Introduction

This Section (taken from our "Developing NATURAL Systems" publication) contains the programming standards for the use of NATURAL within the application development environment of a prototype organization. Some guidelines are also included to assist in the efficient use of NATURAL. All examples given are specific to the our prototype Information Center (see next page). Any queries or suggestions for the inclusion or alteration, please address them to our Chief Programmer/Analysis, that is, our Editor.

These standards address usage and techniques and should be used in conjunction with the appropriate reference manuals supplied by Software AG and/or WH&O International. It has been assumed that all users of this document have received the relevant ADABAS and NATURAL training.

Our development site and its current NATURAL software environment is based upon NATURAL with interfaces for COM-PLETE and Batch.

The NATURAL System Files have been specified as separate ADABAS files on each database as:

Figure 16.1 illustrates the relationships between the Software AG products used within our development site. To review the current software installed at your site type either "sysprod" or "tech" on any Command Line.

NATURAL is the 4GL provided by Software AG. It provides a structured syntax with powerful programming statements and commands for developing applications in support of top-down programming techniques. Many of these features were outlined in the Application Development Section.

NATURAL separates the data definition portion of an application program from the application logic. Many of the separate logical sections are also supported as separate objects (subroutines, subprograms, maps, helproutines) and their usage can be fully documented using PREDICT.

The 4GL nature of NATURAL provides support for standard on-line conversation structures so that programmers need only be concerned with logical transaction processing. NATURAL is independent of many of the physical characteristics of individual terminals.

PREDICT is Software AG's on-line data dictionary development tool which has been specifically designed for the ADABAS / NATURAL environment. Details of data elements, screens and file usage can be automatically captured when the programs are cataloged using the Cross Referencing Facility (XREF). This information can then be interrogated through an on-line dialogue.

Data views used in the development of NATURAL applications can be generated and maintained by PREDICT. Interface modules are available to allow PREDICT to generate schema definitions to several database and file structures.

NATURAL Security controls all access to ADABAS files from NATURAL programs, whether read-only or update, as well as access to NATURAL itself. It can restrict the commands utilized, the NATURAL programming statements used and even the programs accessed on a specified application.

It also controls session parameters such as line size and page size, as well as certain limits such as maximum transaction duration or number of source lines per program.

NATURAL CONSTRUCT is a menu-driven development tool. It utilizes pre-generated coding models to create application functions like main menus, browsing modules, maintenance modules, batch processing, and help. A help subsystem makes it easier to implement application wide help and further documentation efforts. A subsystem is also provided for those sites that have a need to generate their own models rather than use the generic models for constructing applications.

Object oriented development is strongly supported in CONSTRUCT with its Object Models working very closely with PREDICT to generate complex relationship models with minimal coding required of the application developer.

ENTIRE CONNECTION is a mainframe-to-PC link. Its integration with NATURAL allows the downloading of data from ADABAS directly into proprietary PC software packages. As it is part of the total NATURAL environment, it is also integrated with SUPER NATURAL to allow users to easily specify which the data and reports that they require downloading of and the necessary format(s) needed. ENTIRE CONNECTION also supplies facilities for uploading data should this be required.

PREDICT Application Control automates the process of migrating programs through application development into production, ensuring that source code and object code match and it also archives the source code as the object code is migrated.

· FUSER (User File)	File 200
· FNAT (System File)	File 201
· FDIC (Dictionary)	File 202
· FSEC (Security File)	File 203