Restricted Video Modes

The action of ACUCOBOL-GT on a terminal with "non-hidden" attributes is determined by the setting of the RESTRICTED_VIDEO_MODE configuration variable.

Note: the following rules do not apply to intensity; these terminals can apply intensity attributes individually to each screen position. The Terminal Manager treats high and low intensity in the normal manner for these terminals.

By default, the RESTRICTED_VIDEO_MODE value is "0", which causes the Terminal Manager to ignore attributes other than intensity. The application runs correctly, but without any video attributes. This is convenient when you are running a program that has not been written to conform to the following rules.

In order to use video attributes with these terminals, you must set RESTRICTED_ VIDEO_MODE to a non-zero value. The syntax is:

RESTRICTED_VIDEO_MODE=value

Optional values are:

1 - The Terminal Manager uses the following rules, which tend to emphasize getting the fields in the right location over getting all the attributes correct:

a) Every ACCEPT and DISPLAY is preceded by the appropriate attribute-setting character.

b) This character is placed immediately to the left of the beginning of the field; this may overwrite existing data.

c) If the field position is column 1 of the current window, and the attribute is normal white on black, the attribute-setting character is not displayed.

d) If the field position is column 1 of the current window, and the attribute is other than white on black, the field is moved over to column 2 to allow space for the attribute character.

e) The field is then accepted or displayed using the normal rules.

f) If the screen location immediately after the end of the field does not contain an attribute-setting character, a normal white-on-black attribute character is placed there. If this statement is an ACCEPT statement, this is done before the ACCEPT occurs. The current cursor location is then set according to the normal ACUCOBOL-GT rules (this causes the cursor location to be where this terminating attribute character is located).

3 - The Terminal Manager follows all the rules listed under value "1" except for rule (c). This causes all ACCEPT and DISPLAY statements that reference column 1 to be placed in column 2. This value prevents you from placing data in column 1, but causes all fields placed in column 1 to line up vertically regardless of which attributes they use.

5 - The Terminal Manager follows all the rules listed under value "1" except for rule (b). The attribute character is placed in the first position of the field, and the field is moved to the right one character. This value causes all fields to shift to the right by one, but does not overwrite data if two fields are adjacent.

7 - The Terminal Manager follows all the rules listed for value "1" except for rules (b) and (c). Thus, every ACCEPT and DISPLAY is always preceded by an attribute character, and this character always occupies the first field position. This value emphasizes getting the attributes correct over getting the fields in the correct screen location.

In essence, by setting RESTRICTED_VIDEO_MODE to a non-zero value, the programmer is declaring to ACUCOBOL-GT a willingness to work with some restrictions beyond those imposed by other types of terminals. The end user should be aware that moving an application to this type of terminal from a "normal" type may result in unexpected effects.