are the records in the multi-dimensional array that share the field. The multi-dimensional repeats the picgroup, thus showing the various values of F for successive instances of A for constant values of B and C. The picgroup repeats showing the various values of F for successive values of B.

7.1 Creating Multi-D Pictures

To create a multi-dimensional picture, do the following: 1. Open the Picture Editor. 2. Use the Picture Properties form to enter two or three records. 3. Specify the field names for all formatted fields using the field_recorda_recordb_recordc convention. 4. Click OK to save the parameters and close the form. See Picture Placement Properties for details about Picture Properties form usage.

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7.2 Modifying Default Driving Data

The default driving data of a multi-dimensional display can be modified by doing the following: Modify the order in which records repeat within the picgroup and which records repeat with the picgroup. By default, these are in the order they are listed in the multi-D picture definition. Specify which occurrence of the constant record is displayed. This is required for three-dimensional displays and is specified using the Tabular Layer Properties form.

Figure 61: Multi-Dimensional Tab To modify the default driving data, use the following procedure: 1. Call up the Tabular Layer Properties form using the Layers push button in the tool bar, or the Layers and Driving Data option from the Display menu. 2. Select the Tabular Definition tab.

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3. Select the Multi-Dimensional radio button. 4. Select the Multi-Dimensional tab. 5. (optional) Specify the data retrieval sequence using the First and Last Subscript radio buttons. 6. (optional) Modify the record processing order by editing the text boxes, as follows: Type in the name of the record that repeats within the picgroup in the first text box. Type in the name of the record that repeats with the picgroup in the second text box. Type in the name of the record held constant in the third text box. If you have changed the record held constant, modify the Record Subscript For text box to match. 7. (required for three-dimensional displays) Specify which occurrence of the record held constant will be displayed. Specify a subscript value literally, as follows: Or: Specify a proxy that evaluates to a subscript value, as follows: Or: Specify a composite key, as follows: Select the Composite Key radio button. Type the linkages in the dialog box. Select the Proxy radio button. Type the proxy string in the text box. Select the Literal radio button. Type the literal value in the adjacent text box;

The default driving data for the multi-dimensional display is now modified. See Tabular Definition Tab for details about Tabular Layer Properties form usage.

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7.3 Specifying the Layout of Multi-D Displays

e-terrabrowser creates multi-d displays by painting one or more slices of the display. A slice is made by holding all but the first record constant, and showing all occurrences of picgroups for this record. The picgroup spacing and orientation within this slice is determined by the multi-dimensional offset parameters of the Tabular Layout form. Once this slice has been painted, the second record in the processing order is incremented, and a second slice is created. The spacing and orientation between slices is determined by the Between block offset parameters of the Tabular Layout form. To set these offset parameters, do the following: 1. Use the Tabular Simulation form to set the simulation data to a few (three to five) instances of the multi-D picgroup and one slice. 2. Adjust the orientation and spacing of the multi-dimensional offset using the Tabular Layout form. 3. On the Tabular Simulation form, increase the number of slices. 4. Adjust the orientation and spacing of the Between block offset parameters using the Tabular Layout form. The layout of displays that mix multi-D layers with other layer types can be greatly simplified by manually setting the picture sizes on the Picture Definition form. Note: If the height of all pictures repeating downward is the same and the width of all pictures repeating across is the same, the pictures on different layers will align exactly.

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8. Preparing Displays for Online Viewing

This chapter provides instructions for creating online versions of displays from their display and element set definitions. These are the files that will be opened by e-terrabrowser on the client computer.

8.1 Display Compilation Overview

The display assembly process is performed from any e-terrahabitat account on the e-terrabrowser server. An e-terrahabitat account has e-terrabrowser environment variables established. The process of converting display definitions has two steps that are performed in the following order: 1. Compile Element Sets: Each element set is compiled to create Compiled Element Set (CES) files. 2. Bind the Display: Binding the display to a specific clone of the application or applications for which the display is defined. This creates a bound version of the display in a Compiled Display (DISDEF) file. e-terrabrowser validates displays only at call-up. The compiled display files (.FGDisplay) contain only graphics and query information. The query is an un-validated version of the schema and linkage data for the display. The e-terrabrowser server validates and binds this query, returning any errors to the client along with the live data, or query results. The display analyst must then read the validation errors and manually update the display definition.

8.1.1 Compiling e-terrabrowser Displays

There are three ways to compile displays: Compile each display in the display set individually. With the desired display open, select File > Save Binary from the Definition Manager menu bar, or click the Save Binary button. The open display will be compiled. Compile an entire display set. With the desired display set open and the display set window active, select File > Save Binary from the Definition Manager menu bar. Compile a whole ddl directory at once. With no display or element set open, select File > Batch Compile from the Definition Manager menu bar, then specify the directory where the ddls are stored.

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8.2 Compiling Element Sets

To compile an element set and create its CES file for viewing in e-terrabrowser, do the following: Enter the following command on the command line: rfgdisdef compile eset_name Routine messages are displayed during the compilation process along with any error messages. Note: The set name above can be replaced by the wildcard character (*) to compile all element sets in the DDL file directory. See the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about the rfgdisdef compile command.

8.3 Binding the Display

After a displays element set is compiled, the display must be bound to a specific clone of the applications using it before it can be viewed in e-terrabrowser. This can be done in three ways: Automatically, by calling the display into an e-terrabrowser viewport. The display will be linked to the application clone based upon the permissions of the logged-on user. See the e-terrabrowser Users Guide for information about calling a display to a viewport and supplying the family name. Issuing the Rapport-FG RELINK command from the Station Manager command window. This command will rebind the display in the active viewport to its current application and family. See the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about this command. Binding the display from the command line using the rfgdisdef Bind command.

