Re: Alerting tool for INFORMIX-4GL Applications

In article <4ao025$ou0@cssun.mathcs.emory.edu>, m.mejia@server1.codetel.net.do (Melvin Perez Cedano) wrote: >Hi Informixers! > >I'm looking for a tool, or any help in build one, for alerting messages in >my Informix Applications. > >I would like to build alert messaging in my applications; for example: alert >users when a product has reached the reorder level, alert user requiring for >a transaction authorization, and so on... > >I would like that these messages appear on the terminal indicated no matter >what this is running on. >[...] We have an alarm area on each application screen which displays up to 4 flashing numbers. The number indicates the severity of the alarm. The alarms are in a table which stores a long text explanation and the date and time of the problem. The application screens are updated when the user does something, due to the difficulty in writing to a screen that is already in use. The user must exit his screen and go to an alarm screen to find out what has happened. He may then delete the alarm, or leave it there. This technique works well enough, and could be adapted to paint the entire alarm message to the screen (rather than just a code.) Having the whole message will cost you screen real estate, however. It may be educational to note that we are phasing out the alarm screens, as the users did not think it was part of their job to "babysit" the computer, and the analysts did not run the application to see the screens. We have instead chosed to include an e-mail to the appropriate analyst on error (a la your reply from johnyc@mainelink.net), and not troubled the users at all. Using a table and standard Informix screens makes this method highly portable (unlike a fancy c or terminal-specific solution), easy to maintain by 4gl programmers, and familiar to users. Though I can't post company-copyrighted code, I'll help in other ways if I can. Best of luck, __________________________________________________________________ | Clem Akins Standard Disclaimers Apply | |Reynolds Metals Co, Alloys Plant "Climb High, Cave Deep!" | | Muscle Shoals, Alabama USA cwakins@leia.alloys.rmc.com | |________________________________________________________________|