Author: Dale Sahlberg - 5 -
HELP METHODS
3270 has an easy way to access help: put the cursor on the first input field position, press PF24 and you can view a help screen (if the help screen has been defined). Convert to GOLD and this feature no longer exists. There are however, three established ways already defined by SMS to provide help in GOLD … and a new fourth way to give “dynamic” preview help.
Four methods to provide help in GOLD:
1) HOT SPOT - put a HOT SPOT around any field and define the help screen in the controller. The user can then click on the “hot spot” over a title and the former 3270 help screen can be viewed (PF24 key is emulated). This is slightly different than 3270 selections: the cursor is over the title instead of the input field.
This feature is prevalent in the Signature GOLD product and is widely used for access to help screens.
2) SEARCH or ? BUTTON – this is more intuitive and easier for the user to access. Place a SEARCH button next to a field or use a to provide help. This method is more common for access to profile data (insurance, doctor master list).
3) “STATIC” TOOL TIP – GOLD has an option available for each field called a tool tip. The tool tip can function like the PF24 HELP key; however, the 3270 help key is only for input fields while GOLD can define help for input / output fields, buttons, folder tabs, etc. The current use of the tool tip is “static” and the information must fit in one descriptive line. Hold the cursor over a field to see the full definition of the abbreviated title. In the following insurance screen, the panel has a tool tip for IP Auth for new users who do not know all the abbreviations used by patient management.
The tool tip can reduce the use of externals calls to help screens if the information can fit in one line across the screen. No need to go to another screen if you can simply show as the help for that field.
4) “DYNAMIC” TOOL TIP – With GOLD, you can have a new type of tool tip help as well: dynamic – will display patient information in the AUDA at that moment.
Example of “dynamic” helpful tool tip: Information in the AUDA displays for the button
F1 – PATIENT DATA when the cursor is held over the button (provides a preview):
The way to make the tool tip dynamic is: use FAUX fields to concatenate and then display the AUDA information.
STEP 1:
Define all the FAUX fields you need by adding a NON–VISUAL: FAUX FIELD.
The faux fields will display in the NON-VISUALS box.
STEP 2:
Set the display length to accommodate the number of data fields you want to concatenate.
For the \CASE example, it was determined that a length of 90 was needed to store all the desired literals and fields:
"\CASE" = CONCAT('Admitted: ', "C0809", ' Service: ', "PCSVCDSC", ' Attn Doctor: ', "C0825") }
An advantage to using FAUX fields is the fields are only temporary – they do not store in the database.
Each time the patient data is accessed, the FAUX field is refreshed with the current data in the AUDA.
STEP 3:
In the PREDISPLAY, concatenate the fields into \CASE (faux field) as shown below:
WHERE "C0820" IS VALUED AND "C0820" IN (PE = PCSVCSVC)
THEN {
"\CASE" = CONCAT('Admitted: ', "C0809", ' Service: ', "PCSVCDSC", ' Attn Doctor: ', "C0825") }
There are also concatenations above for some other FAUX fields – for example: \MSP
The \MSP has conditional logic to display a message if there is an MSP on file - or the “onset of illness date” if there is no MSP on file.
STEP 4:
Insert the \CASE (faux field) into the tool tip property box in the COMPONENT NUMBER section.
STEP 5:
Save the screen and enable it for use.
Now you can hold the cursor over the button CASE DATA
and get a “preview” of that option or view patient address / phone number information.