Once the choice list is installed, the user need only press the Choice List key to pop up the choice list. By default, this key is assigned to KEY_F2. If no choice list is attached to the field, the error message window is popped up and the message "No choices available" is displayed.
Choice lists are displayed in a choice list window. By default, the window has a single-line border with right and left column margins of 1. The choice list window attribute is set to LCLINACT. The default active attribute is LCLACT. The item that the cursor is on is displayed with the active attribute; all other items are displayed with the choice list window attribute, which is similar to the inactive attribute for forms and menus.
The default is for the system to size and place the choice list window automatically. The window is placed and sized so that it does not obscure the field. If necessary, a scrolling choice list is created so as prevent the window from obscuring the field.
While a choice list is active, the message window displays the message "Cursor keys scroll, ENTER selects and ESC exits choice menu." You can change this message.
After the choice list is displayed, control is passed to the user. The user can scroll through the choice list items. As the user moves through the menu, the active item is highlighted with a highlight bar of attribute LCLACT. For data fields, the bar is set to be the length of the field so that the user can see what will be transferred to the field. For tickertape memo fields, the bar is either the length of the longest item in the choice list or the length of the memo field buffer, whichever is smaller. More text can extend past the highlight bar, but this is not transferred to the field.
Event code assignments are defined in the choice list event table CLETP and are listed in the "Event Tables" section of the Function Reference.
First character selection is available as an option, but it is disabled by default.
The user selects an item by positioning the highlight bar, which is displayed with LCLACT, over the item and pressing Enter. The highlighted item is copied into the field, and the choice list window is removed. The user can then edit the field entry or move to another field.
The user can always quit the choice list without transferring an item to the field by hitting the Quit key, which by default is KEY_ESC.
