Introduction to the Dialog Tag Language (DTL)

The Dialog Tag Language (DTL) is a tag-based language used to define many of the elements that make up the type of application known as a dialog, the communication between a person and a computer. You can define these elements using DTL, and use them in your ISPF applications.

The elements you produce with DTL are used by ISPF as the user interface for your ISPF applications. The programs you write using ISPF services and a programming language use the dialog elements you create for an application.

The overview of DTL, and the dialog elements you create with DTL, are provided in these topics:

Why the Dialog Tag Language?
This topic explains why you would want to use DTL to create elements for ISPF applications.
What is the Dialog Tag Language?
This topic explains what the Dialog Tag Language is and how it works.
Dialog elements
This topic explains and illustrates the dialog elements. These elements are:
- Application panels
- Help panels
- Messages
- An application command table
- Key mapping lists.
Variables and variable classes
This topic discusses the definition of variables you include in dialog element definitions.
What is the ISPF Conversion Utility?
This topic describes the conversion utility, the compiler you use to convert your DTL source files for use by ISPF.