GUI ScreenIO for Windows

 ScreenIO.com


Document-centric organization

The GUI ScreenIO panel editor is document-centric; that is, each panel definition consists of an individual COBOL copybook file, much as word processors store documents as individual files.

Panel definitions are COBOL copybooks

This copybook contains a complete definition of your panel and everything needed to use it.  You just COPY the panel definition into the DATA DIVISION of your program.  GUI ScreenIO applications require only their panel copybooks; no other data or copybooks are required to use GUI ScreenIO.

Why a document-centric approach is better

This differs from many other screen manager packages, which use a proprietary indexed file to store many, sometimes hundreds, of panel definitions in a single file.  The problem with this approach is, if the file gets corrupted, you can lose some - or all - of your panel definitions. 

There's also a very real risk of getting the panel definition file out-of-sync with your program executables, since a change in the definition of a panel requires not only that you recompile your programs with the new data layout of the panel, but that you use the correct version of the panel definition file at runtime.

We've also known cases where panel-definition files were discarded because no one knew what they were! 

Version control software compatibility

GUI ScreenIO's document-centric model works with version control software.  

Because each panel definition is a separate file (like your other copybooks and program source code), the version control software can easily track changes by file time and date.

The document-centric approach also makes it possible to check a single panel definition out of a program library or repository, modify it, and then check it back in when you're finished, just as you would any other COBOL copybook or source program.

Reduces risk of lost panel definitions

GUI ScreenIO panel definitions are standard ASCII text-format COBOL copybooks.  It's easy to examine them with any text editor and see what they are.  Therefore, it's much less likely that someone will discard them accidentally.

Easy recovery of lost panel definitions from listings

If you happen to lose a panel copybook, it's possible to recover it from a COBOL listing.


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