Screen Definition File

During the execution of the compiler and any associated or generated programs, the screen processing is translated by a screen definition file to ensure proper operation. This allows PL/B programs to perform correctly on virtually any configuration of a supported system. The generation of a valid and complete screen definition file is critical to the success of this product.

Under Linux, the runtime builds a screen definition file name from the current TERM entry in the User Environment Table by adding .DEF to the current TERM entry. It then looks in the current directory for that definition file. If not found in the current directory, it then searches the PLB_SYSTEM directory for the file. The screen definition file must be present for the program to execute. The supplied makedef, testdef, and getkey utility programs generate a valid and complete screen definition file.

The PLBCON runtime uses a PLB_TERM environment variable to indicate the screen definition file name. PLBWIN uses a PLB_TERM entry in the PLBWIN.INI file.

See Also: Introduction