Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Q. How do you add a date field to a screen and have it automatically fill in with today's date when someone enters through it?
A. Pages 20-11 and 20-12 of the DMS-Plus System Reference Manual describe the details of the /DEFAULT and /PUT options in DMS:SCREEN.
You would add the field to the screen and use the following option:

/DEFAULT=$DATE/PUT=ADD if you want add only to load the field
/DEFAULT=$DATE/PUT=UPD if you want update only to load the field
/DEFAULT=$DATE if you want both to load the field

/PUT assumes /NOPROMPT unless you tell it otherwise by specifying /PROMPT as an option. You can also use /DEFAULT=$TIME to load the time into a field and /DEFAULT=$USER to load a username into a field.

 

Q. How do you go back to make corrections when in VAX Mail?
A. When you use VAX Mail you want to SEND/EDIT instead of just SEND. SEND/EDIT lets you move your cursor anywhere on the screen (using your up, down, left, and right arrow keys) so you can go back and make corrections or changes to your text. When you are finished, just press CONTROL-Z to send the message.

Q. Can I convert field data from uppercase to lowercase?
A. You can use the /LCASE switch of DMS:BLANK to convert upper case data to mixed case.  For example, if you have a field .FULLNAME that contains JOHN H. SMITH, after issuing the command .FULLNAME/LCASE the data would become John H. Smith.  /LCASE works on a word by word basis, where a word is defined as being preceded and followed by a space.  It converts the first character of a 'word' to upper case and each character there after to lower case.  A 'gotcha' to consider is if a string, such as .FULLNAME, contains a suffix such as II or III, the result would be Ii and Iii.  So, JOHN H. SMITH III would become John H. Smith Iii.