TCB Simple Process Tutorial

This web page document is also a working TCB program. It can be used as a template to create a new program, just substitute your own specifications. TCB has the ability to read program specifications from a disk file rather than from a database.

Once familiar with how TCB programs work, applications designers will find that using ordinary notepad with a program form is easier and faster than the Program Generator to quickly create or modify programs screens. You can modify the file, save it, then drag'n'drop your new creation on tcb.exe, or xmenu.exe(limited objects), to see the results.

Note: this document is named EntryTrans.htm. Rename it to whatever you wish and save your changes.

Find out more about programs, here.

Microsofts Project Sienna lets the user touch the screen. This is something that is juvenile (you don't seem to be able control it) and dangerous! The last thing a business wants is someone mucking with their windows. The TCB solutioin designer can choose to include a function that allows the designer/user modify the size and placement of objects in a process window in real time.

In this document that feature is implemented in a tiny gray button seen in the upper left corner of this process Window. Click it and then near the left bottom of the screen some colored squares appear. Double-click in the gray area immediately to the right of those buttons. Note the buttons that appear at the top center of the screen. Click the Drag button to set up moving and sizing. Now you can drag objects where you want them.

To size objects, click the Drag button again. It becomes a size button. Clicking the Height button toggles between width and height sizing. Clicking the purple button now at the end of colored buttons at the bottom of the screen lets you save the process with changes.

Note: The Datatree, Datagrid, drop-down box, and Sliders cannot be moved or sized with this beta version.












































About Programs

A process is an electronic sheet. It contains 1 line of properties for each object and every object resides on its own line.

Format of program lines is shown below:
[key]spec=property,property,property... 
The symbol '[key]' is a porocess object identifier.
Example: stayontop=

objects, switches, commands, and functions There are four primary types of program objects; Tangible Object, Intangible Object, Command Object, and program Switch Object. Tangible Objects are everything you see except the Dateon switch and prototyping buttons and labels. Intangilble Objects are TCB system objects such as the TCB data control. There are 3 kinds of Command Objects each can consist of any mix of TCB functions, Windows commands, command line commands in a single string. Command sets can also be executed from files or database records. program Switch Objects modify the look and functioning of the program itself.

Program specifications are shown below:
stayxxxontop=
dateon=

A commonly used Tangible Object specification is shown below:
winspec=wallpaper\fade130-800-1000.jpg, Light Grey, Plum, Times New Roman, 1, False, 5617, 5820, 865, 8809, 

A commonly used Intangible Object specification is shown below:
tdatspec=Ctrl3,admin.db3,journal,rsid,name,1,1,4,12,1,1,select * from journal 

There are three kinds of Command Objects; cmdspec=, prespec=, postspec=. A commonly used Command Object specification is shown below:
prespec=funckey=3;quit=|

An example program line for each object is shown below. Beneath each program line is line showing the properties and format of each object. Below that line are any notes for that object. Only the last 'winspec=' or 'frmspec=' line is recognized. More information is available from the tcbPrcs and tcbFunctions documents.
Note: in many objects, the name property can contain a command string and and when right or double-clicked, will execute those commands. In other objects the Fieldname field can be used as a command launch and in buttons, the CMDSTYLE field is used for graphic specification.

winspec=grafics\solwind1.jpg,green,green,Times New Roman, 1,False,5200,2800,300,11000,grafics\TCBlogo.ico,
:winspec=Caption, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, Height, Left, Top, Width, Icon 
Note: If caption is a file name then use file name as background graphic and no caption 

frmspec=FrameName,,beige,Forest Green,Times New Roman, 8,False,250,22245,25615,250,
:frmspec=Name, Caption, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, Height, Left, Top, Width 
Note: The frmspec object is not used with the current version but will be used with the in a planned later version. 

butnspec=cmd=PROG|,If Message checkbox is checked displays a message right-click to see batch run,IF Check,green,tahoma,9,-1,         600,2400,100,1000,checkval=1;msgbox=Message box has been checked|,grafics\bjwin.ico,fewryter4ye,reyq5u54u
:butnspec=Name,Tip,Caption,BackColor,FontName, FontSize, FontBold, Height, Left, Top, Width, CMD, CMDStyle, CMDStyle, Box
Note: The property CMDStyle can now contain a graphic file name for the button. 