Alternatively, the user can create unbound versions of the display. See Using the rfgdisdef Compile DSet Command for details about compiling unbound versions of displays.

8.4 Using the rfgdisdef Bind Command

The bound version of a display definition is created using the rfgdisdef Bind command. To bind a display, do the following:
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Enter the following command at the command-line prompt: rfgdisdef bind dset_name display_name where display_name specifies the display you are binding.

Rapport-FG would bind the display to the applications specified in the display definition using the PERMIT database to determine the appropriate database clone (family) to bind to. See the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about the rfgdisdef Bind command.

8.5 Using the rfgdisdef Compile DSet Command

This section presents the command syntax for display compilations whose outcomes are unbound versions of displays. If the user prefers to bind displays to a specific database on a specific machine, this procedure creates the unbound version. To create unbound versions of the displays in one or more displays sets, do the following: Enter the following command at the command-line prompt: rfgdisdef compile DSet dset_name Note: The set name above can be replaced by a wildcard (*) to compile all display sets in the DDL file directory. See the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual for more information about the rfgdisdef Compile DSet command.

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9. Field Display Formats

This chapter provides background information about and examples of the various online display format options that can be defined on the Definition tab of the Formatted Field Properties form. The examples in the tables in this chapter show how different formatted field definitions will appear in an online display for the various types of e-terrahabitat field formats (i.e., B*1, C*8, I*4, etc.). Tables are available to describe the definition and output of the various types of fields.

9.1 Introduction to Display Formats

Field display formats are defined on the Definition tab of the Formatted Field Properties form on the Formatted Field Definition tab. Defining a fields display format in FG displays involves specifying the following: The type of data output, such as character, integer, or real values, or a text pair to display true/false values. Whether a text pair accompanies the field value being displayed that shows the sign of a real or integer field value or the bit status of a boolean field. The size of the output, such as the number of characters in a field to display. The position of the output, such as starting with the 4th character in a field, or showing two digits after the decimal in a real field.

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Figure 62: Definition Tab of the Formatted Field Properties Form

9.1.1 Defining the Format Type

The display format type is defined using the Type dropdown list box. In general, the display format type should match the format of the field itself. Table 17 shows the recommended display format types for the various types of field formats definable in e-terrahabitat.

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Table 17: Standard Display Formats e-terrahabitat Recommended Data Type Notation Format Type Boolean B*1, B*2, B*4 TEXT PAIR Character Date Integer Logical Real Time C*n D*1, D*2 I*1, I*2, I*4 L*1, L*2, L*4 R*4, R*8 T*4 CHARACTER TIME/DATE INTEGER TEXT PAIR REAL TIME/DATE

When the Time/Date option is selected, the format is further defined using the Time/Date dropdown list box. When the Text Pair option of the Type menu is selected (for boolean and logical field types), the format is defined using the Text Pair section of the dialog box. Using the boolean radio button selection, boolean and logical field bit settings can be displayed as either text strings or directional arrows. The text strings are specified in the Positive/True and Negative/False text boxes. The directional arrows are defined using the bitmap menus. In addition, text pairs can be defined to accompany integer and real fields to show the sign of the field value. The sign can also be displayed as either a text string or a directional arrow.

9.1.2 Defining the Format Size and Position

The format display size is defined using the Size list box. This parameter defines the maximum number of alphanumeric digits that will be displayed. In general, it should be set to match the maximum size of the field value. For example, the largest number in an I*2 field is 99999, therefore, the size of an I*2 INTEGER field should be 5. The format display position is defined using the Position list box. For CHARACTER fields, the position defines the first character position to display. For a C*8 field, a position of 3 indicates that, counting from the left, display should begin with the third character. For REAL and EXPONENT format types, the position indicates the number of decimal places to display. For example, a real field value of 6.785 would be displayed as 6.79 if the position was 2. 225

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The size and position work together. For CHARACTER fields, they can be used to limit the display. For example, if you wanted to display only the last four characters in the C*8 field, you would set the size to 4 and the position to 5. A position of 1 in this case would display the first four characters. Blanks in the field value are always counted as characters. For Real and Exponent formats, the size must be large enough to display all parts of the value. For REAL formats, this includes the integer, the decimal point, and the number of decimal places (as defined by the position). For example, it would require a minimum size of 6 with a position of 2 to display the real value 345.67 as 345.67. For a value of 1234.567 rounded to the nearest tenth, a size of 6 and position of 1 would be needed (1234.6). For EXPONENT formats, this includes all of the above and the exponent. The exponent requires 5 places: two for the letters EE indicating an exponential value, one for the sign of the exponent (+ or -), and two for the exponent (i.e., 02). For example, it would require a minimum size of 9 with a position of 2 to display the real value 1236.66667 as 1.24EE+03 in EXPONENT format. In all cases, the size and position should be defined on all enterable fields to accommodate the largest number your users may enter, including the level of decimal accuracy. Field values for display may only be limited in size and position if space is an issue.

9.2 Character Fields

Character fields are those fields defined in e-terrahabitat as C*n fields, where n equals any integer from 1 to 32,767. The values in character fields can be any alphanumeric text string, up to 32,767 characters. In practice, most character fields do not exceed 80 characters. All character fields should be defined for display using the CHARACTER option of the Format menu in the Formatted Field Definition tab. Other options may produce an outcome but are not recommended. Table 18 shows example size and position settings and the resulting display output for a C*8 field.

