3270 script language statements

This section describes the script language statements in alphabetical order. Each description defines the syntax and gives an example.

The script language statements are not case-sensitive. You can type keywords and parameters in uppercase, lowercase, or a combination of both.

The Blueworx Voice Response script language statements are:

Syntax diagrams
ABORT
In a normal script, the Data Not Found result is returned to the calling state table, and then the session returns to the ready state. This informs the state table not to expect valid return values in the output parameters. If the ABORT statement is issued from a script that is invoked by another script, then both the called and the calling scripts are aborted and a nonzero return code is returned to the state table.
CALL
Use the CALL statement to invoke scripts from within scripts.
CASE
Use the CASE statement to define a multi-way conditional branch based on a comparison between a variable and one or more constants. When a match is found between a variable and a constant specified by a WHEN keyword, execution begins at the indicated WHEN and continues until the next WHEN, or until the end of the CASE structure.
CHECK_ATTRIBUTE
Use the CHECK_ATTRIBUTE statement to check whether the specified attribute applies to a specified selected field. The statement returns TRUE or FALSE.
CHECK_SCREEN
Use the CHECK_SCREEN statement to check whether the specified 3270 screen matches the current 3270 screen. CHECK_SCREEN does this by searching the current 3270 screen for predefined unique fields. In virtual mode, CHECK_SCREEN can be used to retrieve the specified screen from the Blueworx Voice Response database to simulate live host interaction.
Comments in scripts
Comments can be inserted anywhere in a script.
DISABLE_SESSION
The Data Not Found result is returned to the calling state table, and then the session is disabled. This informs the state table not to expect valid return values in the output parameters. If the DISABLE_SESSION statement is issued from a script that is invoked by another script, then both the called and the calling scripts are aborted and a nonzero return code is returned to the state table.
EXCEPTION
Use the EXCEPTION statement to check for a specified exception condition and identify the script that is to handle the exception when it occurs. The exception condition is described by an exception definition script and is handled by an exception handler script. An EXCEPTION statement is active for the duration of a script, continuously checking for the specified exception condition in the background while the main script is running.
EXISTS
Use the EXISTS statement to check for the existence of a specified field on the current 3270 screen. The statement returns TRUE or FALSE.
GET_FIELD
Use the GET_FIELD statement to retrieve the contents of a defined field on a 3270 screen and store the value in a specified variable.
IF
Use the IF statement to evaluate whether a condition is TRUE or FALSE, and perform specified actions based on the result.
INPUT
Use the INPUT statement to specify the parameters that are passed to a script. An input parameter is a variable that receives data from the calling state table or script. Input variables cannot be assigned.
LOG_ERROR
Use the LOG_ERROR statement to write data to the error log with the message identifier 24398. By default, message 24398 has a severity of white.
OUTPUT
Use the OUTPUT statement to specify the parameters to be returned to the calling state table or script.
PUT_FIELD
Use the PUT_FIELD statement to place a value into a defined field on a 3270 screen.
QUERY_SCREEN
Use the QUERY_SCREEN statement to return the name of the current 3270 screen. The statement compares the current 3270 screen against all the saved captured screens and returns the name of the first screen that matches. If no match is found, the statement returns an empty string.
RETURN
Use the RETURN statement to return control (and the contents of all output parameters specified by the OUTPUT statement) to the calling state table or script. Any statement following the RETURN statement is not executed.
SAVE_SCREEN
Use the SAVE_SCREEN statement to store the current 3270 screen on disk. The name of the screen is passed as a parameter.
SEND_KEY
Use the SEND_KEY statement to simulate keyboard input to the current 3270 screen at the current cursor position. This statement can be used to send anything that can be typed on a 3270 terminal, including keyboard keys, strings, numbers, or variable names. Special keywords are provided for keyboard keys, such as ENTER, PA1, PF1, PF2, and so on. For a list of the keywords, select Keys in the Send Key Definition window. See *** and *** for lists of 3270 and AS/400 key equivalents.
SET_CURSOR
Use the SET_CURSOR statement to explicitly position the cursor on a 3270 screen.
SLEEP
Use the SLEEP statement to define a pause for a specified number of seconds between statements. This statement is useful when you want to ignore events in the 3270 session for a set period of time, or to synchronize events.
Variable assignments in scripts
You can assign values to a variable that is to be used by another statement or used as a counter. A variable might need a specific value before a statement can be successfully executed, or you might need to assign the value of one variable to another variable. A variable can be no longer than 256 bytes.
WHILE
Use the WHILE statement to test a condition and execute statements within the body of the WHILE loop as long as the condition is true.