screens other than 0-9 (was: Re: Windows 2003/IIS 6issues...new and improved ones.)

[Bruce Easton]

Kenneth Brody wrote Thursday, May 24, 2007 11:25 AM:
> 
> Quoting Fairlight (Thu, 24 May 2007 09:01:40 -0400):
> 
> > On Thu, May 24, 2007 at 08:24:15AM -0400, Kenneth Brody may or may not
> > have proven themselves an utter git by pronouncing:
> > > Quoting Fairlight (Wed, 23 May 2007 17:48:33 -0400):
> > > >
> > > > Yes?  Why shouldn't they be presented?
> > >
> > > Because only 0 through 9 can be selected via the *clerk selection
> > > list.  Others are available from the command line (via "-s") or
> > > from processing (SCREEN, POPUP, etc.).
> >
> > I know they're not presented.  I asked, "Why?"  Answering, "Because
> > they're not presented," is circular logic--"It's not done because
> > it's not done."
> >
> > > Correct.  This has been the case since 1.0 was release in 1983.
> >
> > And nobody ever thought to correct this oversight in 14 years?
> 
> What you call an "oversight", we call "a design decision".
> 
> Screens 0 through 9 are made available without any programming.
> Lettered and named screens (ie: all but 0 through 9) are only
> available if the developer programs access to them.
> 

I've always wondered why filepro's clerk's default dialog excluded named 
screens, but accepted that a "design decision" must have been made 
early on.  Was there ever a time when only single character screens 
were allowed?  If so, then the dual syntax (quotes/no quotes) for the 
screen/display commands makes more sense.

It would be nice to have the built-in dialog for clerk bring up 
all the screens on file - I know it is easy to code this 
functionality, but requiring processing to be in place for that 
basic function is limiting of filepro's otherwise pretty good 
out-of-the-boxness.  Of course, for backward compatibility, if such 
a feature was ever added, define screens should allow any screen 
to be marked to not appear by default (which would give more 
flexibility) AND a global env to make things work entirely the 
current way.

Bruce

Bruce Easton
STN, Inc.