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Table 18: Character Field Display Examples Field Value DOGHOUSE SIZE 8 3 5 4 POSITION 1 1 4 3 OUTPUT DOGHOUSE DOG HOUSE GHOU

9.3 Integer and Real Fields

Integer fields are those fields defined in e-terrahabitat as I*n fields, where n equals 1, 2, or 4, and contain any positive or negative integer. Real fields are those fields defined in e-terrahabitat as R*n fields, where n equals 4 or 8, and can contain any real number. Table 19 shows the acceptable type menu options for displaying integer and real field values in FG displays. Other menu options may produce an outcome but are not recommended. Table 19: Integer and Real Data Type Display Formats e-terrahabitat Data Type Acceptable Format Types Notation Integer I*1, I*2, I*4 INTEGER, EXPONENT, REAL, HEX, OCTAL Real R*4, R*8 REAL, EXPONENT, INTEGER Table 20 shows example format, size, and position settings and the resulting display output for various I*2 field values.

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Table 20: Integer Field Display Examples (I*2) Field Value 1234 12345 12345 12345 4589 7392 12345 Format TYPE INTEGER INTEGER INTEGER EXPONENT HEX OCTAL REAL 4 5 4 16 8 8 8 SIZE 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 POSITION OUTPUT 1234 12345 **** 1.234EE+04 11ED 16340 12345.00

**** Format ERROR In this case, the SIZE is too small for the value.

Table 21 shows example format, size, and position settings and the resulting display output for various R*4 field values. Table 21: Real Field Display Examples (R*4) Field Value 1234.00 123.327 7.666667 7.666667 7.666667 123.327 Format TYPE REAL REAL REAL INTEGER EXPONENT EXPONENT 8 8 12 8 12 12 SIZE 2 2 6 1 4 2 POSITION OUTPUT 1234.00 123.33 7.666667 8 7.6667EE+00 1.23EE+02

Table 22 shows examples of integer and real field values that have a text pair defined to accompany the field value and display the sign of that value.

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Table 22: Integer and Real Fields with Text Pairs Field Value 123 - 123 - 123 12.3456 1345.87 Format TYPE Sign/Boolean INTEGER INTEGER INTEGER REAL EXPONENT Sign Sign Sign Sign Sign POS/NEG Pos / Neg --> / <-+/Y/N --> / <-OUTPUT Pos 123 <-- 123 - 123 Y 12.3456 --> 1.35EE+03

9.4 Boolean and Logical Fields

The settings of boolean fields, individual boolean field bits (i.e., MASK fields), and logical fields are displayed by using the Text Pair setting in the Type menu. The remainder of the definition is set in the Text Pair section of the dialog box by setting the boolean radio button ON and defining either text strings or directional arrows to display the True (ON or 1) and False (OFF or 0) values. Table 23 shows example text strings and directional arrow settings and the resulting display output for boolean and logical field values. The type menu setting for all examples is Text Pair. When defining text pairs to display the settings of individual bits in MASK fields, the Field text box on the Definition tab of the Formatted Field form must specify the Mask name (the name of the individual bit in the boolean field), not the field name. For example, assume a B*1 field in the STATUS record is named RTU_STATUS and its eight bits are named A_STATUS, B_STATUS, C_STATUS, etc. Then, to display the value of the second bit, you must specify B_STATUS in the Field text box. Table 23: Boolean and Logical Field Text Pair Definitions Sign or Text String or Field Value Boolean Bitmap POS/NEG OUTPUT T Boolean Text String True / False True F T Boolean Boolean Bitmap --> / <-<-Yes

Text String and Yes / <-Bitmap

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9.5 Date and Time Fields

The values in all date and time fields (D*1, D*2, and T*4) are displayed by setting the type to the DATE/TIME option, then setting the DATE/TIME option and size accordingly. D*1 fields are one-byte integers that e-terrabrowser translates into a day of the week. The result can be displayed as either the entire day or as a three-character abbreviation. D*2 fields are two-byte integers that e-terrabrowser translates into a date. T*4 fields are four-byte integers that e-terrabrowser translates into a date and time. Table 24 shows the possible date/time settings and recommended size settings for each type of date and time field. Table 24: Allowed Date and Time Field Display Formats Field Type Acceptable TIME/DATE Recommended SIZE Menu Formats D*1 DAY or 3 WEEKDAY 9 D*2 DATE, 11 VMS 11 Or any logical combination of the following: MONTH, 9 MON, 3 MM, 2 DD, 2 YY, 2 YYYY 4 T*4 DATE AND TIME, VMS Or any logical combination of the following: DATE, DAY, WEEKDAY, MONTH, MON, 230 20 20

11 3 9 9 3
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MM, DD, YY, YYYY, HR, MN, SC, HC, HM, MLTM

2 2 2 4 2 2 2 2 2 4

In addition to the formats shown in Table 24, you can define the following using other options in the Time/Date dropdown list box: The name of the current holiday, if the day has been defined in the Time/Date database as one, using the Holiday option. The size should be set to 12. Displaying whether Daylight Savings Time is in effect using the DST option. This displays the character defined in the DSTCHAR global field in the TIMEDATE database when daylight savings time is in effect and blank when not. The size should be set to 1. Displaying the time zone using the TMZ option. This is a threecharacter display of PST, EST, etc.

Table 25 shows example time/date settings and the resulting display output for various date and time field values.

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Table 25: Time and Date Field Display Examples Field Type Field Value D*1 Monday D*1 D*2 D*2 D*2 D*2 D*2 T*4 Thursday 01-JAN-1992 23-AUG-1991 23-AUG-1991 05-DEC-1988 05-DEC-1988 TIME/DATE Setting DAY WEEKDAY DATE VMS MON MM, DD, YY1 YYYY SIZE 3 9 11 11 3 21 4 MON THURSDAY 01-JAN-1992 23-AUG-1991 AUG 12 05 88 1988 23-JAN-1992 11:56:05 23-JAN-1992 11:56:052 11, 56, 05 2356 PST3 Y4 OUTPUT

23-JAN-1992 DATE AND 20 TIME 11:56:05 T*4 23-JAN-1992 VMS 20 11:56:05 T*4 23-JAN-1992 HR, MN, SC1 21 11:56:05 T*4 23-JAN-1992 MLTM 4 11:56:05 T*4 23-JAN-1992 TMZ 3 11:56:05 T*4 23-AUG-1991 DST 1 05:17:23 1 Defined as three separate formatted fields. 2 Will display all on one line. 3 Will vary depending on time zone. 4 Will vary depending on DSTCHAR field definition.

