Programming Overview

GUI ScreenIO does not require external screen files in order to run your application; all of the panel data (which is quite compact) is compiled into your application. Likewise, all of the data items needed to control your GUI ScreenIO application are defined in the panel copybooks, which keeps things simple for you.

Basically, you COPY your panel copybooks into your program, CALL GUI ScreenIO to open your main window, then display your application panel(s) until you're done. Then, CLOSE your main window and STOP RUN.

Here's the absolute minimum GUI ScreenIO program. It has to be one of the simplest COBOL programs in existence - but it's a true Windows application!

A Windows program - in COBOL

This program will display and handle user interaction with any type of GUI ScreenIO panel (including a property sheet or a wizard), and regardless of the type or number of controls it contains.

You can use this program to test any of your own panels; just substitute the names of your panels for mymain and panel.

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. TESTPAN.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SOURCE-COMPUTER. IBM-PC.
OBJECT-COMPUTER. IBM-PC.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
* ------------------------: Main and the test panel copybooks:
COPY mymain.
COPY panel.

PROCEDURE DIVISION.
* ------------------------: Initialize; create the main window.
    PERFORM DISPLAY-MAIN.
* ------------------------: Display the panel
    CALL 'GS' USING panel-1
                    panel-2
                    panel-3
                    panel-4.
* ------------------------: Close main window before quitting.
    SET mymain-DO-CLOSE TO TRUE.
    PERFORM DISPLAY-MAIN.
    STOP RUN.

* ------------------------: Performed routines.
DISPLAY-MAIN.
    CALL 'GS' USING mymain-1
                    mymain-2
                    mymain-3
                    mymain-4.

Programming with GUI ScreenIO

Overview

A Windows program - in COBOL

Related topics: