Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Development:
Progress Dynamics Getting Started

Preface

This Preface contains the following sections:

Purpose
Audience
Organization
Using this manual
Typographical conventions
OpenEdge messages

Purpose

This manual provides an overview of Progress Dynamics®, the repository-based OpenEdge application framework. It also provides an introduction to the process of building an application with Progress Dynamics tools.

Audience

This manual is designed for developers who are new to Progress Dynamics. The exercises in this manual do not require knowledge of the Progress 4GL, OpenEdge development tools, or the Application Development Model (ADM).

Organization

Chapter 1 "Introducing Progress Dynamics"

Provides an overview of the purpose and features of Progress Dynamics.

Chapter 2 "Setting Up a Tutorial Environment"

Provides instructions for setting up a separate working environment and databases for the tutorial.

Chapter 3 "Generating Initial Objects"

Takes you through using the framework’s tools for automatically generating basic application objects for your application database.

Chapter 4 "Building the Sample Application"

Takes you through assembling the pregenerated objects into application windows.

Chapter 5 "Customizing the Application"

Introduces you to the possibilities of quickly customizing applications using the Progress Dynamics Managers.

Using this manual

Before using this manual, you must install the OpenEdge Studio. Progress Dynamics is included in a complete install of the OpenEdge Studio.

Typographical conventions

This manual uses the following typographical conventions:

Convention	Description
Bold	Bold typeface indicates commands or characters the user types, provides emphasis, or the names of user interface elements.
Italic	Italic typeface indicates the title of a document, or signifies new terms.
SMALL, BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS	Small, bold capital letters indicate OpenEdge® key functions and generic keyboard keys; for example, GET and CTRL.
KEY1+KEY2	A plus sign between key names indicates a simultaneous key sequence: you press and hold down the first key while pressing the second key. For example, CTRL+X.
KEY1 KEY2	A space between key names indicates a sequential key sequence: you press and release the first key, then press another key. For example, ESCAPE H.
Syntax:
Fixed width	A fixed-width font is used in syntax statements, code examples, system output, and filenames.
Fixed-width italics	Fixed-width italics indicate variables in syntax statements.
Fixed-width bold	Fixed-width bold indicates variables with special emphasis.
UPPERCASE fixed width	Uppercase words are Progress® 4GL language keywords. Although these are always shown in uppercase, you can type them in either uppercase or lowercase in a procedure.
	This icon (three arrows) introduces a multi-step procedure.
	This icon (one arrow) introduces a single-step procedure.

OpenEdge messages

OpenEdge displays several types of messages to inform you of routine and unusual occurrences:

Execution messages inform you of errors encountered while OpenEdge is running a procedure; for example, if OpenEdge cannot find a record with a specified index field value.
Compile messages inform you of errors found while OpenEdge is reading and analyzing a procedure before running it; for example, if a procedure references a table name that is not defined in the database.
Startup messages inform you of unusual conditions detected while OpenEdge is getting ready to execute; for example, if you entered an invalid startup parameter.

After displaying a message, OpenEdge proceeds in one of several ways:

Continues execution, subject to the error-processing actions that you specify or that are assumed as part of the procedure. This is the most common action taken after execution messages.
Returns to the Progress Procedure Editor, so you can correct an error in a procedure. This is the usual action taken after compiler messages.
Halts processing of a procedure and returns immediately to the Procedure Editor. This does not happen often.
Terminates the current session.

OpenEdge messages end with a message number in parentheses. In this example, the message number is 200:

** Unknown table name table. (200)

If you encounter an error that terminates OpenEdge, note the message number before restarting.

Obtaining more information about OpenEdge messages

On Windows platforms, use OpenEdge online help to obtain more information about OpenEdge messages. Many OpenEdge tools include the following Help menu options to provide information about messages:

Choose Help Recent Messages to display detailed descriptions of the most recent OpenEdge message and all other messages returned in the current session.
Choose Help Messages and then enter the message number to display a description of a specific OpenEdge message.
In the Procedure Editor, press the HELP key or F1.