Sending a Message to the Application

How to:

Send a Message

You can send a message to an application while a procedure is processing with the -TYPE command. You can use a message to do the following:

Explain the purpose of the procedure.
Display the results of a procedure or calculation during testing of a procedure.
Present useful information.
Pass CGI variables to WebFOCUS. For details, see Controlling Multiple Reports.

In WebFOCUS, depending on the execution of a procedure, the message may be displayed in the browser, or as a comment in the HTML file. To view an HTML file comment, use the appropriate web browser option, for example, View Source in Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Syntax: How to Send a Message

-TYPE text-label TYPE text

-label TYPE text

where:

text

Is the message to be sent. If you include quotation marks around the text, they are displayed in the message. The length of the message can be up to 495 characters.

In WebFOCUS, the message is included in the HTML source file.

-label

Is the target of a -GOTO or -IF.

Note: Labels are the only Dialogue Manager commands that can be placed on the same line as another Dialogue Manager command.

Example: Sending a Message

The following example illustrates the use of -TYPE to inform a client application about the contents of a report:

-* Version 1  06/26/00  SLRPT  Procedure
-* Component of Retail Sales Reporting Module
-TYPE This report calculates percentage of returns.
TABLE FILE SALES
 .
 .
 .
END