Predict Help System

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# Predict Help System

Predict offers different forms of passive and active help.

- Active Help - Selection Windows
  Active help is given if parameter values needed to execute a function are missing.

- Passive Help - Online Help Text
  Passive help provides descriptive information on functions.

  Online help information can be displayed in a context-sensitive form

  - by entering a question mark in the first field of any menu. See Using Online Help Context Specifically.

  - from the Help Main Menu. See Using Online Help via the Help Main Menu.

This document covers the following topics:

- Using Active Help - Selection Windows

- Using Passive Help - Online Help Text

## Using Active Help - Selection Windows

Active help is given if parameter values needed to execute a function are missing. A selection window containing all possible parameter values is displayed.

Active Help is available for all input fields marked with an asterisk. If an asterisk is entered in such a field a selection window is displayed. A selection window will also be displayed if a parameter is mandatory and the field is left blank or an invalid value is entered.

A sample active help window is shown below. An asterisk has been entered in the field File type of the File Maintenance screen. The valid file types are displayed in a selection window.

    17:06:53             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
    Plan   0                 - (FI) File Maintenance -               Profile SYSTEM
                                                   +Top-------File-types----------+
     Function                              Functio ! _ A    Adabas file           !
                                                   ! _ AT   Adabas cluster table  !
     A  Add a file                         L  Link ! _ B    Adabas SQL view       !
     C  Copy file                          S  Sele ! _ C    Conceptual file       !
     M  Modify file                        B  Push ! _ D    DB2 table             !
     N  Rename/Renumber file               F  Forc ! _ E    DB2 view              !
     P  Purge file                         J  Phys ! _ F    rdb file              !
     D  Display file                       K  Modi ! _ I    IMS segment           !
                                                   ! _ J    IMS seg. layout       !
    Function .........                             ! _ K    IMS userview          !
    File ID ..........                             ! _ L    Logical VSAM          !
    Copy ID ..........                             ! _ M    ISAM file             !
    Contained in DA ..                             ! _ O    Other file            !
    External name ....                             ! _ P    Entire Sys. Server    !
                                                   ! _ Q    Sys. Server userview  !
    Restrictions ....*   Profile Default ,used     ! _ R    Logical VSAM view     !
                                                   ! _ S    Sequential file       !
    Command ===>                                   ! _ T    RMS file              !
                                                   !Command ==> +______           !
                                                   +More--------------------------+

The following rules apply when using selection windows.

- A list of valid values may exceed the size of the window. All, Top, More or Bottom in the top or bottom line indicate if and how a list of values exceeds a window. The following commands can be entered in the command field of a selection window:

  + | scroll down one window
  ++ | scroll to bottom of list
  - | scroll up one window
  - - , top | scroll to top of list
  PF3 or . | quit window

  Note
  The commands ++ and -- are not available if the data displayed in a selection window is read from the dictionary.

- Values can be chosen from selection windows in different ways:

  - by placing the cursor on the desired value and pressing ENTER

  - by marking them in the first column and pressing ENTER.

  Selection windows are especially useful when selecting objects from the dictionary. Asterisk notation can then be used. All objects that can be specified in the specific context are displayed. See also the section Using Selection Windows for an overview of when selection windows can be used.

- Selection windows in which more than one code, value or option can be chosen are closed with PF3 or '.'. For example: the Output options window. Selection windows in which one code or value is chosen are closed by confirming the selection with ENTER. For example: the File types selection window shown in the screen above.

  Note
  It is not possible to select a value by entering the respective code in the command field (==>) in the bottom line of selection windows.

## Using Passive Help - Online Help Text

Context-sensitive online help information can be displayed by entering a question mark in the first field of a menu or from the Help Main Menu. Both forms are described in the sections below. See the following list for an overview of topics:

- Online Help and Software AG Editor

- Customizing Online Help

- Using Online Help Context Specifically

- Using Online Help via the Help Main Menu

- Display Help Texts

- Functions in the Help Main Menu

A topic list is displayed at the beginning of most help texts. To get more information on the topic you are interested in, position the cursor on that topic and press ENTER.

        13:27:47             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
        Help   1                - (PR) Program Maintenance -
        -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Program Maintenance Menu
           ------------------------
          >> General description <<
          >> Add a program (Code A) <<
          >> Copy program (Code C) <<
          >> Modify program (Code M) <<
          >> Rename program (Code N) <<
          >> Purge program (Code P) <<
          >> Edit description of a program (Code W) <<
          >> Display program (Code D) <<
          >> Link children (Code L) <<
          >> Edit owners of a program (Code O) <<
          >> Edit entry-points (Code R) <<
          >> Select program from a list (Code S) <<
          >> Redocument program (Code X) <<
          >> Edit procedure code of a program (Code Y) <<

        Command ===>                                                     Scroll ==> CSR
        Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
                          Quit        RFind Flip  -     +           Left  Right
                                                       line 1 of ... (line 4 on screen)

### Online Help and Software AG Editor

The Predict online help system uses the enhanced scrolling and scan functionality of the Software AG Editor. For more information see Software AG Editor in the section Editors in Predict in the Predict Reference documentation.

