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1986-08-21
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VA FILEMAN VERSION 17
Release Notes for Users of Previous Versions
The 'DINIT' routine must be run after the new copies of `DI` routines are
loaded. %DT, %DTC, and %RCR must be refiled in the 'MGR' directory.
***** NEW FEATURES *****
I. Relational Syntax
The FileMan includes new 'relational' capabilities that will allow the user to
integrate input to and output from multiple associated files. FileMan
software implicitly understands the 'backwards-pointer' relationship between a
given file and those other files which have fields 'pointing' to it. Thus, if
a PATIENT file is 'pointed to' (cross-referenced) by an "ENCOUNTER PATIENT"
field in an ENCOUNTER file, a user is able to start out in the PATIENT file,
and by typing 'ENCOUNTER:' automatically 'navigate' to any field within the
ENCOUNTER file without any 'ENCOUNTER' pointer having been defined in the
patient file. In effect, ENCOUNTER is treated as a 'virtual' multiple field
within the PATIENT file.
The SEARCH, SORT, PRINT, and ENTER/EDIT components of FileMan software respond
to a simple new syntax that signals 'relational' navigation'. This syntax is
simply the addition of a colon (:) at the end of the field specification.
Within the SEARCH Option the user is able to enter the name of a
pointer-valued field followed by a colon and proceed to specify fields to
search within the file pointed to by the pointer field. Alternately, he is
able to use an 'Extended Pointer' (database JOIN) syntax, followed by a colon,
to move from the original file to any other file. For example, at the prompt
'SEARCH FOR PATIENT FIELD:' , the user is able to enter 'STATE:' and then
proceed to specify fields to search within the STATE file. Finally the user
is able to search the entries of any file that points to the original file by
entering the name of that 'pointing' file followed by a colon. The 'relational
navigation' is available at the level of the search. Thus using the
PATIENT/ENCOUNTER example, one is able to start out within the PATIENT file,
type 'ENCOUNTER:', and then specify the specific fields within the ENCOUNTER
file to search. Similarly, having spceified some search criteria within
ENCOUNTER, one can also move on from ENCOUNTER to PROCEDURE.
The SORT and PRINT components of the PRINT Option of FileMan are usable in the
same ways as the SEARCH logic described. At the "SORT BY:" question, the user
is able to enter a 'Pointer Field' name of an 'Extended Pointer' or a 'virtual
multiple' file name - all with the colon suffix. Similarly when asked "THEN
PRINT FIELD:" the same syntax is allowed. In all cases, the subsequent
question is referenced to the 'new' file context: so that, for example, "THEN
PRINT FIELD: ENCOUNTER:" is followed by "THEN PRINT ENCOUNTER FIELD:".
The same three types of 'relational' syntax shall be available for the
ENTER/EDIT Option to edit data in more than one file.
II. Compiled Print Templates
A user with 'programmer-level' security is allowed to turn any existing Print
Template into one or more automatically-generated MUMPS routines. Whenever a
Print Template has such a MUMPS routine associated with it, it shall
automatically invoke that routine until fields comprising the Template are
modified.
III. Input Captions
Captions can now be specified as different from the field label (User Manual
VI.F). To specify a different 'prompt', simply answer the "EDIT WHICH FIELD:"
query with the label, followed by ";" and the desired prompt within quotation
marks. Thus:
EDIT WHICH FIELD: DOB;"Date of Birth"
will cause the DOB field to be asked in the form:
Date of Birth:
IV. New Data Dictionary Listing Options
Using the LIST FILE ATTRIBUTES Option, users are able to produce a
'Templates-only' list for any file. Alternatively, they are able to produce a
'Modified Standard' listing that suppresses the display of all MUMPS code and
that includes or excludes certain data fields based on their GROUP
memberships.
V. Suppressing Sub-headers for Print Templates
Certain Print Templates are designed for fixed-form output such as those that
must fit on special pre-printed paper. The PRINT Option allows the creator of
a Print Template to declare that no 'sub-headers' shall appear in the output
from such Templates. Thus end-users need not remember to specify their 'SORT
BY' criteria with sub-header suppression ("@").
VI. Search Conditions
The SEARCH Option allows the user to enter "=" rather than "EQUALS", ">"
rather than "GREATER THAN", "<" rather than "LESS THAN", and "[" rather than
"CONTAINS".
VII. Improvements in 'Trigger' Logic
In processing 'Conditions' for Triggers, the Cross-Reference Utility has been
modified to accept lengthy complex expressions. For triggered fields
resulting in new entries or sub-entries being dynamically created, the user
has control over whether this kind of 'LAYGO' trigger shall happen on both the
'SET' and the 'KILL' or just on the 'SET'.
IX. "Center" Tab Position
For enhanced word-processing formatting, the 'SETTAB' function allows a "C"
argument to indicate column-centering of input following the corresponding
tab.