9.6 Format Factor

The Format Factor Edit box becomes active only when Exponent, Integer, and Real format type is selected. The default value is 1, but the user can specify any real number with precision less than 7. The following two operations take place at run time:

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Database values will be multiplied by a format factor before being displayed. Entered data will be divided by a format factor before being stored in the database.

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10. Helpful Hints

The following are a group of helpful hints for building FG displays and display components. These hints are collected from AREVA T&D and customer experiences in building displays for viewing in e-terrabrowser.

10.1 Bounding Rectangles

The bounding rectangle of placeable elements, formatted fields, and primitives can interfere with the intended function and performance of displays. Figure 63 shows how the bounding rectangles of some objects are defined. Once defined, the bounding rectangles of pictures, conditional text, formatted fields, and primitives can expand on the online display. Expansion will depend on such factors as the results of attached CAMs and scale factors, the results of the tests within conditional text, and the current value of a formatted field. The bounding rectangles of these placed objects expand down and right, but they do not expand up or to the left. That is, the placement coordinate location fixes the top and left sides of these objects when placed.

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Figure 63: How Bounding Rectangles Are Defined These expanding bounding rectangles can cause unintentional overlap of placed objects, resulting in improper display appearance and performance. For example, if one field expands over another, data entry is prevented in the overlapped field. Figure 64 shows other potential negative results of expanded bounding rectangles.

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Figure 64: Overlap of Bounding Rectangles on a Display Recommendations: Based on the above, the following recommendations are made to avoid problems with overlapping bounding rectangles: Begin all pictures and symbols in the upper left corner of the scratch pad. This will aid in aligning pictures and symbols and will reduce the risk of overlap.

Note: See next hint for additional cautions. Use caution when placing objects with keysets attached next to expandable objects. Overlapping bounding rectangles can hide a keyset from a user, even though the object is visible. When placing formatted fields, use the largest possible character as the builder display character. For most fonts, this is the uppercase W. If the character chosen is integral to identifying the field in the scratch pad, place the field using the widest character, then change the display character to its identifier.

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If displaying a large character field (e.g., 32 characters or greater), using the W may create a field that is far too wide. In this case, it is recommended that you use one of the average-sized letters shown in Table 26. Table 26: Average-Size Characters of Fonts Text Family Souvenir Schoolbook Helvetica Courier Normal Text ADKRUV CDKOQRX ACDGHNXYZ Any character; all characters are the same width. Bold Text BCGNPTXY DGKOQRU ACEPTVXY

Always have default output text for conditional text. Set the default output string to the widest text string possible using the largest possible font style and size. Not only will this aid in spacing in the picture, but it provides a means of seeing the conditional text in the picture scratch pad. Define the maximum growth limit (on the Scale Factor tab), or avoid placing other objects next to primitives or pictures with scale factors. Use caution when placing primitives near the top or left of the picture scratch pad that can be scaled up or to the left. These will be cut off because the picture does not scale up or to the left.

10.2 Text
The following sections detail recommendations regarding the construction of text in displays.

10.2.1 Positioning Text Objects

The location of text, formatted fields, and conditional text on a scratch pad is determined by the baseline of the selected font, not by the upper left corner of its bounding rectangle. Figure 65 describes what a baseline is and how it affects the text coordinate location and expansion. Text does not expand to the left. Placing these objects near the top or left of a picture, picgroup, or display could cause them to be cut off if they expand.

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Figure 65: Position and Expansion of Text Recommendations: Based on the above, the following recommendations are made to keep text objects from being truncated: Do not place text, formatted fields, or conditional text at Y-coordinate 0. When placing text, formatted fields, or conditional text at or near the top or left side of a picture, ensure that they are placed using the largest possible characters and font style. For example, suppose a text string at the top left corner of a picture could have its font style and size changed by a CAM. To ensure it does not expand outside the bounding rectangle: Define the text string. Apply the shared GAB. Select the Show Text Bounding Boxes option from the editors menu to check the estimated maximum extent of the text string.

10.2.2 Text Case

Mixed-case text (uppercase and lowercase) is much more readable than all uppercase. Recommendations: Whenever possible, use mixed case for background text and conditional text.

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Note: Database values in formatted fields are always displayed in uppercase.

10.2.3 Text Font Family

The choice of text attributes is of particular importance in application log displays. Since all fonts (except for Courier) are proportionally spaced, log entry text fields do not automatically align as they would in character graphics displays. For some users, this creates a distracting wavy appearance to the entries in application log displays. Recommendations: Experiment to determine the appropriate font family and size acceptable for your users. For consistent application of your test results, create and use an element set for all application log displays.

10.3 Scroll Bars

Scroll bars can be an effective navigation tool. When a simple display or tabular display tab is larger than the viewport into which it is called, scroll bars can also provide users with an indication of their relative position in the display. Recommendations: Vertical scroll bars should be standard (set by the viewport attributes) in all viewports where tabular displays are called. Scroll bars should be standard on all viewports if they are needed for navigation or as position references.

Note: See the guidelines on standard viewport configurations.

10.4 Conditional Data Entry

To make a formatted field appear conditional for data entry, do the following: Define two pictures with identical formatted fields except for the ability to enter data. Define and attach separate CAMs to the pictures to make each visible for the correct condition. Position both pictures at the same coordinate location in the display or picgroup.

