CNTFLD (Continued-Entry Field) keyword for display files

Use this field-level keyword to define a field as a continued entry field.

Continued-entry fields are sets of associated entry fields that are treated by the workstation controller as a single field during field-data entry and editing. If the display device is not attached to a controller that supports an enhanced interface for nonprogrammable workstations, each segment of the continued entry field is treated separately when editing is performed on the field.

Figure 1 illustrates the use of continued fields to create a rectangular text entry field.

Figure 1. Continued-Entry field in rectangular arrangement

Enter Text . . .  ________________________________________
                  ________________________________________
                  ________________________________________
                  ________________________________________
                  ________________________________________

The text input format is more appealing to the user than a single input field that wraps across multiple display lines. Even though the last line does not occupy the full width of the column, no other field is allowed in the rectangle. A continued-entry field allows a multiple-row entry field to be defined inside a window.

The format of the keyword is:

CNTFLD(width of column)

One parameter must be specified.

The width of the column parameter specifies the number of columns to be used for this continued field. This value must fit within the width of the display or window. This value must be less than the length of the field.

The field containing the CNTFLD keyword must be defined as an input-capable field with the data type A. It cannot be defined in a subfile.

The following keywords cannot be specified on a field with the CNTFLD keyword:

AUTO (RAB, RAZ)
CHECK(AB, MF, RB, RZ, RLTB)
CHOICE
DSPATR(OID SP)
EDTMSK

The CNTFLD keyword must be defined with at least 2 spaces separating it from other fields.

Option indicators are not valid for this keyword.

The CNTFLD keyword reduces the number of available input fields by the total number of segments that are used to compose that particular field. For example, a 60-character input field CNTFLD(10) keyword is displayed with 6 lines of 10 characters. Each line or segment is counted as an input-capable field by the controller. Thus, this field reduces the available input field count by 6.

See the DBCS-specific CNTFLD (Continued-Entry Field) keyword topic for information about using this keyword with DBCS data.

Example

The following example shows how to specify the CNTFLD keyword:

|...+....1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7....+....8
00010A          R RECORD
00020A            F1            90A  B  3  4CNTFLD(30)

In this example, a multiple-row entry field is defined. The entry field contains 3 lines and is 30 columns wide.