When using a QMF form in an application, you need to keep a few things in mind:
If you create a form &file outside of QMF (that is, you don't create it using EXPORT FORM), it is not necessary to have a complete form object to import it successfully into QMF. All you really need is the header (H) record followed by the T and R records of the COLUMNS table. Default values are applied for the rest of the form when it's imported.
You have more flexibility when you create your own form file, data set, or CICS data queue--it doesn't have to be exactly like the file, data set, or CICS data queue you get if you use EXPORT FORM. For example, when QMF exports a form, all data values in a value (V) record are preceded by a length, whereas you can use an asterisk (*) signifying that the data value is delimited by the end of the record when you import a form.
If an R record count in an imported form is less than the number of default lines QMF has already allocated for the associated area in the default form, QMF keeps the excess lines.
The object level in the header record of a form file, data set, or CICS data queue tells you the level of the format structure at the time the form was generated. (Object level is indicated in bytes 12 and 13 of the header record as described in ***.) You can make sure that your application properly interprets the contents of the form file, data set, or CICS data queue by checking that the object level represents the format upon which your application is based.
The application data records mentioned in Application data record (*) can be useful in your application program. They allow you to include your own comments within a file, data set, or CICS data queue for a form object. You can place them anywhere in the file, data set, or CICS data queue following the header record. When QMF reads such a record it ignores all data in the record following the *. The record therefore, has no effect on the import process.
If your installation supports date/time data types and you export a form with date/time information, you cannot subsequently import that form using a QMF installation that does not support date/time data types. If you do, the IMPORT command processing stops and QMF issues an error message.
Instead of including table and field numbers for each Break panel, QMF Version 3.2 now uses one field number (3080) to act as a "trigger" to indicate which Break panel receives the information that follows it.
If you create Break panels in an exported file, data set, or CICS data queue, you can set field 3080 to the number of the Break panel you want. Valid values for this field are 1 through 6 only.
You can use any of the six break panels in an encoded file, data set, or CICS data queue without having to define all the panels. For example, you can create a Break5 panel without creating Break panels 1 through 4.
Because QMF introduced new field numbers for the Break panels in Version 3.2, and these new numbers are not compatible with earlier versions of QMF, the object level of an exported form has increased to object level 4. The form objects were not changed between QMF Version 3 Release 1 and Version 3 Release 1 Modification 1 (Version 3.1.1) or between Version 3.1.1 and Version 3 Release 2 (Version 3.2).
When upgrading from QMF Version 2.4 or earlier (including QMF VSE Version 1) to QMF Version 3.2, you should upgrade your current applications to reflect the new Break field numbers. However, QMF Version 3.2 provides a Form Application Migration Aid that lets you install Version 3.2 and still use existing applications that use the old Break field numbers.
When you export QMF Version 3.2 form objects, this aid converts the new Break field numbers in these form objects to their QMF Version 2.4 counterparts. Your existing application can then run with QMF Version 3.2 without requiring an immediate upgrade.
Important: The Form Application Migration Aid does not allow you to export QMF Version 3.2 forms and use them with QMF Version 2.4.
Because REXX is not available under QMF CICS, the areas on the QMF form that rely on REXX do not work if you try to run the form in the CICS environment. These areas include anything entered on the FORM.CALC panels, the FORM.CONDITIONS panels, and the Specify Definition window. Therefore, REXX calculations, conditional row formatting, and column definitions are not available to QMF CICS users.
For additional information and rules governing the form files, data sets, or CICS data queues for input and output, see Importing encoded format objects.
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