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10.5 Conditional Keysets

The process of making keysets conditional is similar to making data entry conditional, except that keysets can be attached to many objects (pictures, symbols, primitives, text, etc.). To make keysets conditional, do the following: Create a duplicate of the object on which the conditional keyset is to be attached. Attach the appropriate keyset or keysets to the duplicates. Note: You can create a condition where no keyset is attached to one duplicate or where different sets of keysets are attached to the duplicates. Define and attach separate CAMs to the appropriate duplicate objects to make each visible for the correct condition. Position the duplicate objects at the same coordinate location.

10.6 Using Menus in Development

Develop and add menu bar menus to displays early on in the development process. This aids greatly in navigation during testing and development.

10.7 Toggling L*4 fields

The /TOGGLE qualifier does not work directly on L*4 fields. The best solution is to change them to B*x fields in the database. If this is not an alternative, define a popup menu with two options using the /SET and /CLEAR qualifiers.

10.8 CAM Precedence

Multiple CAMs can affect the attributes of a single element or primitive. The precedence of which CAM will override the others follows the last attached rule. The last attached rule states that the CAM that was attached last in the display definition process will override all other CAMs. An example is described in the section called Last Attached Rule Example. The last attached rule leads to the last attached hierarchy of CAM precedence, as follows: CAMs attached as local attachments in display editors will always override all other CAMs affecting an object.

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CAMs attached as overall attachments to pictures or picgroups placed in displays will always override CAMs attached to objects within the picture or picgroup definitions. CAMs attached locally in pictures or picgroup editors will override GABs.

10.8.1 Last Attached Rule Example

Suppose text is defined on a picture and a shared GAB is applied to it, setting the text color to green. Assume CAM_BLUE is attached to the text and that, under certain conditions, it will change the text color to blue. CAM_RED is defined to change the color to red under certain conditions and is attached as an overall attachment to the picture. Finally, CAM_PINK, which is defined to change the color to pink if conditions are met, is attached to the picture locally in the Simple Display Editor. Assuming that conditions result in each CAM changing the color of the text, then the text will be pink (as specified by the CAM attached locally in the Simple Display Editor). If conditions change and CAM_PINK no longer resets the color, then the color will be red (as specified by the CAM attached to the picture) provided, of course, that CAM_REDs conditions are met to change the color. If neither of these CAMs results in a color change, then CAM_BLUE sets the color. And, if all three of the CAMs conditions are not met to change the color, then the color specified in the shared GAB is shown, which is green.

10.9 Conditional Test Processing

There are two important hints regarding the processing of conditional statements. They can be found in the following sections.

10.9.1 Clause and Phrase Processing Order

CAM and conditional text clauses and phrases are processed in the order they are entered in the definition. For example: IF A TRUE AND B = "KV" OR B = "VOLT" the test would process like this: IF (A TRUE AND B = "KV") OR B = "VOLT" If B = "VOLT", then this test is always true. If the desired processing is: "IF Clause" "Phrases for IF Clause"

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IF A TRUE AND (B = "KV" OR B = "VOLT") then you must define the test as follows: IF A TRUE AND B = "KV" ELSEIF A TRUE AND B = "VOLT" Now, when B = VOLT, the IF clause does not pass but the ELSEIF clause does, which is the desired result.

10.9.2 L*4 Field Testing

To define a logical (True/False) test on an L*4 field, you must test against the literal hex strings FFFF or 0000. You cannot simply set the Logic menu to TRUE or FALSE. To define the test: Set Logic to EQ (equals). Define a literal test value of FFFF for True or 0000 for False. Specify the Type as Hex.

10.10 Showing Data from Different Databases

To display data from two different records in two different databases on the picgroup in a tabular display, there must be a pointer from one record to the other in one of the records. To display data from both records in the same picgroup, do the following: Define pictures for both records. Place both pictures on the same picgroup. The primary picture in the picgroup must be the record that contains the pointer to the other record. Note: The primary record must either be the driving record or referenced by the driving record. Select the secondary picture in the picgroup scratch pad and specify the pointer field as the secondary subscript field on the Picture Placement form. For each occurrence of the primary record, the appropriate secondary record will be displayed.
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10.11 Building Pokepoints

There are several issues and recommendations regarding building pokepoints, as described in the following sections.

10.11.1 Multiple-Part Pokepoints

When building pokepoints such as buttons, be sure to attach the keyset to the entire area (i.e., the entire button). For example, you define a button symbol, place it on a picture, and then place the text SELECT on top of the picture. Attaching the keyset to only the text would cause a large area of the button outside the text to not be sensitive. In this case, you need only attach the keyset to the button to ensure that the entire area is sensitized.

10.11.2 Pokepoints on Fields with Proxy Strings

When building pokepoints that require field values for proxy string resolution, you have three options: Display the field value only, using it as the pokepoint. To accomplish this, attach the needed keyset to the formatted field. Define a symbol for the pokepoint while also displaying the field value. Here you have two options: Place the formatted field on the symbol and attach the keyset to both. Create a symbol that is not filled, such as a rectangle that can be placed over the formatted field while allowing the field value to be visible. The keyset would again be attached to both the symbol and the formatted field. In both cases, if the symbol is larger than the field, the keyset may not be resolved properly when the pointer is on the symbol and not on the field. To avoid this, make the symbol the same size as the formatted field. This can be done by resizing the symbol, or by changing the field font style, size, or display character. Show only the pokepoint, such as a button symbol, and dont show the field value. To achieve this: Define the formatted field to be the same color as the display background so that it does not show. Attach the keyset to the formatted field.

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 Place the symbol over the field. Size the invisible formatted field (by changing fonts and display characters) and symbol so that they are the same size.

