Overview

tablesONLINE allows you to build applications that are table-driven. To create or customize an application you will take the seven tables that are used by tablesONLINE to drive an application and customize them to your needs. This chapter describes the seven Application Driving Tables and explains the editing process for each of these tables.

Note:
Modifing TBOLYYYY application from our distribution is not recommended (Table 177 defines the four-character suffix.). It may impact future releases applications are usually replaced by the latest release. Modifying the Application Driving Table entries may limit or disable some functionalities of the tablesONLINE, preventing administration. The proper way is to update a copy of the initial application through “3 COPY APPLICATION – Copy an Application’s Controlling Tables” to not cause any functionality issues with tablesONLINE.

The following is a list of the Application Driving Tables required for an application together with a brief description of the content of each of these tables. These tables are stored in the Application Driving Tables Library.

The table names listed in Table 177 include a four-character application identifier, indicated by XXXX, which is unique for each application. For example, for a payroll application you, may wish to use an identifier of PAYR. In that case, your Application Driving Tables will be called PAYRMENU, PAYRPFKS, PAYRCMDS, and so on.

Table 177. Application Driving Tables

Application Driving Table Name

Description

XXXXMENU

Contains customized menu entries for the application. This controls the flow of your application.

XXXXPFKS

Contains customized PF Key assignments for the application.

XXXXCMDS

Contains the command translation information for the application. This enables you to define aliases for commands.

XXXXDESC

Contains screen descriptions for the application. This lets you modify some textual lines on the screens.

XXXXMSGS

Contains customized messages for the application.

XXXXHELP

Contains customized help for the application.

XXXXLIBR

Contains the DSN to DDNAME translation for the application.

Each application, when started up, will pick up the names of its controlling tables from the Application Control Table. Once started up, the application is guided by those tables.

Note:
Special Views are used in the editing process for the Application Driving Tables. These Views ensure that the system knows how each table is set up. Much data validation and error-checking is performed automatically when these tables are edited.