Exercise 7.12: Verifying the source changes

Before you begin, you must complete Exercise 7.11: Adding new keywords.

You have just added a new record and some new fields to your DDS source. Everything that the CODE Designer adds to your DDS source is certain to have the correct syntax. Now you need to make sure that there are no semantic errors. You just introduced one in the last exercise by creating two INDTXT keywords describing the same indicator.

To verify your source:

  1. Click Tools > Verify file (or click the verify Verify Button button on the main toolbar) on the CODE Designer menu.
    Verify Button

    The DDS source is checked using the same verifier that the CODE Editor or LPEX Editor uses. A message appears on the status line at the bottom of the Designer stating that the verify process completed with errors.

  2. In the DDS tree, there is a trail of red x's leading to the problem.
    Error shown with red x's

    The file icon has a red x, as does the SELECT record, the EMPAPL field and finally the second INDTXT keyword.

  3. Click the MAIN_MENU tab in the workbook.

    The EMPAPL field is highlighted in red.

  4. Click the Listing tab in the workbook.

    This page shows you the listing generated by the most recent program verify. A warning message is buried somewhere in the listing but it's not easy to find.

  5. If there are problems, they will show up in the Error list page in the Utility notebook. It behaves exactly like the Error list in the CODE Editor or LPEX Editor. Click the Error list tab.
  6. Double-click the warning DDS7861 in the Error list. (Press F1 to see detailed help on the message).

    The Source page appears and the cursor is placed exactly where the error is in the source. The Source page is a tokenized read-only view of the current state of the DDS source. Read-only? Wouldn't it be great if you could just clear the error right here. There are some things that are just plain faster in the editor and many others that are faster in the visual environment. It would be great to switch between the two modes at the push of a button. Well, let's just do that.
    Error line

You have verified your DDS source and have identified an error in the source and you are ready to begin Exercise 7.13: Switching between designing and editing the screen.