Attribute Tab

Auto-generating attributes simplifies the modeling process, but you may need to delete unneeded auto-generated attributes before copying your model to the Host Integrator Server.

Attributes cannot be generated automatically for a VT host.

When you add a new attribute to your model, the following options will be available for configuring an attribute:

• Name

  Specifies the name or names of the currently defined attributes. Under Name on the Attribute tab of the Preferences Setup dialog box, select from the following options:

• Start position

  The options in the Start position box specify the actual beginning position of the attribute on the terminal screen.

  Note

  The Relative to cursor option means relative to initial cursor position, not relative to the current Terminal window cursor position. If you select Relative to cursor, click Update Initial Cursor Position on the Model menu to change the initial cursor position to the current cursor position. If you have configured any entity properties relative to a cursor position, these property coordinates will be automatically updated.

• End position

  The options in the End position box specify the actual ending position of the attribute on the terminal screen.

  Make sure to select the Relative to pattern option if you have selected the Relative to pattern option in the Start position box.

The following tabs are available to configure attributes:

• Attribute Properties tab
• Attribute Variables tab
• Attribute Errors tab
• Attribute Operations tab
• Attribute Echo tab

Properties tab

The Attribute Properties tab contains the following options for configuring the basic properties of an attribute:

Property	Description
Type	Since configuring type options is possible for both attributes and recordset fields, select either the Attribute Properties tab or the Recordset Fields tab to view the Type box. These options allow you to specify whether or not data can be accessed by one of the Host Integrator connectors. If both Read and Write are cleared, the Host Integrator will reject any attempt to save the entity.
Read	When selected, Host Integrator reads the host data contained in this attribute or recordset field at runtime. This option is selected if protected fields exist on the entity. The Read check box should not be selected if the attribute or recordset field contains or is to contain secure information such as a password.
Write	When selected, Host Integrator writes host data to this attribute or recordset field at runtime. This check box is available even when an attribute or field is not writable to cover cases the protected state can change dynamically based on the data sent from the host. When configuring a write attribute, do not use the Any Row or Any Column to specify start position or end position.
Hidden	Select this check box to hide the existence of the attribute or recordset field from one of the Host Integrator connectors.
Enable terminal attributes	Select this check box to make terminal attributes accessible from a Host Integrator connector. You must select this check box to enable and read terminal attributes using one of the Host Integrator APIs, specifically when using the EnableTerminalAttributes method.

Advanced Attribute Properties

The Advanced Attribute Properties dialog box provides the following options:

Event Handler

Use the options below to create, edit, attach, and view properties of an attribute event handler.

- Click this button to create a new event handler for the attribute. Use the list to select an existing attribute event handler. The selected event handler is attached to the attribute when you click OK.

- Click the Edit button to open the event handler in your default editor.

- Click the Properties button to view event handler properties.

Attribute description

Type a description of the selected attribute. This data is included in Web Builder projects or in any exported XML- or HTML-based documentation documentation.

Variables tab

Use the Attribute Variables tab to map attributes to and from variables.

Attribute mapping to variables

Allows a user to map attributes to and from variables, so these attributes can be referenced as part of operations. This enables the user to gain a level of abstraction from attributes or share data among several entities. When a user wants to be able to traverse to several screens using one command, any data that needs to be returned can be automatically stored in a variable by selecting it from these two lists:

• When executing a ReadFromMappedAttr command in an operation, update this variable list
• When executing a WriteToMappedAttr command in an operation, obtain value from this variable list

Note

ReadFromMappedAttr and WriteToMappedAttr commands are disabled in procedures.

By default, the Design Tool provides the following variable options: None, cursorPosition, password, and userID. To create a new variable, click the New Variable button to open the Variables dialog box.

To update the data contained in the selected variable each time a new entity is encountered, select the Always update this variable on arrival at entity check box. If the Override any prior attribute inputs check box is selected, the Design Tool will overwrite any previous attribute inputs.

Errors tab

The Attribute Errors tab is only available if an attribute is relative to a pattern. For example, if an error pattern is used to position an attribute, that pattern will not be part of the entity signature; consequently, the entity will be recognized by the host, but the pattern will not be found until the error is caused. Since the attribute's location is relative to this pattern, any request to read the attribute will fail prior to the error condition. Select one of the following options from the If unable to locate a relative attribute during fetch box to resolve this case:

• Return blank string
• Return fetch error
• Return entered string - Use the text box provided to enter text to be returned on the host screen.

Attribute Operations tab

Configure operations you want to execute when writing to an attribute. Options are:

• Execute operation before writing to attribute

  Select a configured operation to be executed before data is written to this attribute.

  Create an operation that clears an attribute field before data is written to it. To see an example of a Clear operation, open the Pine model and navigate to the AddressUpdate entity. Select Cutline from the Nickname list and view the Command list box.

• Execute operation to autotab on underfill

  Select a configured operation to be executed when attribute data does not completely fill in the length of the selected attribute.

  Create an operation that automatically tabs to the next input field or an operation that traps an error. For example, if the data input is always a set length, such as a social security number, create an operation that includes an error pattern as an operation condition. When the error pattern is recognized, the operation will stop.

  This option is typically used with character mode hosts. When data doesn't fill the attribute, the behavior of a character mode host application can often be less predictable than a block mode host application.

• Execute operation after writing to attribute

  Select a configured operation to be executed after data is written to the selected attribute.

Echo tab

If you are working with a character mode host, such as HP or VT, direct the Host Integrator to treat this input data in any one of the following ways:

• Don't wait for echo (Default). Select this option to transmit the string to the host and immediately move to the next action. Always use this option for block mode applications. For character-mode applications, use this option only when you know that data will not be echoed back to the terminal screen. For example, many times alphanumeric keys are used to move between screens and are not echoed.

• Wait for same number of characters to echo Select this option to wait for the same number of characters to be sent back to the terminal screen after data has been transmitted to the host. To detect the number of echoed characters, Host Integrator transmits the data and waits for the cursor position to move the same number of columns as the length of the data transmitted. For example, if you transmit the name George as your password, a host will often echo six spaces instead of the original text. With this option selected, Host Integrator waits for the cursor to move six columns from the cursor position when the name George was transmitted to the host before moving on to the next command.

• Wait for string to echo at cursor Select this option to wait for the exact data string to be written back to the terminal screen after data has been sent to the host. This is the most robust option to select when working with character-mode hosts.

  Note

  With character mode applications, the cursor must be wherever characters are being written to the screen. For this reason, use this option to synchronize with the host application.

• Wait for next tabstop Select this option to wait for the cursor to appear at the next tabstop after transmitting data. If tabstops have been defined on the Cursor tab, then Host Integrator waits for the cursor to appear at one of the defined locations. If no tabstop definitions are applicable, then Host Integrator waits for the cursor to be anywhere on the screen that is outside the attribute or recordset field to which the data is being written.

• Wait for next tabstop or string to echo at cursor Select this option to wait for the exact data string to be written back to the terminal screen or to wait for it to appear at the next appropriate tabstop. This option is not recommended.