An expansion on the Group Job/Attention Key theme

Date:	Archived
Product/Release:	LANSA for the AS/400
Abstract:	An expansion on the Group Job / Attention Key theme
Submitted By:	External

An expansion on the Group Job / Attention Key theme.

Users in a site have their user profiles set up with the ATNPGM parameter set to call a CL program. The CL program is used to invoke the execution of a LANSA function - which if used whilst inside a LANSA environment would result in a recursive call. This problem has been previously resolved in a tip that points to use of the AS/400 group job facility.

The example below provides a flexible way of using the attention program facility by making the command executed VARIABLE.

Try this:

If a LANSA user, set position 462 of data area DC@A01 to "N" This will DISABLE LANSA's automatic attention key handling.
Create a data area called (for example) ATNCMD of length 128 and type *CHAR. See Example 3 below for content example. Locate the data area in a library always in your list - for example QGPL or equivalent.
Create a CL program like Example 1 below. (In the example called ATN) Hereafter referred to as <<prog >>
Create a CL program like Example 2 below. (In this example called ATNGRP) To give it a different name, change the name in Example 1.
Change a user profile's ATNPGM to invoke the program like Example 1 - eg CHGUSRPRF QPGMR ATNPGM(<<Lib name >>/<<prog >>)
NOW sign on with that user profile and use the ATTENTION KEY. For a LANSA user, a POP_UP calendar should appear.
(Assuming your "DEM" partition is intact) This effectively sets up a DEFAULT function to run whenever a user with this attention program assigned uses the attention key.
Now create a DATA AREA of the SAME NAME as the USER PROFILE that was changed in (5) above. (See Example 4 below).
Hit the ATTENTION program again. If the above example has been used the PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT MANAGER menu should appear.

So, here is a flexible method of "soft-wiring" the command that will be invoked for a user when that user hits the ATTENTION key.

By creating a data area with the same name as the user profile, the DEFAULT function to execute can be effectively overridden .

Example 1: CL Program "ATN"

/***********************************************************************/

			/* SET UP ATTENTION PROGRAM - USING GROUP JOBS */

			/***********************************************************************/

			PGM

			/* Set current job type to group name:JOBA */

			CHGGRPA GRPJOB(GRPJOBA)   

			MONMSG CPF0000

			/* Start new group job. */

			TFRGRPJOB GRPJOB(GRPJOBB) INLGRPPGM(*LIBL/ATNGRP)

			ENDPGM

Example 2: CL Program "ATNGRP"

/*********************************************************************/

			/* GENERIC GROUP JOB */

			/*********************************************************************/

			PGM

			DCL VAR(&CMD) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(128)

			DCL VAR(&USR) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(010)

			RTVJOBA USER(&USR)

			RTVDTAARA DTAARA(&USR) RTNVAR(&CMD)

			MONMSG MSGID(CPF0000) EXEC(RTVDTAARA DTAARA(ATNCMD) +

			RTNVAR(&CMD))

			IF (&CMD *EQ ' ' ) DO

			RTVDTAARA DTAARA(ATNCMD) RTNVAR(&CMD)

			ENDDO

			SETATNPGM PGM(*CURRENT) SET(*OFF)

			CALL QCMDEXC PARM(&CMD 128)

			RCLRSC

			ENDPGM

Example 3: DATA AREA called ATNCMD (Type *CHAR Length 128)

Sample content:

"DC@PGMLIB/LANSA RUN PSLUTL CALENDR PARTITION(DEM)"

Example 4: DATA AREA called QPGMR (Type *CHAR Length 128)

Sample content:

"STRPDM"