This topic describes the preparations for flow recording.
Before beginning a flow recording, you should resolve the issues
described in the following five subtopics:
a) Provide screen
descriptions
Decide how you want to provide screen
descriptions for the recording process:
- For each application screen that you visit during flow recording,
the host editor requires that there be a screen description that matches
the application screen (see Screen recognition.)
You can choose either of the following options (see
Providing screen descriptions for recording).
- You can have the host editor use existing screen descriptions;
or
- You have the host editor automatically create new screen descriptions
as needed.
Note: If you choose the first option, then begin
recording, and then encounter an unrecognized application screen,
the
Screen Not Recognized window opens and
prompts you to select one of the following actions:
- Capture the individual unrecognized screen and continue recording.
- Have the host editor automatically capture unrecognized screens
(the same as the second of the two options listed above) and continue
recording.
- Cancel the recording.
See
Unrecognized application screen during recording.
b) Edit the working flow
Decide
whether you want: (1) to create a new flow; or (2) to add to or modify
an existing flow.
In the host editor, newly recorded information
is always added to the current working flow (see Using the working flow).
If you are creating
a new flow, then the host editor automatically makes the new flow
the current working flow. Therefore, you do not have to explicitly
edit the working flow.
In contrast, if you are adding to or
modifying an existing flow, then you must designate the existing flow
as the current working flow in the host editor before you start recording.
Follow the steps described in Using the working flow.
c) Select the working set of screen
operations files
Decide what the working set of screen
operations files should be (see Using a working set).
d) Determine
the variables to use with Extract actions, Insert actions, and recorded
loops
If you plan to create Extract actions, Insert actions,
or recorded loops during flow recording then determine the following
items:
- The variable message file and the variable message
in which you want to store the variables for your Extract actions,
Insert actions, and recorded loops (see The variable message of a flow).
- The variable within the variable message that you want to use
for each item.
You can use the following methods for creating and specifying
these items:
i. Specifying the variable message file and
the variable message:
If the new flow might contain an Extract
action, an Insert action, or a recorded loop, then you should specify a variable message file and a variable message for the
flow (see The variable message of a flow). You
specify the variable message file and the variable
message in either of two ways:
ii. Creating the variable:
Create the variable
in the variable message:
You can create the variable for the Extract action, Insert
action, or recorded loop before you start the flow recording, if you
have already created the variable message file and the variable message.
- You can also create the variable at the same time that you create
the Extract action, Insert action, or recorded flow during flow recording.
iii. Specifying the variable:
You
specify the variable for the Extract action,
the Insert action, or the recorded loop during flow recording, at
the time that you create the item.
e) Add to the flow path or record a new flow
path
If you are adding to or modifying an existing
flow, then you can choose any one of the three following actions:
You can record a new flow path (see Flow path).
If you choose this action then the previously recorded flow
path (if any) and any previously recorded disconnected
paths in the flow are lost.
You can record a
disconnected path,
which is a path that is not connected in any way to the
flow
path (see
Disconnected paths).
Note: If you choose this action then you
must eventually connect the
disconnected path in
some way to the
flow path in order for the
nodes in the
disconnected path to be performed
(see
Disconnected paths).
You can record a new flow branch whose
first flow node is connected to an output terminal of
an existing flow node in the flow path.
- If you connect the new flow branch to an
existing flow node (for example, to an Invoke screen operation flow
node named InquireCatalog_01) that has no flow branches going out from any of its output
terminals (that is, if you connect the flow branch to an existing
flow node that is located at a "dead end" in the flow path) then the
new flow branch is a continuation of the flow path.
In contrast, if you connect the new flow
branch to a flow node (for example, to an Invoke screen operation
node named MainMenu_02) that already has one
or more flow branches going out from it, then the
new flow branch becomes a new alternative flow branch going out
from the flow node.