Inform Box Editor
The Inform Box Editor Window can be opened and closed by using the
Debug4x Main Window's View Menu. There is no shortcut key. The Inform Box
Editor is the way to create, modify or inspect source code which draws Inform
Boxes on the calculator. The Inform Box Editor is a graphical user
environment for creating these boxes. Source code created by the Inform
Box Editor can also be inspected and modified using the Debug4x
Source Code Editor menu item Open Inform as Source.
The Inform Box Editor converts a graphic image of a form into RPL.
The RPL that is produced can be customized through the use of five edit
boxes:
- Definitions: user code that will be inserted at the beginning of the file
before the external name is defined (EXTERNAL statements for special code)
- Init Code: user code that appears immediately after the external name
(xNAME) is defined (example {{ A B C }} for local variables)
- Ending Code: user code which appears just before the terminating ; for the
unit (example ABND for local variables)
- Additional Code: user code which appears after the terminating semicolon
for the unit (example the xNAME Config or other verb)
- Source: this is the code generated by the Inform Box editor. It
includes the user code from the other four boxes above.
A double click in any of the above boxes opens a full editor window similar
to the Source Editor window. Within these windows bookmarks, shift-space
(Template
Completion), ctrl-space (Dynamic Verb
Completion) and all the other editor
features may be used.
The Inform Box Editor has many features. These are presented in the
following articles:

Form Settings. The blue outlined
area in the above picture shows the Form Settings area. These items
apply to the definition of the entire form:
- 48 Style: selects a DoInputForm style box, otherwise HP49 style IfMain
will be used. 48 Style may be used on an HP49 if desired.
- M Table: if checked, text strings will be added to the library's Message
Table, otherwise text strings will be embedded in the verb.
- Do...Inform: normally the entry name for the inform box will be given by
the Unit Name edit box. The default is the same name as the file
name. If the Do...Inform box is checked the entry point name will
be DoUnitNameInform where UnitName comes from either the Unit
Name box or the file name default. This check box has been provided
to enable compatibility with past versions of the software. If a file
generated by debug2 is loaded, this box will be checked automatically.
- NAMELESS: define the entry point name of the form using NAMELESS name.
- xNAME: define the entry point name of the form using xNAME name. If neither
xNAME nor NAMELESS is checked, NULLNAME name will be generated. Use
NULLNAME (no check marks) for internally called library routines. Use
xNAME if you want the name listed as an entry for your library.
- LOCALNAME: any handlers will be defined using LOCALNAME name
instead of NULLNAME name. This is for ROM developers.
- Author: Enter your name. This name will appear in the header
information lines at the beginning of the generated source code.
- Unit Name: The external name of the form unit. This is the name that
will be called from other verbs.
- Title String: The title line which appears on the top most line of the
Inform Display.
See RPL or Quoted Strings for Title, Label Messages, Field Help
for use of RPL in this field.
- Form Message Handler: code for the form's message handler. see the Rules for Message Handler Fields
for these fields.
Source Code Areas
There are five source code areas on the Inform Edit Window:
- Definitions, user code which is inserted before the Inform's ::
entry point. Example: EXTERNAL statements, EQUs etc.
- Init Code, user code which appears just after the Inform's ::
entry point. Example: the {{ }} local variable
definitions.
- Ending Code, user code which is inserted by the Inform Editor just
before the Inform's ; end. Example:
the ABND for local variables.
- Additional Code, user code which is inserted by the Inform Editor
just after the Inform's ; end.
Example: xNAME CONFIG or other verb
definitions.
- Source, automatically generated RPL code which creates the Inform
Box. User changes in this area will be discarded during any Save.
(See Editing Generated RPL below).
Double clicking any source code areas will open a large editor window
with all the features of the main editor window (bookmarks
etc). Even when the windows are not expanded, the
Dynamic Verb
Completion and the
Template Completion
features will work in these windows.
Editing Generated RPL
The RPL Source generated by the Inform Editor can be edited by
following this procedure:
- Close the Inform Editor
- In the main Editor Window, select Open Inform
As Source... from the File menu.
- Edit the RPL and then save it to the file. The changes will remain
in the file until the next time the file is saved from the Inform Editor
window or until the next time the
Generate Source
button of the Inform Editor is pressed.