Show Us the Comments on “Show Me the Data!”

In “QUILNGTX: Show Me the Data!” we shared a new way to display text that removed the barrier of 52-character text limit. And we encouraged you to keep playing with it and share other ways you’ve used the APIs. Here’s your outlet. Please use the comments section below to share and discuss ideas. 

 

Comments

[Jim Rothwell]

Welcome to the future! That is, the wonderful future circa 1998. At least that's when I discovered and started using this API - from the tool DSPOBJLCK published in the August 1998 issue of Midrange Computing. (I would have told you about this but you never asked.) ;-)

I'm surprised you didn't comment on the strange quirk of this API - that it requires the short window title be defined in a message file, while the actual text is passed directly. Though I wouldn't want the message text to *have* to come from a message file, due to message descriptors' much more restrictive lengths, it would be handy to have the choice, so as to leverage the capabilities of message replacement values. It's also very strange that you can't simply pass the title text as well directly to the API. And I'm constantly trying to exit the display with F3, but since they didn't follow the ubiquitous convention of "F3=Exit F12=Cancel", you have to use F12 or Enter.

[Matt]

I got around the 52 char limitation limitation by using a screen with a low start line number message subfile. But that had a limitation of defined screen size (80 columns for my test programs).

With this new API and the sample procedure to output message text arrays, I now do not have to worry about length issues.

I could see this being used as a user read only notes/help text window. I just have to put text into an array from a database or var char field then pass to the API.

I would like to have the option to code the heading line as a text string instead of a MSGID.

Also, we have a standard to RI COLOR BLU windows. I would be nicer to have this ability to make it look like the window is a intergated part of the application.

[Birgitta Hauser]

Just a comment about the API QUSLNGTX.

I used this API long time ago in composition with a message break handler, to pop up special break messages formatted nicely.

Birgitta

[Jon Paris]

@Jim - Trust me, nobody was more surprised than I when I discovered that this thing had been around for years. I also make a point of subscribing to all the various newsletters etc. and can't believe I missed it. I was tempted to pull the article because late in the day I had reason to google it to be sure I had the parms described correctly - that was when I discovered a number of other references (yours wasn't the only one).

But experience has taught me that many people only read one newsletter, and if both Susan and I had missed it then probably others had too so I went ahead with it.

As to the "quirk" - I thought it was a good idea although I agree I'd like the option. But then I'd like the option fopr response text too so ...

[Jon Paris]

@Matt I think you just helped me prove to myself (and Jim) that it was worth publishing even though it is "old".

I have also experimented with using the C API sprintf() but ensuring that the output message is actually "seen" makes it less useful.

The subfile idea is good too but in simple "does this work" scenarios it was more trouble than I wanted to go to.

[Jon Paris]

@Birgitta I like the idea of using it with a break handler. Thanks for suggesting that.

[Jim Rothwell]

@Jon - I hope you didn't think I was criticizing your decision to post this. My comment (about the API's age) was meant in jest and I was hoping that my winking emoticon would convey that.

I often am alerted to features that I've missed by articles such as yours, even though I subscribe to (and eventually get around to reading) many of the industry newsletters and magazines. My own problem is in remembering what's available - I'll read about a capability that I can't use immediately, and then it's hit or miss when I have the need whether I'll remember what I've read previously. So it's always good to have reminders such as yours come along now and then. Keep up the good fight!

[Jon Paris]

@Jim - No worries I didn't take it as criticism - although admittedly I didn't think the smiley was attached to it - I read it as applying to just the last "ask me" bit.

Like you I try to store all the "might be useful in the future" stuff but sadly as I get older the depth of my recall seems to be diminishing!

And we will indeed continue the fight!