Strategies for GUI Migration

 Have a plan!  Appx allows pull down menus, toolbars, buttons, pictures, sound, animations (limited), colours, fonts, how will you use all these new features?  Designers have many more decisions to make: What colour should I use? What font? What style? What rollover colour, if any?

Strategies for GUI Migration  Menus can now have > 200 options instead of the we were limited to.  Inputs can have toolbar & pulldown menus, how will you use them? It’s not necessary to put everything as an x) Option on the screen.

Strategies for GUI Migration  Larger screens. It's easy to run at a larger screen size, i.e., 28 x 110. Gives a lot more screen space, but how will unmodified screens look?  PDF Printing can improve the look of a report, what reports should be changed, if any? Consider changing external reports first, i.e., Customer Invoices/Statements, etc.

Strategies for GUI Migration  What Icons will you use?  Is it necessary to maintain compatibility with character mode? Restricts your choices.  Finally, how much time do you want to spend on it? Remember, there is no finish line...

Case Study – Our Approach  Menus Redesigned menu from several down to one, via pull downs. Redesigned menu from several down to one, via pull downs. Old menus still exist. Changed startup process to run GUI menu, which checks to see if GUI or not, and if not, runs old menus. Old menus still exist. Changed startup process to run GUI menu, which checks to see if GUI or not, and if not, runs old menus.

Case Study – Our Approach  Inputs Auto GUI did most of the heavy lifting. Auto GUI did most of the heavy lifting. Had to review some screens where spacing was incorrect for auto GUI. Had to review some screens where spacing was incorrect for auto GUI. Found all date fields, changed them to date/time control. Found all date fields, changed them to date/time control.

Case Study – Our Approach Attached listings to inputs, and as a toolbar item. Eliminated need to put as options somewhere else. Attached listings to inputs, and as a toolbar item. Eliminated need to put as options somewhere else. On certain 'more important' inputs, used fonts/colour to emphasize certain info. On certain 'more important' inputs, used fonts/colour to emphasize certain info. This app used opt 99 to show audit info, made that into a toolbar item. This app used opt 99 to show audit info, made that into a toolbar item.

Case Study – Our Approach Also had to manually add buttons where auto GUI doesn't i.e. work field painted on screen with 'x) Option' syntax. Ensure your manually added widget is not at same row/col as auto GUI widget. Also had to manually add buttons where auto GUI doesn't i.e. work field painted on screen with 'x) Option' syntax. Ensure your manually added widget is not at same row/col as auto GUI widget. Note that GUI overlays text, so you can add GUI elements over the character/text. Character users will not see the GUI, and the GUI will cover the character data Note that GUI overlays text, so you can add GUI elements over the character/text. Character users will not see the GUI, and the GUI will cover the character data

Case Study – Our Approach  Outputs Auto GUI for outputs will improve look of headings, subheadings, subtotals. Auto GUI for outputs will improve look of headings, subheadings, subtotals. Consider putting in a hook process to put company logo on each page. Consider putting in a hook process to put company logo on each page. Consider improving external reports, i.e., confirmation. Used logo, use Arial bold font to separate headings from data. Consider improving external reports, i.e., confirmation. Used logo, use Arial bold font to separate headings from data.

Case Study – Our Approach  Preferences Allows the user to set background image and button colours (for now) Allows the user to set background image and button colours (for now) Implemented via subroutine called in Pre- Display. Reads --- WIDGET, sets wallpaper & buttons according to user preferences. Implemented via subroutine called in Pre- Display. Reads --- WIDGET, sets wallpaper & buttons according to user preferences.

Case Study – Our Approach  Demonstrate!