FILE FORMAT
Type I Commands 2." The'muiti-leveL;'CNTRL"·file is and each is validated for , , i For update level to be 'applied, the update file is read and
applied to the original source as described in the previous discussion of the , t!PD'ATE 'facility." . .
) ,', ,.,., , : ,.. 3. As each update level is applied, all previous update levels are "forgotten";
that is, they become an integral part of the working copy of the file and
their original identity lost. The edit level then assumes the filetype of the
newly applied update file. Thus, the "last" update level fileid implied by
the CTL (and AUX) file structure becomes the fileid of the edit level being
initiated. If no file with this identifier was found, the edit level is assumed
to be creating a new update file and an appropriate message will be
generated. Note that another edit level of the same name must not al­
ready exist.
The normal process, therefore, for developing a "new" update level to a base
source file would be to:
1. Edit the source with the "CTL" option applying any existing update levels.
2. Make the changes which will constitute the "new" update level and "FILE". FILE <Fn <Ft <Fm»>
The FILE command causes the file at the current edit level to be re-written to
disk and the current level to be released. Optionally, an alternate file-id may
be specified in the FILE command to override the "current" file identifiers.
An "*" in place of any of the three identifiers specifies that the corresponding
identifier in the "current" file is to be used. After the file has been success­
fully written to disk, any" checkpoint" files (see the' AUTOS A VE' option of
the 'SET' command in Section IV, TYPE II commands) having the "current" 'AUTO-ID' are erased (on any disk) and an exit is taken from the current to
the "next" level. If no other level exists, the editor terminates normally, and
control is returned to CMS. FORM <*>x-y x-y .... x <-y>
The FORMAT command allows the user to set-up the logical display(s) for the
current file edit level. Each pair of numbers separated by a hyphen (-),
provides the format specifications for one logical display. Each logical display
consists of a command line, and a series of one or more" data-display" areas.
Each "data-display" area may be used to display one "item" from the file.
As many "screen" lines as are required may be specified for each "data­ display" area, thereby allowing "data-wraparound" from one line to the next.
The number 'x' in each pair of "format" specifications designates the number
of screen lines to be allotted for each "data-display" area in the correspond­
ing logical display. The number 'y' in,each pair of "format" specifications
designates the number of "data-display" areas for the display (and thus the
maximum number of file items which may be displayed at once within the
logical display). For example:
FORMAT 1-22
22

requests the construction of one logical·display containing (22) "data-" display" areas (allowing simultaneous viewing of up to 22 items within the
file) and the allotment of one (1) screen line for each file item." (This is the
default screen format). Figure 3 shows this format. FORMAT 1-8 1-13
will create two logical displays each of which will allot one screen line for
each data-display area. The first logical display will contain eight (8) data­
display areas and the second will contain thirteen (13). Figure 4 illustrates
this format. " FORMAT 2-11
will construct a screen as shown in Figure 6 in which two screen lines have , been allocated for each of eleven (11) data-display areas. Note that"ihe Type
III command line for each data-display area is located at the end of the entire
data-display area (end of the second screen line). In each data-display area,
"displayed data" may wrap-around from the first screen line to the second.
Optionally, the number of "data-display" areas may be left-out of the last
logical display specification indicating that as many consecutive "data­ display" areas, as the screen size will permit, are to be created. Thus, for the
first example above, 'FORM l' would indicate that one logical display is to be
built, containing as many "data-display" areas each occupying one (1) screen
line as the screen size will permit. Similarly, 'FORM 1-7 l' will create two (2)
logical displays; the first will contain seven (7) "data-display" areas, each
occupying one (1) screen line, and the second will contain as many" data­
display" areas, each occupying one (1) screen line, as the screen size will
permit (fourteen in this example). Correspondingly, 'FORMAT 2' will con­
struct a display as illustrated in Figure 5.
Placing an asterisk ("*") immediately preceding (no intervening blanks) any
logical display specification pair indicates that the corresponding logical
display is not to contain Type III command areas. Because of the nature of 3270 display "fields", this mode of operation can effect a significant degrada­
tion in data transmission time (especially for remote 3270 systems). Further­
more, the "Local Alteration" features of the 3277 lose significance. There­
fore, operation without Type III command areas should be limited to cases
where viewing a full display width is an absolute requirement and the screen is
being used for display only (no data editing is to occur).
If the 'FORMAT' command is issued with no arguments, the current format
settings will be displayed on the command line.
Type I Commands 23