Checking for and correcting mistakes

Normally, pressing Enter while displaying a form panel positions the cursor on the command line. However, if you press Enter immediately after entering one or more erroneous values, QMF highlights any errors and sends you a message describing the first one. Pressing Enter does not identify any errors made during a previous interaction.

If you press Enter again (with or without correcting the first error), QMF positions the cursor on the command line. To receive a message about the next error in the form, use the CHECK subcommand (see CHECK).

QMF checks a form for errors whenever you issue a command that uses a form--for example, DISPLAY REPORT, PRINT CHART, PRINT REPORT, EXPORT REPORT, EXPORT CHART, or RUN QUERY with the FORM option. (You can issue the command either by entering it on the command line or by using a function key.) QMF also checks for errors when you display the form.

If a form contains an expression with an error, this error is not detected until QMF passes the values to REXX for evaluation. If you enter a QMF command (other than CHECK, DISPLAY REPORT, DISPLAY CHART, PRINT REPORT, PRINT CHART, or RUN QUERY with the FORM option) while displaying a FORM, QMF processes your command whether or not the FORM contains errors. The displayed message pertains to the command you entered.

Therefore, you can display, save, import, or export a FORM even if the FORM contains errors or warning conditions. Saved, imported, or exported forms are saved or transported in their present state, with mistakes and ERROR and WARNING indicators in place.