lblspec=title,Initial Admin User,trans,tahoma,12,-1,turquoise,0,0, 300,600,3300,5000,task,, 1,
lblxxxspec=cmd=6;|, Reports, white, Tahoma, 12, -1, Black, -1, -1, 300, 5480, 1140, 1500 
:lblspec=Name, Caption, BackColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, ForeColor, FontUnderline, FontItalic, Height, Left, Top, Width, FieldName, Box

imgspec=tcb.exe docs\tmEntrytrans.htm|quit=|,Exit EntryTrans.htm,     250,20,1400,250,quit=|,1,grafics\btnRedSQcircDot.gif
:imgspec=Name, Tip, Height, Left, Top, Width, CMD, CMDStyle, BMP, FieldName, Box: 

txtspec=textrun=1;|,Enter commands and ctrl-left-click to execute ,black,white,tahoma,9,-1,0,0,1000,3600,600,2600,0,0,-1,2,,*,popscreen=text;1;1|,1,ColorName,lnam
:txtspec=Name, Tip, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, FontUnderline, FontItalic, Height, Left, Top, Width, MaxLength, Locked, Multiline, ScrollBars, PasswordChar, EditWord, CMD, CMDStyle, Text, FieldName, Box:

combspec=combodb,Light Grey,Black,Times New Roman,10, -1,0,         400,6800,1200,2600,textin=1;comb1;|,Press Enter to insert value in text box ,
:combspec=Name, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, FontItalic, Height, Left, Top, Width, CMD, Tip, Box

listbspec=listone,WHITE,teal,tahoma,10,-1, 0,0,0,  1230,3600, 1680,2600,0,explorer.exe,popscreen=text;1;1|notepad.exe|,calc.exe,watsa yo,,
:listbspec=Name, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, FontItalic, FontUnderline, FontStrike, Height, Left, Top, Width, Appearance, SLClick, SRClick, RClick, Tip, Box

slidespec=test transparency|,280,100,300,2000,1, 255, 1, 20, 1, 255,wintrans=mem0|,change value,, 
:slidespec=Name, Height, Left, Top, Width, Orient, Max, Min, LargeChange, SmallChange, Value, OnChange, Tip, Box

optionspec=|optionone,Option One,darksalmon,teal,impact,14,0,0,0,0,500,100,3700,1600,0,0,zmsgbox=TEsting tmessage;1;Timed;6.8;2000;2000;|msgbox=Option Shift left-click|,msgbox=Option Shift Right-click|,msgbox=Option Right-click|,I am an Option Button,,
:optionspec=Name, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, FontItalic, FontUnderline, FontStrike, Height, Left, Top, Width, Appearance, Value, SLClick, SRClick, RClick, Tip, Box

checkspec=checkone,Message,teal,yellow,impact,14,14,0,0,0,        500,100,4400,1600,0,0,popscreen=checkbox;1;1|,msgbox=CheckBox Shift Right-click|,msgbox=CheckBox Right-click|,I am a CheckBox,,
:checkspec=Name, Caption, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, FontItalic, FontUnderline, FontStrike, Height, Left, Top, Width, Appearance, Value, SLClick, SRClick, RClick, Tip, Box

picspec=picplay=1;grafics\COUNT8R.AVI|, gray, red, tahoma, 16, -1, 0, 0, 2800,7100,1680,2400,ATTACH,picplay=1;grafics\COUNT8R.AVI|, picplay=1;grafics\COUNT8R.AVI|,Double-click for Explorer - right-click for Notepad,, 
:picspec=Name, Tip, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontSize, FontBold, FontUnderline, FontItalic, Height, Left, Top, Width, Pic, CMD1, CMD2,  Tip,  Box