10.12 Using the %FV% Proxy String

The %FV% proxy string is resolved using the current value at the client and not the current value at the server. This affects the use of this proxy string in keysets attached to formatted fields, as follows: The %FV% proxy string is resolved to only those characters of a field that are displayed. For example, if you have a 20-character field in a database, but you only display the first 10 characters of it in a picture, the proxy string will resolve to the 10 displayed characters, not the entire field value. If refresh is not set ON for dynamic fields, database changes will not be reflected when the %FV% proxy string is resolved. This includes invisible fields, as described in the previous section.

For a list of available proxy strings, see the e-terrabrowser Reference Manual.

10.13 Constant Picgroups

This section provides hints on making picgroups constant and on making portions of the placed picgroups constant.

10.13.1 Placing Constant Picgroups

Constant picgroups are totally fixed in X and Y; therefore, they do not scroll. If you need to have row or column headings scroll, you must either: Create a heading picgroup and lock it in X or Y. Or: Create a picgroup, locking the header information in X or Y from within the Picgroup Editor.

Note: When locking placements in X and Y directions, you must keep a contiguous L shape of the locked objects using the top and left sides of the display.

10.13.2 CAMs in Constant Picgroups

In order to define tests of hierarchical or non-hierarchical records from a constant picgroup, there must be a global field available that is a pointer to the record you wish to test.
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To define a test for a constant picgroup, do the following: Define a picture for the global field. Define a formatted field in the picture. Specify the global field as an indirect pointer in the DB Field Definition dialog box, defining the field name as the field in the record you wish to test. Define a CAM, specifying the global field in the Record text box and as an indirect pointer in the CAM Definition dialog box. Define the CAM tests on the field in the destination record. Attach the CAM to the formatted field. Place the picture on the constant picgroup. Do NOT specify it as the primary picture.

10.13.3 Constant Layer Placements

All picgroup placements on a layer can be made constant. This allows you to place repeating picgroups as row or column headers that will scroll with the display. By specifying the same occurrence of a picgroup record as the first and last driving record, data from this occurrence can be made to appear on all pages of the display.

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11. Optimization Guidelines

This chapter provides an overview of the concepts of display performance and processing, and it also provides guidelines for building displays for optimal performance.

11.1 Display Performance

Optimal display performance is a function of time. A display performs at its optimum when it can be called up and refreshed in the shortest amount of time, while still meeting your requirements. All displays should be designed, first and foremost, to aid end users in performing their jobs. Displays should also be designed for ease of construction and maintenance. The guidelines presented in this document do not supersede these basic display design principles. They are provided to aid you in designing displays that not only perform their functions, but call up in the shortest amount of time, while still being easy to construct and maintain.

11.2 Display Processing

This section describes the process of display call-up for FG displays. By understanding the process, it is hoped you can better understand the optimization guidelines provided in the next section. Display processing is performed by the server and client, and is explained in more detail in the following sections.

11.2.1 Server Processing

When you select an e-terrabrowser display for viewing, a request is sent to the e-terrabrowser server, which performs the following functions (see Figure 66): Reads the compiled display file, builds a list of needed element sets, and sends the list to the client. Reads the compiled display file, builds a list of placements used on the display and their coordinate locations, and sends the list to the client. Reads the compiled display file and the appropriate e-terrahabitat database(s), resolves database variables (i.e., determines actual display values and resolves CAMs and other conditionalities), builds a package of the results, and sends the package to the client.

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At the refresh rate, checks for refreshed values in the appropriate e-terrahabitat databases and, if needed, sends the client a list of the changed values.

Note: These tasks may be performed simultaneously.

e-terrabrowser Server
DISPLAY Command From Client

Element Set List Compiled Display File Placement Data

Database Values

Refresh Data e-terrahabitat Database

Figure 66: e-terrabrowser Server Display Processing

11.2.2 Client Processing

As the client receives information from the server, it performs the following functions: Copies the CES files to its local RFG_CES directory, if needed. Opens and reads, if needed, the appropriate Compiled Element Set file(s) using the list of needed element sets. Note: If the element set is already cached on the client, this step is not needed. Builds data structures and allocates X resources to support display painting using the placement information. Completes the data structures using the actual display values. 247
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Paints the display after all data structures are complete. Repaints the display, as needed, at the refresh rate.

e-terrabrowser Client

Element Set List

Placement Data

Compiled Display File

Database Values

Refresh Data Data Structures

iMac

Figure 67: e-terrabrowser Client Display Processing

11.2.3 The Effect of Viewport Size on Processing

The server sends all database variables for required placements to the client, either for one page if the display is broken down into pages, or for the entire display. The client processes only the information that will be visible in the viewport. For example, if a placement is included in the requested page of a tabular layer, but it will not be visible in the viewport, the client performs no database processing for that placement. The client

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does, however, create data structures for the invisible placements, such as pictures hidden by CAM resolution. The resolution of database variables such as determining field values using indirects, refreshing driving structures and indirects, and resolving CAMs is generally the most time-consuming processing that the server performs. Therefore, it is generally true to say that the larger the viewport and the greater the density of database variables to be displayed in the viewport, the greater the time it takes to call up the display.

11.2.4 Processing vs. Performance

Based on the above, the performance of displays can be said to be determined by the following: The amount of CPU time the client and server use to search files, resolve database variables, build data structures, and allocate resources, determined by the following: The amount of data that must be processed for each display request, determined by: The size and complexity of the simple layer requested, including the number and complexity of the layers and declutter levels requested. Or: The size and complexity of the tabular layer page requested, including the number and complexity of the layers requested.

