Preventing Procedure Code From Displaying

The DEFECHO parameter sets a default value for the Dialogue Manager &ECHO variable. When &ECHO is set to ON, command lines display on the screen as a procedure executes. When &ECHO is OFF, command lines do not display. The ALL setting displays both FOCUS commands and Dialogue Manager commands as the procedure executes.

In order to protect the privacy of your procedure code, you can use the SET DEFECHO=NONE command or the -SET &ECHO=NONE command to prevent the code from displaying for the entire session or connection.

Syntax: How to Prevent the Display of Procedure Lines Throughout an Application

You can issue the following command in any supported profile or in a FOCEXEC.

SET DEFECHO = {OFF|ON|ALL|NONE}

-SET &ECHO = {OFF|ON|ALL|NONE};

where:

OFF: Does not display command lines as a procedure executes. OFF is the default value.
ON: Displays FOCUS commands that are expanded and stacked for execution.
ALL: Displays Dialogue Manager commands and FOCUS commands that are expanded and stacked for execution.
NONE: Prevents procedure code from being displayed (echoed). Once the value of DEFECHO or &ECHO has been set to NONE, it cannot be changed during the session or connection.

Reference: Usage Notes for SET DEFECHO = NONE

If you issue the SET DEFECHO=NONE command in a FOCEXEC, the setting does not affect &ECHO in that routine. It takes effect as the value of &ECHO in the next executed (EX) procedure after which it may not be changed.
If you attempt to reset &ECHO within the duration of its NONE value, the value you attempted to set will display if you issue a -TYPE command, but the value will not actually change.

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Example: Preventing Procedure Code From Being Displayed

The following procedure queries the value of the DEFECHO parameter and issues a TABLE request against the EMPLOYEE data source.

? SET DEFECHO 
-RUN   
-TYPE ECHO = &ECHO         
TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE        
PRINT CURR_SAL CURR_JOBCODE
BY LAST_NAME BY FIRST_NAME 
END                        
-RUN

The query command output shows that DEFECHO is OFF (the default value).

DEFECHO                  OFF

The -TYPE command shows that the value of &ECHO is OFF (the default).

ECHO = OFF

Because &ECHO is OFF, the TABLE commands do not display as the procedure executes.

 NUMBER OF RECORDS IN TABLE=       12  LINES=     12
                                                    
 PAUSE.. PLEASE ISSUE CARRIAGE RETURN WHEN READY    
PAGE     1                                                
                                                          
LAST_NAME        FIRST_NAME         CURR_SAL  CURR_JOBCODE
---------        ----------         --------  ------------
BANNING          JOHN             $29,700.00  A17         
BLACKWOOD        ROSEMARIE        $21,780.00  B04         
CROSS            BARBARA          $27,062.00  A17         
GREENSPAN        MARY              $9,000.00  A07         
IRVING           JOAN             $26,862.00  A15         
JONES            DIANE            $18,480.00  B03         
MCCOY            JOHN             $18,480.00  B02         
MCKNIGHT         ROGER            $16,100.00  B02         
ROMANS           ANTHONY          $21,120.00  B04         
SMITH            MARY             $13,200.00  B14         
                 RICHARD           $9,500.00  A01         
STEVENS          ALFRED           $11,000.00  A07         
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                               END OF REPORT

Now, set DEFECHO=ON and rerun the procedure.

The query command output shows that DEFECHO is ON.

DEFECHO                  ON

The -TYPE command shows that the value of &ECHO has been changed to ON.

ECHO = ON

Because &ECHO is ON, the TABLE commands display as the procedure executes.

TABLE FILE EMPLOYEE                                 
PRINT CURR_SAL CURR_JOBCODE                         
BY LAST_NAME BY FIRST_NAME                          
END

The output displays next.

 NUMBER OF RECORDS IN TABLE=       12  LINES=     12
                                                    
 PAUSE.. PLEASE ISSUE CARRIAGE RETURN WHEN READY    
PAGE     1                                                
                                                          
                                                          
LAST_NAME        FIRST_NAME         CURR_SAL  CURR_JOBCODE
---------        ----------         --------  ------------
BANNING          JOHN             $29,700.00  A17         
BLACKWOOD        ROSEMARIE        $21,780.00  B04         
CROSS            BARBARA          $27,062.00  A17         
GREENSPAN        MARY              $9,000.00  A07         
IRVING           JOAN             $26,862.00  A15         
JONES            DIANE            $18,480.00  B03         
MCCOY            JOHN             $18,480.00  B02         
MCKNIGHT         ROGER            $16,100.00  B02         
ROMANS           ANTHONY          $21,120.00  B04         
SMITH            MARY             $13,200.00  B14         
                 RICHARD           $9,500.00  A01         
STEVENS          ALFRED           $11,000.00  A07         
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                               END OF REPORT

Now, issue the SET DEFECHO = NONE command and rerun the procedure.

SET DEFECHO = NONE

The query command output shows that the value of DEFECHO has been changed to NONE.

DEFECHO                 NONE

The -TYPE command shows that the value of &ECHO is NONE.

ECHO = NONE

Because DEFECHO has the value NONE, the TABLE commands do not display as the procedure executes.

The output is:

 NUMBER OF RECORDS IN TABLE=       12  LINES=     12
                                                    
 PAUSE.. PLEASE ISSUE CARRIAGE RETURN WHEN READY    
PAGE     1                                                
                                                          
                                                          
LAST_NAME        FIRST_NAME         CURR_SAL  CURR_JOBCODE
---------        ----------         --------  ------------
BANNING          JOHN             $29,700.00  A17         
BLACKWOOD        ROSEMARIE        $21,780.00  B04         
CROSS            BARBARA          $27,062.00  A17         
GREENSPAN        MARY              $9,000.00  A07         
IRVING           JOAN             $26,862.00  A15         
JONES            DIANE            $18,480.00  B03         
MCCOY            JOHN             $18,480.00  B02         
MCKNIGHT         ROGER            $16,100.00  B02         
ROMANS           ANTHONY          $21,120.00  B04         
SMITH            MARY             $13,200.00  B14         
                 RICHARD           $9,500.00  A01         
STEVENS          ALFRED           $11,000.00  A07         
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                               END OF REPORT

Once the value of DEFECHO has been set to NONE, it cannot be changed. The following SET command attempts to change the value to ON, but the query command output shows that it is still NONE.

SET DEFECHO=ON          
? SET DEFECHO           
 DEFECHO                 NONE