System and method for executing panel actions from procedures

• US 5,305,434 A
• Filed: 03/30/1992
• Issued: 04/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bracht, Carrie J., Payne, Michael E., Fisher, Gayle E., Ballard, David J., Spencer, Troy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Application Number:
  US07/861,357
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 395/100, 395/118, 395/148, 395/149, 395/600, 395/155, 395/156, 395/157, 395/159
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming

Abstract

In a relational database system, facility is provided for a navigator controlling a procedure executor and a panel executor. Procedures are specified by a procedural language which includes current panel operations being permitted as a panel commands in the procedural language. The panel may call these procedures and the procedures may thus include panel actions executed by the panel executor upon being called. The procedure monitors the state of the current panel which may comprise monitoring multiple fields and may effect changes thereto automatically and as a function of the monitoring, as well as direct commitment of data in the panel. Provision is further made for looping logic in the procedures whereby batch panels are effected without the need for user interaction.

Claims

1. A method for sequencing actions within a panel in a computerized database, comprising the steps of

executing program code corresponding to a panel;

detecting a user-selected panel action for executing a procedure having an embedded panel action;

executing program code corresponding to said procedure until said embedded panel action is detected;

returning to said panel with said embedded panel action;

executing program code corresponding to said embedded panel action; and

automatically returning to program code corresponding to execution of a procedure wherein said automatic execution of program code corresponding to said procedure is in response to detecting a pre-selected state of said panel from a plurality of states comprising

a. a first state when execution of program code corresponding to a panel set begins; and

b. a second state when execution of program code corresponding to a panel instance begins; and

c. a third state when said panel set is exited and further wherein said procedure includes looping logic statements causing automatic batch panel executions of program code corresponding to a plurality of said panels.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of detecting an error in said execution of program code corresponding to said embedded panel action;

returning to said procedure with a return code set to indicate said error;

recovering from said error in response to said procedure; and

returning to said panel to continue said execution of program code corresponding to said panel.

3. In a computerized database system, a method of interacting with said database, comprising the steps of specifying first and second procedures;

executing program code corresponding to said first procedure;

generating a panel;

varying field data in said panel as a function of said executed program code corresponding to first procedure;

monitoring said panel to detect a predefined state from a plurality of states comprising

a. a first state when execution of program code corresponding to a panel set beings; and

b. a second state when execution of program code corresponding to a panel instance begins; and

c. a third state when said panel set is exited and

automatically executing program code corresponding to said second procedure in functional response to said detected state.

4. A method for interacting with a database comprising

specifying a procedure with a procedural language including procedural logic;

generating a panel having associated therewith a plurality of panel actions;

monitoring the state of multiple fields in said panel; and

automatically executing program code corresponding to a plurality of said panel actions in response to said procedural logic operating upon said monitored state of said fields.

5. A method for operating a batch panel defining panel actions in a database system, comprising the steps of

specifying a procedure with a procedural logic including a plurality of looping logic statements;

and

executing program code corresponding to said procedure to invoke a sequential execution of program code corresponding to said batch panel in response to said looping logic statements in said executing program code corresponding to procedure.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said sequential execution of program code corresponding to said batch panel is invoked automatically in response to detection of a state of multiple fields within said panel and without user input.

7. The method of claim 6 further including

reading field data in at least one of said panels in response to said executed procedure;

initiating execution of program code corresponding to a next panel or procedure automatically as a function of said reading of said field data; and

wherein processing of said panel actions is delayed when run from said procedure to permit changing of said data.

8. A method for interacting with a database comprising the steps of

generating a panel having associated therewith a plurality of panel actions and field data;

specifying a procedure in a procedural language including procedural logic;

executing program code corresponding to said procedure with a user-selected one of said panel actions;

detecting within said procedure when the state of said field data contained within said panel are in one of a plurality of pre-defined states; and

automatically executing program code corresponding to a plurality of said panel actions in response to said procedural logic operating upon said pre-defined states of said field data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said plurality of panel actions are in a sequence defined by said procedural logic.