Screen and room layout (the size and other attributes of the viewports into which displays are called). In turn, the complexity of the simple layers, tabular layer pages, layers, and declutter levels, determined by: The number and complexity of the placements (pictures, symbols, and primitives) to be painted. The number and complexity of conditional elements (CAMs, conditional text, scale factors, etc.) that must be processed. The number of database linkages and the refresh load.

Specific guidelines for each of these performance factors are given below.

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11.3 Performance Guidelines

This section lists the specific guidelines for building displays for optimal performance with regard to specific attributes.

11.3.1 Simple Layer Complexity

Simple layer performance is affected by a number of factors, such as the number and complexities of declutter levels. Guidelines: Reduce the overall complexity of simple layers by reducing the number of layers and declutter levels requested in the display call-up. Design simple layers and declutter levels to reduce the number and complexity of placed and conditional elements. Design simple layers to reduce the total number of database linkages. Minimize refreshable items. Remember that conditionality is very expensive.

11.3.2 Declutter Levels

Data on placements that are not visible at the specified display declutter level is not sent to the client. For example, if a picture is set to appear at or above the zoom factor 2.0, and the display is called up at a zoom factor of 1.0, the server does not send that data to the client. Guidelines: Decluttering objects especially pictures, formatted fields, and objects with CAMs attached can reduce refresh load and the processing of declutter levels. World Map" displays should be built with performance considerations. The idea of having a huge display that shows a high-level picture, where you zoom to multiple levels of detail (such as one-lines) should be discouraged. Performance and maintenance issues limit this approach. The same functionality can be achieved using multiple displays, with keysets that tie them together.

11.3.3 Tabular Layer Pages

Only a single tabular layer page is sent from the server to the client at a time, so that each page of the display is a separate display call-up. The performance of each page is directly affected by its size and by the number and complexity of layers. Pages can be limited in size by varying methods.
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Guidelines: Reduce the size of tabular layer pages by limiting the amount of database information shown on one page using the page headers, page enders, picgroups/page, or records/page attributes. This is especially helpful for long lists of data. Minimize the number of refreshable items. Fastest to slowest types of tabular layers: Indexed Repeat Link List Link List with Integer Sequence Link List with Character Sequence Hierarchical Multi-Dimensional Reduce the overall complexity of tabular layer pages by reducing the number of layers requested in the display call-up. Remember that conditionality is very expensive. Design tabular layers to reduce the number and complexity of picgroups placed on the display. Design picgroups to reduce the number and complexity of the placed and conditional elements. Design picgroups to reduce the total number of database linkages. Start the tabular information with a DB Key linked to Key0 Key9, rather than issue a DISPLAY/FIND or DISPLAY/POSITION display call-up command. Remember that setting the option for the last page number proxy will slow display call-up.

11.3.4 Layers and Display Call-Up

Each layer of a display is, in effect, a separate display. Layers can be specified to appear or not appear on initial call-up of the display. In terms of display performance, a request for an additional layer is a separate display call-up.
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Guidelines: Place only data initially needed by users on the layers specified to display on call-up, and place all other data on layers not specified on initial call-up. For tabular layers where more than one layer is required to display the required data, reduce the overall complexity of the layers as much as possible. For keyset and menu definitions that request specific layers using the /LAYER qualifier, all needed layers, including the DEFAULT, must be specified.

11.3.5 Viewport Configuration

Additional processing time is required during call-up whenever a display modifies a viewports configuration. For example, it takes more time to call up a display if the display definition adds scroll bars and a command line to the viewport. Whether scroll bars should be standard on all viewports in your configuration is a question that requires some thought and discussion. Scroll bars provide an effective navigation tool; however, some users use the panning feature. In addition, scroll bars provide users with an indication of their relative position in a display; in fact, without them, users may not know that a display is larger than the viewport. On the other hand, scroll bars take up valuable display space in the viewport. Finally, because of the additional processing required, it may be ineffective to add scroll bars for individual displays. Guidelines: Avoid having display attributes change standard viewport configurations. Create standard viewport configurations where the size, position, and attributes of the viewports are consistent. With regard to scroll bars, either: Apply scroll bars to all viewports as the standard. Apply scroll bars to selected viewports, calling up only those displays that need them in these viewports. When only relatively few displays will be larger than the viewports, it may be advantageous to have the display definition add scroll bars for only those displays.

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11.3.6 Placements and Complexity

This section describes the guidelines for building placements to reduce complexity and optimize display performance. 11.3.6.1 Number of Placements vs. Placement Density A placement (picture, symbol, or primitive) on a display requires the same data structures to be built by the client, regardless of how dense it is. All other things being equal, it takes proportionally less time to process a display with five placements than one with 10. For example, assume you wanted to display a total of five formatted fields, each with a CAM, five text strings, and five conditional text. The smallest number of data structures would need to be created (1) if all of these were placed in one picture. The greatest number of data structures (15) would need to be created if each field, with attached CAM and conditional text, were separate pictures, and if each text string was drawn directly on the display. Guidelines: Create displays with fewer placements. With one possible exception, it is best to place fewer, denser placements. The noted exception is in the use of indirect pointers in defining multiple formatted fields and CAMs. Experience has found that single placements of this type, each defined with indirect pointers, may process less quickly than dividing the fields and CAMs among multiple pictures. The performance break point will probably need to be determined by trial and error. Avoid creating separate pictures for individual fields in the same record. Group all fields for the same record in the same picture. When a group of items should appear together on a display, group them in a picture and place the picture on the display or picgroup instead of placing them separately. For example, group a display title with its associated graphics in a picture and place the picture on the display or constant picgroup, instead of placing the text and primitives separately. 11.3.6.2 Using Popups Popups are built only when used, not on initial display call-up. Guidelines: Use popup pictures to present infrequently used data that must still be accessible on the initial call-up layer(s), page, or declutter level. 253
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11.3.6.3 Display Background Primitives Background primitives (graphics and text) placed directly on the display must be sent from the server to the client. This causes additional data structures to be created at the server and sent to the client. Guidelines: When at all possible, place needed background in a picture or symbol, then place it on a display.

