Menu Input Generating System for the Fortran Programs

Abstract

Although fortran is losing competition with the new languages it is still very used programming language, especially in the technical software production. Technical tasks are not to be described by a lot of data usually, as in business applications. In such a case in fortran supplemented facilities are sufficient and no troubles are to be expected. In the case of the interactive program with bigger input part more efforts must be made to produce a good user pleased input. Such an input can be based on the following principles:

• By the menu technique the user decides, which part of the input data he is going to define. The data description is then made in interactive dialogue mode. The program displays questions with descriptions of the expected data. In the case of errors the message must be displayed and correction must he enabled.

• It must be possible in every moment to see the state of the data. If the changes are needed, this must be possible with the minimal effort.

• The format free input in the dialogue mode is a rule, but it must not be limited to numerical data. The writting of the word in quotes only is not very acceptable solution. In fortran implemented format free input-output statements do not satisfy these demands.

• The selective help information must be available providing the user to act quickly and properly when in troubles without searching the manual.

• The same program must work in the batch mode too. The dialogue must be changed by talking and suitable action must be provided in the case of errors.