treespec=treeview,yellow,black,2400,505,800,2400,blue,green,22,8,10,PIC,1.2,-1,notepad.exe,calc.exe,explorer.exe,Right-click to view document,,
:treespec=Name, BackColor, ForeColor, Height, Left, Top, Width, BackHighColor, ForeHighColor, IconSize, FontSize, Indent, Speed, Sort, SLClick, SRClick, RClick, Tip, Width, Box   

gridspec=TestGrid|msgbox=explorer.exe|,light goldenrod,Black,tahoma,-1,-1,-1,2000,3000,3000,4000,black,green,green,black,&H00BBFDFD&,&H00B5F7C6&,&H00C000C0&,0,msgbox=colclick,msgbox=doubleClick|notepad.exe|,this is gridbox tip,, 
:gridspec=RClick, BackColor, ForeColor, FontName, FontBold, FontItalic, FontUnderline, Height, Left, Top, Width; "," + BackColorContainer, BackColorFixed  "," + BackColorSelected, ForeColorFixed, GridLineColor, GridColorFixed, Edit, ColClick, dClick,  Tip, box

tdatspec=Ctrl3,admin.db3,journal,rsid,name,1,1,4,12,1,1,select * from journal 
:tdatspec=name,datsetspec,recset,recIdFld,recKeyFld,textstart,labelstart,norows,nocols,currentrec,recKeyFldNo,query 

datespec=midnight Blue,green,MS Serif,9,0, 
:datespec=backcolor,forecolor,fontname,fontsize,fontbold, 
Note: Only 1 datespec object is allowed in a single TCB program. 

cmdspec=LOAD|gridfromfile=1;data\cosales.csv|listload=1;data\cosales.csv|treein=1;diagrams\shareDoc.tre|combin=1;data\cosales.csv|
:cmdspec=[name]|command|command|...|
Note: the cmdspec= library commands. Commands are executed by ordinal number or name. 

prespec=cmd=1|
treein=1;diagrams\shareDoc.tre| 
:prespec=command|command|...| 
Note: prespec= commands are executed sequentially after the program is loaded(may change) 

postspec=zmsgbox=going down;1;EntryTrans;3.28;2000;2000;| 
:postspec=command|command|...| 
Note: postspec= commands are executed sequentially when the program is shutting down 

menuspec=1
itemspec=mem0in=memonly|fonts=|, Show Fonts,       0, 1, 1
itemspec=mem0in=memonly|colors=|, Show Colors,         0, 1, 2
itemspec=mem0in=memonly &graf&|open=||, Get Grafics,         0, 1, 3
itemspec=select fonts graphics colors,  Insert Specials,  16, 2, 1001
itemspec=endmenu


prespec=popscreen=text;1;1|
prespec=istcb=
prespec=db3file=data\dmdat.db3|dbload=|

prespec=funckey=3;quit=|
prespec=funckey=4;tips=|
prespec=funckey=6;start scr\protect.scr /s|
prespec=funckey=8;stayontop=|
prespec=funckey=9;winmin=|
prespec=funckey=1;browser=.\docs\tmEntryTrans.htm|

cmdspec=PROG|5|msgbox=RatstaFarI|
cmdspec=PROG|6|msgbox=Yowsa suh|
butnspec=1|ctrlbox,,,Black,Small Fonts,4,false,80,5,5,80,ctrlbox=7,1

lblspec=2title2,System:,trans,tahoma, 8, 0,green,False,False,                  	300,8500,250,1000,,
lblspec=3title3,SubSystem:,trans,tahoma, 8, 0,green,False,False,               	300,8500,450,1200,,
lblspec=4title4,Program:,trans,tahoma, 8, 0,green,False,False,                 	300,8500,650,1200,,

lblspec=5title5,OS,trans,tahoma, 8, 0,turquoise,False,False,           		300,9400,250,2000,,
lblspec=6title6,Computer,trans,tahoma, 8, 0,turquoise,False,False,              300,9400,450,2000,,
lblspec=7title7,Program,trans,tahoma, 8, 0,turquoise,False,False,               300,9400,650,2000,,

prespec=labelin=5;[os]|
prespec=labelin=6;[userdomain]|
prespec=labelin=7;[currentproc]|














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