11.3.6.4 The Effect of Drawing Order Objects on a display are processed during call-up in the same order in which they are drawn or placed in the Display Builder editor. This affects display performance, in that it takes less time to process a display when the client can paint all elements with the same set of graphic attributes one after another. Guidelines: When defining elements, picgroups, and displays, define and place all items that use the same set of graphic attributes (i.e., the same shared GAB) at the same time. For example, define all polylines that will have the same attributes at the same time on a simple layer one-line diagram. Define all formatted fields that will have the same shared GAB applied at the same time. View the drawing order in Display Builder using the browser window. Adjust the drawing order by using the send forward, send backward, or group builder functions.

11.3.7 Conditional Elements and Processing Time

Conditional elements affect display processing time, as follows: The greater the number of CAMs and conditional text that must be processed per display call-up or refresh, the greater the processing time. The greater the complexity of the tests (groups of IF/ELSEIF/ELSE clauses and associated AND/OR phrases) in the conditional element, the greater the processing time. Some tests, such as tests of character strings and ones using indirect pointers, require more processing. Note: Processing of a test stops as soon as a clause passes. CAMs can have multiple tests. The changes in the attributes may cause additional data structures to be built. 254
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If CAMs, which are resolved at the server, determine which of two or more placements are displayed, data structures for only the one displayed placement are built and sent to the client.

Guidelines: Reduce the number of conditional elements, as follows: Use overall attachments instead of local attachments when possible. For example, group all objects together in a picture that will be invisible under the same conditions and attach the invisibility CAM as an overall attachment to the picture. A specific example of this is in defining conditional enterability of multiple formatted fields. In this case, build two pictures, each with one CAM, instead of attaching the CAMs to the multiple formatted field placements. Reduce the conditional element complexity, as follows: Eliminate unnecessary tests. Sequence tests by decreasing probability in the definition. Avoid character string testing when possible. Avoid using multiple levels of indirect tests. Consider database changes that may eliminate or reduce the number of tests needed or reduce the number of indirects needed. Reduce the impact of attribute changes, as follows: Use colors and fonts already set up in other elements. Avoid using the default attribute modifications in the CAM definition whenever possible. NEVER define an objects graphic attributes using the CAMs default attributes. Use shared GABs instead.

11.3.8 Database Linkage Considerations

This section describes the guidelines for database linkages to optimize display performance.

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11.3.8.1 Display Refresh Rates At the refresh rate, the server process must check the database values of all dynamic data (formatted fields, CAMs, scale factors, etc.). The fewer values that must be checked, the shorter the processing time. Guidelines: Turn the REFRESH option off on formatted fields whose data is static (such as ID fields).

11.3.8.2 Resolving Database Links Unresolved links have been traced to decreased performance. Notification that these links are unresolved may only show up in the log the first time a display is called up after compilation. Guidelines: Be sure that all of your database linkages are resolved.

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Index
A
ActiveX Controls, 14 Aligning objects to edges and centers, 157 to the grid, 157 Attachments, 20, 99, 115, 139, 145, 147 Attribute modifiers, 9, 35, 162 Display performance, 248 Drag and Drop, 38, 147 Drag-and-Drop, 29 Drawing order, 256 Driving data structures, 19

E
e-terrabrowser, 26

B
Batch Compile option, 26 Browser window, 24, 150 Browsing object definitions, 150 Builder Sets, 29

F
FG Font Family, 201 File transfer, 26, 76, 77, 194, 195 Formatted field alignment, 93 Formatted fields defining, 91 display format, 225 usage, 37

C
Compiling element sets, 222 Conditional elements CAMs, 9 conditional text, 10 processing time, 256 Conditional tests, 173 Conditional text, 7, 10 Conditional Wizard, 164, 171, 173 Constant picgroup, 135 Customizations, 39

G
Grid alignment, 201

H
Handles (hot spots), 39, 204 Hot spots, 204

D
Database linkage, 29, 114 Database linkages, 15 display layers, 15 driving data structures, 19 linked list structures, 19 performance, 257 simple layers, 113, 118 Declutter guidelines, 252 scratch pad, 153 specifying, 96 usage, 2 Default Shared GAB, 145 Defining permission area tests, 205 Defining picgroups, 99 Defining placement declutter, 96 Definition Manager, 21 Definition Manager context, 25 Definition property attachments "overall" attachments, 20 Definition schema, 71, 150 Definition workarea, 21 Display attributes, 2 Display compilation, 222 Display Definition Language (DDL), 30

L
Layer construction, 111 Local attachments, 13 Locking objects, 209

M
Making Attachments to Placed Objects, 147 Merging component definitions, 75 Multi-dimensional displays, 218

N
Name conflicts, 73

O
Optimization guidelines, 248 Overall attachments, 13

P
Permission tests defining, 205 usage, 20 Picgroups layout, 136

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locking objects, 102 spatial orientation, 18 usage, 12 Placeholder specifying, 116 usage, 14, 37 Popup pictures usage, 11, 255 Primary picture, 12 Primary record, 12 Printing, 76

Scale factors tab, 209 Scratch pad zoom by level, 144 incremental, 144 Secondary record, 12, 102 Snap to Grid, 143 Specifying a scale factor, 96 Starting editors, 69

T R
Time/Date formatting, 94 Tool bars, 27 Transferring sets, 76 TrueType Font Family, 201

Recovering work, 75

S
Save As Binary option, 26 Scale factor specifying, 96 usage, 4 Zoom usage, 1

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Index Display Builder Users Guide