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Conference azur::mcc

Title:DECmcc user notes file. Does not replace IPMT.
Notice:Use IPMT for problems. Newsletter location in note 6187
Moderator:TAEC::BEROUD
Created:Mon Aug 21 1989
Last Modified:Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:6497
Total number of notes:27359

800.0. "QUERY: How to tell input syntax?" by COOKIE::KITTELL (Richard - Architected Info Mgmt) Fri Mar 15 1991 14:06

As I show my prototype to folks, they often ask what the syntax for a given
attribute value is, so they know how to specify a value for it. If the 
attribute already has a value they can show it, but for arguments to a 
create they don't have much guidance.

Now, traditionally that is something we'd turn to help for, and the product
will certainly ship with a help file describing each attribute and showing
an example of its value syntax.

I'm wondering what goodies might be planned for the Iconic interface. We can
use the middle button now for field-specific information and operations. Do
you envision us being able to access the help text for an attribute via
that mechanism?

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800.1TOOK::CALLANDERFri Mar 15 1991 14:2411
In the past lots of ideas have been punted around. Some of them were for
MB2 to be able to tell the user:

from the dicationry -- what was the data type and what the max length was
	(with length most important for things like strings)
Based upon the data type in the dictionary give and example format
Based upon the data type give them a mechanism for "quick fill" of certain
	data types; in this space enumeration has been done but other things
	discussed were slide bars for numerics and ranges...
Define on-line help in a manner that allows for look=up of specifics and
	give the info (what you suggested/asked about)
800.2re .0BARREL::LEMMONThu Apr 04 1991 12:296
     Due to time constrains, nothing is being done in the v1.2 timeframe.
Another idea we have punted around is to use the DECwindows help mechanism.
That is, you press the "help" key while focus is in a specific field, this
would then bring up the help text for the attribute.    

/Jim