Reference File Validation and Valid Values

The Reference File can be used to validate user input on screens that are generated by the Expert Configurator.  If you are entering data in a field that is validated against a Reference File category, the following processing occurs:

1.   After the user enters a field value, the program checks to see if that value has been defined on the Reference File.

2.   If the value is defined, the input is accepted.  If the value is not defined on the Reference File category, the program reads Reference File category Y15 to determine if a category-specific error message exists.

3.   If the value is invalid and no category-specific message exists on Y15 a generic "data not found" message is displayed.

Lists of valid values from the Reference File are available for screens that are generated with the Expert Configurator.  This processing is similar to processing that occurs on other MAC-PAC screens:

1.   When the user presses F4 from a field that is validated against the Reference File, a list of values from that category are displayed in a window.

2.   When the valid values window is displayed, the user can select one of the values to return to the screen.

This processing is performed through program RFWIN.  It does not require any additional steps when defining screen generation/validation rules; if a field is validated against the Reference File, RFWIN will be called automatically whenever the user presses F4 from that field.