Form Management in BAAN ERP

Introduction :


The screen that appears when you run a session is called a form. A form is the user interface used by a session to manipulate data in a table. Forms are always linked to a session and sessions always need one or more forms. Once a session is activated, users interact with BAAN IV by using forms.


Form Management Procedure 

Figure  shows the process that is necessary in order to create a form. A form type of 1, 2, or 3 is selected depending on the data to be displayed. 


Once the form is created using the form editor, option buttons and sequences can be specified.  Upon completion of these steps the form needs to be generated.  This generation creates a runtime object that will be used by the system.   In BAAN terms this generation is called a “dump”.  The form that has been created then needs to be tested, to do that it has to be associated with a session.  Then the form can be run. 


In summary, with form management you can do the following:


    *   Add, change, delete special fields
    *   Change the form layout
    *   Change the form type
    *   Change the option sets
    *   Change form field


Understanding Editor

Figure lists the editing options that are available when you are in the edit mode for forms, menus and reports.These options can also be displayed by viewing the help while in the editor.


Form types


There are four types of forms:


Form type 1: Single occurrence (with main table)
The first form type is used when the entire screen contains information about one record. (A record is a combination of different fields, all related to one aspect, for example, an item or a user.) This form type is called single occurrence. It is often used in maintain and display sessions and is based on the fields of the main table of the session.


Form type 2: Multi-occurrence (with main table)
Form type 2 contains information about several records while each line on the screen contains information about one record. If one form is not large enough to display all fields belonging to a record, the display continues on the forms to the right.


This type is called multi-occurrence. It is also used in maintain and display sessions and is based on the fields of the main table. The definition refers to one record on each line; this is called a horizontal multi-occurrence form. There are also vertical multi-occurrence forms where each column contains one record, and the fields that do not fit on the first form are continued on forms below the first form, instead of to the right. 


Form type 3: Multi-occurrence with view field (with main table)
Form type 3 is very similar to form type 2.
The difference is that one or more fields of the records have been brought together in a view area. The lines on the multi-occurrence part of the form all have the values of the fields in the view area in common. The information about one record is complete when the data from the view area is added to the data in the lines. This form can be used for tables with multiple-field keys, and is called multi-occurrence with view field. This type of form is also used in maintain and display sessions and is based on the fields of the main table.


Example


There is a main table in which data about the employees of a company is recorded. If the department in which these employees are working is also recorded, form type 3 can be used to arrange the employees by department. The department is used as the view field and the other employee data is shown listed on the lines.

Form type 4: Single occurrence (without main table)
This form type, the only one without a main table, contains fields without a defined structure. The fields are usually from several different tables. This type of form is often used in processing sessions, for example, a print session using from-to fields in which the user can define the range of data to be printed




Options and Buttons

Options are the commands that a User can use within a form.  In the ASCII User Interface the user can press O at the choice field to get the available options.  In the Graphical User Interface you’ll find this information in the Drop Down Menus.  If an option is not available it will be dimmed.


Options are defined at the form level using the option set specified in the Maintain Forms screen Form 1.  An Option set is a set of options that are used together to perform certain functions.  Some examples of options sets are:


      M1.O             Maintain, Type 1, Only Form


      M2.O             Maintain, Type 2, Only Form


      D2.F              Display, Type 2, First Form


M = Maintain, D = Display, P = Print


1,2,3,4 refer to the Form Types 1 2 3 4


O = Only form, F = First form, L = Last Form, I = Intermediate form


Once an option set is specified you can go to the Stand. Opt button, select the button and see what options have been set for that form.  At that time, you can decide if you want to change any of these options.


Buttons are used to add additional functions to your form.  A button can specify a function, like Continue, or it can activate another session.  When creating a button you need to set up Specific Options then create your Button. 


Maintaining Forms


The purpose of the Maintain Forms (ttadv3100m000) session is to maintain forms. The forms of a session determine the user interface.


Menu:  BAAN IV Tools / Application Development / Forms


Session:  Maintain Forms (ttadv3100m000)

Important Fields


    *    Form type
    *    Option set    

Important Fields


    *      Step size
    *      Occurrences

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