Message field properties

When a message field is selected in the Outline view, or the MFLD statement in the MFS source is selected, the message field properties are displayed in the Properties view.

The following are the editable properties that can be modified for the message field.

Name: Specify the field name. At least one message field must be specified for a MSG statement.
Device Field: Specify the name of the device field to associate with the message field. For input message fields, input data is extracted from this device field. For output message fields, output data is placed in this device field. This input is optional when no literal is specified.
Length: Specify the message field length. Corresponds to the message field parameter, LTH. This input is required if no length is specified for the message field.
Literal: Specify the literal value to be inserted into the input message. This input is required if no length is specified for the message field.
First Byte: Specify the number of the byte of the input data field that is to be considered the first byte of data for the message field. For example, if the first byte for the message field is specified as two, then the first byte of the field is ignored. Corresponds to the positional parameter value on the message attribute, LTH=. This input is optional and valid for input messages only.
Justify: Select the field justification, either right or left, from the drop-down list. Corresponds to the message field parameter, JUST=, and is optional input.
System Literal: Select the system literal from the drop-down list. This input is only valid if no literal is specified for an output message field.
Fill: Select a character to be used to pad this field when the length of the data that is received from the device is less than the length of this field. Corresponds to the message field attribute, FILL=. This input is optional and valid for input messages only.

The following are editable properties on the Advanced tab:

Extended Attributes: Specify the number of extended attributes that can be dynamically modified. Valid values are between one and six. Corresponds to the extended attributes parameter of the message field parameter, ATTR=. The input is optional.
Exit Number: This parameter sets the exit routine number for the field edit exit routine interface. The range of values is from 0 to 127. Corresponds to the message field attribute, EXIT=.
Exit Vector: This parameter sets the value to be passed to the exit routine when it is invoked for this field. The range of values is from 0 to 255. Corresponds to the message field attribute, EXIT=.
Attributes: This option specifies whether the application program can modify the 3270 attributes. Corresponds to YES value in the message field parameter, ATTR=. This input is optional.
System Control Area: Mark this check box to specify that an output field is the system control area.