ISPF gives error ISP190A whenever a VER NONBLANK test is used on a non-panel field

The ISPF panel verify statement (VER) displays a message when a variable doesn't meet the verification criteria. It also automatically places the cursor to the last panel field referred to in any panel statement. This is likely the same field as the VER is checking, but if the VER field isn't on the panel then it would be some field referenced by a previous statement.

My enhancement suggestion is to add a new optional keyword parameter to VER, to explicitly indicate which field to set the cursor to when VER displays a message. For example, the VER could be coded as:

VER (invar,NB,NUM,CSR=chknum)

to set the cursor to field chknum if the invar field is blank or is not numeric. (An alternative idea is CUSOR=)

There are two benefits to allowing VER to explicitly set the cursor position:

1. It would allow the dialog developer to easily test one panel field but put the cursor on a different field.

2. In the case of a VER on a non-panel field, since the default is to place the cursor on the last referenced panel field, the result may not be as desired. Allowing the VER to explicitly specify the desired panel field would make it clear what should happen, without dependence on side effects of previous statements.

The TRANS function also can set a MSG, with the same logic for defaulting the cursor position. If VER is enhanced to add an optional CSR parameter, it may make sense to add the same optional CSR parameter to the TRANS function, with the same meaning: if CSR is specified, then if TRANS sets a MSG it should place the cursor at the specified field.