subfile processing: SFLSIZ=SFLPAG (was: readc & sflnxtchg)

[Wynn Osborne <wynn@xxxxxxxxxx>]

All this talk of subfiles has me thinking---

I'd like to hear some views on techniques used when SFLSIZ=SFLPAG.

I've been a codin' fer about 10 years and have only recently had my eyes
opened with the possibilities of this neat feature. I find it very intriguing.

Of course you know that field selection is possible. But further, on each
write to the subfile, the data may occupy any number of lines you want. For
example, one line can show header info such as vendor info. Then for a
detail line, you can write a record that occupies 2 lines. Further, if a
optional data is present, one can write a record that occupies 4 lines. All
these can be present in the same subfile.

My enigma has been trying to find a good skelatal method for doing this.
It's tough when building pages of data that are variable in nature.


Of the different schemes I've tried are:

Using a work file where you can build your subfile page behind the scenes.
You build the work file first---then you can analyze those records and
determine how many lines they will occupy on the screen.

Then there's the approach of doing it with live data...determining, as you
go, the real estate taken up by the data you are accessing.

Of course, we've not even discussed paging back through data...tougher yet.

Sorry to carry on, but it'd be nice to hear how some of you have handled
these puppies.

Wynn Osborne
Sen P/A
Florida


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