Processing Option Data Items

You use processing options with interactive and batch applications to enable users to supply parameters that direct the functions of an application. For example, processing options enable you to specify default values for certain fields on forms, control the format in which information prints on reports, change the way in which a form displays information, and activate additional logic. Users access processing options from a processing option tab form. A processing option tab form can contain one or more processing option fields.

You define processing option fields in the data dictionary, similar to other data dictionary items. Each processing option field can also have special, defined help information. This help information is displayed when the end user presses F1 when the focus is on a processing option item. You define the help text using a separate data item called help data dictionary item.