Data field descriptions

In addition to a field prompt, you can provide additional descriptive text for a data field using the DTAFLDD (data field description) tag. You code the DTAFLDD tag following the definition of the data field being described. The DTAFLDD tag has no attributes or required end tag. Multiple data field descriptions can be coded if necessary, and each description begins a new line.

The data field description appears to the right of the entry field, taking up as much room as is available, unless you have used the DESWIDTH attribute of the DTAFLD tag to specify a width for the description. If the DESWIDTH attribute is defined, the data field description is displayed within the description width specified (or defaulted), and word-wrapped on multiple lines, if necessary.

This panel contains data field descriptions.

Figure 1. Data field description

                             Library Inventory

 To add a book to the inventory, complete the fields below, then press
 Enter.

 Title . . . . . __________________________________________________
 Author  . . . . ____________________  Last name, First name, M.I.
 Publisher . . . SPOTH AND CRICK
 Total number of
 pages . . . . . ______  (1 - 99999)

Here is the markup used to generate the panel in Figure 1:

<!doctype dm system>

<varclass name=titlcls type='char 50'>
<varclass name=bookcls type='char 20'>
<varclass name=pagecls type='numeric 5'>

<varlist>
  <vardcl name=title   varclass=titlcls>
  <vardcl name=author  varclass=bookcls>
  <vardcl name=publish varclass=bookcls>
  <vardcl name=pages   varclass=pagecls>
</varlist>

<panel name=dfdxmp4>Library Inventory
  <topinst>To add a book to the inventory, complete the fields below,
  then press Enter.
  <area>
    <dtacol pmtwidth=15>
    <dtafld datavar=title usage=in entwidth=50>Title
    <dtafld datavar=author usage=in entwidth=20 deswidth=30>Author
      <dtafldd>Last name, First name, M.I.
    <dtafld datavar=publish entwidth=20>Publisher
    <dtafld datavar=pages usage=in entwidth=5 deswidth=15>
            Total number of pages
      <dtafldd>(1 - 99999)
    </dtacol>
  </area>
</panel>