ACCEPT INPUT instruction

The ACCEPT INPUT instruction validates the INPUT instruction and exits the INPUT ARRAY instruction if no error is raised. The AFTER FIELD, ON CHANGE, etc., control blocks will be executed. Statements after the ACCEPT INPUT will not be executed.

Input field validation is a process that does several successive validation tasks, as listed here:

1. The current field value is checked, the check is based on the program variable data type (for example, the user must input a valid date in a DATE field).
2. NOT NULL field attributes are checked for all input fields. This attribute forces the field to have a value set by program or entered by the user. If the field contains no value, the constraint is not satisfied. Input values are right-trimmed, so if the user inputs only spaces, this corresponds to a NULL value which does not fulfill the NOT NULL constraint.
3. INCLUDE field attributes are checked for all input fields. This attribute forces the field to contain a value that is listed in the include list. If the field contains a value that is not in the list, the constraint is not satisfied.
4. REQUIRED field attributes are checked for all input fields. This attribute forces the field to have a default value, or to be "touched" by the user or by program. If the field was not edited during the dialog, the constraint is not satisfied.

If a field does not satisfy one of these constraints, dialog termination is canceled, an error message is displayed, and the focus goes to the first field causing a problem.