X. Editing Input Templates
Any user-entered Input Template specification is now recallable in its
original form for editing of the template.
XI. Forcing Number entry on Lookup
The 'DIC' lookup program accepts the inputting of the Internal Entry Number
for any file of sub-file even if the file is not normally understood to be
'number-meaningful' by preceeding the number with an accent grave (').
XII. Line Mode Option for Word-processing Fields
Word-processing fields can be defined so that they customarily are displayed
line-for-line, rather than 'word-wrapped' (User's Manual, VI.B). When
creating a word-processing field, the user will be asked:
SHALL THIS TEXT NORMALLY APPEAR IN WORD-WRAP MODE? YES//
a 'NO' response here will cause the text to be printed in line mode.
XIII. Format Control
The ";C" and ";Y" Print Field qualifiers now allow negative parameters to
handle indentation from the right or the bottom margin (User's Manual IV.C).
Thus:
;C-10 start this Field 10 columns in from the right margin.
;Y-4 start printing this field four lines up from the bottom
of the page.
XIV. Underlining
Underlining can be controlled with the "|_|" window (User's Manual VI.B.).
Underlining will continue until the second "|_|" is encountered.
XV. New Functions
Three new Functions have been added to the Function File:
BETWEEN three argument function which will equal '1' if the 1st
lies between the 2nd and the 3rd; '0' otherwise.
MAXIMUM return the maximum value in a multiple field.
MINIMUM return the minimum value in a multiple field.
XVI. DIFROM
Recipients of packages will now be asked if they want to write over existing
file security codes if they already have a version of the package. Namespaced
help frames are included in the initialization routines when a package is
created.
XVII. Date/Time Fields
A user can now specify that time is required on input. Answer 'YES' to the
'Is Time Allowed' query, and FileMan will the ask 'Is Time Required'.
XVIII. DIM
The FileMan syntax checker (DIM*) has been updated to include the following
aspects of the 1984 MUMPS standard. In addition, the killing of any
unsubscripted global has been disallowed.
a) Set $Piece
b) Single-Argument $Extract
c) Double-Argument $Piece
d) Double-Argument $Length
e) Pattern Matches containing ranges, e.g. X?1.5NA
XIX. Descriptions on Templates
Input, Print, and Sort Templates now have a description field which can be
viewed by typing '[???' at the appropriate places when wishing to select a
template. They will also show on Standard, Modified, and Templates Only
dictionary listings. In order to facilitate the entering of these
descriptions, the SORT TEMPLATE EDIT Option under Utility Functions has been
changed to TEMPLATE EDIT. The user will now specify which type of template to
edit and then proceed as before.
XX. %DT
Two new parameters have been added to the %DT variable. If %DT contains:
N Numeric data input, e.g. 121177 is NOT allowed.
R Time is required (T need not be present).
Also, a default answer may be passed to %DT by defining the variable %DT("B"),
e.g. %DT("B")="TODAY".
XXI. Up-Arrow out of Print-Outs
When directing output from the Print Option to a CRT, it is now possible to
type an up-arrow (^) after you hear the beep at the bottom of a screen to
terminate the print-out and return to the menu.
**** BUGS FIXED ****
Version 17 is designed to be backwards-compatible with all existing FileMan
systems. Since, however, a number of errors have been fixed in the new
Version, a few incongruities might arise:
TABS in Word-processing Text - Version 16 did not properly count column
positions for TABS; "TAB5" would generate output that started in column
position 4. This has now been corrected. It can be expected that documents
with TABS in them will now appear to have all TABS shifted on position to the
right. If this is a problem, remember that the SETTAB function can re-specify
TAB positions for parts or all of a document.
Multiple Identifiers - Previous FileMan versions would allow any number of
Identifier Fields to be specified at any File or Sub-File level, but would not
necessarily display them all on a lookup. In Version 17, all Identifiers that
have been defined to be displayable are indeed displayed. This could result
in a surprise for data entry personnel who were not expecting to see all
Identifiers. If this is a problem, simply delete the unexpected Identifiers,
or re-define them as 'non-displaying'.
Compiled Input Template - An Input Template that contains something like
"Field Name//^S X=DG" where the Field is a Word-processing type will now be
compiled correctly. Also, if the same field appears twice, the proper default
will be displayed.
Date Type Multiple Fields - The user entry for the .01f field of a multiple
that is defined to be a DATE will now be screened correctly. Previous
versions of FileMan accepted time entry even though the field definition
specified that time may not be entered.
DIFROM - Any 'INITs' generated using Version 17 will run only under FileMan
Version 17. It will also now defoult to a maximum routine size of 2000 bytes.
Cross-Reference Suppression - If DIC(0) contains "C" before invoking the
routine ^DIC, then FileMan will turn off suppression of MNEMONIC
cross-references.
DINIT - Error will no longer occur if the user answers '?' to MUMPS OPERATING
SYSTEM.