Display File with interactive operations and an autorefreshing clock

I am curious if it is possible to have a Display File with a clock that updates every second and you still can work on it interactively. Like a menu where you can choose programms and still having a clock on display that autorefreshes. So far I have found this here: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/program-example-automatically-refreshing-screen-using-opm-rpg400 It is old and you cant have interactions while it refreshes. You have to wait until the loop is done before you can interact. When I put exfmt inside the loop, it refreshes once and not doing anything until there some presses enter obviously.

Any ideas how I could do it? Thanks.

Short answer - no. The block oriented nature of the 5250 protocol doesn't support that.

Long answer - Maybe, depends on the "interaction" you require.

That IBM RPG III sample shows the key requirements

• INVITE
• Using READ & WRITE instead of EXFMT
• CRTDSPF ... DFRWRT(*NO) WAITRCD(5)

The late, great Booth Martin put together a Kiosk Clock demo that has been archived at midrange.com with the permission of his family.

From the comments of the linked source

  // Special notes concerning the auto-refresh feature.  The goal is to *
  // have the screen be auto-refreshing on a user-selected time period. *
  // At the same time, we need the user to be able to interrupt the     *
  // cycle at will.                                                     *
  //   1-The *DSPF must have the INVITE keyword, and if there is to be a*
  //     subfile then INVITE must be conditioned with an indicator.     *
  //     That indicator must be off when clearing and filling the       *
  //     subfile.  Tip: Use a unique indicator.                         *
  //   2-Look at the F-spec.  You need "workstn maxdev(*file)"          *
  //   3-The RPGLE program must use WRITE/READ combinations.            *
  //        --->Do not use EXFMT. <----------------------------- !!!!!  *
  //   4-The conditioning indicator must be on when doing a WRITE/READ. *
  //   5-Remember the rulz: Always WRITE the record and READ the file.  *
  //   6-Use a MONITOR/ON_ERROR/ENDMON block on all WRITE/READ pairs.   *
  //   7- wCmd = 'OVRDSPF FILE(CLOCKD) WAITRCD('                        *
  //         + %char(%int(wMinutes * 60)) + ')';  is what makes it work.*
  //   8-When the screen times out, MUST set off conditioning indicator *
  //     and then WRITE the screen again, so the INVITE keyword         *
  //     is not active.                                                 *
  //   9-KEEP is the keyword to keep the background screen from going   *
  //     black on the second & subsequent writes of the format.         *