Where Is It Found

Feature Overview & Examples

In the lower left area of the AMS client is an area where commands can be typed.  You can move the cursor to the command line by clicking it with your mouse or with the keystroke CONTROL-K.  You do not need to use the command line; you can use the menu tree or your favorites tab or the user-defined toolbar to start AMS programs. However, if you are a longtime AMS user you may have memorized many commands.  Most can be entered here.  Examples:  AS, BI, BIISM, BIISM.TSI, TSI.BIISM, BYE, OFF.  You can run many screens at the same time although unless your monitor is large you will most likely not be able to see them all at the same time. If you request a screen that is already running, that screen will be brought forward so it is on top of other screens. If you want to start a second copy of a screen, type a + directly in front of the command, for example +BIISM.TSI will start a new copy of the tank status inquiry screen.  Some commands are processed directly by the AMS Client.

Some of these are:

HELLO – Opens the connection dialog

BYE – Signs you off and closes the AMS Client

OFF – Signs you off but does NOT close the AMS Client

AS – Closes all nodes of the menu tree

Commands the AMS Client does not understand itself are sent to the AMS server in hopes that it will understand them.  If the server does not understand your command you will receive an error message.

Understanding Menu Commands

Screens are requested from the server with a command.  For example, the command to start the order inquiry screen is OEORM.INQ.  You may type the command all at once or you may type it in sections pressing enter after each section, for example: OE <ENTER> ORM <ENTER> INQ <ENTER>. You can also type OEORM <ENTER> INQ <ENTER>. If you wish you can even type INQ.OEORM. In truth, the server only understands OEORM.INQ anything else would confuse it. The AMS client uses the information it can find in the menu tree to figure out what you are attempting and sends what it thinks you really want to the server. If your supervisor has told the server to let you access this particular screen you can see this in action by following these steps:

1. Make sure the menu tree is visible
2. Put focus in the command line (Control-K will do that or just click the command line)
3. Type AS and press enter (All open nodes of the tree will close)
4. Type OE (The main parent node of order entry system in the menu tree will open)
5. Type ORM (The Orders node of the tree will open)
6. Type INQ (The client requests the inquiry screen so the server sends it.)

In the above steps nothing is requested from the server until step 6. What the Client requests is OEORM.INQ but it only does this if the screen is not already running.  If the screen is already running it is brought to the top if necessary and focus is shifted to the screen so you can resume data input.

Note that in the above example you are instructed in step 1 to make the menu tree visible.  Even if you do not, the results will be the same since the menu tree is optional for those who choose to use the command line.

If the AMS Client does not understand what you are attempting it will send the command to the server. This is because the server actually does know commands that are not in the menu tree which you may or may not have permission to use.