Introduction 

FOMS 500 Menus 

This topic covers the FOMS 500 menus. 

We estimate that this will take 5 minutes to complete.

Detailed Explanation 

FOMS Menu 500 (Communications Menu)

FOMS Menu 500 is the Communications Menu. It is the gateway to the messaging and address programs.  

ATTENTION 

FOMS 570 can only be viewed. Updates to this FOMS setting can only be conducted by NAVBLUE Support. 

FOMS Menu 520 - Network Messages Program

This program will enable you to create, store, and send messages over the SITA network, and through SITA gateways to the AFTN network. A Template feature and an advance-to-char function will also allow you to create standard messages which need only have particular items modified before they are transmitted.

The modes available are:

• Transmit - see the HTM document for more information on Transit mode
• Add
• Edit
• Delete
• Screen
• Hardcopy
• Quit.

Transmit Mode

MsgID: The cursor will be positioned on the MsgID field as soon as you enter Transmit mode. Enter a message ID to retrieve and store as.You have three choices:

• Enter no name, i.e., just press <Enter> and leave the field blank
• Enter a name for your message
• Call in an existing message by entering the name of a message that is currently on file.

If you leave the name blank, then the program will treat the message as temporary and it will not be saved at all. If you enter an existing message name, that message will be recalled and displayed in the Message Text window for editing if required.

Tmplt: Enter a template ID to use. You may next call in a template message or any stored message if you wish. Any template message called in will be inserted at the head of the message rather than appended to the end.

Keep: Enter the number of days you wish to have your message stored on the system. 99 is recognized as a code representing a permanent message from which will not be automatically removed from the system. Such messages can only be removed by use of the Delete mode.

The background process to delete messages runs once each hour. Thus messages will remain for 24 one-hour periods; they don't all disappear at midnight.

If you have not named your message for storage, the program will skip over this field, and the message will not be stored at all.

Send: The default values for this field are the current system day and time. Any day/time that is valid for the next month, i.e., up to a maximum of 30 days, may be entered. Note that if you enter any time on the current day which precedes the current time, the message will be sent immediately, i.e., it will not be held for a month.

Cust: Enter the login of the user to charge this message to.

Destination Address: Up to 32 SITA/ARINC/AFTN addresses and 4 FAX numbers may be entered for each message. If you frequently need to send messages to more than 32 locations, it may be convenient to make the addresses part of special template messages that contain addresses only. If your system supports address aliases then a pre-stored address alias maybe entered in the address field. In order to use an address alias as an address it must be preceded by the & symbol. As an example if you had an alias set up named IND you would Enter &IND in the address field if you desired to transmit the message to the addresses stored for that alias.

Once you have Entered your addresses, pressing <Enter> on a blank field will position the cursor in the first field of the FAX of the address section. You now may Enter a FAX number using the dialing properties prescribed by your phone system. Up to four FAX numbers are supported and pressing <Enter> at any blank field on the FAX line will position the cursor at the Archive line of the screen (see below for more information on the Archive functionality) Pressing <Enter> archive field will force the ARCHIVE field to be set to N and the cursor will be positioned at the header line of the Message Text window. If you have numerous addresses, e.g., called in from a Template, you can jump directly to the text window by using <Ctrl>-F.

Message Text: It is recommended that the first line of the message be used as a subject header since this is the only line which will be displayed in a screen report, opposite the message name. Should your message be long enough to be broken into two or more parts on the SITA network, the header portion of the message will be repeated as the header of each part as it is transmitted.

Although this program does not operate in full word-processor mode, for example, there is no word-wrap at the end of a line and you have to press <Enter>, it does have a number of edit features which will make it easier for you to correct any errors, or to make any other desired changes to your messages.

The backspace and left or right arrow keys will allow you to move the cursor within a line so that insertions or deletions may be made. To delete a character, position the cursor on it and press the <Del> key.

    If you have several characters to be deleted, start with the left-most. As the line is closed up, the next character to be deleted will automatically be under the cursor.To insert a character, position the cursor on the character before which you want to make the insertion. As you type, the new letters will be added, and the balance of the line will be shifted to the right. Note that because there is no word-wrap, you can only insert as many characters in the line as there are blanks at the end of the line. If you need to insert more characters, you will have to delete some from the end of the line. noteA quick end-of-line advance would be to press <Enter> for next line, followed by an Up arrow to return to the end of the previous line. 

If you find it necessary to insert or delete a complete line of text, use the <Ctrl>-D or <Ctrl>-I functions respectively. <Ctrl>-D deletes the line that the cursor is on, and <Ctrl>-I inserts a blank line immediately above the line the cursor is on.

You may shift from page to page by using the <Ctrl>-F or <Ctrl>-B functions, page forward and page back respectively.

Once you have added or corrected your text, you can exit using <Ctrl>-E from anywhere in the text message. This will take the cursor to a confirmation prompt at the bottom of the screen. Also see the Add mode Templates for Advance-to-@ function.

Charge Code: The default charge code is displayed.

Message Priority Codes: The default priority codes for the SITA, ARINC, and AFTN networks are displayed immediately to the left of the message block. Should you need to change any of these, you may do so by using the up arrow to back up from the first line of the header text.

FOMS Menu 570 - FIR AFTN Addresses Program

Use this program to store the AFTN addresses for Flight Information Regions and Upper Information Regions. The file is keyed on the four letter ICAO identification code in order to provide for worldwide operations without duplications. Periodic updating will be required as amendments are issued by ICAO or NOTAM.

The modes available are:

• Transmit - see the HTM document for more information on Transit mode
• Add
• Edit
• Delete
• Screen
• Hardcopy
• Quit. 

FOMS Menu 575 - Address Configuration Program

Use this program to establish and maintain a data file of message addresses for any airport. These standard addresses can be accessed by the Send Flight Papers program, thus eliminating the need to re-key addresses each and every time a flight plan is dispatched.

The modes available are:

• Add
• Edit
• Delete
• Screen
• Hardcopy
• Quit.  

HINT 

This functionality is also available via webFOMS. 

FOMS Menu 585 - Alias Database Maintenance Program

Use this program to maintain the alias database. Aliases can be used for all types of addresses, including email. The address alias program allows you to update information that is on file for each alias in the data file

The modes available are:

• Add
• Edit
• Delete
• Video
• Screen
• Hardcopy
• Quit.  

HINT 

This functionality is also available via webFOMS.