### Customizing Online Help

Online help texts can be changed by users. A special editor is provided for this purpose (see Maintain Predict Help Texts in the section Special Functions in the Predict Administration documentation).

### Using Online Help Context Specifically

- Each menu has an associated help text that describes the function or functions invoked from that screen. The help text can be displayed by entering a question mark in the first field of the menu.

- A question mark entered in the command line displays a series of help screens which explain the syntax and functions of the commands.

### Using Online Help via the Help Main Menu

A more general access to the Predict help system is provided via the Help Main Menu which is displayed by entering a question mark in the Function field of the Predict main menu.

        13:35:34             *****  P R E D I C T  *****                     2007-05-31
        Plan  10                     - Help main menu -

         Help information                      Help information

         G   PREDICT - general overview        C   PREDICT direct commands
         W   What is new ?
         ?   Help with Help                    P   PREDICT error messages
                                               N   NATURAL error messages
         D   Documentation object types
         X   External object types             M   PREDICT coordinator
                                               O   PREDICT conversion utility
         F   Function help
         E   Editor help                       A   PREDICT metadata administration

        Help information ..
        Function .........*
        Object type ......* FI
        Message number ....

        Command ===>
        Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
              Help  Next  Stop  Last  LnkEl Flip  Print Impl  AdmFi SelFi Prof  Main

### Display Help Texts

#### With the Software AG Editor

Enter a period (.) or PF3 at the end of a help text to skip to the next text.

Enter a period (.) or PF3 within the help text to skip all remaining help texts and return to the Help Main Menu.

#### Without the Software AG Editor

Enter PF3 to skip remaining texts.

### Functions in the Help Main Menu

#### Predict - General Overview - Code G

Displays a short description of the overall structure of Predict and its functions. Parameters entered in the fields Function, Object type and Message number are ignored.

#### What is new - Code W

Displays a description of new functions. Values entered in the fields Function, Object type and Message number are ignored.

#### Help with Help - Code ?

Displays help information on the Predict help system. Other parameters are ignored.

#### Documentation object types - Code D

Displays help texts of Predict functions that apply to specified Predict object types. The parameters Function and Object type determine which help texts are displayed. Enter an asterisk to display possible values.

If fields are left blank, help for all functions/object types is displayed.

The example below displays the retrieval help texts for all documentation object types:

Code: D

Function: R

Object type: blank

#### External object types - Code X

Displays help texts of Predict functions that apply to specified external object types. The parameters Function and Object type determine which help texts are displayed. Enter an asterisk to display possible values. Object type must be specified. If Function is left blank, help for all functions for the specified external object type is displayed.

The example below displays the help text of the function Generate PL/I Include Code.

Code: X

Function: G

Object type: PL

#### Function help - Code F

Displays help texts on different functional groups: Defaults, File Implementation and special functions. Leave Function field blank to display all help texts for these functional groups. Enter an asterisk to display valid values. Object type and Message number are ignored.

#### Editor Help - Code E

Displays help text on Predict editors. Leave Object type field blank to display help texts on all Predict editors. Function and Message number are ignored.

#### Predict direct commands - Code C

Displays information on how to enter Predict commands and on the use and syntax of individual commands. To find information on a specific command use the SCAN function or the topic lists in the help text provided. Other parameters are ignored.

#### Predict error messages - Code P

Enter four-digit Predict error number to display the full Predict error description. Fields Function and Object type are ignored.

Predict error descriptions can also be called with the following command from any Command ===> line: ? DICnnnn

#### Natural error messages - Code N

Enter four-digit Natural error number to display the Natural error description. Fields Function and Object type are ignored.

Natural error descriptions can also be called with the following command from any Command ===> line: ? nnnn

#### Predict Coordinator - Code M

Displays help on the Predict Coordinator. Other parameters are ignored.

#### Predict conversion utility - Code O

Displays help on the Predict Conversion Utility. Other parameters are ignored.

#### Predict metadata administration - Code A

Displays help on Predict Metadata Administration. Other parameters are ignored.

### On this page

- Using Active Help - Selection Windows
- Using Passive Help - Online Help Text