Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Getting Started:
Progress OpenEdge Studio

Preface

This Preface contains the following sections:

Purpose
Audience
Organization
Using this manual
Typographical conventions
OpenEdge messages

Purpose

This guide introduces you to the OpenEdge Studio that you can use to easily develop and maintain applications. It briefly introduces the Application Development Environment (ADE) Desktop and toolset, leads you through a sample application that shows some of what you can do with the tools, and presents a tutorial that shows you how to use the OpenEdge AppBuilder to create part of the sample application.

Audience

This guide is for developers using the OpenEdge Studio ADE. This guide contains valuable information for developers familiar with the Progress 4GL as well as developers who are new to Progress 4GL and the ADE.

Organization

This guide provides an introduction to the OpenEdge Studio and SmartObject technology.

Chapter 1 "Overview of the OpenEdge Studio"

Provides an overview of the OpenEdge Desktop and introduces you to the tools that comprise the ADE. In addition to a general description of the ADE, this chapter provides a more detailed description of the AppBuilder.

Chapter 2 "Working with the Sample Application"

Provides information about the SportsPro sample application. By working with the sample application, you can better understand the Progress 4GL and the AppBuilder. This chapter also details the structure of each module in the sample application.

Chapter 3 "Assembling the Order Tracking System"

Provides exercises for assembling the main window of the SportsPro Order Tracking System from a set of SmartObjects supplied with the OpenEdge Studio. Assembling the main window provides an understanding of how to work with SmartObjects.

Chapter 4 "Overview of SmartObject Technology"

Provides an introduction to SmartObjects and how they connect to each other to form applications.

Using this manual

This document assumes that you have successfully installed the OpenEdge Studio. The information in it is designed to acquaint you with the fundamental tools and techniques for working with the Progress 4GL in the OpenEdge Studio. The exercises in Chapter 3, "Assembling the Order Tracking System," are arranged in three sections: an overview of the techniques needed to complete the exercise, an abbreviated procedures for those who want to try the exercise with minimal direction, and a more detailed procedure for more help.

Typographical conventions

This manual uses the following typographical conventions:

Convention	Description
Bold	Bold typeface indicates commands or characters the user types, or the names of user interface elements.
Italic	Italic typeface indicates the title of a document, provides emphasis, 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 hyphen 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, and for 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 always are shown in uppercase, you can type them in either uppercase or lowercase in a 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.