Working with Frames and SCL

The SCL for a frame (often referred to as frame SCL) is stored in a separate catalog entry of type SCL. If you do not store the SCL entry in the same catalog as the FRAME entry, then the frame's SCLEntry attribute must specify the four-level name of the associated SCL entry. See Saving and Storing Frame SCL Programs for details.

The name of the SCL entry that controls a FRAME entry is assigned through the frame's SCLEntry attribute. By default, the SCLEntry attribute identifies the frame's SCL source as *.SCL, where the asterisk (*) represents the name of the FRAME entry. For example, if your FRAME entry is named MENU.FRAME, specifying *.SCL as the name of the SCL entry identifies MENU.SCL. Thus, the *.SCL designates an SCL entry that has the same name as the FRAME entry and is in the same catalog.

You can add or edit the SCL program for a frame in the Source window. When a frame is displayed in the Build window, select ViewFrame SCL or select Frame SCL from the Build window's pop-up menu to open the frame's SCL program in the Source window.

SCL entries must be compiled with their associated FRAME entries before you can test or run them.

SCL source code is reusable, even if it is specified for a FRAME entry. Since SCL source is stored separately from FRAME entries, you can use the same SCL source for several FRAME entries without having to duplicate the SCL source for each one. For example, you can develop the prototype FRAME entries MYREPORT1.FRAME, MYREPORT2.FRAME, and MYREPORT3.FRAME. Then, create the SCL source entry MYREPORT.SCL, and identify it as the SCL source entry for each of the three FRAME entries by setting each frame's SCLEntry attribute to MYREPORT.SCL in the Properties window.