THE FORMS DESIGNER code

Sunbelt provided the forms designer as part of the system.

The designer is a visual tool to design, create, and update .PLF files.
A PLF file is required for each "form" that a program uses.

At MMCC, the shortcut to run the forms designer is found in the MMCCMENU folder.
When we moved to Windows 11 and a new computer we failed to bring that shortcut
over to the new machine. We had note used PL/b in a few years.

VERSIONS
There are at least a couple of versions of the designer.

When the PL/b community migrated to version 9 and above, the format of the PLF form file changed. HOWEVER, the newer versions maintained compatibility with the earlier PLF files so that users didn't have to convert every PLF file in their stable.

FORMS DESIGNER TOOLS code

When we came back to PL/b after our break for HTML only work,
I found that the forms designer was pretty mucy forgotten.
I had to stir up my brain to remember how to work with a form.

There are many things I need to write up.
This is the short list.

LOADING THE THING
I did not find the designer on my desktop.
After a short panic, I remembered to look in the MMCCMENU folder
where I found the designer shortcut.

I copied it to my desktop and it worked fine.

PROPERTIES
I was able to bet into a form and add a check box, but I didn't
remember how that worked in the program.

Even more importantly I didn't remember how to CHANGE AN OBJECT's NAME!

I found a small, out-of-the-way form in my MMCCUTIL9 sub-system called
HEX-TEST. That was an easy one to play with.

Loading the form was pretty easy using any of the several file opening
tools on the designer.

I found the properties table AFTER LOADING THE FORM.
With the form on-screen I could click the "WINDOW" menu item at the top.
That showed a dropdown list of the possible windows.
I chose "Properties" and the list of all objects popped up.
From here I could change most things, including the object name
and the text on the object.


There are a lot more topics I need to write up. .
These will be added as time permits. I need the reminder!
 

COMMON INFORMATION

Z: is redirected to C:\MMCC-WIN\SUNDB folder by the standard ACB.BAT compile procedure.

The common module is the same for every program in the MMCC universe.

The LAST LINES include PRIVCOM.pls, which is the private common for the particular system.

Next comes Z:COMMONWK, which is universe-wide common and standard working variables.

You have to recompile every programs if you change the Z:COMMONWK common storage.

You should only make changes to the END of Z:COMMONWK to insure things line up.