Mask Menus

Mask menus are context menus for the mask. They can be opened by the user if a mask is active. Because a mask in DataView knows different states, several context menus can be created. You can create NoSelect menus, Select menus and Edit menus. In lists the NoSelect menu refers to the entire list object and the Select menu to one or several selected records in the list. In forms only one mask menu can exist, because the record displayed is considered to be the selected one and, thus, NoSelect- and Select-state are not differentiated between. The edit menu is the context menu for mask-edit state in both lists and forms.


NoSelect Menu for Lists

The NoSelect menu in lists should contain items that refer to the entire list object or to all data in the list, e.g. search records (iwf_sel_lis), insert records (iwf_ins_elm), print all records displayed (pri_wdg), etc.

You link a menu with the NoSelect state of a list by entering the menu name in the Mask Data form, field Menu/Nos. If the list is a self-created copy of a default list, this replaces the default NoSelect menu WIDGET_NOS automatically entered by DataView.


Select Menu for Lists

The select menu in lists should contain items referring to one or several selected records, e.g. edit record (iwf_edt_lis), delete record (iwf_del_lis), display additional data for a record in a separate form (z.B. iwf_frm_typ), etc.

You link a menu with the Select state of a list by entering the menu name in the Mask Data form, field Menu/Sel. If the list is a self-created copy of a default list, this replaces the default Select menu WIDGET_SEL automatically entered by DataView.


Context Menu for Forms

The form menu can contain items referring to both all data in the form and to the displayed record only, i.e. NoSelect and Select functions simultaneously. You can use for instance NoSelect functions, such as Search (iwf_sel_lis), Insert (iwf_ins_elm), Print (pri_wdg), and Select functions, such as Edit (iwf_edt_lis), Delete (iwf_del_lis), display dependent elements in a separate refine list (iwf_lis_ref), etc.

You link a menu with a form by entering the menu name in the Mask Data form, field Menu/Nos. If the form is a self-created copy of a default form, this replaces the default form menu WIDGET_FRM automatically entered by DataView.


Edit Menu for Lists and Forms

The Edit menu is the context menu for mask-edit state. It must contain items that close the different modes of mask-edit state:

Edit menus can contain additional items, e.g. for comfortable data editing, such as cut-, copy- and paste-functions (cch_cal_mac, parameter CUT, COPY or PASTE) or delete field contents (evt_cal_mac parameter @CLEAR-FIELD), etc. You should always call the required event-macros with the auxiliary userexit evt_cal_mac and any required client-macros with the auxiliary userexits cch_cal_mac.

Please note that from Edit menus you`re not allowed to invoke interactive widgets (iwf_lis_..., iwf_frm...), a graphical browser (iwf_brw_ent) or any userexit`s which would activate Mask-Edit state a second time (e.g. iwf_edt_lis, ...).

To avoid the necessity to create an individual Edit menu for each mode of the mask-edit state you can control for each contained item in which mode it is to be available (displayed). This is controlled via the item name.

Item name Availability of the Item
name only in all modes
Name@I in insert-mode only
Name@U in update-mode only
Name@Q in query-mode only
Name@V in view-mode only
Name@IU e.g. only in insert- and update-mode (other combinations also possible)

You link a menu with the mask-edit state of a mask by entering the menu name in the Mask Data form, field Menu/Edt. If the mask is a self-created copy of a default mask, this creates the hard-coded Edit menu of DataView (don't enter in field Menu/Edt).


Inheritance of Edit Menus

If you use lists or forms without any Edit menu as sub-masks in combined forms, the Edit menu defined for the header form will be automatically inherited to the sub-mask.


Mask Menu Items Automatically at the Top Menu

Depending on the state of the mask, all items of the mask context menus can also be selected in the Edit menu if you defined one as a dynamic pull down menu at the top menu. Detailed information can be found in the section -> Dynamic Pull Down Menus at the Top Menu.